第12章

’Oh，papa，dotellme，’sheexclaimed，throwingherarmsroundhim，andlookingintohisface；’whatisitheisgoingtodo？Whatisitallabout？Isthereany——any——any——’shedidn’twellknowwhatwordtouse——’anydanger？’ ’Danger，mydear，whatsortofdanger？’ ’Dangertoyou，dangeroftrouble，andofloss，andof—— Oh，papa，whyhaven’tyoutoldmeofallthisbefore？’ MrHardingwasnotthemantojudgeharshlyofanyone，muchlessofthedaughterwhomhenowlovedbetterthananylivingcreature；butstillhedidjudgeherwronglyatthismoment。HeknewthatshelovedJohnBold；hefullysympathisedinheraffection；dayafterdayhethoughtmoreofthematter，and，withthetendercareofalovingfather，triedtoarrangeinhisownmindhowmattersmightbesomanagedthathisdaughter’sheartshouldnotbemadethesacrificetothedisputewhichwaslikelytoexistbetweenhimandBold。Now，whenshespoketohimforthefirsttimeonthesubject，itwasnaturalthatheshouldthinkmoreofherthanofhimself，andthatheshouldimaginethatherowncares，andnothis，weretroublingher。 Hestoodsilentbeforeherawhile，asshegazedupintohisface，andthenkissingherforeheadheplacedheronthesofa。 ’Tellme，Nelly，’hesaid(heonlycalledherNellyinhiskindest，softest，sweetestmoods，andyetallhismoodswerekindandsweet)，’tellme，Nelly，doyoulikeMrBold——much？’ Shewasquitetakenabackbythequestion。Iwillnotsaythatshehadforgottenherself，andherownloveinthinkingaboutJohnBold，andwhileconversingwithMary:shecertainlyhadnotdoneso。Shehadbeensickathearttothinkthatamanofwhomshecouldnotbutowntoherselfthatshelovedhim，ofwhoseregardshehadbeensoproud，thatsuchamanshouldturnagainstherfathertoruinhim。Shehadfelthervanityhurt，thathisaffectionforherhadnotkepthimfromsuchacourse； hadhereallycaredforher，hewouldnothaveriskedherlovebysuchanoutrage。Buthermainfearhadbeenforherfather，andwhenshespokeofdanger，itwasofdangertohimandnottoherself。 Shewastakenabackbythequestionaltogether:’DoIlikehim，papa？’ ’Yes，Nelly，doyoulikehim？Whyshouldn’tyoulikehim？ butthat’sapoorword——doyoulovehim？’Shesatstillinhisarmswithoutansweringhim。Shecertainlyhadnotpreparedherselfforanavowalofaffection，intending，asshehaddone，toabuseJohnBoldherself，andtohearherfatherdosoalso。 ’Come，mylove，’saidhe，’letusmakeacleanbreastofit:doyoutellmewhatconcernsyourself，andIwilltellyouwhatconcernsmeandthehospital。’ Andthen，withoutwaitingforananswer，hedescribedtoher，ashebestcould，theaccusationthatwasmadeaboutHiram’swill；theclaimswhichtheoldmenputforward； whatheconsideredthestrengthandwhattheweaknessofhisownposition；thecoursewhichBoldhadtaken，andthatwhichhepresumedhewasabouttotake；andthenbydegrees，withoutfurtherquestion，hepresumedonthefactofEleanor’slove，andspokeofthatloveasafeelingwhichhecouldinnowaydisapprove:heapologisedforBold，excusedwhathewasdoing；nay，praisedhimforhisenergyandintentions；mademuchofhisgoodqualities，andharpedonnoneofhisfoibles；then，remindinghisdaughterhowlateitwas，andcomfortingherwithmuchassurancewhichhehardlyfelthimself，hesenthertoherroom，withflowingeyesandafullheart。 WhenMrHardingmethisdaughteratbreakfastthenextmorning，therewasnofurtherdiscussiononthematter，norwasthesubjectmentionedbetweenthemforsomedays。SoonafterthepartyMaryBoldcalledatthehospital，buttherewerevariouspersonsinthedrawing-roomatthetime，andshethereforesaidnothingaboutherbrother。Onthedayfollowing，JohnBoldmetMissHardinginoneofthequiet，sombre，shadedwalksoftheclose。Hewasmostanxioustoseeher，butunwillingtocallatthewarden’shouse，andhadintruthwaylaidherinherprivatehaunts。 ’Mysistertellsme，’saidhe，abruptlyhurryingonwithhispremeditatedspeech，’mysistertellsmethatyouhadadelightfulpartytheotherevening。IwassosorryIcouldnotbethere。’ ’Wewereallsorry，’saidEleanor，withdignifiedcomposure。 ’Ibelieve，MissHarding，youunderstandwhy，atthismoment——’AndBoldhesitated，muttered，stopped，commencedhisexplanationagain，andagainbrokedown。 Eleanorwouldnothelphimintheleast。 ’Ithinkmysisterexplainedtoyou，MissHarding？’ ’Praydon’tapologise，MrBold；myfatherwill，Iamsure，alwaysbegladtoseeyou，ifyouliketocometothehousenowasformerly；nothinghasoccurredtoalterhisfeelings:ofyourownviewsyouare，ofcourse，thebestjudge。’ ’Yourfatherisallthatiskindandgenerous；healwayswasso；butyou，MissHarding，yourself——Ihopeyouwillnotjudgemeharshly，because——’ ’MrBold，’saidshe，’youmaybesureofonething；Ishallalwaysjudgemyfathertoberight，andthosewhoopposehimIshalljudgetobewrong。Ifthosewhodonotknowhimopposehim，Ishallhavecharityenoughtobelievethattheyarewrong，througherrorofjudgment；butshouldIseehimattackedbythosewhooughttoknowhim，andtolovehim，andreverehim，ofsuchIshallbeconstrainedtoformadifferentopinion。’Andthencurtseyinglowshesailedon，leavingherloverinanythingbutahappystateofmind。 ’TheJupiter’ ThoughEleanorHardingrodeofffromJohnBoldonahighhorse，itmustnotbesupposedthatherheartwassoelateasherdemeanour。Inthefirstplace，shehadanaturalrepugnancetolosingherlover；andinthenext，shewasnotquiteSosurethatshewasintherightasshepretendedtobe。Herfatherhadtoldher，andthatnowrepeatedly，thatBoldwasdoingnothingunjustorungenerous；andwhythenshouldsherebukehim，andthrowhimoff，whenshefeltherselfsoillabletobearhisloss？——butsuchishumannature，andyoung-lady-natureespecially。Asshewalkedofffromhimbeneaththeshadyelmsoftheclose，herlook，hertone，everymotionandgestureofherbody，beliedherheart；shewouldhavegiventheworldtohavetakenhimbythehand，tohavereasonedwithhim，persuadedhim，cajoledhim，coaxedhimoutofhisproject；tohaveovercomehimwithallherfemaleartillery，andtohaveredeemedherfatheratthecostofherself；butpridewouldnotletherdothis，andshelefthimwithoutalookofloveorawordofkindness。 HadBoldbeenjudgingofanotherloverandofanotherlady，hemighthaveunderstoodallthisaswellaswedo；butinmattersoflovemendonotseeclearlyintheirownaffairs。 Theysaythatfaintheartneverwonfairlady；anditisamazingtomehowfairladiesarewon，sofaintareoftenmen’shearts！Wereitnotforthekindnessoftheirnature，thatseeingtheweaknessofourcouragetheywilloccasionallydescendfromtheirimpregnablefortresses，andthemselvesaidusineffectingtheirowndefeat，toooftenwouldtheyescapeunconqueredifnotunscathed，andfreeofbodyifnotofheart。 PoorBoldcreptoffquitecrestfallen；hefeltthatasregardedEleanorHardinghisfatewassealed，unlesshecouldconsenttogiveupatasktowhichhehadpledgedhimselfandwhichindeeditwouldnotbeeasyforhimtogiveup。Lawyerswereengaged，andthequestionhadtoacertainextentbeentakenupbythepublic；besides，howcouldahigh-spiritedgirllikeEleanorHardingreallylearntoloveamanforneglectingadutywhichheassumed！Couldsheallowheraffectiontobepurchasedatthecostofhisownself-respect？ Asregardedtheissueofhisattemptatreformationinthehospital，Boldhadnoreasonhithertotobediscontentedwithhissuccess。AllBarchesterwasbytheearsaboutit。Thebishop，thearchdeacon，thewarden，thesteward，andseveralotherclericalallies，haddailymeetings，discussingtheirtactics，andpreparingforthegreatattack。SirAbrahamHaphazardhadbeenconsulted，buthisopinionwasnotyetreceived: copiesofHiram’swill，copiesofwardens’journals，copiesofleases，copiesofaccounts，copiesofeverythingthatcouldbecopied，andofsomethatcouldnot，hadbeensenttohim； andthecasewasassumingmostcreditabledimensions。But，aboveall，ithadbeenmentionedinthedailyJupiter。Thatall- powerfulorganofthepressinoneofitsleadingthunderboltslaunchedatStCross，hadthusremarked:’Anothercase，ofsmallerdimensionsindeed，butofsimilarimport，isnowlikelytocomeunderpublicnotice。WeareinformedthatthewardenormasterofanoldalmshouseattachedtoBarchesterCathedralisinreceiptoftwenty-fivetimestheannualincomeappointedforhimbythewillofthefounder，whilethesumyearlyexpendedontheabsolutepurposesofthecharityhasalwaysremainedfixed。Inotherwords，thelegateesunderthefounder’swillhavereceivednoadvantagefromtheincreaseinthevalueofthepropertyduringthelastfourcenturies，suchincreasehavingbeenabsorbedbytheso-calledwarden。 Itisimpossibletoconceiveacaseofgreaterinjustice。 Itisnoanswertosaythatsomesixornineortwelveoldmenreceiveasmuchofthegoodsofthisworldassucholdmenrequire。Onwhatfoundation，moralordivine，traditionalorlegal，isgroundedthewarden’sclaimtothelargeincomehereceivesfordoingnothing？Thecontentmentofthesealmsmen，ifcontenttheybe，cangivehimnotitletothiswealth！ Doesheeveraskhimself，whenhestretcheswidehisclericalpalmtoreceivethepayofsomedozenoftheworkingclergy，forwhatserviceheissoremunerated？Doeshisconscienceeverentertainthequestionofhisrighttosuchsubsidies？Orisitpossiblethatthesubjectneversopresentsitselftohismind；thathehasreceivedformanyyears，andintends，shouldGodsparehim，toreceiveforyearstocomethesefruitsoftheindustriouspietyofpastages，indifferentastoanyrightonhisownpart，orofanyinjusticetoothers！WemustexpressanopinionthatnowherebutintheChurchofEngland，andonlythereamongitspriests，couldsuchastateofmoralindifferencebefound。’ ImustforthepresentleavemyreaderstoimaginethestateofMrHarding’smindafterreadingtheabovearticle。TheysaythatfortythousandcopiesofTheJupiteraredailysold，andthateachcopyisreadbyfivepersonsattheleast。Twohundredthousandreadersthenwouldhearthisaccusationagainsthim；