,if
it
were
needed
,
in
struggling
to
obtain
a
seat
in
Parliament
and
a
hearing
there
.
I
will
hardly
stoop
to
tell
you
that
I
do
not
ask
you
to
be
my
wife
for
the
sake
of
this
aid
;
—
but
if
you
were
to
become
my
wife
I
should
expect
all
your
cooperation
;
—
with
your
money
,
possibly
,
but
certainly
with
your
warmest
spirit
.
And
now
,
once
again
,
Alice
,
—
dearest
Alice
,
will
you
be
my
wife
?
I
have
been
punished
,
and
I
have
kissed
the
rod
,
—
as
I
never
kissed
any
other
rod
.
You
cannot
accuse
my
love
.
Since
the
time
in
which
I
might
sit
with
my
arm
round
your
waist
,
I
have
sat
with
it
round
no
other
waist
.
Since
your
lips
were
mine
,
no
other
lips
have
been
dear
to
me
.
Since
you
were
my
counsellor
,
I
have
had
no
other
counsellor
,
—
unless
it
be
poor
Kate
,
whose
wish
that
we
may
at
length
be
married
is
second
in
earnestness
only
to
my
own
.
Nor
do
I
think
you
will
doubt
my
repentance
.
Such
repentance
indeed
claims
no
merit
,
as
it
has
been
the
natural
result
of
the
loss
which
I
have
suffered
.
Providence
has
hitherto
been
very
good
to
me
in
not
having
made
that
loss
irremediable
by
your
marriage
with
Mr.
Grey
.
I
wish
you
now
to
consider
the
matter
well
,
and
to
tell
me
whether
you
can
pardon
me
and
still
love
me
.
Do
I
flatter
myself
when
I
feel
that
I
doubt
your
pardon
almost
more
than
I
doubt
your
love
?
Think
of
this
thing
in
all
its
bearings
before
you
answer
me
.
I
am
so
anxious
that
you
should
think
of
it
that
I
will
not
expect
your
reply
till
this
day
week
.
It
can
hardly
be
your
desire
to
go
through
life
unmarried
.
I
should
say
that
it
must
be
essential
to
your
ambition
that
you
should
join
your
lot
to
that
of
some
man
the
nature
of
whose
aspirations
would
be
like
to
your
own
.
It
is
because
this
was
not
so
as
regarded
him
whose
suit
you
had
accepted
,
that
you
found
yourself
at
last
obliged
to
part
from
him
.
May
I
not
say
that
with
us
there
would
be
no
such
difference
?
It
is
because
I
believe
that
in
this
respect
we
are
fitted
for
each
other
,
as
man
and
woman
seldom
are
fitted
,
that
I
once
again
ask
you
to
be
my
wife
.
This
will
reach
you
at
Vavasor
,
where
you
will
now
be
with
the
old
squire
and
Kate
.
I
have
told
her
nothing
of
my
purpose
in
writing
this
letter
.
If
it
should
be
that
your
answer
is
such
as
I
desire
,
I
should
use
the
opportunity
of
our
re-engagement
to
endeavour
to
be
reconciled
to
my
grandfather
.
He
has
misunderstood
me
and
has
ill-used
me
.
But
I
am
ready
to
forgive
that
,
if
he
will
allow
me
to
do
so
.
In
such
case
you
and
Kate
would
arrange
that
,
and
I
would
,
if
possible
,
go
down
to
Vavasor
while
you
are
there
.
But
I
am
galloping
on
a-head
foolishly
in
thinking
of
this
,
and
am
counting
up
my
wealth
while
the
crockery
in
my
basket
is
so
very
fragile
.
One
word
from
you
will
decide
whether
or
no
I
shall
ever
bring
it
into
market
.
If
that
word
is
to
be
adverse
do
not
say
anything
of
a
meeting
between
me
and
the
Squire
.
Under
such
circumstances
it
would
be
impossible
.
But
,
oh
,
Alice
!
do
not
let
it
be
adverse
.
I
think
you
love
me
.
Your
woman
's
pride
towards
me
has
been
great
and
good
and
womanly
;
but
it
has
had
its
way
;
and
,
if
you
love
me
,
might
now
be
taught
to
succumb
.
Dear
Alice
,
will
you
be
my
wife
?
Yours
,
in
any
event
,
most
affectionately
,
George
Vavasor
.
Vavasor
,
when
he
had
finished
his
letter
,
went
back
to
his
seat
over
the
fire
,
and
there
he
sat
with
it
close
at
his
hand
for
nearly
an
hour
.
Once
or
twice
he
took
it
up
with
fingers
almost
itching
to
throw
it
into
the
fire
.
He
took
it
up
and
held
the
corners
between
his
forefinger
and
thumb
,
throwing
forward
his
hand
towards
the
flame
,
as
though
willing
that
the
letter
should
escape
from
him
and
perish
if
chance
should
so
decide
.
But
chance
did
not
so
decide
,
and
the
letter
was
put
back
upon
the
table
at
his
elbow
.
Then
when
the
hour
was
nearly
over
he
read
it
again
.
"
I
'll
bet
two
to
one
that
she
gives
way
,
"
he
said
to
himself
,
as
he
put
the
sheet
of
paper
back
into
the
envelope
.
"
Women
are
such
out-and-out
fools
.
"
Then
he
took
his
candle
,
and
carrying
his
letter
with
him
,
went
into
his
bedroom
.
The
next
morning
was
the
morning
of
Christmas
Eve
.
At
about
nine
o'clock
a
boy
came
into
his
room
who
was
accustomed
to
call
for
orders
for
the
day
.
"
Jem
,
"
he
said
to
the
boy
,
"
there
's
half
a
crown
lying
there
on
the
looking-glass
.
"
Jem
looked
and
acknowledged
the
presence
of
the
half-crown
.
"
Is
it
a
head
or
a
tail
,
Jem
?
"
asked
the
boy
's
master
.
Jem
scrutinized
the
coin
,
and
declared
that
the
uppermost
surface
showed
a
tail
.
"
Then
take
that
letter
and
post
it
,
"
said
George
Vavasor
.
Whereupon
Jem
,
asking
no
question
and
thinking
but
little
of
the
circumstances
under
which
the
command
was
given
,
did
take
the
letter
and
did
post
it
.
In
due
accordance
with
postal
regulations
it
reached
Vavasor
Hall
and
was
delivered
to
Alice
on
the
Christmas
morning
.
A
merry
Christmas
did
not
fall
to
the
lot
of
George
Vavasor
on
the
present
occasion
.
An
early
Christmas-box
he
did
receive
in
the
shape
of
a
very
hurried
note
from
his
friend
Burgo
.
"
This
will
be
brought
to
you
by
Stickling
,
"
the
note
said
;
but
who
Stickling
was
Vavasor
did
not
know
.
"
I
send
the
bill
.
Could
n't
you
get
the
money
and
send
it
me
,
as
I
do
n't
want
to
go
up
to
town
again
before
the
thing
comes
off
?
You
're
a
trump
;
and
will
do
the
best
you
can
.
Do
n't
let
that
rogue
off
for
less
than
a
hundred
and
twenty
.
—
Yours
,
B
.
F
.
"
Vavasor
,
therefore
,
having
nothing
better
to
do
,
spent
his
Christmas
morning
in
calling
on
Mr.
Magruin
.
"
Oh
,
Mr.
Vavasor
,
"
said
Magruin
;
"
really
this
is
no
morning
for
business
!
"
"
Time
and
tide
wait
for
no
man
,
Mr.
Magruin
,
and
my
friend
wants
his
money
to-morrow
.
"
"
Oh
,
Mr.
Vavasor
,
—
to-morrow
!
"
"
Yes
,
to-morrow
.
If
time
and
tide
wo
n't
wait
,
neither
will
love
.
Come
,
Mr.
Magruin
,
out
with
your
cheque-book
,
and
do
n't
let
's
have
any
nonsense
.
"
"
But
is
the
lady
sure
,
Mr.
Vavasor
?
"
asked
Mr.
Magruin
,
anxiously
.
"
Ladies
never
are
sure
,
"
said
Vavasor
;
"
hardly
more
sure
than
bills
made
over
to
money-lenders
.
I
'm
not
going
to
wait
here
all
day
.
Are
you
going
to
give
him
the
money
?
"
"
Christmas-day
,
Mr.
Vavasor
!
There
's
no
getting
money
in
the
city
to-day
.
"
But
Vavasor
before
he
left
did
get
the
money
from
Mr.
Magruin
,
—
£
122
10s
.
—
for
which
an
acceptance
at
two
months
for
£
500
was
given
in
exchange
,
—
and
carried
it
off
in
triumph
.
"
Do
tell
him
to
be
punctual
,
"
said
Mr.
Magruin
,
when
Vavasor
took
his
leave
.
"
I
do
so
like
young
men
to
be
punctual
.
But
I
really
think
Mr.
Fitzgerald
is
the
most
unpunctual
young
man
I
ever
did
know
yet
.
"
"
I
think
he
is
,
"
said
George
Vavasor
,
as
he
went
away
.
He
ate
his
Christmas
dinner
in
absolute
solitude
at
an
eating-house
near
his
lodgings
.
It
may
be
supposed
that
no
man
dares
to
dine
at
his
club
on
a
Christmas
Day
.
He
at
any
rate
did
not
so
dare
;
—
and
after
dinner
he
wandered
about
through
the
streets
,
wondering
within
his
mind
how
he
would
endure
the
restraints
of
married
life
.
And
the
same
dull
monotony
of
his
days
was
continued
for
a
week
,
during
which
he
waited
,
not
impatiently
,
for
an
answer
to
his
letter
.
And
before
the
end
of
the
week
the
answer
came
.
CHAPTER
XXXI
.
Among
the
Fells
.
Alice
came
down
to
breakfast
on
that
Christmas
morning
at
Vavasor
Hall
without
making
any
sign
as
to
the
letter
she
had
received
.
The
party
there
consisted
of
her
grandfather
,
her
father
,
her
cousin
Kate
,
and
herself
.
They
all
made
their
Christmas
salutations
as
is
usual
,
and
Alice
received
and
made
hers
as
did
the
others
,
without
showing
that
anything
had
occurred
to
disturb
her
tranquillity
.
Kate
remarked
that
she
had
heard
that
morning
from
Aunt
Greenow
,
and
promised
to
show
Alice
the
letter
after
breakfast
.
But
Alice
said
no
word
of
her
own
letter
.
"
Why
did
n't
your
aunt
come
here
to
eat
her
Christmas
dinner
?
"
said
the
Squire
.
"
Perhaps
,
sir
,
because
you
did
n't
ask
her
,
"
said
Kate
,
standing
close
to
her
grandfather
,
—
for
the
old
man
was
somewhat
deaf
.
"
And
why
did
n't
you
ask
her
;
—
that
is
,
if
she
stands
upon
asking
to
come
to
her
old
home
?
"
"
Nay
,
sir
,
but
I
could
n't
do
that
without
your
bidding
.
We
Vavasors
are
not
always
fond
of
meeting
each
other
.
"
"
Hold
your
tongue
,
Kate
.
I
know
what
you
mean
,
and
you
should
be
the
last
to
speak
of
it
.
Alice
,
my
dear
,
come
and
sit
next
to
me
.
I
am
much
obliged
to
you
for
coming
down
all
this
way
to
see
your
old
grandfather
at
Christmas
.
I
am
indeed
.
I
only
wish
you
had
brought
better
news
about
your
sweetheart
.
"
"
She
'll
think
better
of
it
before
long
,
sir
,
"
said
her
father
.
"
Papa
,
you
should
n't
say
that
.
You
would
not
wish
me
to
marry
against
my
own
judgement
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
much
about
ladies
'
judgements
,
"
said
the
old
man
.
"
It
does
seem
to
me
that
when
a
lady
makes
a
promise
she
ought
to
keep
it
.
"
"
According
to
that
,
"
said
Kate
,
"
if
I
were
engaged
to
a
man
,
and
found
that
he
was
a
murderer
,
I
still
ought
to
marry
him
.
"
"
But
Mr.
Grey
is
not
a
murderer
,
"
said
the
Squire
.
"
Pray
,
—
pray
,
do
n't
talk
about
it
,
"
said
Alice
.
"
If
you
do
I
really
cannot
sit
and
hear
it
.
"
"
I
have
given
over
saying
anything
on
the
subject
,
"
said
John
Vavasor
,
speaking
as
though
he
had
already
expended
upon
it
a
vast
amount
of
paternal
eloquence
.
He
had
,
however
,
never
said
more
than
has
been
recorded
in
these
pages
.
Alice
during
this
conversation
,
sat
with
her
cousin
's
letter
in
her
pocket
,
and
as
yet
had
not
even
begun
to
think
what
should
be
the
nature
of
her
reply
.
The
Squire
of
Vavasor
Hall
was
a
stout
old
man
,
with
a
red
face
and
grey
eyes
,
which
looked
fiercely
at
you
,
and
with
long
grey
hair
,
and
a
rough
grey
beard
,
which
gave
him
something
of
the
appearance
of
an
old
lion
.
He
was
passionate
,
unreasoning
,
and
specially
impatient
of
all
opposition
;
but
he
was
affectionate
,
prone
to
forgive
when
asked
to
do
so
,
unselfish
,
and
hospitable
.
He
was
,
moreover
,
guided
strictly
by
rules
,
which
he
believed
to
be
rules
of
right
.
His
grandson
George
had
offended
him
very
deeply
,
—
had
offended
him
and
never
asked
his
pardon
.
He
was
determined
that
such
pardon
should
never
be
given
,
unless
it
were
asked
for
with
almost
bended
knees
;
but
,
nevertheless
,
this
grandson
should
be
his
heir
.
That
was
his
present
intention
.
The
right
of
primogeniture
could
not
,
in
accordance
with
his
theory
,
be
abrogated
by
the
fact
that
it
was
,
in
George
Vavasor
's
case
,
protected
by
no
law
.
The
Squire
could
leave
Vavasor
Hall
to
whom
he
pleased
,
but
he
could
not
have
hoped
to
rest
quietly
in
his
grave
should
it
be
found
that
he
had
left
it
to
any
one
but
the
eldest
son
of
his
own
eldest
son
.
Though
violent
,
and
even
stern
,
he
was
more
prone
to
love
than
to
anger
;
and
though
none
of
those
around
him
dared
to
speak
to
him
of
his
grandson
,
yet
he
longed
in
his
heart
for
some
opportunity
of
being
reconciled
to
him
.
The
whole
party
went
to
church
on
this
Christmas
morning
.
The
small
parish
church
of
Vavasor
,
an
unpretending
wooden
structure
,
with
a
single
bell
which
might
be
heard
tinkling
for
a
mile
or
two
over
the
fells
,
stood
all
alone
about
half
a
mile
from
the
Squire
's
gate
.
Vavasor
was
a
parish
situated
on
the
intermediate
ground
between
the
mountains
of
the
lake
country
and
the
plains
.
Its
land
was
unproductive
,
ill-drained
,
and
poor
,
and
yet
it
possessed
little
or
none
of
the
beauty
which
tourists
go
to
see
.
It
was
all
amidst
the
fells
,
and
very
dreary
.
There
were
long
skirtings
of
dark
pines
around
a
portion
of
the
Squire
's
property
,
and
at
the
back
of
the
house
there
was
a
thick
wood
of
firs
running
up
to
the
top
of
what
was
there
called
the
Beacon
Hill
.
Through
this
there
was
a
wild
steep
walk
which
came
out
upon
the
moorland
,
and
from
thence
there
was
a
track
across
the
mountain
to
Hawes
Water
and
Naddale
,
and
on
over
many
miles
to
the
further
beauties
of
Bowness
and
Windermere
.
They
who
knew
the
country
,
and
whose
legs
were
of
use
to
them
,
could
find
some
of
the
grandest
scenery
in
England
within
reach
of
a
walk
from
Vavasor
Hall
;
but
to
others
the
place
was
very
desolate
.
For
myself
,
I
can
find
I
know
not
what
of
charm
in
wandering
over
open
,
unadorned
moorland
.
It
must
be
more
in
the
softness
of
the
grass
to
the
feet
,
and
the
freshness
of
the
air
to
the
lungs
,
than
in
anything
that
meets
the
eye
.
You
might
walk
for
miles
and
miles
to
the
north-east
,
or
east
,
or
south-east
of
Vavasor
without
meeting
any
object
to
arrest
the
view
.
The
great
road
from
Lancaster
to
Carlisle
crossed
the
outskirts
of
the
small
parish
about
a
mile
from
the
church
,
and
beyond
that
the
fell
seemed
to
be
interminable
.
Towards
the
north
it
rose
,
and
towards
the
south
it
fell
,
and
it
rose
and
fell
very
gradually
.
Here
and
there
some
slight
appearance
of
a
valley
might
be
traced
which
had
been
formed
by
the
action
of
the
waters
;
but
such
breakings
of
ground
were
inconsiderable
,
and
did
not
suffice
to
interrupt
the
stern
sameness
of
the
everlasting
moorland
.
The
daily
life
at
Vavasor
was
melancholy
enough
for
such
a
one
as
the
Squire
's
son
,
who
regarded
London
as
the
only
place
on
the
earth
's
surface
in
which
a
man
could
live
with
comfort
.
The
moors
offered
no
charms
to
him
.
Nor
did
he
much
appreciate
the
homely
comforts
of
the
Hall
;
for
the
house
,
though
warm
,
was
old-fashioned
and
small
,
and
the
Squire
's
cook
was
nearly
as
old
as
the
Squire
himself
.
John
Vavasor
's
visits
to
Vavasor
were
always
visits
of
duty
rather
than
of
pleasure
.
But
it
was
not
so
with
Alice
.
She
could
be
very
happy
there
with
Kate
;
for
,
like
herself
,
Kate
was
a
good
walker
and
loved
the
mountains
.
Their
regard
for
each
other
had
grown
and
become
strong
because
they
had
gone
together
o'er
river
and
moor
,
and
because
they
had
together
disregarded
those
impediments
of
mud
and
wet
which
frighten
so
many
girls
away
from
the
beauties
of
nature
.
On
this
Christmas
Day
they
all
went
to
church
,
the
Squire
being
accompanied
by
Alice
in
a
vehicle
which
in
Ireland
is
called
an
inside
jaunting-car
,
and
which
is
perhaps
the
most
uncomfortable
kind
of
vehicle
yet
invented
;
while
John
Vavasor
walked
with
his
niece
.
But
the
girls
had
arranged
that
immediately
after
church
they
would
start
for
a
walk
up
the
Beacon
Hill
,
across
the
fells
,
towards
Hawes
Water
.
They
always
dined
at
the
Hall
at
the
vexatious
hour
of
five
;
but
as
their
church
service
,
with
the
sacrament
included
,
would
be
completed
soon
after
twelve
,
and
as
lunch
was
a
meal
which
the
Squire
did
not
himself
attend
,
they
could
have
full
four
hours
for
their
excursion
.
This
had
all
been
planned
before
Alice
received
her
letter
;
but
there
was
nothing
in
that
to
make
her
change
her
mind
about
the
walk
.
"
Alice
,
my
dear
,
"
said
the
old
man
to
her
when
they
were
together
in
the
jaunting-car
,
"
you
ought
to
get
married
.
"
The
Squire
was
hard
of
hearing
,
and
under
any
circumstances
an
inside
jaunting-car
is
a
bad
place
for
conversation
,
as
your
teeth
are
nearly
shaken
out
of
your
head
by
every
movement
which
the
horse
makes
.
Alice
therefore
said
nothing
,
but
smiled
faintly
,
in
reply
to
her
grandfather
.
On
returning
from
church
he
insisted
that
Alice
should
again
accompany
him
,
telling
her
specially
that
he
desired
to
speak
to
her
.
"
My
dear
child
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
have
been
thinking
a
great
deal
about
you
,
and
you
ought
to
get
married
.
"
"
Well
,
sir
,
perhaps
I
shall
some
day
.
"
"
Not
if
you
quarrel
with
all
your
suitors
,
"
said
the
old
man
.
"
You
quarrelled
with
your
cousin
George
,
and
now
you
have
quarrelled
with
Mr.
Grey
.
You
'll
never
get
married
,
my
dear
,
if
you
go
on
in
that
way
.
"
"
Why
should
I
be
married
more
than
Kate
?
"
"
Oh
,
Kate
!
I
do
n't
know
that
anybody
wants
to
marry
Kate
.
I
wish
you
'd
think
of
what
I
say
.
If
you
do
n't
get
married
before
long
,
perhaps
you
'll
never
get
married
at
all
.
Gentlemen
wo
n't
stand
that
kind
of
thing
for
ever
.
"
The
two
girls
took
a
slice
of
cake
each
in
her
hand
,
and
started
on
their
walk
.
"
We
sha
n't
be
able
to
get
to
the
lake
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
No
,
"
said
Alice
;
"
but
we
can
go
as
far
as
the
big
stone
on
Swindale
Fell
,
where
we
can
sit
down
and
see
it
.
"
"
Do
you
remember
the
last
time
we
sat
there
?
"
said
Kate
.
"
It
is
nearly
three
years
ago
,
and
it
was
then
that
you
told
me
that
all
was
to
be
over
between
you
and
George
.
Do
you
remember
what
a
fool
I
was
,
and
how
I
screamed
in
my
sorrow
?
I
sometimes
wonder
at
myself
and
my
own
folly
.
How
is
it
that
I
can
never
get
up
any
interest
about
my
own
belongings
?
And
then
we
got
soaking
wet
through
coming
home
.
"
"
I
remember
that
very
well
.
"
"
And
how
dark
it
was
!
That
was
in
September
,
but
we
had
dined
early
.
If
we
go
as
far
as
Swindale
we
shall
have
it
very
dark
coming
home
to-day
;
—
but
I
do
n't
mind
that
through
the
Beacon
Wood
,
because
I
know
my
way
so
well
.
You
wo
n't
be
afraid
of
half
an
hour
's
dark
?
"
"
Oh
,
no
,
"
said
Alice
.
"
Yes
;
I
do
remember
that
day
.
Well
;
it
's
all
for
the
best
,
I
suppose
.
And
now
I
must
read
you
my
aunt
's
letter
.
"
Then
,
while
they
were
still
in
the
wood
,
Kate
took
out
the
letter
from
her
aunt
and
read
it
,
while
they
still
walked
slowly
up
the
hill
.
It
seemed
that
hitherto
neither
of
her
two
suitors
had
brought
the
widow
to
terms
.
Indeed
,
she
continued
to
write
of
Mr.
Cheesacre
as
though
that
gentleman
were
inconsolable
for
the
loss
of
Kate
,
and
gave
her
niece
much
serious
advice
as
to
the
expedience
of
returning
to
Norfolk
,
in
order
that
she
might
secure
so
eligible
a
husband
.
"
You
must
understand
all
the
time
,
Alice
,
"
said
Kate
,
pausing
as
she
read
the
letter
,
"
that
the
dear
man
has
never
given
me
the
slightest
ground
for
the
faintest
hope
,
and
that
I
know
to
a
certainty
that
he
makes
an
offer
to
her
twice
a
week
,
—
that
is
,
on
every
market
day
.
You
ca
n't
enjoy
half
the
joke
if
you
wo
n't
bear
that
in
mind
.
"
Alice
promised
that
she
would
bear
it
all
in
mind
,
and
then
Kate
went
on
with
her
reading
.
Poor
Bellfield
was
working
very
hard
at
his
drill
,
Mrs.
Greenow
went
on
to
say
;
so
hard
that
sometimes
she
really
thought
the
fatigue
would
be
too
much
for
his
strength
.
He
would
come
in
sometimes
of
an
evening
and
just
take
a
cup
of
tea
;
—
generally
on
Mondays
and
Thursdays
.
"
These
are
not
market
days
at
Norwich
,
"
said
Kate
;
"
and
thus
unpleasant
meetings
are
avoided
.
"
"
He
comes
in
,
"
said
Mrs.
Greenow
,
"
and
takes
a
little
tea
;
and
sometimes
I
think
that
he
will
faint
at
my
feet
.
"
"
That
he
kneels
there
on
every
occasion
,
"
said
Kate
,
"
and
repeats
his
offer
also
twice
a
week
,
I
have
not
the
least
doubt
in
the
world
.
"
"
And
will
she
accept
him
at
last
?
"
"
Really
I
do
n't
know
what
to
think
of
it
.
Sometimes
I
fancy
that
she
likes
the
fun
of
the
thing
,
but
that
she
is
too
wide-awake
to
put
herself
in
any
man
's
power
.
I
have
no
doubt
she
lends
him
money
,
because
he
wants
it
sadly
and
she
is
very
generous
.
She
gives
him
money
,
I
feel
sure
,
but
takes
his
receipt
on
stamped
paper
for
every
shilling
.
That
's
her
character
all
over
.
"
The
letter
then
went
on
to
say
that
the
writer
had
made
up
her
mind
to
remain
at
Norwich
certainly
through
the
winter
and
spring
,
and
that
she
was
anxiously
desirous
that
her
dear
Kate
should
go
back
to
her
.
"
Come
and
have
one
other
look
at
Oileymead
,
"
said
the
letter
,
"
and
then
,
if
you
make
up
your
mind
that
you
do
n't
like
it
or
him
,
I
wo
n't
ask
you
to
think
of
them
ever
again
.
I
believe
him
to
be
a
very
honest
fellow
.
"
"
Did
you
ever
know
such
a
woman
?
"
said
Kate
;
"
with
all
her
faults
I
believe
she
would
go
through
fire
and
water
to
serve
me
.
I
think
she
'd
lend
me
money
without
any
stamped
paper
.
"
Then
Aunt
Greenow
's
letter
was
put
up
,
and
the
two
girls
had
come
out
upon
the
open
fell
.
It
was
a
delicious
afternoon
for
a
winter
's
walk
.
The
air
was
clear
and
cold
,
but
not
actually
frosty
.
The
ground
beneath
their
feet
was
dry
,
and
the
sky
,
though
not
bright
,
had
that
appearance
of
enduring
weather
which
gives
no
foreboding
of
rain
.
There
is
a
special
winter
's
light
,
which
is
very
clear
though
devoid
of
all
brilliancy
,
—
through
which
every
object
strikes
upon
the
eye
with
well-marked
lines
,
and
under
which
almost
all
forms
of
nature
seem
graceful
to
the
sight
if
not
actually
beautiful
.
But
there
is
a
certain
melancholy
which
ever
accompanies
it
.
It
is
the
light
of
the
afternoon
,
and
gives
token
of
the
speedy
coming
of
the
early
twilight
.
It
tells
of
the
shortness
of
the
day
,
and
contains
even
in
its
clearness
a
promise
of
the
gloom
of
night
.
It
is
absolute
light
,
but
it
seems
to
contain
the
darkness
which
is
to
follow
it
.
I
do
not
know
that
it
is
ever
to
be
seen
and
felt
so
plainly
as
on
the
wide
moorland
,
where
the
eye
stretches
away
over
miles
,
and
sees
at
the
world
's
end
the
faint
low
lines
of
distant
clouds
settling
themselves
upon
the
horizon
.
Such
was
the
light
of
this
Christmas
afternoon
,
and
both
the
girls
had
felt
the
effects
of
it
before
they
reached
the
big
stone
on
Swindale
Fell
,
from
which
they
intended
to
look
down
upon
the
loveliness
of
Hawes
Water
.
As
they
went
up
through
the
wood
there
had
been
some
laughter
between
them
over
Aunt
Greenow
's
letter
;
and
they
had
discussed
almost
with
mirth
the
merits
of
Oileymead
and
Mr.
Cheesacre
;
but
as
they
got
further
on
to
the
fell
,
and
as
the
half-melancholy
wildness
of
the
place
struck
them
,
their
words
became
less
light
,
and
after
a
while
they
almost
ceased
to
speak
.
Alice
had
still
her
letter
in
her
pocket
.
She
had
placed
it
there
when
she
came
down
to
breakfast
,
and
had
carried
it
with
her
since
.
She
had
come
to
no
resolution
as
yet
as
to
her
answer
to
it
,
nor
had
she
resolved
whether
or
no
she
would
show
it
to
Kate
.
Kate
had
ever
been
regarded
by
her
as
her
steadfast
friend
.
In
all
these
affairs
she
had
spoken
openly
to
Kate
.
We
know
that
Kate
had
in
part
betrayed
her
,
but
Alice
suspected
no
such
treason
.
She
had
often
quarrelled
with
Kate
;
but
she
had
quarrelled
with
her
not
on
account
of
any
sin
against
the
faith
of
their
friendship
.
She
believed
in
her
cousin
perfectly
,
though
she
found
herself
often
called
upon
to
disagree
with
her
almost
violently
.
Why
should
she
not
show
this
letter
to
Kate
,
and
discuss
it
in
all
its
bearings
before
she
replied
to
it
?
This
was
in
her
mind
as
she
walked
silently
along
over
the
fell
.
The
reader
will
surmise
from
this
that
she
was
already
half
inclined
to
give
way
,
and
to
join
her
lot
to
that
of
her
cousin
George
.
Alas
,
yes
!
The
reader
will
be
right
in
his
surmise
.
And
yet
it
was
not
her
love
for
the
man
that
prompted
her
to
run
so
terrible
a
risk
.
Had
it
been
so
,
I
think
that
it
would
be
easier
to
forgive
her
.
She
was
beginning
to
think
that
love
,
—
the
love
of
which
she
had
once
thought
so
much
,
—
did
not
matter
.
Of
what
use
was
it
,
and
to
what
had
it
led
?
What
had
love
done
for
her
friend
Glencora
?
What
had
love
done
for
her
?
Had
she
not
loved
John
Grey
,
and
had
she
not
felt
that
with
all
her
love
life
with
him
would
have
been
distasteful
to
her
?
It
would
have
been
impossible
for
her
to
marry
a
man
whom
personally
she
disliked
;
but
she
liked
her
cousin
George
,
—
well
enough
,
as
she
said
to
herself
almost
indifferently
.
Upon
the
whole
it
was
a
grievous
task
to
her
in
these
days
,
—
this
having
to
do
something
with
her
life
.
Was
it
not
all
vain
and
futile
?
As
for
that
girl
's
dream
of
the
joys
of
love
which
she
had
once
dreamed
,
—
that
had
gone
from
her
slumbers
,
never
to
return
.
How
might
she
best
make
herself
useful
,
—
useful
in
some
sort
that
might
gratify
her
ambition
;
—
that
was
now
the
question
which
seemed
to
her
to
be
of
most
importance
.
Her
cousin
's
letter
to
her
had
been
very
crafty
.
He
had
studied
the
whole
of
her
character
accurately
as
he
wrote
it
.
When
he
had
sat
down
to
write
it
he
had
been
indifferent
to
the
result
;
but
he
had
written
it
with
that
care
to
attain
success
which
a
man
uses
when
he
is
anxious
not
to
fail
in
an
attempt
.
Whether
or
no
he
cared
to
marry
his
cousin
was
a
point
so
little
interesting
to
him
that
chance
might
decide
it
for
him
;
but
when
chance
had
decided
that
he
did
wish
it
,
it
was
necessary
for
his
honour
that
he
should
have
that
for
which
he
condescended
to
ask
.
His
letter
to
her
had
been
clever
and
very
crafty
.
"
At
any
rate
he
does
me
justice
,
"
she
said
to
herself
,
when
she
read
those
words
about
her
money
,
and
the
use
which
he
proposed
to
make
of
it
.
"
He
is
welcome
to
it
all
if
it
will
help
him
in
his
career
,
whether
he
has
it
as
my
friend
or
as
my
husband
.
"
Then
she
thought
of
Kate
's
promise
of
her
little
mite
,
and
declared
to
herself
that
she
would
not
be
less
noble
than
her
cousin
Kate
.
And
would
it
not
be
well
that
she
should
be
the
means
of
reconciling
George
to
his
grandfather
?
George
was
the
representative
of
the
family
,
—
of
a
family
so
old
that
no
one
now
knew
which
had
first
taken
the
ancient
titular
name
of
some
old
Saxon
landowner
,
—
the
parish
,
or
the
man
.
There
had
been
in
old
days
some
worthy
Vavaseurs
,
as
Chaucer
calls
them
,
whose
rank
and
bearing
had
been
adopted
on
the
moorland
side
.
Of
these
things
Alice
thought
much
,
and
felt
that
it
should
be
her
duty
so
to
act
,
that
future
Vavasors
might
at
any
rate
not
be
less
in
the
world
than
they
who
had
passed
away
.
In
a
few
years
at
furthest
,
George
Vavasor
must
be
Vavasor
of
Vavasor
.
Would
it
not
be
right
that
she
should
help
him
to
make
that
position
honourable
?
They
walked
on
,
exchanging
now
and
again
a
word
or
two
,
till
the
distant
Cumberland
mountains
began
to
form
themselves
in
groups
of
beauty
before
their
eyes
.
"
There
's
Helvellyn
at
last
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
I
'm
always
happy
when
I
see
that
.
"
"
And
is
n't
that
Kidsty
Pike
?
"
asked
Alice
.
"
No
;
you
do
n't
see
Kidsty
yet
.
But
you
will
when
you
get
up
to
the
bank
there
.
That
's
Scaw
Fell
on
the
left
;
—
the
round
distant
top
.
I
can
distinguish
it
,
though
I
doubt
whether
you
can
.
"
Then
they
went
on
again
,
and
were
soon
at
the
bank
from
whence
the
sharp
top
of
the
mountain
which
Alice
had
named
was
visible
.
"
And
now
we
are
on
Swindale
,
and
in
five
minutes
we
shall
get
to
the
stone
.
"
In
less
than
five
minutes
they
were
there
;
and
then
,
but
not
till
then
,
the
beauty
of
the
little
lake
,
lying
down
below
them
in
the
quiet
bosom
of
the
hills
,
disclosed
itself
.
A
lake
should
,
I
think
,
be
small
,
and
should
be
seen
from
above
,
to
be
seen
in
all
its
glory
.
The
distance
should
be
such
that
the
shadows
of
the
mountains
on
its
surface
may
just
be
traced
,
and
that
some
faint
idea
of
the
ripple
on
the
waters
may
be
present
to
the
eye
.
And
the
form
of
the
lakes
should
be
irregular
,
curving
round
from
its
base
among
the
lower
hills
,
deeper
and
still
deeper
into
some
close
nook
up
among
the
mountains
from
which
its
head
waters
spring
.
It
is
thus
that
a
lake
should
be
seen
,
and
it
was
thus
that
Hawes
Water
was
seen
by
them
from
the
flat
stone
on
the
side
of
Swindale
Fell
.
The
basin
of
the
lake
has
formed
itself
into
the
shape
of
the
figure
of
3
,
and
the
top
section
of
the
figure
lies
embosomed
among
the
very
wildest
of
the
Westmoreland
mountains
.
Altogether
it
is
not
above
three
miles
long
,
and
every
point
of
it
was
to
be
seen
from
the
spot
on
which
the
girls
sat
themselves
down
.
The
water
beneath
was
still
as
death
,
and
as
dark
,
—
and
looked
almost
as
cold
.
But
the
slow
clouds
were
passing
over
it
,
and
the
shades
of
darkness
on
its
surface
changed
themselves
with
gradual
changes
.
And
though
no
movement
was
visible
,
there
was
ever
and
again
in
places
a
slight
sheen
upon
the
lake
,
which
indicated
the
ripple
made
by
the
breeze
.
"
I
'm
so
glad
I
've
come
here
,
"
said
Alice
,
seating
herself
.
"
I
cannot
bear
the
idea
of
coming
to
Vavasor
without
seeing
one
of
the
lakes
at
least
.
"
"
We
'll
get
over
to
Windermere
one
day
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
I
do
n't
think
we
shall
.
I
do
n't
think
it
possible
that
I
should
stay
long
.
Kate
,
I
've
got
a
letter
to
show
you
.
"
And
there
was
that
in
the
tone
of
her
voice
which
instantly
put
Kate
upon
her
mettle
.
Kate
seated
herself
also
,
and
put
up
her
hand
for
the
letter
.
"
Is
it
from
Mr.
Grey
?
"
she
asked
.
"
No
,
"
said
Alice
;
"
it
is
not
from
Mr.
Grey
.
"
And
she
gave
her
companion
the
paper
.
Kate
before
she
had
touched
it
had
seen
that
it
was
from
her
brother
George
;
and
as
she
opened
it
looked
anxiously
into
Alice
's
face
.
"
Has
he
offended
you
?
"
Kate
asked
.
"
Read
it
,
"
said
Alice
,
"
and
then
we
'll
talk
of
it
afterwards
,
—
as
we
go
home
.
"
Then
she
got
up
from
the
stone
and
walked
a
step
or
two
towards
the
brow
of
the
fell
,
and
stood
there
looking
down
upon
the
lake
,
while
Kate
read
the
letter
.
"
Well
!
"
she
said
,
when
she
returned
to
her
place
.
"
Well
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
Alice
,
Alice
,
it
will
,
indeed
,
be
well
if
you
listen
to
him
.
Oh
,
Alice
,
may
I
hope
?
Alice
,
my
own
Alice
,
my
darling
,
my
friend
!
Say
that
it
shall
be
so
.
"
And
Kate
knelt
at
her
friend
's
feet
upon
the
heather
,
and
looked
up
into
her
face
with
eyes
full
of
tears
.
What
shall
we
say
of
a
woman
who
could
be
as
false
as
she
had
been
,
and
yet
could
be
so
true
?
Alice
made
no
immediate
answer
,
but
still
continued
to
gaze
down
over
her
friend
upon
the
lake
.
"
Alice
,
"
continued
Kate
,
"
I
did
not
think
I
should
be
made
so
happy
this
Christmas
Day
.
You
could
not
have
the
heart
to
bring
me
here
and
show
me
this
letter
in
this
way
,
and
bid
me
read
it
so
calmly
,
and
then
tell
me
that
it
is
all
for
nothing
.
No
;
you
could
not
do
that
?
Alice
,
I
am
so
happy
.
I
will
so
love
this
place
.
I
hated
it
before
.
"
And
then
she
put
her
face
down
upon
the
boulder-stone
and
kissed
it
.
Still
Alice
said
nothing
,
but
she
began
to
feel
that
she
had
gone
further
than
she
had
intended
.
It
was
almost
impossible
for
her
now
to
say
that
her
answer
to
George
must
be
a
refusal
.
Then
Kate
again
went
on
speaking
.
"
But
is
it
not
a
beautiful
letter
?
Say
,
Alice
,
—
is
it
not
a
letter
of
which
if
you
were
his
brother
you
would
feel
proud
if
another
girl
had
shown
it
to
you
?
I
do
feel
proud
of
him
.
I
know
that
he
is
a
man
with
a
manly
heart
and
manly
courage
,
who
will
yet
do
manly
things
.
Here
out
on
the
mountain
,
with
nobody
near
us
,
with
Nature
all
round
us
,
I
ask
you
on
your
solemn
word
as
a
woman
,
do
you
love
him
?
"
"
Love
him
!
"
said
Alice
.
"
Yes
;
—
love
him
:
as
a
woman
should
love
her
husband
.
Is
not
your
heart
his
?
Alice
,
there
need
be
no
lies
now
.
If
it
be
so
,
it
should
be
your
glory
to
say
so
,
here
,
to
me
,
as
you
hold
that
letter
in
your
hand
.
"
"
I
can
have
no
such
glory
,
Kate
.
I
have
ever
loved
my
cousin
;
but
not
so
passionately
as
you
seem
to
think
.
"
"
Then
there
can
be
no
passion
in
you
.
"
"
Perhaps
not
,
Kate
.
I
would
sometimes
hope
that
it
is
so
.
But
come
;
we
shall
be
late
;
and
you
will
be
cold
sitting
there
.
"
"
I
would
sit
here
all
night
to
be
sure
that
your
answer
would
be
as
I
would
have
it
.
But
,
Alice
,
at
any
rate
you
shall
tell
me
before
I
move
what
your
answer
is
to
be
.
I
know
you
will
not
refuse
him
;
but
make
me
happy
by
saying
so
with
your
own
lips
.
"
"
I
cannot
tell
you
before
you
move
,
Kate
.
"
"
And
why
not
?
"
"
Because
I
have
not
as
yet
resolved
.
"
"
Ah
,
that
is
impossible
.
That
is
quite
impossible
.
On
such
a
subject
and
under
such
circumstances
a
woman
must
resolve
at
the
first
moment
.
You
had
resolved
,
I
know
,
before
you
had
half
read
the
letter
;
—
though
,
perhaps
,
it
may
not
suit
you
to
say
so
.
"
"
You
are
quite
mistaken
.
Come
along
and
let
us
walk
,
and
I
will
tell
you
all
.
"
Then
Kate
arose
,
and
they
turned
their
back
to
the
lake
,
and
began
to
make
their
way
homewards
.
"
I
have
not
made
up
my
mind
as
to
what
answer
I
will
give
him
;
but
I
have
shown
you
his
letter
in
order
that
I
might
have
some
one
with
whom
I
might
speak
openly
.
I
knew
well
how
it
would
be
,
and
that
you
would
strive
to
hurry
me
into
an
immediate
promise
.
"
"
No
;
—
no
;
I
want
nothing
of
the
kind
.
"
"
But
yet
I
could
not
deny
myself
the
comfort
of
your
friendship
.
"
"
No
,
Alice
,
I
will
not
hurry
you
.
I
will
do
nothing
that
you
do
not
wish
.
But
you
cannot
be
surprised
that
I
should
be
very
eager
.
Has
it
not
been
the
longing
of
all
my
life
?
Have
I
not
passed
my
time
plotting
and
planning
and
thinking
of
it
till
I
have
had
time
to
think
of
nothing
else
?
Do
you
know
what
I
suffered
when
,
through
George
's
fault
,
the
engagement
was
broken
off
?
Was
it
not
martyrdom
to
me
,
—
that
horrid
time
in
which
your
Crichton
from
Cambridgeshire
was
in
the
ascendant
?
Did
I
not
suffer
the
tortures
of
purgatory
while
that
went
on
;
—
and
yet
,
on
the
whole
,
did
I
not
bear
them
with
patience
?
And
,
now
,
can
you
be
surprised
that
I
am
wild
with
joy
when
I
begin
to
see
that
everything
will
be
as
I
wish
;
—
for
it
will
be
as
I
wish
,
Alice
.
It
may
be
that
you
have
not
resolved
to
accept
him
.
But
you
would
have
resolved
to
refuse
him
instantly
had
that
been
your
destined
answer
to
his
letter
.
"
There
was
but
little
more
said
between
them
on
the
subject
as
they
were
passing
over
the
fell
,
but
when
they
were
going
down
the
path
through
the
Beacon
Wood
,
Kate
again
spoke
:
"
You
will
not
answer
him
without
speaking
to
me
first
?
"
said
Kate
.
"
I
will
,
at
any
rate
,
not
send
my
answer
without
telling
you
,
"
said
Alice
.
"
And
you
will
let
me
see
it
?
"
"
Nay
,
"
said
Alice
;
"
I
will
not
promise
that
.
But
if
it
is
unfavourable
I
will
show
it
you
.
"
"
Then
I
shall
never
see
it
,
"
said
Kate
,
laughing
.
"
But
that
is
quite
enough
for
me
.
I
by
no
means
wish
to
criticise
the
love-sweet
words
in
which
you
tell
him
that
his
offences
are
all
forgiven
.
I
know
how
sweet
they
will
be
.
Oh
,
heavens
!
how
I
envy
him
!
"
Then
they
were
at
home
;
and
the
old
man
met
them
at
the
front
door
,
glowering
at
them
angrily
from
out
his
old
leonine
eyes
,
because
the
roast
beef
was
already
roasted
.
He
had
his
great
uncouth
silver
watch
in
his
hand
,
which
was
always
a
quarter
of
an
hour
too
fast
,
and
he
pointed
at
it
fiercely
,
showing
them
the
minute
hand
at
ten
minutes
past
the
hour
.
"
But
,
grandpapa
,
you
are
always
too
fast
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
And
you
are
always
too
slow
,
miss
,
"
said
the
hungry
old
squire
.
"
Indeed
,
it
is
not
five
yet
.
Is
it
,
Alice
?
"
"
And
how
long
are
you
going
to
be
dressing
?
"
"
Not
ten
minutes
;
—
are
we
,
Alice
?
And
,
grandpapa
,
pray
do
n't
wait
.
"
"
Do
n't
wait
!
That
's
what
they
always
say
,
"
he
muttered
,
peevishly
.
"
As
if
one
would
be
any
better
waiting
for
them
after
the
meat
is
on
the
table
.
"
But
neither
Kate
nor
Alice
heard
this
,
as
they
were
already
in
their
rooms
.
Nothing
more
was
said
that
evening
between
Alice
and
Kate
about
the
letter
;
but
Kate
,
as
she
wished
her
cousin
good
night
inside
her
bedroom
door
,
spoke
to
her
just
one
word
—
"
Pray
for
him
to-night
,
"
she
said
,
"
as
you
pray
for
those
you
love
best
.
"
Alice
made
no
answer
,
but
we
may
believe
that
she
did
as
she
was
desired
to
do
.
CHAPTER
XXXII
.
Containing
an
Answer
to
the
Love
Letter
.
Alice
had
had
a
week
allowed
to
her
to
write
her
answer
;
but
she
sent
it
off
before
the
full
week
was
past
.
"
Why
should
I
keep
him
in
suspense
?
"
she
said
.
"
If
it
is
to
be
so
,
there
can
be
no
good
in
not
saying
so
at
once
.
"
Then
she
thought
,
also
,
that
if
this
were
to
be
her
destiny
it
might
be
well
for
Mr.
Grey
that
all
his
doubts
on
the
matter
should
be
dispelled
.
She
had
treated
him
badly
,
—
very
badly
.
She
had
so
injured
him
that
the
remembrance
of
the
injury
must
always
be
a
source
of
misery
to
her
;
but
she
owed
to
him
above
everything
to
let
him
know
what
were
her
intentions
as
soon
as
they
were
settled
.
She
tried
to
console
herself
by
thinking
that
the
wound
to
him
would
be
easy
to
cure
.
"
He
also
is
not
passionate
,
"
she
said
.
But
in
so
saying
she
deceived
herself
.
He
was
a
man
in
whom
Love
could
be
very
passionate
;
—
and
was
,
moreover
,
one
in
whom
Love
could
hardly
be
renewed
.
Each
morning
Kate
asked
her
whether
her
answer
was
written
;
and
on
the
third
day
after
Christmas
,
just
before
dinner
,
Alice
said
that
she
had
written
it
,
and
that
it
was
gone
.
"
But
it
is
n't
post-day
,
"
said
Kate
;
—
for
the
post
illuminated
Vavasor
but
three
days
a
week
.
"
I
have
given
a
boy
sixpence
to
take
it
to
Shap
,
"
said
Alice
,
blushing
.
"
And
what
have
you
said
?
"
asked
Kate
,
taking
hold
of
the
other
's
arm
.
"
I
have
kept
my
promise
,
"
said
Alice
;
"
and
do
you
keep
yours
by
asking
no
further
questions
.
"
"
My
sister
,
—
my
own
sister
,
"
said
Kate
.
And
then
,
as
Alice
met
her
embrace
,
there
was
no
longer
any
doubt
as
to
the
nature
of
the
reply
.
After
this
there
was
of
course
much
close
discussion
between
them
as
to
what
other
steps
should
now
be
taken
.
Kate
wanted
her
cousin
to
write
immediately
to
Mr.
Grey
,
and
was
somewhat
frightened
when
Alice
declined
to
do
so
till
she
had
received
a
further
letter
from
George
.
"
You
have
not
proposed
any
horrid
stipulations
to
him
?
"
exclaimed
Kate
.
"
I
do
n't
know
what
you
may
call
horrid
stipulations
,
"
said
Alice
,
gravely
.
"
My
conditions
have
not
been
very
hard
,
and
I
do
not
think
you
would
have
disapproved
them
.
"
"
But
he
!
—
He
is
so
impetuous
!
Will
he
disapprove
them
?
"
"
I
have
told
him
—
But
,
Kate
,
this
is
just
what
I
did
not
mean
to
tell
you
.
"
"
Why
should
there
be
secrets
between
us
?
"
said
Kate
.
"
There
shall
be
none
,
then
.
I
have
told
him
that
I
cannot
bring
myself
to
marry
him
instantly
;
—
that
he
must
allow
me
twelve
months
to
wear
off
,
if
I
can
in
that
time
,
much
of
sadness
and
of
self-reproach
which
has
fallen
to
my
lot
.
"
"
Twelve
months
,
Alice
?
"
"
Listen
to
me
.
I
have
said
so
.
But
I
have
told
him
also
that
if
he
wishes
it
still
,
I
will
at
once
tell
papa
and
grandpapa
that
I
hold
myself
as
engaged
to
him
,
so
that
he
may
know
that
I
bind
myself
to
him
as
far
as
it
is
possible
that
I
should
do
so
.
And
I
have
added
something
else
,
Kate
,
"
she
continued
to
say
after
a
slight
pause
,
—
"
something
else
which
I
can
tell
you
,
though
I
could
tell
it
to
no
other
person
.
I
can
tell
you
because
you
would
do
,
and
will
do
the
same
.
I
have
told
him
that
any
portion
of
my
money
is
at
his
service
which
may
be
needed
for
his
purposes
before
that
twelve
months
is
over
.
"
"
Oh
,
Alice
!
No
;
—
no
.
You
shall
not
do
that
.
It
is
too
generous
.
"
And
Kate
perhaps
felt
at
the
moment
that
her
brother
was
a
man
to
whom
such
an
offer
could
hardly
be
made
with
safety
.
"
But
I
have
done
it
.
Mercury
,
with
sixpence
in
his
pocket
,
is
already
posting
my
generosity
at
Shap
.
And
,
to
tell
the
truth
,
Kate
,
it
is
no
more
than
fair
.
He
has
honestly
told
me
that
while
the
old
Squire
lives
he
will
want
my
money
to
assist
him
in
a
career
of
which
I
do
much
more
than
approve
.
It
has
been
my
earnest
wish
to
see
him
in
Parliament
.
It
will
now
be
the
most
earnest
desire
of
my
heart
;
—
the
one
thing
as
to
which
I
shall
feel
an
intense
anxiety
.
How
then
can
I
have
the
face
to
bid
him
wait
twelve
months
for
that
which
is
specially
needed
in
six
months
'
time
?
It
would
be
like
the
workhouses
which
are
so
long
in
giving
bread
,
that
in
the
mean
time
the
wretches
starve
.
"
"
But
the
wretch
sha
n't
starve
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
My
money
,
small
as
it
is
,
will
carry
him
over
this
bout
.
I
have
told
him
that
he
shall
have
it
,
and
that
I
expect
him
to
spend
it
.
Moreover
,
I
have
no
doubt
that
Aunt
Greenow
would
lend
me
what
he
wants
.
"
"
But
I
should
not
wish
him
to
borrow
from
Aunt
Greenow
.
She
would
advance
him
the
money
,
as
you
say
,
upon
stamped
paper
,
and
then
talk
of
it
.
"
"
He
shall
have
mine
,
"
said
Kate
.
"
And
who
are
you
?
"
said
Alice
,
laughing
.
"
You
are
not
going
to
be
his
wife
?
"
"
He
shall
not
touch
your
money
till
you
are
his
wife
,
"
said
Kate
,
very
seriously
.
"
I
wish
you
would
consent
to
change
your
mind
about
this
stupid
tedious
year
,
and
then
you
might
do
as
you
pleased
.
I
have
no
doubt
such
a
settlement
might
be
made
as
to
the
property
here
,
when
my
grandfather
hears
of
it
,
as
would
make
you
ultimately
safe
.
"
"
And
do
you
think
I
care
to
be
ultimately
safe
,
as
you
call
it
?
Kate
,
my
dear
,
you
do
not
understand
me
.
"
"
I
suppose
not
.
And
yet
I
thought
that
I
had
known
something
about
you
.
"
"
It
is
because
I
do
not
care
for
the
safety
of
which
you
speak
that
I
am
now
going
to
become
your
brother
's
wife
.
Do
you
suppose
that
I
do
not
see
that
I
must
run
much
risk
?
"
"
You
prefer
the
excitement
of
London
to
the
tranquillity
,
may
I
say
,
of
Cambridgeshire
.
"
"
Exactly
;
—
and
therefore
I
have
told
George
that
he
shall
have
my
money
whenever
he
wants
it
.
"
Kate
was
very
persistent
in
her
objection
to
this
scheme
till
George
's
answer
came
.
His
answer
to
Alice
was
accompanied
by
a
letter
to
his
sister
,
and
after
that
Kate
said
nothing
more
about
the
money
question
.
She
said
no
more
then
;
but
it
must
not
therefore
be
supposed
that
she
was
less
determined
than
she
had
been
that
no
part
of
Alice
's
fortune
should
be
sacrificed
to
her
brother
's
wants
;
—
at
any
rate
before
Alice
should
become
her
brother
's
wife
.
But
her
brother
's
letter
for
the
moment
stopped
her
mouth
.
It
would
be
necessary
that
she
should
speak
to
him
before
she
again
spoke
to
Alice
.
In
what
words
Alice
had
written
her
assent
it
will
be
necessary
that
the
reader
should
know
,
in
order
that
something
may
be
understood
of
the
struggle
which
she
made
upon
the
occasion
;
but
they
shall
be
given
presently
,
when
I
come
to
speak
of
George
Vavasor
's
position
as
he
received
them
.
George
's
reply
was
very
short
and
apparently
very
frank
.
He
deprecated
the
delay
of
twelve
months
,
and
still
hoped
to
be
able
to
induce
her
to
be
more
lenient
to
him
.
He
advised
her
to
write
to
Mr.
Grey
at
once
,
—
and
as
regarded
the
Squire
he
gave
her
carte
blanche
to
act
as
she
pleased
.
If
the
Squire
required
any
kind
of
apology
,
expression
of
sorrow
,
—
and
asking
for
pardon
,
or
such
like
,
he
,
George
,
would
,
under
the
circumstances
as
they
now
existed
,
comply
with
the
requisition
most
willingly
.
He
would
regard
it
as
a
simple
form
,
made
necessary
by
his
coming
marriage
.
As
to
Alice
's
money
,
he
thanked
her
heartily
for
her
confidence
.
If
the
nature
of
his
coming
contest
at
Chelsea
should
make
it
necessary
,
he
would
use
her
offer
as
frankly
as
it
had
been
made
.
Such
was
his
letter
to
Alice
.
What
was
contained
in
his
letter
to
Kate
,
Alice
never
knew
.
Then
came
the
business
of
telling
this
new
love
tale
,
—
the
third
which
poor
Alice
had
been
forced
to
tell
her
father
and
grandfather
;
—
and
a
grievous
task
it
was
.
In
this
matter
she
feared
her
father
much
more
than
her
grandfather
,
and
therefore
she
resolved
to
tell
her
grandfather
first
;
—
or
,
rather
,
she
determined
that
she
would
tell
the
Squire
,
and
that
in
the
mean
time
Kate
should
talk
to
her
father
.
"
Grandpapa
,
"
she
said
to
him
the
morning
after
she
had
received
her
cousin
's
second
letter
.
—
The
old
man
was
in
the
habit
of
breakfasting
alone
in
a
closet
of
his
own
,
which
was
called
his
dressing-room
,
but
in
which
he
kept
no
appurtenances
for
dressing
,
but
in
lieu
of
them
a
large
collection
of
old
spuds
and
sticks
and
horse's-bits
.
There
was
a
broken
spade
here
,
and
a
hoe
or
two
;
and
a
small
table
in
the
corner
was
covered
with
the
debris
of
tradesmen
's
bills
from
Penrith
,
and
dirty
scraps
which
he
was
wont
to
call
his
farm
accounts
.
—
"
Grandpapa
,
"
said
Alice
,
rushing
away
at
once
into
the
middle
of
her
subject
,
"
you
told
me
the
other
day
that
you
thought
I
ought
to
be
—
married
.
"
"
Did
I
,
my
dear
?
Well
,
yes
;
so
I
did
.
And
so
you
ought
;
—
I
mean
to
that
Mr.
Grey
.
"
"
That
is
impossible
,
sir
.
"
"
Then
what
's
the
use
of
your
coming
and
talking
to
me
about
it
?
"
This
made
Alice
's
task
not
very
easy
;
but
,
nevertheless
,
she
persevered
.
"
I
am
come
,
grandpapa
,
to
tell
you
of
another
engagement
.
"
"
Another
!
"
said
he
.
And
by
the
tone
of
his
voice
he
accused
his
granddaughter
of
having
a
larger
number
of
favoured
suitors
than
ought
to
fall
to
the
lot
of
any
young
lady
.
It
was
very
hard
upon
her
,
but
still
she
went
on
.
"
You
know
,
"
said
she
,
"
that
some
years
ago
I
was
to
have
been
married
to
my
cousin
George
;
"
—
and
then
she
paused
.
"
Well
,
"
said
the
old
man
.
"
And
I
remember
you
told
me
then
that
you
were
much
pleased
.
"
"
So
I
was
.
George
was
doing
well
then
;
or
,
—
which
is
more
likely
,
—
had
made
us
believe
that
he
was
doing
well
.
Have
you
made
it
up
with
him
again
?
"
"
Yes
,
sir
.
"
"
And
that
's
the
meaning
of
your
jilting
Mr.
Grey
,
is
it
?
"
Poor
Alice
!
It
is
hard
to
explain
how
heavy
a
blow
fell
upon
her
from
the
open
utterance
of
that
word
!
Of
all
words
in
the
language
it
was
the
one
which
she
now
most
dreaded
.
She
had
called
herself
a
jilt
,
with
that
inaudible
voice
which
one
uses
in
making
self-accusations
;
—
but
hitherto
no
lips
had
pronounced
the
odious
word
to
her
ears
.
Poor
Alice
!
She
was
a
jilt
;
and
perhaps
it
may
have
been
well
that
the
old
man
should
tell
her
so
.
"
Grandpapa
!
"
she
said
;
and
there
was
that
in
the
tone
of
her
voice
which
somewhat
softened
the
Squire
's
heart
.
"
Well
,
my
dear
,
I
do
n't
want
to
be
ill-natured
.
So
you
are
going
at
last
to
marry
George
,
are
you
?
I
hope
he
'll
treat
you
well
;
that
's
all
.
Does
your
father
approve
of
it
?
"
"
I
have
told
you
first
,
sir
;
—
because
I
wish
to
obtain
your
consent
to
seeing
George
again
here
as
your
grandson
.
"
"
Never
,
"
said
the
old
