put yourself in his place-第61部分

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〃'THE　SHY　MAIDEN。'〃


As　soon　as　he　had　obtained　this　information；　Bayne　bustled　off；　but　Mary　Anne　detained　Henry　Little；　to　moralize。

Said　she；　〃This　rattening　for　trade　contributions　is　the　result　of　bad　and　partial　laws。　　If　A　contracts　with　B；　and　breaks　his　contract；　B　has　no　need　to　ratten　A：　he　can　sue　him。　　But　if　A；　being　a　workman；　contracts　with　B　and　all　the　other　letters；　and　breaks　his　contract；　B　and　all　the　other　letters　have　no　legal　remedy。　　This　bad　and　partial　law；　occurring　in　a　country　that　has　tasted　impartial　laws；　revolts　common　sense　and　the　consciences　of　men。　　Whenever　this　sort　of　thing　occurs　in　any　civilized　country；　up　starts　that　pioneer　judge　we　call　Judge　Lynch；　in　other　words；　private　men　combine；　and　make　their　own　laws；　to　cure　the　folly　of　legislatures。　　And；　mark　me；　if　these　irregular　laws　are　unjust；　they　fail；　if　they　are　just；　they　stand。　　Rattening　could　never　have　stood　its　ground　so　many　years　in　Hillsborough；　if　it　had　not　been　just；　and　necessary　to　the　place；　under　the　partial　and　iniquitous　laws　of　Great　Britain。〃

〃And　pray；〃　inquired　Little；　〃where　is　the　justice　of　taking　a　master's　gear　because　his　paid　workman　is　in　your　debt？〃

〃And　where　is　the　justice　of　taking　a　lodger's　goods　in　execution　for　the　house…tenant's　debt；　which　debt　the　said　lodger　is　helping　the　said　tenant　to　pay？　　We　must　do　the　best　we　can。　　No　master　is　rattened　for　a　workman's　fault　without　several　warnings。　　But　the　masters　will　never　co…operate　with　justice　till　their　bands　and　screws　go。　　That　wakes　them　up　directly。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Grotait；　I　never　knew　you　worsted　in　an　argument：　and　this　nut　is　too　hard　for　my　teeth；　so　I'm　off　to　my　work。　　Ratten　me　now　and　then　for　your　own　people's　fault；　if　you　are　QUITE　sure　justice　and　public　opinion　demand　it；　but　no　more　gunpowder；　please。〃

〃Heaven　forbid；　Mr。　Little。　　Gunpowder！　　I　abhor　it。〃


CHAPTER　XXV。


There　came　a　delightful　letter　from　Grace　Carden；　announcing　her　return　on　a　certain　evening；　and　hoping　to　see　Henry　next　morning。

He　called　accordingly；　and　was　received　with　outstretched　hands　and　sparkling　eyes；　and　words　that　repaid　him　for　her　absence。

After　the　first　joyful　burst；　she　inquired　tenderly　why　he　was　so　pale：　had　he　been　ill？

〃No。〃

〃No　trouble　nor　anxiety；　dear？〃

〃A　little；　at　first；　till　your　sweet　letters　made　me　happy。　　No；　I　did　not　even　know　that　I　was　pale。　　Overstudy；　I　suppose。　　Inventing　is　hard　work。〃

〃What　are　you　inventing？〃

〃All　manner　of　things。　　Machine　to　forge　large　axes；　another　to　grind　circular　saws；　a　railway　clip：　but　you　don't　care　about　such　things。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir。　　I　care　about　whatever　interests　you。〃

〃Well；　these　inventions　interest　me　very　much。　　One　way　or　other；　they　are　roads　to　fortune；　and　you　know　why　I　desire　fortune。〃

〃Ah；　that　I　do。　　But　excuse　me；　you　value　independence　more。　　Oh；　I　respect　you　for　it。　　Only　don't　make　yourself　pale；　or　you　will　make　me　unhappy；　and　a　foe　to　invention。〃

On　this　Mr。　Little　made　himself　red　instead　of　pale；　and　beamed　with　happiness。

They　spent　a　delightful　hour　together；　and；　even　when　they　parted；　their　eyes　lingered　on　each　other。

Soon　after　this　the　Cardens　gave　a　dinner…party；　and　Grace　asked　if　she　might　invite　Mrs。　Little　and　Mr。　Little。

〃What；　is　he　presentable？〃

〃More　than　that；〃　said　Grace；　coloring。　　〃They　are　both　very　superior　to　most　of　our　Hillsborough　friends。〃

〃Well；　but　did　you　not　tell　me　he　had　quarreled　with　Mr。　Raby？〃

〃No；　not　quarreled。　　Mr。　Raby　offered　to　make　him　his　heir：　but　he　chooses　to　be　independent；　and　make　his　own　fortune；　that's　all。〃

〃Well；　if　you　think　our　old　friend　would　not　take　it　amiss；　invite　them　by　all　means。　　I　remember　her　a　lovely　woman。〃

So　the　Littles　were　invited；　and　the　young　ladies　admired　Mr。　Little　on　the　whole；　but　sneered　at　him　a　little　for　gazing　on　Miss　Carden；　as　if　she　was　a　divinity：　the　secret；　which　escaped　the　father；　girls　of　seventeen　detected　in　a　minute；　and　sat　whispering　over　it　in　the　drawing…room。

After　this　invitation；　Henry　and　his　mother　called；　and　then　Grace　called　on　Mrs。　Little；　and　this　was　a　great　step　for　Henry；　the　more　so　as　the　ladies　really　took　to　each　other。

The　course　of　true　love　was　beginning　to　run　smooth；　when　it　was　disturbed　by　Mr。　Coventry。

That　gentleman's　hopes　had　revived　in　London；　Grace　Carden　had　been　very　kind　and　friendly　to　him；　and　always　in　such　good　spirits；　that　he　thought　absence　had　cured　her　of　Little；　and　his　turn　was　come　again。　　The　most　experienced　men　sometimes　mistake　a　woman　in　this　way。　　The　real　fact　was　that　Grace；　being　happy　herself；　thanks　to　a　daily　letter　from　the　man　she　adored；　had　not　the　heart　to　be　unkind　to　another；　whose　only　fault　was　loving　her；　and　to　whom　she　feared　she　had　not　behaved　very　well。　　However；　Mr。　Coventry　did　mistake　her。　　He　was　detained　in　town　by　business；　but　he　wrote　Mr。　Carden　a　charming　letter；　and　proposed　formally　for　his　daughter's　hand。

Mr。　Carden　had　seen　the　proposal　coming　this　year　and　more；　so　he　was　not　surprised；　but　he　was　gratified。　　The　letter　was　put　into　his　hand　while　he　was　dressing　for　dinner。　　Of　course　he　did　not　open　the　subject　before　the　servants：　but；　as　soon　as　they　had　retired；　he　said；　〃Grace；　I　want　your　attention　on　a　matter　of　importance。〃

Grace　stared　a　little；　but　said　faintly；　〃Yes；　papa；〃　and　all　manner　of　vague　maidenly　misgivings　crowded　through　her　brain。

〃My　child；　you　are　my　only　one；　and　the　joy　of　the　house；　and　need　I　say　I　shall　feel　your　loss　bitterly　whenever　your　time　comes　to　leave　me？〃

〃Then　I　never　will　leave　you；〃　cried　Grace；　and　came　and　wreathed　her　arms　round　his　neck。

He　kissed　her；　and　parting　her　hair；　looked　with　parental　fondness　at　her　white　brow；　and　her　deep　clear　eyes。

〃You　shall　never　leave　me；　for　the　worse；〃　said　he：　〃but　you　are　sure　to　marry　some　day；　and　therefore　it　is　my　duty　to　look　favorably　on　a　downright　good　match。　　Well；　my　dear；　such　a　match　offers　itself。　　I　have　a　proposal　for　you。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it。〃

〃Wait　till　you　hear　who　it　is。　　It　is　Mr。　Coventry；　of　Bollinghope。〃

Grace　sighed；　and　looked　very　uncomfortable。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？　you　always　used　to　like　him。〃

〃So　I　do　now；　but　not　for　a　husband。〃

〃I　see　no　one　to　whom　I　could　resign　you　so　willingly。　　He　is　well　born　and　connected；　has　a　good　estate；　not　too　far　from　your　poor　father。〃

〃Dear　papa！〃

〃He　speaks　pure　English：　now　these　Hillsborough　manufacturers；　with　their　provincial　twang；　are　hardly　presentable　in　London　society。〃

〃Dear　papa；　Mr。　Coventry　is　an　accomplished　gentleman；　who　has　done　me　the　highest　honor　he　can。　　You　must　decline　him　very　politely：　but；　between　ourselves；　I　am　a　little　angry　with　him；　because　he　knows　I　do　not　love　him；　and　I　am　afraid　he　has　made　this　offer　to　YOU；　thinking　you　might　be　tempted　to　constrain　my　affections：　but　you　won't　do　that；　my　own　papa；　will　you？　you　will　not　make　your　child　unhappy；　who　loves　you？〃

〃No；　no。　　I　will　never　let　you　make　an　imprudent　match；　but　I　won't　force　you　into　a　good　one。〃

〃And　you　know　I　shall　never　marry　without　your　consent；　papa。　　But　I'm　only　nineteen；　and　I　don't　want　to　be　driven　away　to　Bollinghope。〃

〃And　I'm　sure　I　don't　want　to　drive　you　away　anywhere。　　Mine　will　be　a　dull；　miserable　home　without　you。　　Only　please　tell　me　what　to　say　to　him。〃

〃Oh；　I　leave　that　to　you。　　I　have　often　admired　the　way　you　soften　your　refusals。　　'Le　seigneur　Jupiter　sait　dorer　la　pillule'there；　that's　Moliere。〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　I　must　say〃

〃Let　me　see　what　HE　says　first。〃

She　scanned　the　letter　closely；　to　see　whether　there　was　any　thing　that　could　point　to　Henry　Little。　　But　there　was　not　a　word　to　indicate　he　feared　a　rival；　though　the　letter　was　any　thing　but　presumptuous。

Then　Grace　coaxed　her　father；　and　told　him　she　feared　her　inexperience　had　made　her　indiscreet。　　She　had　liked　Mr。　Coventry's　conversation；　and　perhaps　had；　inadvertently；　given　him　more　encouragement　than　she　intended：　would　he　be　a　good；　kind　papa；　and　get　her　out　of　the　scrape；　as　creditably　as　he　could？　　She　relied　on　his　superior　wisdom。　　So　then　he　kissed　her；　and　said　he　would　do　his　best。

He　wrote　a　kind；　smooth　letter；　gilding　and　double…gilding　the　pill。　He　said；　amongst　the　rest；　that　there　appeared　to　be　no　ground　of　refusal；　except　a　strong　disinclination　to　enter　the　wedded　state。　〃I　believe　there　is　no　one　she　likes　as　well　as　you；　and；　as　for　myself；　I　know　no　gentleman　to　whom　I　would　so　gladly　confide　my　daughter's　happiness；〃　etc。；　etc。

He　handed　this　letter　to　his　daughter　to　read；　but　she　refused。　　〃I　have　implicit　confidence　in　you；〃　said　she。

Mr。　Coventry　acknowledged　receipt　of　the　letter；　thanked　Mr。　Carden　for　the　kind　and　feeling　way　in　which　he　had　inflicted　the　wound；　and　said　that　he　had　a　verbal　communication　to　make　before　he　could　quite　drop　the　matter；　would　be　down　in　about　a　fort…night。

Soon　after　this　Grace　dined　with　Mrs。　Little：　and；　the　week　after　that；　Henry　contrived　to　meet　her　at　a　ball；　and；　after　waiting　patiently　some　time；　he　waltzed　with　her。

This　waltz　was　another　era　in　their　love。　　It　was　an　inspired　whirl　of　two　lovers；　whose　feet　hardly　felt　the　ground；　and　whose　hearts　bounded　and　thrilled；　and　their　cheeks　glowed；　and　their　eyes　shot　fire；　and　when　Grace　was　obliged　to　stop；　because　the　others　stopped；　her　elastic　and　tense　frame　turned　supple　and　soft　directly；　and　she　still　let　her　eyes　linger　on　his；　and　her　hand　nestle　in　his　a　moment：　this；　and　a　faint　sigh　of　pleasure　and　tenderness；　revealed　how　sweet　her　partner　was　to　her。

Need　I　say　the　first　waltz　was　not　the　last？　and　that　evening　they　were　more　in　love　than　ever；　if　possible。

Mr。　Coventry　came　down　from　London；　and；　late　that　evening；　he　and　Mr。　Carden　met　at　the　Club。

Mr。　Carden　found　him　in　an　arm…chair；　looking　careworn　and　unhappy；　and　felt　quite　sorry　for　him。　　He　hardly　knew　what　to　say　to　him；　but　Coventry　with　his　usual　grace　relieved　him；　he　rose；　and　shook　hands；　and　even　pressed　Mr。　Carden's　hand；　and　held　it。

Mr。　Carden　was　so　touched；　that　he　pressed　his　hand　in　return；　and　said；　〃Courage！　my　poor　fellow；　the　case　is