第10章

Moneyhehadnonetogive；theknackofputtingguineastogetherhadneverbelongedtohim；buthowwillingly，withwhatafoolisheasiness，withwhathappyalacrity，wouldhehaveabandonedthehalfofhisincomeforalltimetocome，couldhebysodoinghavequietlydispelledthecloudsthatweregatheringoverhim——couldhehavethuscompromisedthematterbetweenthereformerandtheconservative，betweenhispossibleson-in-law，Bold，andhispositiveson-in-law，thearchdeacon。 Andthiscompromisewouldnothavebeenmadefromanyprudentialmotiveofsavingwhatwouldyetremain，forMrHardingstillfeltlittledoubtbutheshouldbeleftforlifeinquietpossessionofthegoodthingshehad，ifhechosetoretainthem。No；hewouldhavedonesofromthesheerloveofquiet，andfromahorrorofbeingmadethesubjectofpublictalk。Hehadveryoftenbeenmovedtopity——tothatinwardweepingoftheheartforothers’woes；butnonehadheeverpitiedmorethanthatoldlord，whosealmostfabulouswealth，drawnfromhischurchpreferments，hadbecomethesubjectofsomuchopprobrium，ofsuchpublicscorn；thatwretchedclericaloctogenarianCroesus，whommenwouldnotallowtodieinpeace——whomalltheworldunitedtodecryandtoabhor。 Washetosuffersuchafate？Washishumblenametobebandiedinmen’smouths，asthegormandiseroftheresourcesofthepoor，asofonewhohadfilchedfromthecharityofotherageswealthwhichhadbeenintendedtorelievetheoldandtheinfirm？Washetobegibbetedinthepress，tobecomeabywordforoppression，tobenamedasanexampleofthegreedoftheEnglishchurch？Shoulditeverbesaidthathehadrobbedthoseoldmen，whomhesotrulyandsotenderlylovedinhisheartofhearts？Asheslowlypaced，hourafterhour，underthosenoblelime-trees，turningthesesadthoughtswithinhim，hebecameallbutfixedinhisresolvethatsomegreatstepmustbetakentorelievehimfromtheriskofsoterribleafate。 Inthemeanwhile，thearchdeacon，withcontentedmindandunruffledspirit，wentabouthisbusiness。HesaidawordortwotoMrChadwick，andthenfinding，asheexpected，thepetitionlyinginhisfather’slibrary，hewroteashortanswertothemen，inwhichhetoldthemthattheyhadnoevilstoredress，butrathergreatmerciesforwhichtobethankful； andhavingseenthebishopsignit，hegotintohisbroughamandreturnedhometoMrsGrantly，andPlumsteadEpiscopi。 TheWarden’sTeaPartyAftermuchpainfuldoubting，ononethingonlycouldMrHardingresolve。Hedeterminedthatatanyratehewouldtakenooffence，andthathewouldmakethisquestionnocauseofquarreleitherwithBoldorwiththebedesmen。Infurtheranceofthisresolution，hehimselfwroteanotetoMrBold，thesameafternoon，invitinghimtomeetafewfriendsandhearsomemusiconaneveningnamedinthenextweek。 HadnotthislittlepartybeenpromisedtoEleanor，inhispresentstateofmindhewouldprobablyhaveavoidedsuchgaiety；butthepromisehadbeengiven，theinvitationsweretobewritten，andwhenEleanorconsultedherfatheronthesubject，shewasnotillpleasedtohearhimsay，’Oh，IwasthinkingofBold，soItookitintomyheadtowritetohimmyself，butyoumustwritetohissister。’ MaryBoldwasolderthanherbrother，and，atthetimeofourstory，wasjustoverthirty。Shewasnotanunattractiveyoungwoman，thoughbynomeansbeautiful。Hergreatmeritwasthekindlinessofherdisposition。Shewasnotveryclever，norveryanimated，norhadsheapparentlytheenergyofherbrother；butshewasguidedbyahighprincipleofrightandwrong；hertemperwassweet，andherfaultswerefewerinnumberthanhervirtues。ThosewhocasuallymetMaryBoldthoughtlittleofher；butthosewhoknewherwelllovedherwell，andthelongertheyknewherthemoretheylovedher。AmongthosewhowerefondestofherwasEleanorHarding；andthoughEleanorhadneveropenlytalkedtoherofherbrother，eachunderstoodtheother’sfeelingsabouthim。 Thebrotherandsisterweresittingtogetherwhenthetwonoteswerebroughtin。 ’Howodd，’saidMary，’thattheyshouldsendtwonotes。 Well，ifMrHardingbecomesfashionable，theworldisgoingtochange。’ Herbrotherunderstoodimmediatelythenatureandintentionofthepeace-offering；butitwasnotsoeasyforhimtobehavewellinthematter，asitwasforMrHarding。Itismuchlessdifficultforthesufferertobegenerousthanfortheoppressor。JohnBoldfeltthathecouldnotgotothewarden’sparty:heneverlovedEleanorbetterthanhedidnow；hehadneversostronglyfelthowanxioushewastomakeherhiswifeasnow，whensomanyobstaclestohisdoingsoappearedinview。Yetherewasherfatherhimself，asitwere，clearingawaythoseveryobstacles，andstillhefeltthathecouldnotgotothehouseanymoreasanopenfriend。 Ashesatthinkingofthesethingswiththenoteinhishand，hissisterwaswaitingforhisdecision。 ’Well，’saidshe，’Isupposewemustwriteseparateanswers，andbothsayweshallbeveryhappy。’ ’You’llgo，ofcourse，Mary，’saidhe；towhichshereadilyassented。’Icannot，’hecontinued，lookingseriousandgloomy。’IwishIcould，withallmyheart。’ ’Andwhynot，John？’saidshe。Shehadasyetheardnothingofthenew-foundabusewhichherbrotherwasabouttoreform——atleastnothingwhichconnecteditwithherbrother’sname。 Hesatthinkingforawhiletillhedeterminedthatitwouldbebesttotellheratoncewhatitwasthathewasabout:itmustbedonesoonerorlater。 ’IfearIcannotgotoMrHarding’shouseanymoreasafriend，justatpresent。’ ’Oh，John！Whynot？Ah，you’vequarrelledwithEleanor！’ ’No，indeed，’saidhe；’I’venoquarrelwithherasyet。’ ’Whatisit，John？’saidshe，lookingathimwithananxious，lovingface，forsheknewwellhowmuchofhisheartwasthereinthathousewhichhesaidhecouldnolongerenter。 ’Why，’saidheatlast，’I’vetakenupthecaseofthesetwelveoldmenofHiram’sHospital，andofcoursethatbringsmeintocontactwithMrHarding。Imayhavetoopposehim，interferewithhim，perhapsinjurehim。’ Marylookedathimsteadilyforsometimebeforeshecommittedherselftoreply，andthenmerelyaskedhimwhathemeanttodofortheoldmen。 ’Why，it’salongstory，andIdon’tknowthatIcanmakeyouunderstandit。JohnHirammadeawill，andlefthispropertyincharityforcertainpooroldmen，andtheproceeds，insteadofgoingtothebenefitofthesemen，goeschieflyintothepocketofthewardenandthebishop’ssteward。’ ’AndyoumeantotakeawayfromMrHardinghisshareofit？’ ’Idon’tknowwhatImeanyet。Imeantoinquireaboutit。 Imeantoseewhoisentitledtothisproperty。Imeantosee，ifIcan，thatjusticebedonetothepoorofthecityofBarchestergenerally，whoare，infact，thelegateesunderthewill。Imean，inshort，toputthematterright，ifIcan。’ ’Andwhyareyoutodothis，John？’ ’Youmightaskthesamequestionofanybodyelse，’saidhe； ’andaccordingtothatthedutyofrightingthesepoormenwouldbelongtonobody。Ifwearetoactonthatprinciple，theweakarenevertobeprotected，injusticeisnevertobeopposed，andnooneistostruggleforthepoor！’AndBoldbegantocomforthimselfinthewarmthofhisownvirtue。 ’Butistherenoonetodothisbutyou，whohaveknownMrHardingsolong？Surely，John，asafriend，asayoungfriend，somuchyoungerthanMrHarding——’ ’That’swoman’slogic，allover，Mary。Whathasagetodowithit？Anothermanmightpleadthathewastooold； andastohisfriendship，ifthethingitselfberight，privatemotivesshouldneverbeallowedtointerfere。BecauseI esteemMrHarding，isthatareasonthatIshouldneglectadutywhichIowetotheseoldmen？orshouldIgiveupaworkwhichmyconsciencetellsmeisagoodone，becauseI regretthelossofhissociety？’ ’AndEleanor，John？’saidthesister，lookingtimidlyintoherbrother’sface。 ’Eleanor，thatis，MissHarding，ifshethinksfit——thatis，ifherfather——or，rather，ifshe——or，indeed，he——iftheyfinditnecessary——butthereisnonecessitynowtotalkaboutEleanorHarding；butthisIwillsay，thatifshehasthekindofspiritforwhichIgivehercredit，shewillnotcondemnmefordoingwhatIthinktobeaduty。’AndBoldconsoledhimselfwiththeconsolationofaRoman。 Marysatsilentforawhile，tillatlastherbrotherremindedherthatthenotesmustbeanswered，andshegotup，andplacedherdeskbeforeher，tookoutherpenandpaper，wroteonitslowly: ’PAKENHAMVILLAS ’Tuesdaymorning’MYDEARELEANOR，’I——’ andthenstopped，andlookedatherbrother。 ’Well，Mary，whydon’tyouwriteit？’ ’Oh，John，’saidshe，’dearJohn，praythinkbetterofthis。’ ’Thinkbetterofwhat？’saidhe。 ’Ofthisaboutthehospital——ofallthisaboutMrHarding—— ofwhatyousayaboutthoseoldmen。Nothingcancalluponyou——nodutycanrequireyoutosetyourselfagainstyouroldest，yourbestfriend。Oh，John，thinkofEleanor。You’llbreakherheart，andyourown。’