ButIwasnotleftlongalone，forMrWilmot，ofallmentheleastwelcome，tookadvantageofmyisolatedpositiontocomeandplantbesideme。IhadflatteredmyselfthatIhadsoeffectuallyrepulsedhisadvancesonallformeroccasions，thatIhadnothingmoretoapprehendfromhisunfortunatepredilection；butitseemsIwasmistaken：sogreatwashisconfidence，eitherinhiswealthorhisremainingpowersofattraction，andsofirmhisconvictionoffeminineweakness，thathethoughthimselfwarrantedtoreturntothesiege，whichhedidwithrenovatedardour，enkindledbythequantityofwinehehaddrunk——acircumstancethatrenderedhiminfinitelythemoredisgusting；butgreatlyasIabhorredhimatthatmoment，Ididnotliketotreathimwithrudeness，asIwasnowhisguestandhadjustbeenenjoyinghishospitality；andIwasnohandatapolitebutdeterminedrejection，norwouldithavegreatlyavailedmeifIhad；forhewastoocoarse-mindedtotakeanyrepulsethatwasnotasplainandpositiveashisowneffrontery。Theconsequencewas，thathewaxedmorefulsomelytender，andmorerepulsivelywarm，andIwasdriventotheveryvergeofdesperationandabouttosay，Iknownotwhat，whenIfeltmyhand，thathungoverthearmofthesofa，suddenlytakenbyanotherandgentlybutferventlypressed。Instinctively，Iguessedwhoitwas，andonlookingup，waslesssurprisedthandelighted，toseeMrHuntingdonsmilinguponme。Itwasliketurningfromsomepurgatorialfiendtoanangeloflight，cometoannouncethattheseasonoftormentwaspast。
`Helen，’saidhe(hefrequentlycalledmeHelen，andIneverresentedthefreedom)，`Iwantyoutolookatthispicture：MrWilmotwillexcuseyouamoment，I’msure。’
Irosewithalacrity。Hedrewmyarmwithinhis，andledmeacrosstheroomtoasplendidpaintingofVandyke’sthatIhadnoticedbefore，butnotsufficientlyexamined。Afteramomentofsilentcontemplation，Iwasbeginningtocommentonitsbeautiesandpeculiarities，when，playfullypressingthehandhestillretainedwithinhisarm，heinterruptedmewith——
`Nevermindthepicture，itwasnotforthatIbroughtyouhere；
itwastogetyouawayfromthatscoundrellyoldprofligateyonder，whoislookingasifhewouldliketochallengemefortheaffront。’
`Iamverymuchobligedtoyou，’saidI。`Thisistwiceyouhavedeliveredmefromsuchunpleasantcompanionship。’
`Don’tbetoothankful，’heanswered：`Itisnotallkindnesstoyou；itispartlyfromafeelingofspitetoyourtormentorsthatmakesmedelightedtodotheoldfellowsabadturn，thoughIdon’tthinkIhaveanygreatreasontodreadthemasrivals——HaveI，Helen？’
`YouknowIdetestthemboth。’
`Andme？’
`Ihavenoreasontodetestyou。’
`Butwhatareyoursentimentstowardsme？——Helen——Speak！——Howdoyouregardme？’
Andagainhepressedmyhand；butIfearedtherewasmoreofconsciouspowerthantendernessinhisdemeanour，andIfelthehadnorighttoextortaconfessionofattachmentfrommewhenhehadmadenocorrespondentavowalhimself，andknewnotwhattoanswer。AtlastIsaid——
`Howdoyouregardme？’
`Sweetangel，Iadoreyou！I——’
`Helen；Iwantyouamoment，’saidthedistinct，lowvoiceofmyaunt，closebesideus。AndIlefthim，mutteringmaledictionsagainsthisevilangel。
`Well，aunt，whatisit？batdoyouwant？’saidI，followinghertotheembrasureofthewindow。
`Iwantyoutojointhecompany，whenyouarefittobeseen，returnedshe，severelyregardingme；`butpleasetostayherealittle，tillthatshockingcolourissomewhatabated，andyoureyeshaverecoveredsomethingoftheirnaturalexpression。Ishouldbeashamedforanyonetoseeyouinyourpresentstate。’
Ofcourse，sucharemarkhadnoeffectinreducingthe`shockingcolour’；onthecontrary，Ifeltmyfaceglowwithredoubledfires，kindledbyacomplicationofemotions，ofwhichindignant，swellingangerwasthechief。Iofferednoreply，however，butpushedasidethecurtainandlookedintothenight——orrather，intothelamp-litsquare。
`WasMrHuntingdonproposingtoyou，Helen？’enquiredmytoowatchfulrelative。
`No。’
`Whatwashesayingthen？Iheardsomethingverylikeit。’
`Idon’tknowwhathewouldhavesaid，ifyouhadn’tinterruptedhim。’
`Andwouldyouhaveacceptedhim，Helen，ifhehadproposed？’
`Ofcoursenot——withoutconsultinguncleandyou。’
`Oh！I’mglad，mydear，youhavesomuchprudenceleft。Wellnow，’
sheadded，afteramoment’spause，`youhavemadeyourselfconspicuousenoughforoneevening。Theladiesaredirectingenquiringglancestowardsusatthismoment，Isee。Ishalljointhem。Doyoucometoo，whenyouaresufficientlycomposedtoappearasusual。’
`Iamsonow。’
`Speakgentlythen；anddon’tlooksomalicious，’saidmycalm，butprovokingaunt。`Weshallreturnhomeshortly，andthen，’sheadded，withsolemnsignificance，`Ihavemuchtosaytoyou。’
SoIwenthomepreparedforaformidablelecture。Littlewassaidbyeitherpartyinthecarriageduringourshorttransithomewards；butwhenIhadenteredmyroomandthrownmyselfintoaneasychairtoreflectontheeventsoftheday，myauntfollowedme(hither，andhavingdismissedRachel，whowascarefullystowingawaymyornaments，closedthedoor：andplacingachairbesideme，orratheratrightangleswithmine，satdown。
WithduedeferenceIofferedhermymorecommodiousseat。Shedeclinedit，andthusopenedtheconference：
`Doyouremember，Helen，ourconversationthenightbutonebeforeweleftStaningley？’
`Yes，aunt。’
`Anddoyourememberhowlwarnedyouagainstlettingyourheartbestolenfromyoubythoseunworthyofitspossession；andfixingyouraffectionswhereapprobationdidnotgobefore，andwherereasonandjudgmentwithheldtheirsanction？’
`Yes，butmyreason——’
`Pardonme——anddoyourememberassuringmethattherewasnooccasionforuneasinessonyouraccount；foryoushouldneverbetemptedtomarryamanwhowasdeficientinsenseorprinciple，howeverhandsomeorcharminginotherrespectshemightbe，foryoucouldnotlovehim，youshouldhate——despise——pity——anythingbutlovehim——werenotthoseyourwords？’
`Yes，but——’
`Anddidyounotsaythatyouraffectionmustbefoundedonapprobation；andthatunlessyoucouldapproveandhonourandrespect，youcouldnotlove？’
`Yes，butIdoapproveandhonourandrespect——’
`Howso，mydear？isMrHuntingdonagoodman？’
`Heisamuchbettermanthanyouthinkhim。’
`Thatisnothingtothepurpose。Isheagoodman？’
`Yes——insomerespects。Hehasagooddisposition。’
`Isheamanofprinciple？’
`Perhapsnot，exactly；butitisonlyforwantofthought：ifhehadsomeonetoadvisehim，andremindhimofwhatisright——’
`Hewouldsoonlearn，youthink——andyouyourselfwouldwillinglyundertaketobehisteacher？But，mydear，heis，Ibelieve，fulltenyearsolderthanyou——howisitthatyouaresobeforehandinmoralacquirements？’
`Thankstoyou，aunt，Ihavebeenwellbroughtup，andhadgoodexamplesalwaysbeforeme，whichhe，mostlikely，hasnot；——andbesides，heisofasanguinetemperament，andagaysthoughtlesstemper，andI
amnaturallyinclinedtoreflection。’
`Well，nowyouhavemadehimouttobedeficientinbothsenseandprinciple，byyourownconfession——’
`Thenmysenseandmyprincipleareathisservice！’
`Thatsoundspresumptuous，Helen！Doyouthinkyouhaveenoughforboth；anddoyouimagineyourmerry，thoughtlessprofligatewouldallowhimselftobeguidedbyayoung，girllikeyou？’
`No；Ishouldnotwishtoguidehim；butIthinkImighthaveinfluencesufficienttosavehimfromsomeerrors，andIshouldthinkmylifewellspentintheefforttopreservesonobleanaturefromdestruction。
Healwayslistensattentivelynow，whenIspeakseriouslytohim(andI
oftenventuretoreprovehisrandomwayoftalking)，andsometimeshesaysthatifhehadmealwaysbyhissideheshouldneverdoorsayawickedthing，andthatalittledailytalkwithmewouldmakehimquiteasaint。
Itmaybepartlyjestandpartlyflattery，butstill——’
`Butstillyouthinkitmaybetruth？’
`IfIdothinkthereisanymixtureoftruthinit，itisnotfromconfidenceinmyownpowers，butinhisnaturalgoodness——Andyouhavenorighttocallhimaprofligate，aunt；heisnothingofthekind。’
`Whotoldyouso，mydear？batwasthatstoryabouthisintriguewithamarriedlady——Ladywhowasit——MissWilmotherselfwastellingyoutheotherday？’
`Itwasfalse——false！’Icried。`Idon’tbelieveawordofit。’
`Youthink，then，thatheisavirtuous，well-conductedyoungman？’
`Iknownothingpositiverespectinghischaracter。IonlyknowthatIhaveheardnothingdefinitiveagainstit——nothingthatcouldbeproved，atleast；andtillpeoplecanprovetheirslanderousaccusations，Iwillnotbelievethem。AndIknowthis，thatifhehascommittederrors，theyareonlysuchasarecommontoyouth，andsuchasnobodythinksanythingabout；forIseethateverybodylikeshim，andallthemammassmileuponhim，andtheedaughters——andMissWilmotherself——areonlytoogladtoattracthisattention。’
`Helen，theworldmaylookuponsuchoffencesasvenial；
afewunprincipledmothersmaybeanxioustocatchayoungmanoffortunewithoutreferencetohischaracter；andthoughtlessgirlsmaybegladtowinthesmilesofsohandsomeagentlemanwithoutseekingtopenetratebeyondthesurface；butyou，Itrusted，werebetterinformedthantoseewiththeireyes，andjudgewiththeirpervertedjudgment。Ididnotthinkyouwouldcallthesevenialerrors！’
`NordoI，aunt；butifIhatethesinsIlovethesinner，andwoulddomuchforIllssalvation，evensupposingyoursuspicionstobemainlytrue——whichIdonotandwillnotbelieve。’
`Well，mydear，askyourunclewhatsortofcompanyhekeepsandifheisnotbandedwithasetofloose，profligateyoungmen，whomhecallshisfriends——hisjollycompanions，andwhosechiefdelightistowallowinvice，andviewitheachotherwhocanrunfastestandfarthestdowntheheadlongroadtotheplacepreparedforthedevilandhisangels。’
`ThenIwillsavehimfromthem。’
`Oh，Helen，Helen！youlittleknowthemiseryofunitingyourfortunestosuchaman！’
`Ihavesuchconfidenceinhim，aunt，notwithstandingallyousay，thatIwouldwillinglyriskmyhappinessforthechanceofsecurInghis。Iwillleavebettermentothosewhoonlyconsidertheirownadvantage。
Ifhehasdoneamiss，Ishallconsidermylifewellspentinsavinghimfromtheconsequencesofhisearlyerrors，andstrivingtorecallhimtothepathofvirtue——Godgrantmesuccess！’
HeretheConversationended，foratthisjuncture，myuncle’svoicewasheardfromhischamber，loudlycallinguponmyaunttocometobed。Hewasinabadhumourthatnight；forhisgoutwasworse。Ithadbeengraduallyincreasinguponhimeversincewecametotown；andmyaunttookadvantageofthecircumstance，nextmorning，topersuadehimtoreturntothecountryimmediately，withoutwaitingforthecloseoftheseason。
Hisphysiciansupportedandenforcedherarguments；andcontrarytoherusualhabits，shesohurriedthepreparationsforremoval(asmuchformysakeasmyuncle’s，Ithink)，thatinaveryfewdayswedeparted；andIsawnomoreofMrHuntingdon。MyauntflattersherselfIshallsoonforgethim——perhapssheIhaveforgottenhimalready，forInevermentionhisname；andshemaycontinuetothinkso，tillwemeetagain，——ifeverthatshouldbe。Iwonderifitwill。
TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter18CHAPTER18TheMiniatureAugust25th——Iamnowquitesettleddowntomyusualroutineofsteadyoccupationsandquietamusements——tolerablycontentedandcheerful，butstilllookingforwardtospringwiththehopeofreturningtotown，notforitsgaietiesanddissipations，butforthechanceofmeetingMrHuntingdononceagain；forstillheisalwaysinmythoughtsandinmydreams。Inallmyemployments，whateverIdo，orsee，orhear，hasanultimatereferencetohim；whateverskillorknowledgeIacquireissomedaytobeturnedtohisadvantageoramusement；whatevernewbeautiesinnatureorartI
