AndthenhediscourseduponhispresentpositionasostlerattheRoseandCrown，andhowgreatlysuperioritwastohisformerone，incomfortandfreedom，thoughinferiorinoutwardrespectability；andenteredintovariousdetailsrespectingthedomesticeconomyattheGrove，andthecharactersofMrs。Hargraveandherson，——towhichIgavenoheed，beingtoomuchoccupiedwithmyownanxious，flutteringanticipationsandwiththecharacterofthecountrythroughwhichwepassed，that，inspiteoftheleaflesstreesandsnowyground，hadforsometimebeguntomanifestunequivocalsignsoftheapproachtoagentleman’scountryseat。`Arewenotnearthehouse？’saidI，interruptinghiminthemiddleofhisdiscourse。`Yes，sir；yond’sthepark。’Myheartsankwithinmetobeholdthatstatelymansioninthemidstofitsexpansivegrounds-heparkasbeautifulnow，initswintrygarb，asitcouldbeinitssummerglory；themajesticsweep，theundulatingswellandfall，displayedtofulladvantageinthatrobeofdazzlingpurity，stainlessandprintless——saveonelong，windingtrackleftbythetroopingdeer——thestatelytimber-treeswiththeirheavyladenbranchesgleamingwhiteagainstthedull，greysky；thedeep，encirclingwoods；thebroadexpanseofwatersleepinginfrozenquiet；andtheweepingashandwillowdroopingtheirsnowcladboughsaboveit——allpresentedapicture，striking，indeed，andpleasingtoanunencumberedmind，butbynomeansencouragingtome。Therewasonecomforthowever，-allthiswasentaileduponlittleArthur，andcouldnotunderanycircumstances，strictlyspeaking，behismother’s。Buthowwasshesituated？Overcomingwithasuddeneffortmyrepugnancetomentionhernametomygarrulouscompanion，Iaskedhimifheknewwhetherherlatehusbandhadleftawill，andhowthepropertyhadbeendisposedof。Oh，yes，heknewallaboutit；andI
wasquicklyinformedthattoherhadbeenleftthefullcontrolandmanagementoftheestateduringherson’sminority，besidestheabsolute，unconditionalpossessionofherownfortune(butIknewherfatherhadnotgivenhermuch)，andthesmalladditionalsumthathadbeensettleduponherbeforemarriage。
Beforethecloseoftheexplanation，wedrewupattheparkgates。
Nowforthetrial——ifIshouldfindherwithin——butalas！shemightbestillatStaningley：herbrotherhadgivenmenointimationtothecontrary。
Ienquiredattheporter’slodgeifMrs。Huntingdonwereathome。No，shewaswithherauntin——hire，butwasexpectedtoreturnbeforeChristmas。
SheusuallyspentmostofhertimeatStaningley，onlycomingtoGrassdaleoccasionally，whenthemanagementofaffairs，ortheinterestofhertenantsanddependantsrequiredherpresence。
`NearwhattownisStaningleysituated？’Iasked。Therequisiteinformationwassoonobtained。`Nowthen，myman，givemethereins，andwe’llreturntoM。ImusthavesomebreakfastattheRoseandCrown，andthenawaytoStaningleybythefirstcoachfor——“
`You’llnotgetthereto-day，sir。’
`Nomatter，Idon’twanttogetthereto-day；Iwanttogetthereto-morrow，andpassthenightontheroad。’
`Ataninn，sir？You’dbetterbyhalfstayatourhouse；
andthenstartfreshto-morrow，andhavethewholedayforyourjourney。’
`What，andlosetwelvehours？notI。’
`Perhaps，sir，you’rerelatedtoMrs。Huntingdon？’saidhe，seekingtoindulgehiscuriositysincehiscupiditywasnottobegratified。
`Ihavenotthathonour。’
`Ah！well，’returnedhewithadubious，sidelongglanceatmysplashed，greytrousersandroughPjacket。`But，’headded，encouragingly，`there’smanyafineladylikethat`athaskinsfolkspoorernorwhatyouare，sir，Ishouldthink。’
`Nodoubt，——andthere’smanyafinegentlemanwouldesteemhimselfvastlyhonouredtobeabletoclaimkindredwiththeladyyoumention。’
Henowcunninglyglancedatmyface。`Perhaps，sir，youmeanto——’
Iguessedwhatwascoming，andcheckedtheimpertinentconjecturewith，——`Perhapsyou’llbesogoodastobequietamoment。I’mbusy。
`Busy，sir？’
`Yes，inmymind，anddon’twanttohavemycogitationsdisturbed。’
`Indeed，sir！’
Youwillseethatmydisappointmenthadnotverygreatlyaffectedme，orIshouldnothavebeenablesoquietlytobearwiththefellow’simpertinence。ThefactisIthoughtitaswell——naybetter，allthingsconsidered，thatIshouldnotseeherto-day，——thatIshouldhavetimetocomposemymindfortheinterview——toprepareitforaheavierdisappointment，aftertheintoxicatingdelightexperiencedbythissuddenremovalofmyformerapprehensions；nottomentionthat，aftertravellinganightandadaywithoutintermission，andrushinginhothastethroughsixmilesofnew-fallensnow，Icouldnotpossiblybeinaverypresentablecondition。
AtM——Ihadtimebeforethecoachstartedtoreplenishmyforceswithaheartybreakfast，andtoobtaintherefreshmentofmyusualmorning’sablutions，andtheameliorationofsomeslightchangeinmytoilet，——andalsotodispatchashortnotetomymother(excellentsonthatIwas)toassureherthatIwasstillinexistenceandtoexcusemynonappearanceattheexpectedtime。ItwasalongjourneytoStaningleyforthoseslowtravellingdays；butIdidnotdenymyselfneedfulrefreshmentontheroad，norevenanight’srestataway-sideinn；choosingrathertobrookalittledelaythantopresentmyselfworn，wild，andweatherbeatenbeforemymistressandheraunt，whowouldbeastonishedenoughtoseemewithoutthat。Nextmorning，therefore，Inotonlyfortifiedmyselfwithassubstantialabreakfastasmyexcitedfeelingswouldallowmetoswallow，butIbestowedalittlemorethanusualtimeandcareuponmytoilet；and，furnishedwithachangeoflinenfrommysmallcarpet-bag，wellbrushedclothes，wellpolishedboots，andneatnewgloves，——Imounted`theLightning，’andresumedmyjourney。Ihadnearlytwostagesyetbeforeme，butthecoach，Iwasinformed，passedthroughtheneighbourhoodofStaningley，and，havingdesiredtobesetdownasneartheHallaspossible，Ihadnothingtodobuttositwithfoldedarmsandspeculateuponthecominghour。
Itwasaclear，frostymorning。Theveryfactofsittingexaltedaloft，surveyingthesnowylandscapeandsweet，sunnysky，inhalingthepure，bracingair，andcrunchingawayoverthecrisp，frozensnow，wasexhilaratingenoughinitself，butaddtothistheideaoftowhatgoalIwashastening，andwhomIexpectedtomeet，andyoumayhavesomefaintconceptionofmyframeofmindatthetime——onlyafaintonethough，formyheartswelledwithunspeakabledelight，andmyspiritsrosealmosttomadness——inspiteofmyprudentendeavourstobindthemdowntoareasonableplatitude’bythinkingoftheundeniabledifferencebetweenHelen’srankandmine；ofallthatshehadpassedthroughsinceourparting；ofherlong，unbrokensilence；and，aboveall，ofhercool，cautiousaunt，whosecounselsshewoulddoubtlessbecarefulnottoslightagain。Theseconsiderationsmademyheartflutterwithanxiety，andmychestheavewithimpatiencetogetthecrisisover，buttheycouldnotdimherimageinmymind，ormarthevividrecollectionofwhathadbeensaidandfeltbetweenus——ordestroythekeenanticipationofwhatwastobe——infact，Icouldnotrealizetheirterrorsnow。Towardsthecloseofthejourney，however，acoupleofmyfellowpassengerskindlycametomyassistance，andbroughtmelowenough。
`Finelandthis，’saidoneofthem，pointingwithhisumbrellatothewidefieldsontheright，conspicuousfortheircompacthedgerows，deep，well-cutditches，andfinetimber-trees，growingsometimesontheborders，sometimesinthemidstoftheenclosure；——`veryfineland，ifyousawitinthesummerorspring。’
`Ay，’respondedtheothersgruffelderlyman，withadrabgreatcoatbuttoneduptothechinandacottonumbrellabetweenhisknees。`It’soldMaxwell’sIsuppose。’
`Itwashis，sir，buthe’sdeadnow，you’reaware，andhasleftitalltohisniece。’
`All！’
`Everyroodofit，——andthemansion-houseandall，——everyhatomofhisworldlygoods！——exceptjustatrifle，bywayofremembrancetohisnephewdowninhireandanannuitytohiswife。’
`It’sstrange，sir！’
`Itissir。Andshewasn’thisownnieceneither；buthehadnonearrelationsofhisown——nonebutanephewhe’dquarrelledwith——andhealwayshadapartialityforthisone。Andthenhiswifeadvisedhimtoit，theysay：she’dbroughtmostoftheproperty，anditwasherwishthatthisladyshouldhaveit。’
`Humph！——She’llbeafinecatchforsomebody。’
`Shewillso。She’sawidow，butquiteyoungyet，anduncommonhandsomefortuneofherown，besides，andonlyonechild——andshe’snursingafineestateforhimin-There’llbelotstospeakforher！——’fraidthere’snochanceforuz’-(facetiouslyjoggingmewithhiselbow，aswellashiscompanion)——`ha，ha，ha！Nooffence，sir，Ihope？’(tome)`Ahem！——I
shouldthinkshe’llmarrynonebutanobleman，myself。Lookyesir，’resumedhe，turningtohisotherneighbour，andpointingpastmewithhisumbrella，`that’stheHall——grandpark，yousee——andallthemwoods——plentyoftimberthere，andlotsofgame——hallo！whatnow？’
Thisexclamationwasoccasionedbythesuddenstopofthecoachattheparkgates。
`Gen’lemanforStaningleyHall？’criedthecoachman；andIroseandthrewmycarpet-bagontotheground，preparatorytodroppingmyselfdownafterit。
`Sickly，sir？’askedmytalkativeneighbour，staringmeintheface(Idaresayitwaswhiteenough)。
`No。Here，coachman。’
`Thank’ee，sir——Allright！’
Thecoachmanpocketedhisfeeanddroveaway，leavingmenotwalkingupthepark，butpacingtoandfrobeforeitsgates，withfoldedarmsandeyesfixedupontheground——inoverwhelmingforceofimages，thoughts，impressionscrowdingonmymind，andnothingtangiblydistinctbutthis：——Mylovehadbeencherishedinvain；myhopewasgoneforever；Imusttearmyselfawayatonce，andbanishorsuppressallthoughtsofherliketheremembranceofawild，maddream。GladlywouldIhavelingeredroundtheplaceforhours，inthehopeofcatching，atleastonedistantglimpseofherbeforeIwent，butitmustnotbe：Imustnotsufferhertoseeme；forwhatcouldhavebroughtmehitherbutthehopeofrevivingherattachment，withaview，hereaftertoobtainherhand？AndcouldIbearthatsheshouldthinkmecapableofsuchathing？——ofpresumingupontheacquaintance——theloveifyouwill——accidentallycontracted，orratherforceduponheragainstherwill，whenshewasanunknownfugitive，toilingforherownsupport，apparentlywithoutfortune，familyorconnections——tocomeuponhernow，whenshewasre-instatedinherpropersphere，andclaimashareinherprosperity，which，haditneverfailedher，wouldmostcertainlyhavekeptherunknowntomeforever？andthistoo，whenwehadpartedsixteenmonthsago，andshehadexpresslyforbiddenmetohopeforare-unioninthisworld——andneversentmealineoramessagefromthatdaytothis？
No！Theveryideawasintolerable。
Andevenifsheshouldhavealingeringaffectionformestill，oughtItodisturbherpeacebyawakeningthosefeelings？tosubjecthertothestrugglesofconflictingdutyandinclination——towhichsoeversidethelattermightallure，ortheformerimperativelycallher——whethersheshoulddeemitherdutytorisktheslightsandcensuresoftheworld，thesorrowanddispleasureofthosesheloved，foraromanticideaoftruthandconstancytome，ortosacrificeherindividualwishestothefeelingsofherfriendsandherownsenseofprudenceandthefitnessofthings？
No——andIwouldnot！Iwouldgoatonce，andsheshouldneverknowthatIhadapproachedtheplaceofherabode；forthoughImightdisclaimallideaofeveraspiringtoherhand，orevenofsolicitingaplaceinherfriendlyregard，herpeaceshouldnotbebrokenbymypresence，norherheartafflictedbythesightofmyfidelity。
`Adieuthen，dearHelen，forever！——Foreveradieu！’
SosaidI——andyetIcouldnottearmyselfaway。Imovedafewpaces，andthenlookedback，foronelastviewofherstatelyhome，thatImighthaveitsoutwardform，atleastimpresseduponmymindasindeliblyasherownimage，whichalas！Imustnotseeagain——then，walkedafewstepsfarther；andthenlostinmelancholymusings，pausedagainandleantmybackagainstarougholdtreethatgrewbesidetheroad。
TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter53CHAPTERLIIICONCLUSIONWhilestandingthus，absorbedinmygloomyreverie，agentleman’scarriagecameroundthecorneroftheroad。Ididnotlookatit；andhaditrolledquietlybyme，Ishouldnothaverememberedthefactofitsappearanceatall；butatinyvoicefromwithinitrousedmebyexclaiming——
`Mamma，mamma，here’sMr。Markham！’
Ididnothearthereply，butpresentlythesamevoiceanswered——
`Itisindeed，mamma——lookforyourself。’
