,there
is
no
time
to
be
spared
for
sentiment
.
The
principal
business
appeared
to
be
—
dressing
.
Mr.
Ascott
had
insisted
on
doing
his
part
in
making
his
new
connections
appear
"
respectable
"
at
his
marriage
,
and
for
Selina
's
sake
they
had
consented
.
Indeed
,
it
was
inevitable
:
they
had
no
money
whatever
to
clothe
themselves
withal
.
They
must
either
have
accepted
Mr.
Ascott
's
gifts
—
in
which
,
to
do
him
justice
,
he
was
both
thoughtful
and
liberal
—
or
they
must
have
staid
away
from
the
wedding
altogether
,
which
they
did
not
like
to
do
"
for
the
sake
of
the
family
.
"
So
,
with
a
sense
of
doing
their
last
duty
by
the
sister
,
who
would
be
,
they
felt
,
henceforward
a
sister
no
more
,
Miss
Leaf
attired
herself
in
her
violet
silk
and
white
China
shawl
,
and
Miss
Hilary
put
on
her
silver-grey
poplin
,
with
a
cardinal
cape
,
as
was
then
in
fashion
,
trimmed
with
white
swan's-down
.
It
was
rather
an
elderly
costume
for
a
bridemaid
;
but
she
was
determined
to
dress
warmly
,
and
not
risk
,
in
muslins
and
laces
,
the
health
which
to
her
now
was
money
,
life
—
nay
,
honor
.
For
Ascott
's
creditor
had
been
already
paid
:
Miss
Balquidder
never
let
grass
grow
under
her
feet
.
When
Hilary
returned
to
her
sisters
that
day
there
was
no
longer
any
fear
of
public
exposure
;
she
had
the
receipted
bill
in
her
hand
,
and
she
was
Miss
Balquidder
's
debtor
to
the
extent
of
eighty
pounds
.
But
it
was
no
debt
of
disgrace
or
humiliation
,
nor
did
she
feel
it
as
such
.
She
had
learned
the
lesson
which
the
large
hearted
rich
can
always
teach
the
poor
,
that
,
while
there
is
sometimes
,
to
some
people
,
no
more
galling
chain
,
there
is
to
others
—
and
these
are
the
highest
natures
,
too
—
no
more
firm
and
sacred
bond
than
gratitude
.
But
still
the
debt
was
there
;
and
Hilary
would
never
feel
quite
easy
till
it
was
paid
—
in
money
,
at
least
.
The
generosity
she
never
wished
to
repay
.
She
would
rather
feel
it
wrapping
her
round
,
like
an
arm
that
was
heavy
only
through
its
exceeding
tenderness
,
to
the
end
of
her
days
.
Nevertheless
she
had
arranged
that
there
was
to
be
a
regular
monthly
deduction
from
her
salary
;
and
how
,
by
retrenchment
,
to
make
this
monthly
payment
as
large
as
she
could
,
was
a
question
which
had
occupied
herself
and
Johanna
for
a
good
while
after
they
had
retired
to
rest
.
For
there
was
no
time
to
be
lost
.
Mrs.
Jones
must
be
given
notice
to
;
and
there
was
another
notice
to
be
given
,
if
the
Richmond
plan
were
carried
out
;
another
sad
retrenchment
,
foreboding
which
,
when
Elizabeth
brought
up
supper
,
Miss
Hilary
could
hardly
look
the
girl
in
the
face
,
and
,
when
she
bade
her
good
night
,
had
felt
almost
like
a
secret
conspirator
.
For
she
knew
that
,
if
the
money
to
clear
this
debt
was
to
be
saved
,
they
must
part
with
Elizabeth
.
No
doubt
the
personal
sacrifice
would
be
considerable
,
for
Hilary
would
have
to
do
the
work
of
their
two
rooms
with
her
own
hands
,
and
give
up
a
hundred
little
comforts
in
which
Elizabeth
,
now
become
a
most
clever
and
efficient
servant
,
had
made
herself
necessary
to
them
both
.
But
the
two
ladies
did
not
think
of
that
at
the
moment
;
they
only
thought
of
the
pain
of
parting
with
her
.
They
thought
of
it
sorely
,
even
though
she
was
but
a
servant
,
and
there
was
a
family
parting
close
at
hand
.
Alas
!
people
must
take
what
they
earn
.
It
was
a
melancholy
fact
that
,
of
the
two
impending
losses
,
the
person
they
should
miss
most
would
be
,
not
their
sister
,
but
Elizabeth
.
Both
regrets
combined
made
them
sit
at
the
breakfast
table
—
the
last
meal
they
should
ever
take
together
as
a
family
—
sad
and
sorry
,
speaking
about
little
else
than
the
subject
which
presented
itself
as
easiest
and
uppermost
,
namely
,
clothes
.
Finally
,
they
stood
all
completely
arrayed
,
even
to
bonnets
;
Hilary
looking
wonderfully
bewitching
in
hers
,
which
was
the
very
pattern
of
one
that
may
still
be
seen
in
a
youthful
portrait
of
our
gracious
Queen
—
a
large
round
brim
,
with
a
wreath
of
roses
inside
;
while
Miss
Leaf
's
was
somewhat
like
it
,
only
with
little
bunches
of
white
ribbon
:
"
for
,
"
she
said
,
"
my
time
of
roses
has
gone
by
.
"
But
her
sweet
faded
face
had
a
peace
that
was
not
in
the
other
two
—
not
even
in
Hilary
's
.
But
the
time
arrived
;
the
carriage
drew
up
at
the
door
.
Then
nature
and
sisterly
feeling
asserted
themselves
for
a
minute
.
Miss
Selina
"
gave
way
,
"
not
to
any
loud
or
indecorous
extent
,
to
nothing
that
could
in
the
least
harm
her
white
satin
,
or
crumple
her
laces
and
ribbons
;
but
she
did
shed
a
tear
or
two
—
real
honest
tears
—
kissed
her
sisters
affectionately
,
hoped
they
would
be
very
happy
at
Richmond
,
and
that
they
would
often
come
to
see
her
at
Russell
Square
.
"
You
know
,
"
said
she
,
half
apologetically
,
"
it
is
a
great
deal
better
for
one
of
us
at
least
to
be
married
and
settled
.
Indeed
I
assure
you
.
I
have
done
it
all
for
the
good
of
my
family
.
"
And
for
the
time
being
she
devoutly
believed
she
had
.
So
it
was
all
over
.
Elizabeth
herself
,
from
the
aisle
of
St.
Pancras
Church
,
watched
the
beginning
and
ending
of
the
show
;
a
very
fine
show
,
with
a
number
of
handsomely
dressed
people
,
wedding
guests
,
who
seemed
to
stare
about
them
a
good
deal
and
take
little
interest
in
either
bride
or
bridegroom
.
The
only
persons
Elizabeth
recognized
were
her
mistresses
—
Miss
Leaf
,
who
kept
her
veil
down
and
never
stirred
;
and
Miss
Hilary
,
who
stood
close
behind
the
bride
,
listening
with
downcast
eyes
to
the
beautiful
marriage
service
.
It
must
have
touched
her
more
than
on
her
sister
's
account
,
for
a
tear
,
gathered
under
each
eyelash
,
silently
rolled
down
the
soft
cheek
and
fell
.
"
"
Miss
Hilary
's
an
angel
,
and
he
'll
be
a
lucky
man
that
gets
her
,
"
meditated
her
faithful
"
bower-maiden
"
of
old
;
as
,
a
little
excited
by
the
event
of
the
morning
,
she
stood
by
the
mantle-piece
and
contemplated
a
letter
which
had
come
after
the
ladies
departed
;
one
of
these
regular
monthly
Indian
letters
,
after
which
,
Elizabeth
was
sharp
enough
to
notice
,
Miss
Hilary
's
step
always
grew
lighter
and
her
eye
brighter
for
many
days
.
"
It
must
be
a
nice
thing
to
have
somebody
fond
of
one
,
and
somebody
to
be
fond
of
,
"
meditated
she
.
And
"
old
fashioned
piece
of
goods
"
as
she
was
—
according
to
Mrs.
Jones
(
who
now
,
from
the
use
she
was
in
the
Jones
's
menage
,
patronized
and
confided
in
her
extremely
)
some
little
bit
of
womanly
craving
after
the
woman
's
one
hope
and
crown
of
bliss
crept
into
the
poor
maid-servant
's
heart
.
But
it
was
not
for
the
maid-servant
's
usual
necessity
—
a
"
sweet
heart
"
—
somebody
to
"
keep
company
with
;
"
it
was
rather
for
somebody
to
love
,
and
perhaps
take
care
of
a
little
.
People
love
according
to
their
natures
;
and
Elizabeth
's
was
a
strong
nature
;
its
principal
element
being
a
capacity
for
passionate
devotedness
,
almost
unlimited
in
extent
.
Such
women
,
who
love
most
,
are
not
always
,
indeed
very
rarely
,
loved
best
.
And
so
it
was
perhaps
as
well
that
poor
Elizabeth
should
make
up
her
mind
,
as
she
did
very
composedly
,
that
she
herself
should
never
be
married
;
but
after
that
glorious
wedding
of
Miss
Hilary
's
to
Mr.
Lyon
,
should
settle
down
to
take
care
of
Miss
Leaf
all
her
days
.
"
And
if
I
turn
out
only
half
as
good
and
contented
as
my
mistress
,
it
ca
n't
be
such
a
dreadful
thing
to
be
an
old
maid
after
all
,
"
stoically
said
Elizabeth
Hand
.
The
words
were
scarcely
out
of
her
mouth
when
her
attention
was
caught
by
some
one
in
the
passage
inquiring
for
her
;
yes
,
actually
for
her
.
She
could
hardly
believe
her
eyes
when
she
perceived
it
was
her
new-found
old
acquaintance
,
Tom
Cliffe
.
He
was
dressed
very
well
,
out
of
livery
;
indeed
,
he
looked
so
extremely
like
a
gentleman
that
Mrs.
Jones
's
little
girl
took
him
for
one
,
called
him
"
Sir
,
"
and
showed
him
into
the
parlor
.
"
All
right
.
I
thought
this
was
the
house
.
Uncommon
sharp
of
me
to
hunt
you
out
;
was
n't
it
Elizabeth
?
"
But
Elizabeth
was
a
little
stiff
,
flurried
,
and
perplexed
.
Her
mistresses
were
out
;
she
did
not
know
whether
she
ought
to
ask
Tom
in
,
especially
as
it
must
be
into
the
parlor
;
there
was
no
other
place
to
take
him
to
.
However
,
Tom
settled
the
matter
with
a
conclusive
,
"
Oh
,
gammon
!
"
—
sat
himself
down
,
and
made
himself
quite
comfortable
.
And
Elizabeth
was
so
glad
to
see
him
—
glad
to
have
another
chance
of
talking
about
dear
old
Stowbury
.
It
could
not
be
wrong
;
she
would
not
say
a
word
about
,
the
family
,
not
even
tell
him
she
lived
with
the
Misses
Leaf
if
she
could
help
it
.
And
Tom
did
not
seem
in
the
least
curious
.
"
Now
,
I
call
this
quite
a
coincidence
.
I
was
stopping
at
St.
Pancras
Church
to
look
at
a
wedding
—
some
old
city
fogy
who
lives
in
Russell
Square
,
and
is
making
a
great
splash
;
and
there
I
see
you
,
Elizabeth
,
standing
in
the
crowd
,
and
looking
so
nice
and
spicy
—
as
fresh
as
an
apple
and
as
brisk
as
a
bee
.
I
hummed
and
hawed
and
whistled
,
but
I
could
n't
catch
your
eye
;
then
I
missed
you
,
and
was
vexed
above
a
bit
,
till
I
saw
one
like
you
going
in
at
this
door
,
so
I
just
knocked
and
asked
;
and
here
you
are
!
'
Pon
my
life
,
I
am
very
glad
to
see
you
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
Tom
,
"
said
Elizabeth
,
pleased
,
even
grateful
for
the
trouble
he
had
taken
about
her
:
she
had
so
few
friends
;
in
truth
,
actually
none
.
They
began
to
talk
,
and
Tom
Cliffe
talked
exceedingly
well
.
He
had
added
to
his
natural
cleverness
a
degree
of
London
sharpness
,
the
result
of
much
"
knocking
about
"
ever
since
childhood
.
Besides
,
his
master
,
the
literary
gentleman
,
who
had
picked
him
out
of
the
printing
office
,
had
taken
a
deal
of
pains
with
him
.
Tom
was
,
for
his
station
,
a
very
intelligent
and
superior
young
man
.
Not
a
boy
,
though
he
was
still
under
twenty
,
but
a
young
man
:
that
precocity
of
development
which
often
accompanies
a
delicate
constitution
,
making
him
appear
,
as
he
was
indeed
,
in
mind
and
character
,
fully
six
or
seven
years
older
than
his
real
age
.
He
was
a
handsome
fellow
,
too
,
though
small
;
dark
haired
,
dark
eyed
,
with
regular
and
yet
sensitive
and
mobile
features
.
Altogether
Tom
Cliffe
was
decidedly
interesting
,
and
Elizabeth
took
great
pleasure
in
looking
at
him
,
and
in
thinking
,
with
a
certain
half
motherly
,
half
romantic
satisfaction
,
that
but
for
her
,
and
her
carrying
him
home
from
under
the
horse
's
heels
,
he
might
,
humanly
speaking
,
have
been
long
ago
buried
in
Stowbury
church
yard
.
"
I
have
a
'
church
yard
cough
'
at
times
still
,
"
said
he
,
when
speaking
of
this
little
episode
of
early
life
.
"
I
do
n't
think
I
shall
ever
live
to
be
a
middle-aged
man
.
"
And
he
shook
his
head
,
and
looked
melancholy
and
poetical
;
nay
,
even
showed
Elizabeth
some
poetry
that
he
himself
had
written
on
the
subject
,
which
was
clever
enough
in
its
way
.
Elizabeth
's
interest
grew
.
An
ordinary
baker
or
butcher
boy
would
not
have
attracted
her
in
the
least
;
but
here
was
something
in
the
shape
of
a
hero
,
somebody
who
at
once
touched
her
sympathies
and
roused
her
admiration
.
For
Tom
was
quite
as
well
informed
as
she
was
herself
;
more
so
,
indeed
.
He
was
one
of
the
many
shrewd
and
clever
working
men
who
were
then
beginning
to
rise
up
and
think
for
themselves
,
and
educate
themselves
.
He
attended
classes
at
mechanics
'
institutions
,
and
young
men
's
debating
societies
;
where
every
topic
of
the
day
,
religion
,
politics
,
political
economy
,
was
handled
freely
,
as
the
young
do
handle
these
serious
things
.
He
threw
himself
,
heart
and
soul
,
into
the
new
movement
,
which
,
like
all
revolutions
,
had
at
first
its
great
and
fatal
dangers
,
but
yet
resulted
in
much
good
;
clearing
the
political
sky
,
and
bringing
all
sorts
of
hidden
abuses
under
the
sharp
eyes
of
that
great
scourge
of
evil-doers
—
public
opinion
.
Yet
Elizabeth
,
reared
under
the
wing
of
the
conservative
Misses
Leaf
,
was
a
little
startled
when
Tom
Cliffe
,
who
apparently
liked
talking
and
being
listened
to
,
gave
her
a
long
dissertation
on
the
true
principles
of
the
Charter
,
and
how
Frost
,
Williams
,
and
Jones
—
names
all
but
forgotten
now
—
were
very
ill-used
men
,
actual
martyrs
.
She
was
more
than
startled
—
shocked
indeed
—
until
there
came
a
reaction
of
the
deepest
pity
—
when
he
confessed
that
he
never
went
to
church
.
He
saw
no
use
in
going
,
he
said
;
the
parsons
were
all
shams
,
paid
largely
to
chatter
about
what
they
did
not
understand
;
the
only
real
religion
was
that
which
a
man
thought
out
for
himself
,
and
acted
out
for
himself
.
Which
was
true
enough
,
though
only
a
half
truth
;
and
innocent
Elizabeth
did
not
see
the
other
half
.
But
she
was
touched
and
carried
away
by
the
earnestness
and
enthusiasm
of
the
lad
,
wild
,
fierce
iconoclast
as
he
was
,
ready
to
cast
down
the
whole
fabric
of
Church
and
State
;
though
without
any
personal
hankering
after
lawless
rights
and
low
pleasures
.
His
sole
idol
was
,
as
he
said
,
intellect
,
and
that
was
his
preservation
.
Also
,
the
fragile
health
which
was
betrayed
in
every
flash
of
his
eye
,
every
flush
of
his
sallow
cheek
,
made
Tom
Cliffe
,
even
in
the
two
hours
he
staid
with
her
,
come
very
close
to
Elizabeth
's
heart
.
It
was
such
a
warm
heart
,
such
a
liberal
heart
,
thinking
so
little
of
itself
or
of
its
own
value
.
So
here
began
to
be
told
the
old
story
,
familiar
in
kitchens
as
parlors
;
but
,
from
the
higher
bringing
up
of
the
two
parties
concerned
,
conducted
in
this
case
more
after
the
fashion
of
the
latter
than
the
former
.
Elizabeth
Hand
was
an
exceptional
person
,
and
Tom
had
the
sense
to
see
that
at
once
.
He
paid
her
no
coarse
attentions
,
did
not
attempt
to
make
love
to
her
;
but
he
liked
her
,
and
he
let
her
see
that
he
did
.
True
,
she
was
not
pretty
,
and
she
was
older
than
he
;
but
that
to
a
boy
of
nineteen
is
rather
flattering
than
otherwise
.
Also
,
for
there
is
a
law
even
under
the
blind
mystery
of
likings
and
fallings
in
love
—
a
certain
weakness
in
him
,
that
weakness
which
generally
accompanies
the
poetical
nature
,
clung
to
the
quiet
,
solid
,
practical
strength
of
hers
.
He
liked
to
talk
and
be
listened
to
by
those
silent
,
admiring
,
gentle
gray
eyes
;
and
he
thought
it
very
pleasant
when
,
with
a
motherly
prudence
,
she
warned
him
to
be
careful
over
his
cough
,
and
gave
him
a
flannel
breast-plate
to
protect
his
chest
against
the
cold
.
When
he
went
away
Tom
was
so
far
in
love
that
,
following
the
free
and
easy
ways
of
his
class
,
he
attempted
to
give
Elizabeth
a
kiss
;
but
she
drew
back
so
hotly
that
he
begged
her
pardon
,
and
slipped
away
rather
confounded
.
"
That
's
an
odd
sort
of
young
woman
;
there
's
something
in
her
,
"
said
he
to
himself
.
"
I
'll
get
a
kiss
,
though
,
by-and-by
.
"
Meanwhile
Elizabeth
,
having
forgotten
all
about
her
dinner
,
sat
thinking
,
actually
doing
nothing
but
thinking
,
until
within
half
an
hour
of
the
time
when
her
mistresses
might
be
expected
back
.
They
were
to
go
direct
to
the
hotel
,
breakfast
,
wait
till
the
newly-married
couple
had
departed
,
and
then
come
home
.
They
would
be
sure
to
be
weary
,
and
want
their
tea
.
So
Elizabeth
made
every
thing
ready
for
them
,
steadily
putting
Tom
Cliffe
out
of
her
mind
.
One
thing
she
was
glad
of
,
that
talking
so
much
about
his
own
affairs
,
he
had
forgotten
to
inquire
concerning
hers
,
and
was
still
quite
ignorant
even
of
her
mistresses
'
name
.
He
therefore
could
tell
no
tales
of
the
Leaf
family
at
Stowbury
.
Still
she
determined
at
once
to
inform
Miss
Hilary
that
he
had
been
here
,
but
that
,
if
she
wished
it
,
he
should
never
come
again
.
And
it
spoke
well
for
her
resolve
,
that
while
resolving
she
was
startled
to
find
how
very
sorry
she
should
feel
if
Tom
Cliffe
never
came
again
.
I
know
I
am
painting
this
young
woman
with
a
strangely
tender
conscience
,
a
refinement
of
feeling
,
and
a
general
moral
sensitiveness
which
people
say
is
seldom
or
never
to
be
found
in
her
rank
of
life
.
And
why
not
?
Because
mistresses
treat
servants
as
servants
,
and
not
as
women
;
because
in
the
sharp
,
hard
line
they
draw
,
at
the
outset
,
between
themselves
and
their
domestics
,
they
give
no
chance
for
any
womanliness
to
be
developed
.
And
therefore
since
human
nature
is
weak
,
and
without
help
from
without
,
a
long
degraded
class
can
never
rise
,
sweet-hearts
will
still
come
crawling
through
back
entries
and
down
at
area
doors
;
mistresses
will
still
have
to
dismiss
helpless
and
fallen
,
or
brazen
in
iniquity
,
many
a
wretched
girl
who
once
was
innocent
;
or
,
if
nothing
actually
vicious
results
,
may
have
many
a
good
,
respectable
servant
,
who
left
to
get
married
,
return
,
complaining
that
her
"
young
man
,
"
whom
she
knew
so
little
about
,
has
turned
out
a
drunken
scoundrel
of
a
husband
,
who
drives
her
back
to
her
old
comfortable
"
place
"
to
beg
for
herself
and
her
starving
babies
a
morsel
of
bread
.
When
,
with
a
vivid
blush
that
she
could
not
repress
,
Elizabeth
told
her
mistress
that
Tom
Cliffe
had
been
to
see
her
,
the
latter
replied
at
first
carelessly
,
for
her
mind
was
preoccupied
.
Then
,
her
attention
caught
by
the
aforesaid
blush
,
Miss
Hilary
asked
.
"
How
old
is
the
lad
?
"
"
Nineteen
.
"
"
That
's
a
bad
age
,
Elizabeth
.
Too
old
to
be
a
pet
,
and
rather
too
young
for
a
husband
.
"
"
I
never
thought
of
such
a
thing
,
"
said
Elizabeth
,
warmly
—
and
honestly
,
at
the
time
.
"
Did
he
want
to
come
and
see
you
again
?
"
"
He
said
so
.
"
"
Oh
,
well
,
if
he
is
a
steady
,
respectable
lad
there
can
be
no
objection
.
I
should
like
to
see
him
myself
next
time
.
"
And
then
a
sudden
sharp
recollection
that
there
would
likely
be
no
next
time
,
in
their
service
at
least
,
made
Miss
Hilary
feel
quite
a
hypocrite
.
"
Elizabeth
,
"
said
she
,
"
we
will
speak
about
Tom
Cliffe
—
is
not
that
his
name
?
—
by-and-by
.
Now
,
as
soon
as
tea
is
over
,
my
sister
wants
to
talk
to
you
.
When
you
are
ready
,
will
you
come
up
stairs
?
"
She
spoke
in
an
especially
gentle
tone
,
so
that
by
no
possibility
could
Elizabeth
fancy
they
were
displeased
with
her
.
Now
,
knowing
the
circumstances
of
the
family
,
Elizabeth
's
conscience
had
often
smitten
her
that
she
must
eat
a
great
deal
,
that
her
wages
,
paid
regularly
month
by
month
,
must
make
a
great
hole
in
her
mistress
's
income
.
She
was
,
alack
!
a
sad
expense
,
and
she
tried
to
lighten
her
cost
in
every
possible
way
.
But
it
never
struck
her
that
they
could
do
without
her
,
or
that
any
need
would
arise
for
their
doing
so
.
So
she
went
into
the
parlor
quite
unsuspiciously
,
and
found
Miss
Leaf
lying
on
the
sofa
,
and
Miss
Hilary
reading
aloud
the
letter
from
India
.
But
it
was
laid
quietly
aside
as
she
said
,
"
Johanna
,
Elizabeth
is
here
.
"
Then
Johanna
,
rousing
herself
to
say
what
must
be
said
,
but
putting
it
as
gently
and
kindly
as
she
could
,
told
Elizabeth
,
what
mistresses
often
think
it
below
their
dignity
to
tell
to
servants
,
the
plain
truth
—
namely
,
that
circumstances
obliged
herself
and
Miss
Hilary
to
retrench
their
expenses
as
much
as
they
possibly
could
.
That
they
were
going
to
live
in
two
little
rooms
at
Richmond
,
where
they
would
board
with
the
inmates
of
the
house
.
"
And
so
,
and
so
—
"
Miss
Leaf
faltered
.
It
was
very
hard
to
say
it
with
those
eager
eyes
fixed
upon
her
.
Hilary
took
up
the
word
—
"
And
so
,
Elizabeth
,
much
as
it
grieves
us
,
we
shall
be
obliged
to
part
with
you
.
We
cannot
any
longer
afford
to
keep
a
servant
.
"
No
answer
.
"
It
is
not
even
as
it
was
once
before
,
when
we
thought
you
might
do
better
for
yourself
.
We
know
,
if
it
were
possible
,
you
would
rather
stay
with
us
,
and
we
would
rather
keep
you
.
It
is
like
parting
with
one
of
our
own
family
.
"
And
Miss
Hilary
's
voice
too
failed
.
"
However
,
there
is
no
help
for
it
;
we
must
part
.
"
Elizabeth
,
recovered
from
her
first
bewildered
grief
,
was
on
the
point
of
bursting
out
into
entreaties
that
she
might
do
like
many
another
faithful
servant
,
live
without
wages
,
put
up
with
any
hardships
,
rather
than
be
sent
away
.
But
something
in
Miss
Hilary
's
manner
told
her
it
would
be
useless
—
worse
than
useless
,
painful
:
and
she
would
do
any
thing
rather
than
give
her
mistress
pain
.
When
,
utterly
unable
to
control
it
,
she
gave
vent
to
one
loud
sob
,
the
expression
of
acute
suffering
on
Miss
Hilary
's
countenance
was
such
that
she
determined
to
sob
no
more
.
She
felt
that
,
for
some
reason
or
other
,
the
thing
was
inevitable
;
that
she
must
take
up
her
burden
,
as
her
mistress
had
done
,
even
though
it
were
the
last
grief
of
all
—
leaving
that
beloved
mistress
.
"
That
's
right
,
Elizabeth
,
"
said
Miss
Hilary
,
softly
.
"
All
these
changes
are
very
bitter
to
us
also
,
but
we
bear
them
.
There
is
nothing
lasting
in
this
world
,
except
doing
right
,
and
being
good
and
faithful
and
helpful
to
one
another
.
"
She
sighed
.
Possibly
there
had
been
sad
tidings
in
the
letter
which
she
still
held
in
her
hand
,
clinging
to
it
as
we
do
to
something
which
,
however
sorely
it
hurts
us
,
we
would
not
part
with
for
the
whole
world
.
But
there
was
no
hopelessness
or
despair
in
her
tone
,
and
Elizabeth
caught
the
influence
of
that
true
courageous
heart
.
"
Perhaps
you
may
be
able
to
take
me
back
again
soon
,
Ma'am
,
"
said
she
,
looking
toward
Miss
Leaf
.
"
And
meantime
I
might
get
a
place
;
Mrs.
Jones
has
told
me
of
several
;
"
and
she
stopped
,
afraid
lest
it
might
be
found
out
how
often
Mrs.
Jones
had
urged
her
to
"
better
herself
,
"
and
she
had
indignantly
refused
.
"
Or
,
"
(
a
bright
idea
occurred
)
"
I
wonder
if
Miss
Selina
,
that
is
,
Mrs.
Ascott
,
would
take
me
in
at
Russell
Square
?
"
Hilary
looked
hard
at
her
.
"
Would
you
really
like
that
?
"
"
Yes
,
I
should
;
for
I
should
see
and
hear
of
you
.
Miss
Hilary
,
if
you
please
,
I
wish
you
would
ask
Mrs.
Ascott
to
take
me
.
"
And
Hilary
,
much
surprised
—
for
she
was
well
acquainted
with
Elizabeth
's
sentiments
toward
both
Mr.
Ascott
and
the
late
Miss
Selina
—
-promised
.
CHAPTER
XXII
.
And
now
I
leave
Miss
Hilary
for
a
time
;
leave
her
in
,
if
not
happiness
,
great
peace
.
Peace
which
,
after
these
stormy
months
,
was
an
actual
paradise
of
calm
to
both
herself
and
Johanna
.
Their
grief
for
Ascott
had
softened
down
.
Its
very
hopelessness
gave
it
resignation
.
There
was
nothing
more
to
be
done
;
they
had
done
all
they
could
,
both
to
find
him
out
and
to
save
him
from
the
public
disgrace
which
might
blight
any
hope
of
reformation
.
Now
the
result
must
be
left
in
higher
hands
.
Only
at
times
fits
of
restless
trouble
would
come
;
times
when
a
sudden
knock
at
the
door
would
make
Johanna
shake
nervously
for
minutes
afterward
;
when
Hilary
walked
about
every
where
with
her
mind
preoccupied
,
and
her
eyes
open
to
notice
every
chance
passerby
;
nay
,
she
had
sometimes
secretly
followed
down
a
whole
street
some
figure
which
,
in
its
light
jaunty
step
and
long
fashionably-cut
hair
,
reminded
her
of
Ascott
.
Otherwise
they
were
not
unhappy
,
she
and
her
dearest
sister
.
Poor
as
they
were
,
they
were
together
,
and
their
poverty
had
no
sting
.
They
knew
exactly
how
much
they
would
receive
monthly
,
and
how
much
they
ought
to
spend
.
Though
obliged
to
calculate
every
penny
,
still
their
income
and
expenses
were
alike
certain
;
there
was
no
anxiety
about
money
matters
,
which
of
itself
was
an
indescribable
relief
.
Also
there
was
that
best
blessing
—
peace
at
home
.
Never
in
all
her
days
had
Johanna
known
such
an
easy
life
;
sitting
quietly
in
her
parlor
while
Hilary
was
engaged
in
the
shop
below
;
descending
to
dinner
,
where
she
took
the
head
of
the
table
,
and
the
young
people
soon
learned
to
treat
her
with
great
respect
and
even
affection
;
then
waiting
for
the
happy
tea
in
their
own
room
,
and
the
walk
afterward
,
in
Richmond
Park
or
along
the
Thames
banks
toward
Twickenham
.
Perhaps
it
was
partly
from
the
contrast
to
that
weary
year
in
London
,
but
never
,
in
any
spring
,
had
the
air
seemed
so
balmy
,
or
the
trees
so
green
.
They
brought
back
to
Hilary
's
face
the
youthful
bloom
which
she
had
begun
to
lose
;
and
,
in
degree
,
her
youthful
brightness
,
which
had
also
become
slightly
overclouded
.
Again
she
laughed
and
made
her
little
domestic
jokes
,
and
regained
her
pretty
ways
of
putting
things
,
so
that
every
thing
always
appeared
to
have
a
cheerful
,
and
comical
,
side
.
Also
—
for
while
we
are
made
as
we
are
,
with
capacity
for
happiness
,
and
especially
the
happiness
of
love
,
it
is
sure
to
be
thus
—
she
had
a
little
private
sunbeam
in
her
own
heart
,
which
brightened
outside
things
.
After
that
sad
letter
from
India
which
came
on
Selina
's
wedding
day
,
every
succeeding
one
grew
more
cheerful
,
more
demonstrative
,
nay
,
even
affectionate
;
though
still
with
that
queer
Scotch
pride
of
his
,
that
would
ask
for
nothing
till
it
could
ask
and
have
every
thing
,
and
give
every
thing
in
return
—
the
letters
were
all
addressed
to
Johanna
.
"
What
an
advantage
it
is
to
be
an
old
woman
!
"
Miss
Leaf
would
sometimes
say
,
mischievously
,
when
she
received
them
.
But
more
often
she
said
nothing
,
waiting
in
peace
for
events
to
develop
themselves
.
She
did
not
think
much
about
herself
,
and
had
no
mean
jealousy
over
her
child
;
she
knew
that
a
righteous
and
holy
love
only
makes
all
natural
affections
more
sacred
and
more
dear
.
And
Hilary
?
She
held
her
head
higher
and
prouder
;
and
the
spring
trees
looked
greener
,
and
the
river
ran
brighter
in
the
sunshine
.
Ah
,
Heaven
pity
us
all
!
it
is
a
good
thing
to
have
love
in
one
's
life
;
it
is
a
good
thing
,
if
only
for
a
time
,
to
be
actually
happy
.
Not
merely
contented
,
but
happy
!
And
so
I
will
leave
her
,
this
little
woman
;
and
nobody
need
mourn
over
her
because
she
is
working
too
hard
,
or
pity
her
because
she
is
obliged
to
work
;
has
to
wear
common
clothes
,
and
live
in
narrow
rooms
,
and
pass
on
her
poor
weary
feet
the
grand
carriages
of
the
Richmond
gentry
,
who
are
not
a
bit
more
well-born
or
well-educated
than
she
;
who
never
take
the
least
notice
of
her
,
except
sometimes
to
peer
curious
at
the
desk
where
she
sits
in
the
shop-corner
,
and
wonder
who
"
that
young
person
with
the
rather
pretty
curls
"
can
be
.
No
matter
,
she
is
happy
.
How
much
happiness
was
there
in
the
large
house
at
Russell
Square
?
The
Misses
Leaf
could
not
tell
;
their
sister
never
gave
them
an
opportunity
of
judging
.
"
My
son
's
my
son
till
he
gets
him
a
wife
,
But
my
daughter
's
my
daughter
all
her
life
.
"
And
so
,
most
frequently
,
is
"
my
sister
.
"
But
not
in
this
case
.
It
could
not
be
;
they
never
expected
it
would
.
When
on
here
rare
visits
to
town
Hilary
called
at
Russell
Square
she
always
found
Mrs.
Ascott
handsomely
dressed
,
dignified
,
and
gracious
.
Not
in
the
slightest
degree
uncivil
or
unsisterly
,
but
gracious
—
perhaps
a
thought
too
gracious
.
Most
condescendingly
anxious
that
she
should
stay
to
luncheon
,
and
eat
and
drink
the
best
the
house
afforded
,
but
never
by
any
chance
inviting
her
to
stay
to
dinner
.
Consequently
,
as
Mr.
Ascott
was
always
absent
in
the
city
until
dinner
,
Hilary
did
not
see
him
for
months
together
,
and
her
brother-in-law
was
,
she
declared
,
no
more
to
her
than
any
other
man
upon
'
Change
,
or
the
man
in
the
moon
,
or
the
Great
Mogul
.
His
wife
spoke
little
about
him
.
After
a
few
faint
,
formal
questions
concerning
Richmond
affairs
,
somehow
her
conversation
always
recurred
to
her
own
:
the
dinners
she
had
been
at
,
those
she
was
going
to
give
;
her
carriages
,
clothes
,
jewelry
,
and
so
on
.
She
was
altogether
a
very
great
lady
,
and
Hilary
,
as
she
avouched
laughingly
—
it
was
,
in
this
case
,
better
to
laugh
than
to
grieve
—
felt
an
exceedingly
small
person
beside
her
.
Nevertheless
Mrs.
Ascott
showed
no
unkindness
—
nay
,
among
the
various
changes
that
matrimony
had
produced
in
her
,
her
temper
appeared
rather
to
have
improved
than
otherwise
;
there
was
now
seldom
any
trace
of
that
touchy
sharpness
which
used
to
be
called
"
poor
Selina
's
way
.
"
And
yet
Hilary
never
quitted
the
house
without
saying
to
herself
,
with
a
sigh
,
the
old
phrase
,
"
Poor
Selina
!
"
Thus
,
in
the
inevitable
consequences
of
things
,
her
visits
to
Russell
Square
became
fewer
and
fewer
;
she
kept
them
up
as
a
duty
,
not
exacting
any
return
,
for
she
felt
that
was
impossible
,
though
still
keeping
up
the
ghostly
shadow
of
sisterly
intimacy
.
Nevertheless
she
knew
well
it
was
but
a
shadow
;
that
the
only
face
that
looked
honest
,
glad
welcome
,
or
that
she
was
honestly
glad
to
see
in
her
brother-in-law
's
house
was
the
under
house-maid
,
Elizabeth
Hand
.
Contrary
to
all
expectations
,
Mrs.
Ascott
had
consented
to
take
Elizabeth
into
her
service
.
With
many
stipulations
and
warnings
never
to
presume
on
past
relations
,
never
even
to
mention
Stowbury
,
on
pain
of
instant
dismissal
—
still
,
she
did
take
her
,
and
Elizabeth
staid
.
At
every
one
of
Miss
Hilary
's
visits
,
lying
in
wait
in
the
bed
chamber
,
or
on
the
staircase
,
or
creeping
up
at
the
last
minute
to
open
the
hall
door
,
was
sure
to
appear
the
familiar
face
,
beaming
all
over
.
Little
conversation
passed
between
them
—
Mrs.
Ascott
evidently
disliked
it
;
still
Elizabeth
looked
well
and
happy
,
and
when
Miss
Hilary
told
her
so
she
always
silently
smiled
.
But
this
story
must
tell
the
whole
truth
which
lay
beneath
that
fond
acquiescing
smile
.
Elizabeth
was
certainly
in
good
health
,
being
well
fed
,
well
housed
,
and
leading
on
the
whole
an
easy
life
;
happy
,
too
,
when
she
looked
at
Miss
Hilary
.
But
her
migration
from
Mrs.
Jones
's
lodgings
to
this
grand
mansion
had
not
been
altogether
the
translation
from
Purgatory
to
Paradise
that
some
would
have
supposed
.
The
author
of
this
simple
story
having
—
unfortunately
for
it
—
never
been
in
domestic
service
,
especially
in
the
great
houses
of
London
,
does
not
pretend
to
describe
the
ins
and
outs
of
their
"
high
life
below
stairs
;
"
to
repeat
kitchen
conversations
,
to
paint
the
humors
of
the
servants
'
hall
—
the
butler
and
housekeeper
getting
tipsy
together
,
the
cook
courting
the
policeman
,
and
the
footman
making
love
successively
to
every
house-maid
and
ladys'-maid
.
Some
writers
have
depicted
all
this
,
whether
faithfully
or
not
they
know
best
;
but
the
present
writer
declines
to
attempt
any
thing
of
the
kind
.
Her
business
is
solely
with
one
domestic
,
the
country
girl
who
came
unexpectedly
into
this
new
world
of
London
servant-life
—
a
world
essentially
its
own
,
and
a
life
of
which
the
upper
classes
are
as
ignorant
as
they
are
of
what
goes
on
in
Madagascar
and
Otabeite
.
This
fact
was
the
first
which
struck
the
unsophisticated
Elizabeth
.
She
,
who
had
been
brought
up
in
a
sort
of
feudal
relationship
to
her
dear
mistresses
,
was
astonished
to
find
the
domestics
of
Russell
Square
banded
together
into
a
community
which
,
in
spite
of
their
personal
bickerings
and
jealousies
,
ended
in
alliance
offensive
and
defensive
against
the
superior
powers
,
whom
they
looked
upon
as
their
natural
enemies
.
Invisible
enemies
,
certainly
;
for
"
master
"
they
hardly
ever
saw
;
and
,
excepting
the
ladys
'
maid
,
were
mostly
as
ignorant
of
"
missis
.
"
The
housekeeper
was
the
middle
link
between
the
two
estates
—
the
person
with
whom
all
business
was
transacted
,
and
to
whom
all
complaints
had
to
be
made
.
Beyond
being
sometimes
talked
over
,
generally
in
a
quizzical
,
depreciatory
,
or
condemnatory
way
,
the
heads
of
the
establishment
were
no
more
to
their
domestics
than
the
people
who
paid
wages
,
and
exacted
in
return
certain
duties
,
which
most
of
them
made
as
small
as
possible
,
and
escaped
whenever
they
could
.
If
this
be
an
exaggerated
picture
of
a
state
of
things
perhaps
in
degree
inevitable
—
and
yet
it
should
not
be
,
for
it
is
the
source
of
incalculable
evil
,
this
dividing
of
a
house
against
itself
—
if
I
have
in
any
way
said
what
is
not
true
,
I
would
that
some
intelligent
"
voice
from
the
kitchen
"
would
rise
up
and
tell
us
what
is
true
,
and
whether
it
be
possible
on
either
side
to
find
means
of
amending
what
so
sorely
needs
reformation
.
Elizabeth
sometimes
wanted
Tom
Cliffe
to
do
this
—
to
"
write
a
book
,
"
which
he
,
eager
young
malcontent
,
was
always
threatening
to
do
,
upon
the
evils
of
society
,
and
especially
the
tyranny
of
the
upper
classes
.
Tom
Cliffe
was
the
only
person
to
whom
she
imparted
her
troubles
and
perplexities
:
how
different
her
life
was
from
that
she
had
been
used
to
;
how
among
her
fellow-servants
there
was
not
one
who
did
not
seem
to
think
and
act
in
a
manner
totally
opposed
to
every
thing
she
had
learned
from
Miss
Hilary
.
How
consequently
she
herself
was
teased
,
bullied
,
threatened
,
or
at
best
"
sent
to
Coventry
,
"
from
morning
till
night
.
"
I
am
quite
alone
,
Tom
—
I
am
,
indeed
,
"
said
she
,
almost
crying
,
the
first
Sunday
night
when
she
met
him
accidentally
in
going
to
church
,
and
,
in
her
dreary
state
of
mind
,
was
exceedingly
glad
to
see
him
.
He
consoled
her
,
and
even
went
to
church
with
her
,
half
promising
to
do
the
same
next
Sunday
,
and
calling
her
"
a
good
little
Christian
,
who
almost
inclined
him
to
be
a
Christian
too
.
"
And
so
,
with
the
vague
feeling
that
she
was
doing
him
good
and
keeping
him
out
of
harm
—
that
lad
who
had
so
much
that
was
kindly
and
nice
about
him
—
Elizabeth
consented
,
not
exactly
to
an
appointment
,
but
she
told
him
what
were
her
"
Sundays
out
,
"
and
the
church
she
usually
attended
,
if
he
liked
to
take
the
chance
of
her
being
there
.
Alack
!
she
had
so
few
pleasures
;
she
so
seldom
got
even
a
breath
of
outside
air
—
it
was
not
thought
necessary
for
servants
.
The
only
hour
she
was
allowed
out
was
the
church-going
on
alternate
Sunday
evenings
.
How
pleasant
it
was
to
creep
out
then
,
and
see
Tom
waiting
for
her
under
the
opposite
trees
,
dressed
so
smart
and
gentlemanlike
,
looking
so
handsome
and
so
glad
to
see
her
—
her
,
the
poor
countrified
Elizabeth
,
who
was
quizzed
incessantly
by
her
fellow-servants
on
her
oddness
,
plainness
,
and
stupidity
.
Tom
did
not
seem
to
think
her
stupid
,
for
he
talked
to
her
of
all
his
doings
and
plannings
,
vague
and
wild
as
those
of
the
young
tailor
in
"
Alton
Locke
,
"
yet
with
a
romantic
energy
about
them
that
strongly
interested
his
companion
;
and
he
read
her
his
poetry
,
and
addressed
a
few
lines
to
herself
,
beginning
,
"
Dearest
and
best
,
my
long
familiar
friend
;
"
which
was
rather
a
poetical
exaggeration
,
since
he
had
altogether
forgotten
her
in
the
interval
of
their
separation
.
But
she
never
guessed
this
;
and
so
they
both
clung
to
the
early
tie
,
making
it
out
to
be
ten
times
stronger
than
it
really
was
,
as
people
do
who
are
glad
of
any
excuse
for
being
fond
of
one
another
.
Tom
really
was
getting
fond
of
Elizabeth
.
She
touched
the
higher
half
of
his
nature
—
the
spiritual
and
imaginative
half
.
That
he
had
it
,
though
only
a
working-man
,
and
she
too
,
though
only
a
domestic
servant
,
was
most
true
:
probably
many
more
of
their
class
have
it
than
we
are
at
all
aware
of
.
Therefore
,
these
two
being
special
individuals
,
were
attracted
by
each
other
;
she
by
him
,
because
he
was
clever
,
and
he
by
her
,
because
she
was
so
good
.
For
he
had
an
ideal
,
poor
Tom
Cliffe
!
and
though
it
had
been
smothered
and
laid
to
sleep
by
a
not
too
regular
life
,
it
woke
up
again
under
the
kind
,
sincere
eyes
of
this
plain
,
simple-minded
,
honest
Elizabeth
Hand
.
He
knew
she
was
plain
,
and
so
old-fashioned
in
her
dress
,
that
Tom
,
who
was
particular
about
such
things
,
did
not
always
like
walking
with
her
:
but
she
was
so
interesting
and
true
;
she
sympathized
with
him
so
warmly
;
he
found
her
so
unfailingly
and
unvaryingly
good
to
him
through
all
the
little
humors
and
pettishnesses
that
almost
always
accompany
a
large
brain
,
a
nervous
temperament
,
and
delicate
health
.
Her
quietness
soothed
him
,
her
strength
of
character
supported
him
;
he
at
once
leaned
on
her
,
and
ruled
over
her
.
As
to
Elizabeth
's
feelings
toward
Tom
,
they
will
hardly
bear
analyzing
;
probably
hardly
any
strong
emotion
will
,
especially
one
that
is
not
sudden
but
progressive
.
She
admired
him
extremely
,
and
yet
she
was
half
sorry
for
him
.
Some
things
in
him
she
did
not
at
all
like
,
and
tried
heartily
to
amend
.
His
nervous
fancies
,
irritations
,
and
vagaries
she
was
exceedingly
tender
over
;
she
looked
up
to
him
,
and
yet
took
care
of
him
;
this
thought
of
him
,
and
anxiety
over
him
,
became
by
degrees
the
habit
of
her
life
.
People
love
in
so
many
different
ways
;
and
perhaps
that
was
the
natural
way
in
which
a
woman
like
Elizabeth
would
love
,
or
creep
into
love
without
knowing
it
,
which
is
either
the
safest
or
the
saddest
form
which
the
passion
can
assume
.
Thus
things
went
on
,
till
one
dark
,
rainy
Sunday
night
,
walking
round
and
round
the
inner
circle
of
the
square
,
Tom
expressed
his
feelings
.
At
first
,
in
somewhat
high
flown
and
poetical
phrases
,
then
melting
into
the
one
,
eternally
old
and
eternally
new
,
"
Do
you
love
me
?
"
followed
by
a
long
,
long
kiss
,
given
under
shelter
of
the
umbrella
,
and
in
mortal
fear
of
the
approaching
policeman
;
who
,
however
,
never
saw
them
,
or
saw
them
only
as
"
pair
of
sweet-hearts
"
—
too
common
an
occurrence
on
his
beat
to
excite
any
attention
.
But
to
Elizabeth
the
whole
thing
was
new
,
wonderful
;
a
bliss
so
far
beyond
any
thing
that
had
ever
befallen
her
simple
life
,
and
so
utterly
unexpected
therein
,
that
when
she
went
to
her
bed
that
night
she
cried
like
a
child
over
the
happiness
of
Tom
's
loving
her
,
and
her
exceeding
unworthiness
of
the
same
.
Then
difficulties
arose
in
her
mind
.
"
No
followers
allowed
,
"
was
one
of
the
strict
laws
of
the
Russell
Square
dynasty
.
Like
many
another
law
of
that
and
of
much
higher
dynasties
it
was
only
made
to
be
broken
;
for
stray
sweet-hearts
were
continually
climbing
down
area
railings
,
or
over
garden
walls
,
or
hiding
themselves
behind
kitchen
doors
.
Nay
,
to
such
an
extent
was
the
system
carried
out
,
each
servant
being
,
from
self-interest
,
a
safe
co-conspirator
,
that
very
often
when
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Ascott
went
out
to
dinner
,
and
the
old
housekeeper
retired
to
bed
,
there
were
regular
symposia
held
below
stairs
—
nice
little
supper-parties
,
where
all
the
viands
in
the
pantry
and
the
wines
in
the
cellar
were
freely
used
;
where
every
domestic
had
his
or
her
"
young
man
"
or
"
young
woman
,
"
and
the
goings-on
,
though
not
actually
discreditable
,
were
of
the
most
lively
kind
.
To
be
cognizant
of
these
,
and
yet
to
feel
that
,
as
there
was
no
actual
wickedness
going
on
,
she
was
not
justified
in
"
blabbing
,
"
was
a
severe
and
perpetual
trial
to
Elizabeth
.
To
join
them
,
or
bring
Tom
among
them
as
her
"
young
man
,
"
was
impossible
.
"
No
,
Tom
,
"
she
said
,
when
he
begged
hard
to
come
in
one
evening
—
for
it
was
raining
fast
,
and
he
had
a
bad
cough
—
"
No
,
Tom
,
I
ca
n't
let
you
.
If
other
folks
break
the
laws
of
the
house
,
I
wo
n't
—
you
must
go
.
I
can
only
meet
you
out
of
doors
.
"
And
yet
to
do
this
surreptitiously
,
just
as
if
she
were
ashamed
of
him
,
or
as
if
there
were
something
wrong
in
their
being
fond
of
one
another
,
jarred
upon
Elizabeth
's
honest
nature
.
She
did
not
want
to
make
a
show
of
him
,
especially
to
her
fellow-servants
:
she
had
the
true
woman
's
instinct
of
liking
to
keep
her
treasures
all
to
herself
;
but
she
had
also
her
sex
's
natural
yearning
for
sympathy
in
the
great
event
of
a
woman
's
life
.
She
would
have
liked
to
have
somebody
unto
whom
she
could
say
,
"
Tom
has
asked
me
to
marry
him
,
"
and
who
would
have
answered
cordially
,
"
It
's
all
right
:
he
is
a
good
fellow
:
you
are
sure
to
be
happy
.
"
Not
that
she
doubted
this
:
but
it
would
have
been
an
additional
comfort
to
have
a
mother
's
blessing
,
or
a
sister
's
,
or
even
a
friend
's
,
upon
this
strange
and
sweet
emotion
which
had
come
into
her
life
.
So
long
as
it
was
thus
kept
secret
there
seemed
a
certain
incompleteness
and
unsanctity
about
even
their
happy
love
.
Tom
did
not
comprehend
this
at
all
.
He
only
laughed
at
her
for
feeling
so
"
nesh
"
(
that
means
tender
,
sensitive
—
but
the
word
is
almost
unexplainable
to
other
than
Stowbury
ears
)
on
the
subject
.
He
liked
the
romance
and
excitement
of
secret
courtship
—
men
often
do
;
rarely
women
,
unless
there
is
something
in
them
not
quite
right
,
not
entirely
womanly
.
But
Tom
was
very
considerate
,
and
though
he
called
it
"
silly
,
"
and
took
a
little
fit
of
crossness
on
the
occasion
,
he
allowed
Elizabeth
to
write
to
mother
about
him
,
and
consented
that
on
her
next
holiday
she
should
go
to
Richmond
,
in
order
to
speak
to
Miss
Hilary
on
the
same
subject
,
and
ask
her
also
to
write
to
Mrs.
Hand
,
stating
how
good
and
clever
Tom
was
,
and
how
exceedingly
happy
was
Tom
's
Elizabeth
.
"
And
wo
n't
you
come
and
fetch
me
,
Tom
?
"
asked
she
,
shyly
.
"
I
am
sure
Miss
Hilary
would
not
object
,
nor
Miss
Leaf
neither
.
"
Tom
,
protested
he
did
not
care
two
straws
whether
they
objected
or
not
;
he
was
a
man
of
twenty
,
in
a
good
trade
—
he
had
lately
gone
back
to
the
printing
,
and
being
a
clever
workman
,
earned
capital
wages
.
He
had
a
right
to
choose
whom
he
liked
,
and
marry
when
he
pleased
.
If
Elizabeth
did
n't
care
for
him
,
she
might
leave
him
alone
.
"
Oh
,
Tom
!
"
was
all
she
answered
,
with
a
strange
gentleness
that
no
one
could
have
believed
would
ever
have
come
into
the
manner
of
South
Sea
Islander
.
And
quitting
the
subject
then
,
she
afterward
persuaded
him
,
and
not
for
the
first
time
,
into
consenting
to
what
she
thought
right
.
There
is
something
rather
touching
in
a
servant
's
holiday
.
It
comes
so
seldom
.
She
must
count
on
it
for
so
long
beforehand
,
and
remember
it
for
so
long
afterward
.
This
present
writer
owns
to
a
strong
sympathy
with
the
holiday-makers
on
the
grand
gala-days
of
the
English
calendar
.
It
is
a
pleasure
to
watch
the
innumerable
groups
of
family
folk
,
little
,
children
,
and
prentice
lands
.
—
"
Dressed
in
all
their
best
,
To
walk
abroad
with
Sally
.
"
And
the
various
"
Sallys
"
and
their
corresponding
swains
can
hardly
feel
more
regret
than
she
when
it
happens
to
be
wet
weather
on
Easter
week
or
at
Whitsuntide
.
Whit-Monday
,
the
day
when
Tom
escaped
from
the
printing-office
,
and
Elizabeth
got
leave
of
absence
for
six
hours
,
was
as
glorious
a
June
day
as
well
could
be
.
As
the
two
young
people
perched
themselves
on
the
top
of
the
Richmond
omnibus
and
drove
through
Kensington
,
Hammersmith
,
Turnham
Green
,
and
over
Kew
Bridge
—
Tom
pointing
out
all
the
places
,
and
giving
much
curious
information
about
them
—
Elizabeth
thought
there
never
was
a
more
beautiful
country
,
or
a
more
lovely
summer
day
:
she
was
,
she
truly
said
,
"
as
happy
as
a
Queen
.
"
Neverthless
,
when
the
omnibus
stopped
,
she
,
with
great
self-denial
,
insisted
on
getting
rid
of
Tom
for
anytime
.
She
thought
Miss
Hilary
might
not
quite
like
Tom
's
knowing
where
she
lived
,
or
what
her
occupation
was
,
lest
he
might
gossip
about
it
to
Stowbury
people
;
so
she
determined
to
pay
her
visit
by
herself
,
and
appointed
to
meet
him
at
a
certain
hour
on
Richmond
Bridge
,
over
which
bridge
she
watched
him
march
sulkily
,
not
without
a
natural
pleasure
that
he
should
be
so
much
vexed
at
losing
her
company
for
an
hour
or
two
.
But
she
knew
he
would
soon
come
to
himself
—
as
he
did
,
before
he
had
been
half
a
mile
on
the
road
to
Hampton
Court
,
meeting
a
young
fellow
he
knew
,
and
going
with
him
over
that
grand
old
palace
,
which
furnished
them
with
a
subject
at
their
next
debating
society
,
where
they
both
came
out
very
strong
on
the
question
of
hypocritical
priests
and
obnoxious
kings
,
with
especial
reference
to
Henry
VIII
,
and
Cardinal
Wolsey
.
Meanwhile
Elizabeth
went
in
search
of
the
little
shop
—
which
nobody
need
expect
to
find
at
Richmond
now
—
bearing
the
well-known
name
"
Janet
Balquidder
.
"
Entering
it
,
for
there
was
no
private
door
,
she
saw
,
in
the
far
corner
above
the
curtained
desk
,
the
pretty
curls
of
her
dear
Miss
Hilary
.
Elizabeth
had
long
known
that
her
mistress
"
kept
a
shop
,
"
and
with
the
notions
of
gentility
which
are
just
as
rife
in
her
class
as
in
any
other
,
had
mourned
bitterly
over
this
fact
.
But
when
she
saw
how
fresh
and
well
the
young
lady
looked
,
how
busily
and
cheerfully
she
seemed
to
work
with
her
great
books
before
her
,
and
with
what
a
composed
grace
and
dignity
she
came
forward
when
asked
for
,
Elizabeth
secretly
confessed
that
not
even
keeping
a
shop
had
made
or
could
make
the
smallest
difference
in
Miss
Hilary
.
She
herself
was
much
more
changed
.
"
Why
,
Elizabeth
,
I
should
hardly
have
known
you
!
"
was
the
involuntary
exclamation
of
her
late
mistress
.
She
certainly
did
look
very
nice
;
not
smart
—
for
her
sober
taste
preferred
quiet
colors
—
but
excessively
neat
and
well-dressed
.
In
her
new
gown
of
gray
"
coburg
,
"
her
one
handsome
shawl
,
which
had
been
honored
several
times
by
Miss
Hilary
's
wearing
,
her
white
straw
bonnet
and
white
ribbons
,
underneath
which
the
smooth
black
hair
and
soft
eyes
showed
to
great
advantage
,
she
appeared
,
not
"
like
a
lady
"
—
a
servant
can
seldom
do
that
let
her
dress
be
ever
so
fine
—
but
like
a
thoroughly
respectable
,
intelligent
,
and
pleasant-faced
young
woman
.
And
her
blushes
came
and
went
so
fast
,
she
was
so
nervous
and
yet
so
beamingly
happy
,
that
Miss
Hilary
soon
suspected
there
was
more
in
this
visit
than
at
first
appeared
.
Knowing
that
with
Elizabeth
's
great
shyness
the
mystery
would
never
come
out
in
public
,
she
took
an
opportunity
of
asking
her
to
help
her
in
the
bedroom
,
and
there
,
with
the
folding-doors
safely
shut
,
discovered
the
whole
secret
.
Miss
Hilary
was
a
good
deal
surprised
at
first
.
She
had
never
thought
of
Elizabeth
as
likely
to
get
married
at
all
—
and
to
Tom
Cliffe
.
"
Why
,
is
n't
he
a
mere
boy
;
ever
so
much
younger
than
you
are
?
"
"
Three
years
.
"
"
That
is
a
pity
—
a
great
pity
:
women
grow
old
so
much
faster
than
men
.
"
"
I
know
that
,
"
said
Elizabeth
,
somewhat
sorrowfully
.
"
Besides
,
did
you
not
tell
me
he
was
very
handsome
and
clever
?
"
"
Yes
:
and
I
'm
neither
the
one
nor
the
other
.
I
have
thought
all
that
over
too
,
many
a
time
;
indeed
I
have
,
Miss
Hilary
.
But
Tom
likes
me
—
or
fancies
he
does
.
Do
you
think
"
—
and
the
intense
humility
which
true
love
always
has
,
struck
into
Miss
Hilary
's
own
conscious
heart
a
conviction
of
how
very
true
this
poor
girl
's
love
must
be
.
"
Do
you
think
he
is
mistaken
?
that
his
liking
me
—
I
mean
in
that
sort
of
way
—
is
quite
impossible
?
"
"
No
,
indeed
,
and
I
never
said
it
;
never
thought
it
,
"
was
the
earnest
reply
.
"
But
consider
;
three
years
younger
than
yourself
;
handsomer
and
cleverer
than
you
are
—
"
.
Miss
Hilary
stopped
;
it
seemed
so
cruel
to
say
such
things
,
and
yet
she
felt
bound
to
say
them
.
She
knew
her
former
"
bower-maiden
"
well
enough
to
be
convinced
that
if
Elizabeth
were
not
happy
in
marriage
she
would
be
worse
than
unhappy
—
might
grow
actually
bad
.
"
He
loves
you
now
;
you
are
sure
of
that
;
but
are
you
sure
that
he
is
a
thoroughly
stable
and
reliable
character
?
Do
you
believe
he
will
love
you
always
?
"
"
I
ca
n't
tell
.
Perhaps
—
if
I
deserved
it
,
"
said
poor
Elizabeth
.
And
,
looking
at
the
downcast
eyes
,
at
the
thorough
womanly
sweetness
and
tenderness
which
suffused
the
whole
face
,
Hilary
's
doubts
began
to
melt
away
.
She
thought
how
sometimes
men
,
captivated
by
inward
rather
than
outward
graces
,
have
fallen
in
love
with
plain
women
,
or
women
older
than
themselves
,
and
actually
kept
to
their
attachment
through
life
,
with
a
fidelity
rare
as
beautiful
.
Perhaps
this
young
fellow
,
who
seemed
by
all
accounts
superior
to
his
class
—
having
had
the
sense
to
choose
that
pearl
in
an
oyster-shell
,
Elizabeth
Hand
—
might
also
have
the
sense
so
appreciate
her
,
and
go
on
loving
her
to
the
end
of
his
days
,
Anyhow
,
he
loved
her
now
,
and
she
loved
him
;
and
it
was
useless
reasoning
any
more
about
it
.
"
Come
,
Elizabeth
,
"
cried
her
mistress
,
cheerfully
,
"
I
have
said
all
my
say
,
and
now
I
have
only
to
give
my
good
wishes
.
If
Tom
Cliffe
deserves
you
,
I
am
sure
you
deserve
him
,
and
I
should
like
to
tell
him
so
.
"
"
Should
you
,
Miss
Hilary
?
"
and
with
a
visible
brightening
up
Elizabeth
betrayed
Tom
's
whereabouts
,
and
her
little
conspiracy
to
bring
him
here
,
and
her
hesitation
lest
it
might
be
"
intruding
.
"
"
Not
at
all
.
Tell
him
to
come
at
once
.
I
am
not
like
my
sister
;
we
always
allow
'
followers
.
'
I
think
a
mistress
stands
in
the
relation
of
a
parent
,
for
the
time
being
;
and
that
can
not
be
a
right
or
good
love
which
is
concealed
from
her
,
as
if
it
were
a
thing
to
be
ashamed
of
.
"
"
I
think
so
too
.
And
I
'm
not
a
bit
ashamed
of
Tom
,
nor
he
of
me
,
"
said
Elizabeth
,
so
energetically
that
Miss
Hilary
smiled
.
"
Very
well
;
take
him
to
have
his
tea
in
the
kitchen
,
and
then
bring
him
up
stairs
to
speak
to
my
sister
and
me
.
"
At
that
interview
,
which
of
course
was
rather
trying
,
Tom
