;and
it
is
with
considerable
regret
I
now
write
to
inform
you
this
match
is
out
of
the
question
.
I
have
thought
it
due
to
you
to
communicate
this
to
yourself
and
without
delay
,
and
feel
sure
that
you
will
,
under
the
circumstances
,
discountenance
my
son
's
further
visits
at
your
house
—
I
am
,
Madam
,
with
sincere
respect
,
your
faithful
servant
,
“
RICHARD
HARDIE
.
”
Julia
read
this
letter
,
and
re-read
it
in
silence
.
It
was
an
anxious
moment
to
the
mother
.
“
Shall
our
pride
be
less
than
this
parvenu
's
?
”
she
faltered
.
“
Tell
me
yourself
,
what
ought
we
to
do
?
”
“
What
we
ought
to
do
is
,
never
to
let
the
name
of
Hardie
be
mentioned
again
in
this
house
.
”
This
reply
was
very
comforting
to
Mrs.
Dodd
.
“
Shall
I
write
to
him
,
or
do
you
feel
strong
enough
?
”
“
I
feel
that
,
if
I
do
,
I
may
affront
him
.
He
had
no
right
to
pretend
that
his
father
would
consent
.
You
write
,
and
then
we
shall
not
lose
our
dignity
though
we
are
insulted
.
”
“
I
feel
so
weary
,
mamma
.
”
Life
seems
ended
.
“
I
could
have
loved
him
well
.
And
now
show
me
how
to
tear
him
out
of
my
heart
;
or
what
will
become
of
me
?
”
While
Mrs.
Dodd
wrote
to
Alfred
Hardie
,
Julia
sank
down
and
laid
her
head
on
her
mother
's
knees
.
The
note
was
shown
her
;
she
approved
it
languidly
.
A
long
and
sad
conversation
followed
;
and
,
after
kissing
her
mother
and
clinging
to
her
,
she
went
to
bed
chilly
and
listless
,
but
did
not
shed
a
single
tear
.
Her
young
heart
was
benumbed
by
the
unexpected
blow
.
Next
morning
early
,
Alfred
Hardie
started
gaily
to
spend
the
day
at
Albion
Villa
.
Not
a
hundred
yards
from
the
gate
he
met
Sarah
,
with
Mrs.
Dodd
's
letter
,
enclosing
a
copy
of
his
father
's
to
her
.
Mrs.
Dodd
here
reminded
him
that
his
visits
had
been
encouraged
only
upon
a
misapprehension
of
his
father
's
sentiments
;
for
which
misapprehension
he
was
in
some
degree
to
blame
:
not
that
she
meant
to
reproach
him
on
that
score
,
especially
at
this
unhappy
moment
:
no
,
she
rather
blamed
herself
for
listening
to
the
sanguine
voice
of
youth
;
but
the
error
must
now
be
repaired
.
She
and
Julia
would
always
wish
him
well
,
and
esteem
him
,
provided
he
made
no
further
attempt
to
compromise
a
young
lady
who
could
not
be
his
wife
.
The
note
concluded
thus
—
“
Individually
I
think
I
have
some
right
to
count
on
your
honourable
feeling
to
hold
no
communication
with
my
daughter
,
and
not
in
any
way
to
attract
her
attention
,
under
the
present
circumstances
.
—
I
am
,
dear
Mr.
Alfred
Hardie
,
with
many
regrets
at
the
pain
I
fear
I
am
giving
you
,
your
sincere
friend
and
well-wisher
,
“
LUCY
DODD
.
”
Alfred
on
reading
this
letter
literally
staggered
:
but
proud
and
sensitive
,
as
well
as
loving
,
he
manned
himself
to
hide
his
wound
from
Sarah
,
whose
black
eyes
were
bent
on
him
in
merciless
scrutiny
.
He
said
doggedly
,
though
tremulously
,
“
Very
well
!
”
then
turned
quickly
on
his
heel
,
and
went
slowly
home
.
Mrs.
Dodd
,
with
well-feigned
indifference
,
questioned
Sarah
privately
:
the
girl
's
account
of
the
abrupt
way
in
which
he
had
received
the
missive
added
to
her
anxiety
.
She
warned
the
servants
that
no
one
was
at
home
to
Mr.
Alfred
Hardie
.
Two
days
elapsed
,
and
then
she
received
a
letter
from
him
.
Poor
fellow
,
it
was
the
eleventh
.
He
had
written
and
torn
up
ten
.
“
DEAR
MRS.
DODD
,
—
I
have
gained
some
victories
in
my
life
;
but
not
one
without
two
defeats
to
begin
with
;
how
then
can
I
expect
to
obtain
such
a
prize
as
dear
Julia
without
a
check
or
two
?
You
need
not
fear
that
I
shall
intrude
after
your
appeal
to
me
as
a
gentleman
:
but
I
am
not
going
to
give
in
because
my
father
has
written
a
hasty
letter
from
Yorkshire
.
He
and
I
must
have
many
a
talk
face
to
face
before
I
consent
to
be
miserable
for
life
.
Dear
Mrs.
Dodd
,
at
first
receipt
of
your
cruel
letter
,
so
kindly
worded
,
I
was
broken-hearted
;
but
now
I
am
myself
again
:
difficulties
are
made
for
ladies
to
yield
to
,
and
for
men
to
conquer
.
Only
for
pity
's
sake
do
not
you
be
my
enemy
;
do
not
set
her
against
me
for
my
father
's
fault
.
Think
,
if
you
can
,
how
my
heart
bleeds
at
closing
this
letter
without
one
word
to
her
I
love
better
,
a
thousand
times
better
,
than
my
life
—
I
am
,
dear
Mrs.
Dodd
,
yours
sorrowfully
,
but
not
despairing
,
“
ALFRED
HARDIE
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
kept
this
letter
to
herself
.
She
could
not
read
it
quite
unmoved
,
and
therefore
she
felt
sure
it
would
disturb
her
daughter
's
heart
the
more
.
Alfred
had
now
a
soft
but
dangerous
antagonist
in
Mrs.
Dodd
.
All
the
mother
was
in
arms
to
secure
her
daughter
's
happiness
,
coute
qu'il
coute
!
and
the
surest
course
seemed
to
be
to
detach
her
affections
from
Alfred
.
What
hope
of
a
peaceful
heart
without
this
?
and
what
real
happiness
without
peace
?
But
,
too
wise
and
calm
to
interfere
blindly
,
she
watched
her
daughter
day
and
night
,
to
find
whether
Love
or
Pride
was
the
stronger
,
and
this
is
what
she
observed
—
Julia
never
mentioned
Alfred
.
She
sought
occupation
eagerly
:
came
oftener
than
usual
for
money
,
saying
,
it
was
for
“
Luxury
.
”
She
visited
the
poor
more
constantly
,
taking
one
of
the
maids
with
her
,
at
Mrs.
Dodd
's
request
.
She
studied
Logic
with
Edward
.
She
went
to
bed
rather
early
,
fatigued
,
it
would
appear
,
by
her
activity
:
and
she
gave
the
clue
to
her
own
conduct
one
day
:
“
Mamma
,
”
said
she
,
“
nobody
is
downright
unhappy
who
is
good
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
noticed
also
a
certain
wildness
and
almost
violence
,
with
which
she
threw
herself
into
her
occupations
,
and
a
worn
look
about
the
eyes
that
told
of
a
hidden
conflict
.
On
the
whole
Mrs.
Dodd
was
hopeful
;
for
she
had
never
imagined
the
cure
would
be
speedy
or
easy
.
To
see
her
child
on
the
right
road
was
much
.
Only
the
great
healer
Time
could
“
medicine
her
to
that
sweet
peace
which
once
she
owned
;
”
and
even
Time
cannot
give
her
back
her
childhood
,
thought
the
mother
,
with
a
sigh
.
One
day
came
an
invitation
to
an
evening
party
at
a
house
where
they
always
wound
up
with
dancing
.
Mrs.
Dodd
was
for
declining
as
usual
for
since
that
night
Julia
had
shunned
parties
.
“
Give
me
the
sorrows
of
the
poor
and
afflicted
,
”
was
her
cry
;
“
the
gaiety
of
the
hollow
world
jars
me
more
than
I
can
bear
.
”
But
now
she
caught
with
a
sort
of
eagerness
at
this
invitation
.
“
Accept
.
They
shall
not
say
I
am
wearing
the
willow
.
”
“
My
brave
girl
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
joyfully
,
“
I
would
not
press
it
;
but
you
are
right
;
we
owe
it
to
ourselves
to
outface
scandal
.
Still
,
let
there
be
no
precipitation
;
we
must
not
undertake
beyond
our
strength
.
”
“
Try
me
to-night
,
”
said
Julia
;
“
you
do
n't
know
what
I
can
do
.
I
dare
say
he
is
not
pining
for
me
.
”
She
was
the
life
and
soul
of
the
party
,
and
,
indeed
,
so
feverishly
brilliant
,
that
Mrs.
Dodd
said
softly
to
her
,
“
Gently
,
love
;
moderate
your
spirits
,
or
they
will
deceive
our
friends
as
little
as
they
do
me
.
”
Meantime
it
cost
Alfred
Hardie
a
severe
struggle
to
keep
altogether
aloof
from
Julia
.
In
fact
,
it
was
a
state
of
daily
self-denial
,
to
which
he
would
never
have
committed
himself
,
but
that
he
was
quite
sure
he
could
gradually
win
his
father
over
.
At
his
age
we
are
apt
to
count
without
our
antagonist
.
Mr.
Richard
Hardie
was
“
a
long-headed
man
.
”
He
knew
the
consequence
of
giving
one
's
reasons
:
eternal
discussion
ending
in
war
.
He
had
taken
care
not
to
give
any
to
Mrs.
Dodd
,
and
he
was
as
guarded
and
reserved
with
Alfred
.
The
young
man
begged
to
know
the
why
and
the
wherefore
,
and
being
repulsed
,
employed
all
his
art
to
elicit
them
by
surprise
,
or
get
at
them
by
inference
:
but
all
in
vain
.
Hardie
senior
was
impenetrable
;
and
inquiry
,
petulance
,
tenderness
,
logic
,
were
all
shattered
on
him
as
the
waves
break
on
Ailsa
Craig
.
Thus
began
dissension
,
decently
conducted
at
first
,
between
a
father
indulgent
hitherto
and
an
affectionate
son
.
In
this
unfortunate
collision
of
two
strong
and
kindred
natures
,
every
advantage
was
at
present
on
the
father
's
side
:
age
,
experience
,
authority
,
resolution
,
hidden
and
powerful
motives
,
to
which
my
reader
even
has
no
clue
as
yet
;
a
purpose
immutable
and
concealed
.
Add
to
these
a
colder
nature
and
a
far
colder
affection
;
for
Alfred
loved
his
father
dearly
.
At
last
,
one
day
,
the
impetuous
one
lost
his
self-command
,
and
said
he
was
a
son
,
not
a
slave
,
and
had
little
respect
for
Authority
when
afraid
or
ashamed
to
appeal
to
Reason
.
Hardie
senior
turned
on
him
with
a
gravity
and
dignity
no
man
could
wear
more
naturally
.
“
Alfred
,
have
I
been
an
unkind
father
to
you
all
these
years
?
”
“
Oh
no
,
father
,
no
;
I
have
said
nothing
that
can
be
so
construed
.
And
that
is
the
mystery
to
me
;
you
are
acting
quite
out
of
character
.
”
“
Have
I
been
one
of
those
interfering
,
pragmatical
fathers
who
cannot
let
their
children
enjoy
themselves
their
own
way
?
”
“
No
,
sir
;
you
have
never
interfered
,
except
to
pay
for
anything
I
wanted
.
”
“
Then
make
the
one
return
in
your
power
,
young
man
:
have
a
little
faith
in
such
a
father
,
and
believe
that
he
does
not
interfere
now
but
for
your
good
,
and
under
a
stern
necessity
;
and
that
when
he
does
interfere
for
once
,
and
say
,
'
This
thing
shall
not
be
,
'
it
shall
not
be
—
by
Heaven
!
”
Alfred
was
overpowered
by
the
weight
and
solemnity
of
this
.
Sorrow
,
vexation
,
and
despondency
all
rushed
into
his
heart
together
,
and
unmanned
him
for
a
moment
;
he
buried
his
face
in
his
hands
,
and
something
very
like
a
sob
burst
from
his
young
heart
.
At
this
Hardie
senior
took
up
the
newspaper
with
imperturbable
coldness
,
and
wore
a
slight
curl
of
the
lip
.
All
this
was
hardly
genuine
,
for
he
was
not
altogether
unmoved
;
but
he
was
a
man
of
rare
self-command
,
and
chose
to
impress
on
Alfred
that
he
was
no
more
to
be
broken
or
melted
than
a
mere
rock
.
It
is
always
precarious
to
act
a
part
;
and
this
cynicism
was
rather
able
than
wise
:
Alfred
looked
up
and
watched
him
keenly
as
he
read
the
monetary
article
with
tranquil
interest
;
and
then
,
for
the
first
time
in
his
life
,
it
flashed
into
the
young
man
's
mind
that
his
father
was
not
a
father
.
“
I
never
knew
him
till
now
,
”
thought
he
.
“
This
man
is
αστοργος
.
”
Thus
a
gesture
,
so
to
speak
,
sowed
the
first
seed
of
downright
disunion
in
Richard
Hardie
's
house
—
disunion
,
a
fast-growing
plant
,
when
men
set
it
in
the
soil
of
the
passions
.
Alfred
,
unlike
Julia
,
had
no
panacea
.
Had
any
lips
,
except
perhaps
hers
,
told
him
that
“
to
be
good
is
to
be
happy
here
below
,
”
he
would
have
replied
:
“
Negatur
;
contradicted
by
daily
experience
.
”
It
never
occurred
to
him
,
therefore
,
to
go
out
of
himself
,
and
sympathise
with
the
sordid
sorrows
of
the
poor
,
and
their
bottomless
egotism
in
contact
with
the
well-to-do
.
He
brooded
on
his
own
love
,
and
his
own
unhappiness
,
and
his
own
father
's
cruelty
.
His
nights
were
sleepless
and
his
days
leaden
.
He
tried
hard
to
read
for
his
first
class
,
but
for
once
even
ambition
failed
:
it
ended
in
flinging
books
away
in
despair
.
He
wandered
about
dreaming
and
moping
for
some
change
,
and
bitterly
regretting
his
excessive
delicacy
,
which
had
tied
his
own
hands
and
brought
him
to
a
stand-still
.
He
lost
his
colour
and
what
little
flesh
he
had
to
lose
;
for
such
young
spirits
as
this
are
never
plump
.
In
a
word
,
being
now
strait-jacketed
into
feminine
inactivity
,
while
void
of
feminine
patience
,
his
ardent
heart
was
pining
and
fretting
itself
out
.
He
was
in
this
condition
,
when
one
day
Peterson
,
his
Oxonian
friend
,
burst
in
on
him
open-mouthed
with
delight
,
and
,
as
usual
with
bright
spirits
of
this
calibre
,
did
not
even
notice
his
friend
's
sadness
.
“
Cupid
had
clapped
him
on
the
shoulder
,
”
as
Shakespeare
hath
it
;
and
it
was
a
deal
nicer
than
the
bum-bailiff
rheumatism
.
“
Oh
,
such
a
divine
creature
!
Met
her
twice
;
you
know
her
by
sight
;
her
name
is
Dodd
.
But
I
do
n't
care
;
it
shall
be
Peterson
;
the
rose
by
any
other
name
,
etc.
”
Then
followed
a
rapturous
description
of
the
lady
's
person
,
well
worth
omitting
.
“
And
such
a
jolly
girl
!
brightens
them
all
up
wherever
she
goes
;
and
such
a
dancer
;
did
the
cachouka
with
a
little
Spanish
bloke
Bosanquet
has
got
hold
of
,
and
made
his
black
bolus
eyes
twinkle
like
midnight
cigars
:
danced
it
with
castanets
,
and
smiles
,
and
such
a
what
d'ye
call
'
em
,
my
boy
,
you
know
;
such
a
'
go
.
'
”
“
You
mean
such
an
'
abandon
,
'
”
groaned
Alfred
,
turning
sick
at
heart
.
“
That
's
the
word
.
Twice
the
spirit
of
Duvernay
,
and
ten
times
the
beauty
.
But
just
you
hear
her
sing
,
that
is
all
;
Italian
,
French
,
German
,
English
even
.
”
“
Plaintive
songs
?
”
“
Oh
,
whatever
they
ask
for
.
Make
you
laugh
or
make
you
cry
to
order
;
never
says
no.
Just
smiles
and
sits
down
to
the
music-box
.
Only
she
wo
n't
sing
two
running
:
they
have
to
stick
a
duffer
in
between
.
I
shall
meet
her
again
next
week
;
will
you
come
?
Any
friend
of
mine
is
welcome
.
Wish
me
joy
,
old
fellow
;
I
'm
a
gone
coon
.
”
This
news
put
Alfred
in
a
phrensy
of
indignation
and
fear
.
Julia
dancing
the
cachouka
!
Julia
a
jolly
girl
!
Julia
singing
songs
pathetic
or
merry
,
whichever
were
asked
for
!
The
heartless
one
!
He
called
to
mind
all
he
had
read
in
the
classics
,
and
elsewhere
,
about
the
fickleness
of
woman
.
But
this
impression
did
not
last
long
;
he
recalled
Julia
's
character
,
and
all
the
signs
of
a
love
tender
and
true
she
had
given
him
.
He
read
her
by
himself
,
and
,
lover-like
,
laid
all
the
blame
on
another
.
It
was
all
her
cold-blooded
mother
.
“
Fool
that
I
have
been
.
I
see
it
all
now
.
She
appeals
to
my
delicacy
to
keep
away
;
then
she
goes
to
Julia
and
says
,
'
See
,
he
deserts
you
at
a
word
from
his
father
.
Be
proud
,
be
gay
!
He
never
loved
you
;
marry
another
.
'
The
shallow
plotter
forgets
that
whoever
she
does
marry
I
'll
kill
.
How
many
unsuspicious
girls
have
these
double-faced
mothers
deluded
so
?
They
do
it
in
half
the
novels
,
especially
in
those
written
by
women
;
and
why
?
because
these
know
the
perfidy
and
mendacity
of
their
sex
better
than
we
do
;
they
see
them
nearer
,
and
with
their
souls
undrest
.
War
,
Mrs.
Dodd
!
war
to
the
death
!
From
this
moment
I
am
alone
in
the
world
with
her
.
I
have
no
friend
but
Alfred
Hardie
:
and
my
bitterest
enemies
are
my
cold-blooded
father
and
her
cold-blooded
mother
.
”
The
above
sentences
,
of
course
,
were
never
uttered
.
But
they
represent
his
thoughts
accurately
,
though
in
a
condensed
form
,
and
are
,
as
it
were
,
a
miniature
of
this
young
heart
boiling
over
.
From
that
moment
he
lay
in
wait
for
her
,
and
hovered
about
the
house
day
and
night
,
determined
to
appeal
to
her
personally
,
and
undeceive
her
,
and
baffle
her
mother
's
treachery
.
But
at
this
game
he
was
soon
detected
:
Mrs.
Dodd
lived
on
the
watch
now
.
Julia
,
dressed
to
go
out
,
went
to
the
window
one
afternoon
to
look
at
the
weather
;
but
retreated
somewhat
hastily
and
sat
down
on
the
sofa
.
“
You
flutter
,
darling
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
.
“
Ah
!
he
is
there
.
”
“
Yes
.
”
“
You
had
better
take
off
your
things
.
”
“
Oh
,
yes
.
I
tremble
at
the
thoughts
of
meeting
him
.
Mamma
,
he
is
changed
,
sadly
changed
.
Poor
,
poor
Alfred
!
”
She
went
to
her
own
room
and
prayed
for
him
.
She
informed
the
Omniscient
that
,
though
much
greater
and
better
in
other
respects
than
she
was
,
he
had
not
Patience
.
She
prayed
,
with
tears
,
that
he
might
have
Christian
patience
granted
Him
from
on
high
.
“
Heart
of
stone
!
she
shuns
me
,
”
said
Alfred
,
outside
.
He
had
seen
her
in
her
bonnet
.
Mrs.
Dodd
waited
several
days
to
see
whether
this
annoyance
would
not
die
of
itself
:
waiting
was
her
plan
in
most
things
.
Finding
he
was
not
to
be
tired
out
,
she
sent
Sarah
out
to
him
with
a
note
carefully
sealed
.
“
Mr.
Alfred
Hardie
,
—
Is
it
generous
to
confine
my
daughter
to
the
house
?
—
Yours
regretfully
,
“
LUCY
DODD
.
”
A
line
came
back
instantly
in
pencil
.
“
Mrs.
Dodd
,
—
Is
all
the
generosity
and
all
the
good
faith
to
be
on
one
side
?
—
Yours
in
despair
,
“
ALFRED
HARDIE
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
coloured
faintly
:
the
reproach
pricked
her
,
but
did
not
move
her
.
She
sat
quietly
down
that
moment
,
and
wrote
to
a
friend
in
London
,
to
look
out
for
a
furnished
villa
in
a
healthy
part
of
the
suburbs
,
with
immediate
possession
.
“
Circumstances
,
”
said
she
,
“
making
it
desirable
we
should
leave
Barkington
immediately
,
and
for
some
months
.
”
The
Bosanquets
gave
a
large
party
;
Mrs.
and
Miss
Dodd
were
there
.
The
latter
was
playing
a
part
in
a
charade
to
the
admiration
of
all
present
,
when
in
came
Mr.
Peterson
,
introducing
his
friend
,
Alfred
Hardie
.
Julia
caught
the
name
,
and
turned
a
look
of
alarm
on
her
mother
,
but
went
on
acting
.
Presently
she
caught
sight
of
him
at
some
distance
.
He
looked
very
pale
,
and
his
glittering
eye
was
fixed
on
her
with
a
sort
of
stern
wonder
.
Such
a
glance
from
fiery
eyes
,
that
had
always
dwelt
tenderly
on
her
till
then
,
struck
her
like
a
weapon
.
She
stopped
short
,
and
turned
red
and
pale
by
turns
.
“
There
,
that
is
nonsense
enough
,
”
said
she
bitterly
,
and
went
and
sat
by
Mrs.
Dodd
.
The
gentlemen
thronged
round
her
with
compliments
,
and
begged
her
to
sing
.
She
excused
herself
.
Presently
she
heard
an
excited
voice
,
towards
which
she
dared
not
look
;
it
was
inquiring
whether
any
lady
could
sing
Aileen
Aroon
.
With
every
desire
to
gratify
the
young
millionaire
,
nobody
knew
Aileen
Aroon
,
nor
had
ever
heard
of
it
.
“
Oh
,
impossible
!
”
cried
Alfred
.
“
Why
,
it
is
in
praise
of
Constancy
,
a
virtue
ladies
shine
in
:
at
least
,
they
take
credit
for
it
.
”
“
Mamma
,
”
whispered
Julia
terrified
,
“
get
me
away
,
or
there
will
be
a
scene
.
He
is
reckless
.
”
“
Be
calm
,
love
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
“
there
shall
be
none
.
”
She
rose
and
glided
up
to
Alfred
Hardie
,
looked
coldly
in
his
face
;
then
said
with
external
politeness
and
veiled
contempt
,
“
I
will
attempt
the
song
,
sir
,
since
you
desire
it
.
”
She
waved
her
hand
,
and
he
followed
her
sulkily
to
the
piano
.
She
sung
Aileen
Aroon
,
not
with
her
daughter
's
eloquence
,
but
with
a
purity
and
mellowness
that
charmed
the
room
:
they
had
never
heard
the
genius
sing
it
.
As
spirits
are
said
to
overcome
the
man
at
whose
behest
they
rise
,
so
this
sweet
air
,
and
the
gush
of
reminiscence
it
awakened
,
overpowered
him
who
had
evoked
them
;
Alfred
put
his
Hand
unconsciously
to
his
swelling
heart
,
cast
one
look
of
anguish
at
Julia
,
and
hurried
away
half
choked
.
Nobody
but
Julia
noticed
.
A
fellow
in
a
rough
great-coat
and
tattered
white
hat
opened
the
fly
door
for
Mrs.
Dodd
.
As
Julia
followed
her
,
he
kissed
her
skirt
unseen
by
Mrs.
Dodd
,
but
her
quick
ears
caught
a
heart-breaking
sigh
.
She
looked
and
recognised
Alfred
in
that
disguise
;
the
penitent
fit
had
succeeded
to
the
angry
one
.
Had
Julia
observed
?
To
ascertain
this
without
speaking
of
him
,
Mrs.
Dodd
waited
till
they
had
got
some
little
distance
,
then
quietly
put
out
her
hand
and
rested
it
for
a
moment
on
her
daughter
's
;
the
girl
was
trembling
violently
“
Little
wretch
!
”
came
to
Mrs.
Dodd
's
lips
,
but
she
did
not
utter
it
.
They
were
near
home
before
she
spoke
at
all
,
and
then
she
only
said
very
kindly
,
“
My
love
,
you
will
not
be
subjected
again
to
these
trials
:
”
a
remark
intended
quietly
to
cover
the
last
occurrence
as
well
as
Alfred
's
open
persecution
.
They
had
promised
to
go
out
the
very
next
day
;
but
Mrs.
Dodd
went
alone
,
and
made
excuses
for
Miss
Dodd
.
On
her
return
she
found
Julia
sitting
up
for
her
,
and
a
letter
come
from
her
friend
describing
a
pleasant
cottage
,
now
vacant
,
near
Maida
Vale
.
Mrs.
Dodd
handed
the
open
letter
to
Julia
;
she
read
it
without
comment
.
“
We
will
go
up
to-morrow
and
take
it
for
three
months
.
Then
the
Oxford
vacation
will
terminate
.
”
“
Yes
,
mamma
.
”
I
am
now
about
to
relate
a
circumstance
by
no
means
without
parallels
,
but
almost
impossible
to
account
for
;
and
,
as
nothing
is
more
common
and
contemptible
than
inadequate
solutions
,
I
will
offer
none
at
all
:
but
so
it
was
,
that
Mrs.
Dodd
awoke
in
the
middle
of
that
very
night
in
a
mysterious
state
of
mental
tremor
;
trouble
,
veiled
in
obscurity
,
seemed
to
sit
heavy
on
her
bosom
.
So
strong
,
though
vague
,
was
this
new
and
mysterious
oppression
,
that
she
started
up
in
bed
and
cried
aloud
,
“
David
!
—
Julia
!
—
Oh
,
what
is
the
matter
?
”
The
sound
of
her
own
voice
dispelled
the
cloud
in
part
,
but
not
entirely
.
She
lay
awhile
,
and
then
finding
herself
quite
averse
to
sleep
,
rose
and
went
to
her
window
,
and
eyed
the
weather
anxiously
.
It
was
a
fine
night
;
soft
fleecy
clouds
drifted
slowly
across
a
silver
moon
.
The
sailor
's
wife
was
reassured
on
her
husband
's
behalf
.
Her
next
desire
was
to
look
at
Julia
sleeping
;
she
had
no
particular
object
:
it
was
the
instinctive
impulse
of
an
anxious
mother
whom
something
had
terrified
.
She
put
on
her
slippers
and
dressing-gown
,
and
,
lighting
a
candle
at
her
night-lamp
,
opened
her
door
softly
and
stepped
into
the
little
corridor
.
But
she
had
not
taken
two
steps
when
she
was
arrested
by
a
mysterious
sound
.
It
came
from
Julia
's
room
.
What
was
it
?
Mrs.
Dodd
glided
softly
nearer
and
nearer
,
all
her
senses
on
the
stretch
.
The
sound
came
again
.
It
was
a
muffled
sob
.
The
stifled
sound
,
just
audible
in
the
dead
stillness
of
the
night
,
went
through
and
through
her
who
stood
there
listening
aghast
.
Her
bowels
yearned
over
her
child
,
and
she
hurried
to
the
door
,
but
recollected
herself
,
and
knocked
,
very
gently
.
“
Do
n't
be
alarmed
,
love
;
it
is
only
me
.
May
I
come
in
?
”
She
did
not
wait
for
the
answer
,
but
turned
the
handle
and
entered
.
She
found
Julia
sitting
up
in
bed
,
looking
wildly
at
her
,
with
cheeks
flushed
and
wet
.
She
sat
on
the
bed
and
clasped
her
to
her
breast
in
silence
:
but
more
than
one
warm
tear
ran
down
upon
Julia
's
bare
neck
;
the
girl
felt
them
drop
,
and
her
own
gushed
in
a
shower
.
“
Oh
,
what
have
I
done
?
”
she
sobbed
.
“
Am
I
to
make
you
wretched
too
?
”
Mrs.
Dodd
did
not
immediately
reply
.
She
was
there
to
console
,
and
her
admirable
good
sense
told
her
that
to
do
that
she
must
be
calmer
than
her
patient
;
so
even
while
she
kissed
and
wept
over
Julia
,
she
managed
gradually
to
recover
her
composure
.
“
Tell
me
,
my
child
,
”
said
she
,
“
why
do
you
act
a
part
with
me
?
Why
brave
it
out
under
my
eye
,
and
spend
the
night
secretly
in
tears
?
Are
you
still
afraid
to
trust
me
?
”
“
Oh
no
,
no
;
but
I
thought
I
was
so
strong
,
so
proud
:
I
undertook
miracles
.
I
soon
found
my
pride
was
a
molehill
and
my
love
a
mountain
.
I
could
not
hold
out
by
day
if
I
did
not
ease
my
breaking
heart
at
night
.
How
unfortunate
!
I
kept
my
head
under
the
bed-clothes
,
too
;
but
you
have
such
ears
.
I
thought
I
would
stifle
my
grief
,
or
else
perhaps
you
would
be
as
wretched
as
I
am
:
forgive
me
!
pray
forgive
me
!
”
“
On
one
condition
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
struggling
with
the
emotion
these
simple
words
caused
her
.
“
Anything
to
be
forgiven
,
”
cried
Julia
,
impetuously
.
“
I
'll
go
to
London
.
I
'll
go
to
Botany
Bay
.
I
deserve
to
be
hanged
.
”
“
Then
,
from
this
hour
,
no
half-confidences
between
us
.
Dear
me
,
you
carry
in
your
own
bosom
a
much
harsher
judge
,
a
much
less
indulgent
friend
,
than
I
am
.
Come
!
trust
me
with
your
heart
.
Do
you
love
him
very
much
?
Does
your
happiness
depend
on
him
?
”
At
this
point-blank
question
Julia
put
her
head
over
Mrs.
Dodd
's
shoulder
,
not
to
be
seen
;
and
,
clasping
her
tight
,
murmured
scarce
above
a
whisper
,
“
I
do
n't
know
how
much
I
love
him
.
When
he
came
in
at
that
party
I
felt
his
slave
—
his
unfaithful
adoring
slave
;
if
he
had
ordered
me
to
sing
Aileen
Aroon
,
I
should
have
obeyed
;
if
he
had
commanded
me
to
take
his
hand
and
leave
the
room
,
I
think
I
should
have
obeyed
.
His
face
is
always
before
me
as
plain
as
life
;
it
used
to
come
to
me
bright
and
loving
;
now
it
is
pale
,
and
stern
,
and
sad
.
I
was
not
so
wretched
till
I
saw
he
was
pining
for
me
,
and
thinks
me
inconstant
—
oh
,
mamma
,
so
pale
!
so
shrunk
I
so
reckless
!
He
was
sorry
for
misbehaving
that
night
:
he
changed
clothes
with
a
beggar
to
kiss
my
dress
,
poor
thing
!
poor
thing
!
Who
ever
loved
as
he
does
me
!
I
am
dying
for
him
;
I
am
dying
.
”
“
There
!
there
!
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
soothingly
.
“
You
have
said
enough
.
This
must
be
love
.
I
am
on
your
Alfred
's
side
from
this
hour
.
”
Julia
opened
her
eyes
,
and
was
a
good
deal
agitated
as
well
as
surprised
.
“
Pray
do
not
raise
my
hopes
,
”
she
gasped
.
“
We
are
parted
for
ever
.
His
father
refuses
.
Even
you
seemed
averse
;
or
have
I
been
dreaming
?
”
“
Me
,
dearest
?
How
can
I
be
averse
to
anything
lawful
on
which
I
find
your
heart
is
really
set
,
and
your
happiness
at
stake
?
Of
course
I
have
stopped
the
actual
intercourse
,
under
existing
circumstances
;
but
these
circumstances
are
not
unalterable
:
your
only
obstacle
is
Mr.
Richard
Hardie
.
”
“
But
what
an
obstacle
!
”
sighed
Julia
.
“
His
father
!
a
man
of
iron
!
so
everybody
says
;
for
I
have
made
inquiries
—
oh
!
”
And
she
was
abashed
.
She
resumed
hastily
,
“
And
that
letter
,
so
cold
,
so
cruel
!
I
feel
it
was
written
by
one
not
open
to
gentle
influences
.
He
does
not
think
me
worthy
of
his
son
so
accomplished
,
so
distinguished
at
the
very
university
where
our
poor
Edward
—
has
—
you
know
—
—
”
“
Little
simpleton
!
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
and
kissed
her
tenderly
;
“
your
iron
man
is
the
commonest
clay
,
sordid
,
pliable
;
and
your
stern
heroic
Brutus
is
a
shopkeeper
:
he
is
open
to
the
gentle
influences
which
sway
the
kindred
souls
of
the
men
you
and
I
buy
our
shoes
,
our
tea
,
our
gloves
,
our
fish-kettles
of
:
and
these
influences
I
think
I
command
,
and
am
prepared
to
use
them
to
the
utmost
.
”
Julia
lay
silent
,
and
wondering
what
she
could
mean
.
But
Mrs.
Dodd
hesitated
now
:
it
pained
and
revolted
her
to
show
her
enthusiastic
girl
the
world
as
it
is
.
She
said
as
much
,
and
added
—
“
I
seem
to
be
going
to
aid
all
these
people
to
take
the
bloom
from
my
own
child
's
innocence
.
Heaven
help
me
!
”
“
Oh
,
never
mind
that
,
”
cried
Julia
in
her
ardent
way
;
“
give
me
Truth
before
Error
,
however
pleasing
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
replied
only
by
a
sigh
:
grand
general
sentiments
like
that
never
penetrated
her
mind
:
they
glided
off
like
water
from
a
duck
's
back
.
“
We
will
begin
with
this
mercantile
Brutus
,
then
,
”
said
she
,
with
such
a
curl
of
the
lip
.
Brutus
had
rejected
her
daughter
.
“
Mr.
Richard
Hardie
was
born
and
bred
in
a
bank
;
one
where
no
wild
thyme
blows
,
my
poor
enthusiast
,
nor
cowslips
nor
the
nodding
violet
grows
;
but
gold
and
silver
chink
,
and
Things
are
discounted
,
and
men
grow
rich
,
slowly
but
surely
,
by
lawful
use
of
other
people
's
money
.
Breathed
upon
by
these
'
gentle
influences
,
'
he
was
,
from
his
youth
,
a
remarkable
man
—
measured
by
Trade
's
standard
.
At
five-and-twenty
divine
what
he
did
!
He
saved
the
bank
.
You
have
read
of
bubbles
:
the
Mississippi
Bubble
and
the
South
Sea
Bubble
.
Well
,
in
the
year
1825
,
it
was
not
one
bubble
but
a
thousand
;
mines
by
the
score
,
and
in
distant
lands
;
companies
by
the
hundred
;
loans
to
every
nation
or
tribe
;
down
to
Guatemala
,
Patagonia
,
and
Greece
;
two
hundred
new
ships
were
laid
on
the
stocks
in
one
year
,
for
your
dear
papa
told
me
;
in
short
,
a
fever
of
speculation
,
and
the
whole
nation
raging
with
it
:
my
dear
,
Princes
,
Dukes
,
Duchesses
,
Bishops
,
Poets
,
Lawyers
,
Physicians
,
were
seen
struggling
with
their
own
footmen
for
a
place
in
the
Exchange
:
and
,
at
last
,
good
,
steady
,
old
Mr.
Hardie
,
Alfred
's
grandfather
,
was
drawn
into
the
vortex
.
Now
,
to
excuse
him
and
appreciate
the
precocious
Richard
,
you
must
try
and
realise
that
these
bubbles
,
when
they
rise
,
are
as
alluring
and
reasonable
as
they
are
ridiculous
and
incredible
when
one
looks
back
on
them
;
even
soap
bubbles
,
you
know
,
have
rainbow
hues
till
they
burst
:
and
,
indeed
,
the
blind
avarice
of
men
does
but
resemble
the
blind
vanity
of
women
:
look
at
our
grandmothers
'
hoops
,
and
our
mothers
'
short
waists
and
monstrous
heads
!
Yet
in
their
day
what
woman
did
not
glory
in
these
insanities
?
Well
then
,
Mr.
Richard
Hardie
,
at
twenty-five
,
was
the
one
to
foresee
the
end
of
all
these
bubbles
;
he
came
down
from
London
and
brought
his
people
to
their
senses
by
sober
reason
and
'
sound
commercial
principles
'
—
that
means
,
I
believe
,
'
get
other
people
's
money
,
but
do
not
risk
your
own
.
'
His
superiority
was
so
clear
,
that
his
father
resigned
the
helm
to
him
,
and
,
thanks
to
his
ability
,
the
bank
weathered
the
storm
,
while
all
the
other
ones
in
the
town
broke
or
suspended
their
trade
.
Now
,
you
know
,
youth
is
naturally
ardent
and
speculative
;
but
Richard
Hardie
's
was
colder
and
wiser
than
other
people
's
old
age
:
and
that
is
one
trait
.
Some
years
later
,
in
the
height
of
his
prosperity
—
I
reveal
this
only
for
your
comfort
,
and
on
your
sacred
promise
as
a
person
of
delicacy
,
never
to
repeat
it
to
a
soul
—
Richard
Hardie
was
a
suitor
for
my
hand
.
”
“
Mamma
!
”
“
Do
not
ejaculate
,
sweetest
.
It
discomposes
me
.
'
Nothing
is
extraordinary
,
'
as
that
good
creature
Dr.
Sampson
says
.
He
must
have
thought
it
would
answer
,
in
one
way
or
another
,
to
have
a
gentlewoman
at
the
head
of
his
table
;
and
I
was
not
penniless
,
bien
entendu
.
Failing
in
this
,
he
found
a
plain
little
Thing
,
with
a
gloomy
temper
,
and
no
accomplishments
nor
graces
;
but
her
father
could
settle
twenty
thousand
pounds
.
He
married
her
directly
:
and
that
is
a
trait
.
He
sold
his
father
's
and
grandfather
's
house
and
place
of
business
,
in
spite
of
all
their
associations
,
and
obtained
a
lease
of
his
present
place
from
my
uncle
Fountain
:
it
seemed
a
more
money-making
situation
.
A
trait
.
He
gives
me
no
reason
for
rejecting
my
daughter
.
Why
?
because
he
is
not
proud
of
his
reasons
:
this
walking
Avarice
has
intelligence
:
a
trait
.
Now
put
all
this
together
,
and
who
more
transparent
than
the
profound
Mr.
Hardie
?
He
has
declined
our
alliance
because
he
takes
for
granted
we
are
poor
.
When
I
undeceive
him
on
that
head
he
will
reopen
negotiations
in
a
letter
—
No.
2
of
the
correspondence
;
copied
by
one
of
his
clerks
—
it
will
be
calm
,
plausible
,
flattering
:
in
short
,
it
will
be
done
like
a
gentleman
:
though
he
is
nothing
of
the
kind
.
And
this
brings
me
to
what
I
ought
to
have
begun
with
:
your
dear
father
and
I
have
always
lived
within
our
income
for
our
children
's
sake
;
he
is
bringing
home
the
bulk
of
our
savings
this
very
voyage
,
and
it
amounts
to
fourteen
thousand
pounds
.
”
“
Oh
,
what
an
enormous
sum
!
”
“
No
,
dearest
,
it
is
not
a
fortune
in
itself
.
But
it
is
a
considerable
sum
to
possess
,
independent
of
one
's
settlement
and
one
's
income
.
It
is
loose
cash
,
to
speak
a
la
Hardie
;
that
means
I
can
do
what
I
choose
with
it
and
of
course
I
choose
—
to
make
you
happy
.
How
I
shall
work
on
what
you
call
Iron
and
I
venture
to
call
Clay
must
be
guided
by
circumstances
.
I
think
of
depositing
three
or
four
thousand
pounds
every
month
with
Mr.
Hardie
;
he
is
our
banker
,
you
know
.
He
will
most
likely
open
his
eyes
,
and
make
some
move
before
the
whole
sum
is
in
his
hands
.
If
he
does
not
,
I
shall
perhaps
call
at
his
bank
,
and
draw
a
cheque
for
fourteen
thousand
pounds
.
The
wealthiest
provincial
banker
does
not
keep
such
a
sum
floating
in
his
shop-tills
.
His
commercial
honour
,
the
one
semi-chivalrous
sentiment
in
his
soul
,
would
be
in
peril
.
He
would
yield
,
and
with
grace
:
none
the
less
readily
that
his
house
and
his
bank
,
which
have
been
long
heavily
mortgaged
to
our
trustees
,
were
made
virtually
theirs
by
agreement
yesterday
(
I
set
this
on
foot
with
twelve
hours
of
Mr.
Iron
's
impertinent
letter
)
,
and
he
will
say
to
himself
,
'
She
can
—
post
me
,
I
think
these
people
call
it
—
this
afternoon
for
not
cashing
her
cheque
,
and
she
can
turn
me
and
my
bank
into
the
street
to-morrow
:
'
and
then
,
of
course
,
he
shall
see
by
my
manner
the
velvet
paw
is
offered
as
well
as
the
claw
.
He
is
pretty
sure
to
ask
himself
which
will
suit
the
ledger
best
—
this
cat
's
friendship
and
her
fourteen
thousand
pounds
,
or
—
an
insulted
mother
's
enmity
?
”
And
Mrs.
Placid
's
teeth
made
a
little
click
just
audible
in
the
silent
night
.
“
Oh
,
mamma
!
my
heart
is
sick
.
Am
I
to
be
bought
and
sold
like
this
?
”
Mrs.
Dodd
sighed
,
but
said
calmly
,
“
You
must
pay
the
penalty
for
loving
a
parvenu
's
son
.
Come
,
Julia
,
no
peevishness
,
no
more
romance
,
no
more
vacillation
.
You
have
tried
Pride
and
failed
pitiably
:
now
I
insist
on
your
trying
Love
!
Child
,
it
is
the
bane
of
our
sex
to
carry
nothing
out
:
from
that
weakness
I
will
preserve
you
.
And
,
by-the-bye
,
we
are
not
going
to
marry
Mr.
Richard
Hardie
,
but
Mr.
Alfred
.
Now
,
Mr.
Alfred
,
with
all
his
faults
and
defects
—
”
“
Mamma
!
what
faults
?
what
defects
?
”
“
—
Is
a
gentleman
;
thanks
to
Oxford
,
and
Harrow
,
and
nature
.
My
darling
,
pray
to
Heaven
night
and
day
for
your
dear
father
's
safe
return
;
for
on
him
,
and
him
alone
,
your
happiness
depends
:
as
mine
does
.
”
“
Mamma
!
”
cried
Julia
,
embracing
her
,
“
what
do
poor
girls
do
who
have
lost
their
mother
?
”
“
Look
abroad
and
see
,
”
was
the
grave
reply
.
Mrs.
Dodd
then
begged
her
to
go
to
sleep
,
like
a
good
child
,
for
her
health
's
sake
;
all
would
be
well
;
and
with
this
was
about
to
return
to
her
own
room
;
but
a
white
hand
and
arm
darted
out
of
the
bed
and
caught
her
.
“
What
!
Hope
has
come
to
me
by
night
in
the
form
of
an
angel
,
and
shall
I
let
her
go
back
to
her
own
room
?
Never
!
never
!
never
!
never
!
never
!
”
And
she
patted
the
bed
expressively
,
and
with
the
prettiest
impatience
.
“
Well
,
let
Hope
take
off
her
earrings
first
,
”
suggested
Mrs.
Dodd
.
“
No
,
no
,
come
here
directly
,
earrings
and
all
.
”
“
No
,
thank
you
;
or
I
shall
have
them
wounding
you
next
.
”
Mrs.
Hope
quietly
removed
her
earrings
,
and
the
tender
pair
passed
the
rest
of
the
night
in
one
another
's
arms
.
The
young
girl
's
tears
were
dried
;
and
hope
revived
,
and
life
bloomed
again
:
only
,
henceforth
her
longing
eyes
looked
out
to
sea
for
her
father
,
homeward
bound
.
Next
day
,
as
they
were
seated
together
in
the
drawing-room
,
Julia
came
from
the
window
with
a
rush
,
and
kneeled
at
Mrs.
Dodd
's
knees
,
with
bright
imploring
face
upturned
.
“
He
is
there
;
and
—
I
am
to
speak
to
him
?
Is
that
it
?
”
“
Dear
,
dear
,
dear
mamma
!
”
was
the
somewhat
oblique
reply
.
“
Well
,
then
,
bring
me
my
things
.
”
She
was
ten
minutes
putting
them
on
:
Julia
tried
to
expedite
her
and
retarded
her
.
She
had
her
pace
,
and
could
not
go
beyond
it
.
Now
by
this
time
Alfred
Hardie
was
thoroughly
miserable
.
Unable
to
move
his
father
,
shunned
by
Julia
,
sickened
by
what
he
had
heard
,
and
indeed
seen
,
of
her
gaiety
and
indifference
to
their
separation
,
stung
by
jealousy
and
fretted
by
impatience
,
he
was
drinking
nearly
all
the
bitters
of
that
sweet
passion
,
Love
.
But
as
you
are
aware
,
he
ascribed
Julia
's
inconstancy
,
lightness
,
and
cruelty
all
to
Mrs.
Dodd
.
He
hated
her
cordially
,
and
dreaded
her
into
the
bargain
;
he
played
the
sentinel
about
her
door
all
the
more
because
she
had
asked
him
not
to
do
it
“
Always
do
what
your
enemy
particularly
objects
to
,
”
said
he
,
applying
to
his
own
case
the
wisdom
of
a
Greek
philosopher
,
one
of
his
teachers
.
So
,
when
the
gate
suddenly
opened
,
and
instead
of
Julia
,
this
very
Mrs.
Dodd
walked
towards
him
,
his
feelings
were
anything
but
enviable
.
He
wished
himself
away
,
heartily
,
but
was
too
proud
to
retreat
.
He
stood
his
ground
.
She
came
up
to
him
;
a
charming
smile
broke
out
over
her
features
.
“
Ah
!
Mr.
Hardie
,
”
said
she
,
“
if
you
have
nothing
better
to
do
,
will
you
give
me
a
minute
?
”
He
assented
with
surprise
and
an
ill
grace
.
“
May
I
take
your
arm
?
”
He
offered
it
with
a
worse
.
She
laid
her
hand
lightly
on
it
,
and
it
shuddered
at
her
touch
.
He
felt
like
walking
with
a
velvet
tigress
.
By
some
instinct
she
divined
his
sentiment
,
and
found
her
task
more
difficult
than
she
had
thought
;
she
took
some
steps
in
silence
.
At
last
,
as
he
was
no
dissembler
,
he
burst
out
passionately
,
“
Why
are
you
my
enemy
?
”
“
I
am
not
your
enemy
,
”
said
she
quietly
.
“
Not
openly
,
but
all
the
more
dangerous
.
You
keep
us
apart
,
you
bid
her
be
gay
and
forget
me
;
you
are
a
cruel
,
hard-hearted
lady
.
”
“
No
,
I
am
not
,
sir
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
simply
.
“
Oh
!
I
believe
you
are
good
and
kind
to
all
the
rest
of
the
world
;
but
you
know
you
have
a
heart
of
iron
for
me
.
”
“
I
am
my
daughter
's
friend
,
but
not
your
enemy
;
it
is
you
who
are
too
inexperienced
to
know
how
delicate
,
how
difficult
,
my
duties
are
.
It
is
only
since
last
night
I
see
my
way
clear
;
and
,
look
,
I
come
at
once
to
you
with
friendly
intentions
.
Suppose
I
were
as
impetuous
as
you
are
?
I
should
,
perhaps
,
be
calling
you
ungrateful
.
”
He
retorted
bitterly
.
“
Give
me
something
to
be
grateful
for
,
and
you
shall
see
whether
that
baseness
is
in
my
nature
.
”
“
I
have
a
great
mind
to
put
you
to
the
proof
,
”
said
she
archly
.
“
Let
us
walk
down
this
lane
;
then
you
can
be
as
unjust
to
me
as
you
think
proper
,
without
attracting
public
attention
.
”
In
the
lane
she
told
him
quietly
she
knew
the
nature
of
his
father
's
objections
to
the
alliance
he
had
so
much
at
heart
,
and
they
were
objections
which
her
husband
,
on
his
return
,
would
remove
.
On
this
he
changed
his
tone
a
little
,
and
implored
her
piteously
not
to
deceive
him
.
“
I
will
not
,
”
said
she
,
“
upon
my
honour
.
If
you
are
as
constant
as
my
daughter
is
in
her
esteem
for
you
—
notwithstanding
her
threadbare
gaiety
worn
over
loyal
regret
,
and
to
check
a
parcel
of
idle
ladies
'
tongues
—
you
have
nothing
to
fear
from
me
,
and
everything
to
expect
.
Come
,
Alfred
—
may
I
take
that
liberty
with
you
?
—
let
us
understand
one
another
.
We
only
want
that
to
be
friends
.
”
This
was
hard
to
resist
and
at
his
age
.
His
lip
trembled
,
he
hesitated
,
but
at
last
gave
her
his
hand
.
She
walked
two
hours
with
him
,
and
laid
herself
out
to
enlighten
,
soothe
,
and
comfort
his
sore
heart
His
hopes
and
happiness
revived
under
her
magic
,
as
Julia
's
had
.
In
the
midst
of
it
all
,
the
wise
woman
quietly
made
terms
.
He
was
not
to
come
to
the
house
but
on
her
invitation
,
unless
indeed
he
had
news
of
the
Agra
to
communicate
;
but
he
might
write
once
a
week
to
her
,
and
enclose
a
few
lines
to
Julia
.
On
this
concession
he
proceeded
to
mumble
her
white
wrist
,
and
call
her
his
best
,
dearest
,
loveliest
friend
;
his
mother
.
“
Oh
,
remember
,
”
said
he
,
with
a
relic
of
distrust
,
“
you
are
the
only
mother
I
can
ever
hope
to
have
.
”
That
touched
her
.
Hitherto
,
he
had
been
to
her
but
a
thing
her
daughter
loved
.
Her
eyes
filled
.
“
My
poor
,
warm-hearted
,
motherless
boy
,
”
she
said
,
“
pray
for
my
husband
's
safe
return
.
For
on
that
your
happiness
depends
,
and
hers
,
and
mine
.
”
So
now
two
more
bright
eyes
looked
longingly
seaward
for
the
Agra
homeward
bound
.
CHAPTER
VII
NORTH
latitude
23.5
,
longitude
east
113
;
the
time
March
of
this
same
year
;
the
wind
southerly
;
the
port
Whampoa
,
in
the
Canton
river
.
Ships
at
anchor
reared
their
tall
masts
here
and
there
,
and
the
broad
stream
was
enlivened
and
coloured
by
junks
and
boats
of
all
sizes
and
vivid
hues
,
propelled
on
the
screw
principle
by
a
great
scull
at
the
stern
,
with
projecting
handles
,
for
the
crew
to
work
;
and
at
times
a
gorgeous
mandarin
boat
,
with
two
great
glaring
eyes
set
in
the
bows
,
came
flying
,
rowed
with
forty
paddles
by
an
armed
crew
,
whose
shields
hung
on
the
gunwale
and
flashed
fire
in
the
sunbeams
:
the
mandarin
,
in
conical
and
buttoned
hat
,
sitting
on
the
top
of
his
cabin
calmly
smoking
Paradise
,
alias
opium
,
while
his
gong
boomed
and
his
boat
flew
fourteen
miles
an
hour
,
and
all
things
scuttled
out
of
his
celestial
way
.
And
there
,
looking
majestically
down
on
all
these
water-ants
,
the
huge
Agra
,
cynosure
of
so
many
loving
eyes
and
loving
hearts
in
England
,
lay
at
her
moorings
;
homeward
bound
.
Her
tea
not
being
yet
on
board
,
the
ship
's
hull
floated
high
as
a
castle
,
and
to
the
subtle
,
intellectual
,
doll-faced
,
bolus-eyed
people
that
sculled
to
and
fro
busy
as
bees
,
though
looking
forked
mushrooms
,
she
sounded
like
a
vast
musical
shell
:
for
a
lusty
harmony
of
many
mellow
voices
vibrated
in
her
great
cavities
,
and
made
the
air
ring
cheerily
around
her
.
The
vocalists
were
the
Cyclops
,
to
judge
by
the
tremendous
thumps
that
kept
clean
time
to
their
sturdy
tune
.
Yet
it
was
but
human
labour
,
so
heavy
and
so
knowing
,
that
it
had
called
in
music
to
help
.
It
was
the
third
mate
and
his
gang
completing
his
floor
to
receive
the
coming
tea-chests
.
Yesterday
he
had
stowed
his
dunnage
,
many
hundred
bundles
of
light
flexible
canes
from
Sumatra
and
Malacca
;
on
these
he
had
laid
tons
of
rough
saltpetre
,
in
200
lb
.
gunny-bags
:
and
was
now
mashing
it
to
music
,
bags
and
all
.
His
gang
of
fifteen
,
naked
to
the
waist
,
stood
in
line
,
with
huge
wooden
beetles
called
commanders
,
and
lifted
them
high
and
brought
them
down
on
the
nitre
in
cadence
with
true
nautical
power
and
unison
,
singing
as
follows
,
with
a
ponderous
bump
on
the
first
note
in
each
bar
.
[
music
notation
]
And
so
up
to
fifteen
,
when
the
stave
was
concluded
with
a
shrill
“
Spell
,
oh
!
”
and
the
gang
relieved
,
streaming
with
perspiration
.
When
the
saltpetre
was
well
mashed
,
they
rolled
ton
water-butts
on
it
,
till
the
floor
was
like
a
billiard
table
.
A
fleet
of
chop
boats
then
began
to
arrive
,
so
many
per
day
,
with
the
tea-chests
.
Mr.
Grey
proceeded
to
lay
the
first
tier
on
his
saltpetre
floor
,
and
then
built
the
chests
,
tier
upon
tier
,
beginning
at
the
sides
,
and
leaving
in
the
middle
a
lane
somewhat
narrower
than
a
tea-chest
Then
he
applied
a
screw
jack
to
the
chests
on
both
sides
,
and
so
enlarged
his
central
aperture
,
and
forced
the
remaining
tea-chests
in
;
and
behold
the
enormous
cargo
packed
as
tight
as
ever
shopkeeper
packed
a
box
—
nineteen
thousand
eight
hundred
and
six
chests
,
sixty
half
chests
,
fifty
quarter
chests
.
While
Mr.
Grey
was
contemplating
his
work
with
singular
satisfaction
,
a
small
boat
from
Canton
came
alongside
,
and
Mr.
Tickell
,
midshipman
,
ran
up
the
side
,
skipped
on
the
quarterdeck
,
saluted
it
first
,
and
then
the
first
mate
;
and
gave
him
a
line
from
the
captain
,
desiring
him
to
take
the
ship
down
to
Second
Bar
—
for
her
water
—
at
the
turn
of
the
tide
.
Two
hours
after
receipt
of
this
order
the
ship
swung
to
the
ebb
.
Instantly
Mr.
Sharpe
unmoored
,
and
the
Agra
began
her
famous
voyage
,
with
her
head
at
right
angles
to
her
course
;
for
the
wind
being
foul
,
all
Sharpe
could
do
was
to
set
his
topsails
,
driver
,
and
jib
,
and
keep
her
in
the
tide
way
,
and
clear
of
the
numerous
craft
,
by
backing
or
filling
as
the
case
required
;
which
he
did
with
considerable
dexterity
,
making
the
sails
steer
the
helm
for
the
nonce
:
he
crossed
the
Bar
at
sunset
,
and
brought
to
with
the
best
bower
anchor
in
five
fathoms
and
a
half
.
Here
they
began
to
take
in
their
water
,
and
on
the
fifth
day
the
six-oared
gig
was
ordered
up
to
Canton
for
the
captain
.
The
next
afternoon
he
passed
the
ship
in
her
,
going
down
the
river
to
Lin-Tin
,
to
board
the
Chinese
admiral
for
his
chop
,
or
permission
to
leave
China
.
All
night
the
Agra
showed
three
lights
at
her
mizen
peak
for
him
,
and
kept
a
sharp
look
out
.
But
he
did
not
come
:
he
was
having
a
very
serious
talk
with
the
Chinese
admiral
;
at
daybreak
,
however
,
the
gig
was
reported
in
sight
:
Sharpe
told
one
of
the
midshipmen
to
call
the
boatswain
and
man
the
side
.
Soon
the
gig
ran
alongside
;
two
of
the
ship
's
boys
jumped
like
monkeys
over
the
bulwarks
,
lighting
,
one
on
the
main
channels
,
the
other
on
the
midship
port
,
and
put
the
side
ropes
assiduously
in
the
captain
's
hands
;
he
bestowed
a
slight
paternal
smile
on
them
,
the
first
the
imps
had
ever
received
from
an
officer
,
and
went
lightly
up
the
sides
.
The
moment
his
foot
touched
the
deck
,
the
boatswain
gave
a
frightful
shrill
whistle
;
the
men
at
the
sides
uncovered
;
the
captain
saluted
the
quarter-deck
,
and
all
the
officers
saluted
him
,
which
he
returned
,
and
stepping
for
a
moment
to
the
weather
side
of
his
deck
,
gave
the
loud
command
,
“
All
hands
heave
anchor
.
”
He
then
directed
Mr.
Sharpe
to
get
what
sail
he
could
on
the
ship
,
the
wind
being
now
westerly
,
and
dived
into
his
cabin
.
The
boatswain
piped
three
shrill
pipes
,
and
“
All
hands
up
anchor
,
”
was
thrice
repeated
forward
,
followed
by
private
admonitions
,
“
Rouse
and
bitt
!
”
“
Show
a
leg
!
”
etc.
,
and
up
tumbled
the
crew
with
homeward
bound
written
on
their
tanned
faces
.
(
Pipe
.
)
“
Up
all
hammocks
.
”
In
ten
minutes
the
ninety
and
odd
hammocks
were
all
stowed
neatly
in
the
netting
,
and
covered
with
a
snowy
hammock-cloth
;
and
the
hands
were
active
,
unbitting
the
cable
,
shipping
the
capstan
bars
,
etc.
“
All
ready
below
,
sir
,
”
cried
a
voice
.
“
Man
the
bars
,
”
returned
Mr.
Sharpe
from
the
quarter-deck
.
“
Play
up
,
fifer
.
Heave
away
.
”
Out
broke
the
merry
fife
,
with
a
rhythmical
tune
,
and
tramp
,
tramp
,
tramp
went
a
hundred
and
twenty
feet
round
and
round
,
and
,
with
brawny
chests
pressed
tight
against
the
capstan
bars
,
sixty
fine
fellows
walked
the
ship
up
to
her
anchor
,
drowning
the
fife
at
intervals
with
their
sturdy
song
,
as
pat
to
their
feet
as
an
echo
:
—
Heave
with
a
will
,
ye
jolly
boys
,
Heave
around
:
We
're
off
from
Chainee
,
jolly
boys
,
Homeward
bound
.
“
Short
stay
apeak
,
sir
,
”
roars
the
boatswain
from
forward
.
“
Unship
the
bars
.
Way
aloft
.
Loose
sails
.
Let
fall
.
”
The
ship
being
now
over
her
anchor
,
and
the
top-sails
set
,
the
capstan
bars
were
shipped
again
,
the
men
all
heaved
with
a
will
,
the
messenger
grinned
,
the
anchor
was
torn
out
of
China
with
a
mighty
heave
,
and
then
ran
up
with
a
luff
tackle
and
secured
;
the
ship
's
head
cast
to
port
.
“
Up
with
the
jib
—
man
the
taupsle
halliards
—
all
hands
make
sail
.
”
Round
she
came
slow
and
majestically
;
the
sails
filled
,
and
the
good
ship
bore
away
for
England
.
She
made
the
Bogue
forts
in
three
or
four
tacks
,
and
there
she
had
to
come
to
again
for
another
chop
,
China
being
a
place
as
hard
to
get
into
as
Heaven
,
and
to
get
out
of
as
—
Chancery
.
At
three
P.M.
she
was
at
Macao
,
and
hove
to
four
miles
from
the
land
to
take
in
her
passengers
.
A
gun
was
fired
from
the
forecastle
.
No
boats
came
off
.
Sharpe
began
to
fret
;
for
the
wind
,
though
light
,
had
now
got
to
the
N.W.
,
and
they
were
wasting
it
.
After
a
while
the
captain
came
on
deck
,
and
ordered
all
the
carronades
to
be
scaled
.
The
eight
heavy
reports
bellowed
the
great
ship
's
impatience
across
the
water
and
out
pulled
two
boats
with
the
passengers
.
While
they
were
coming
,
Dodd
sent
and
ordered
the
gunner
to
load
the
carronades
with
shot
,
and
secure
and
apron
them
.
The
first
boat
brought
Colonel
Kenealy
,
Mr.
Fullalove
,
and
a
prodigious
negro
,
who
all
mounted
by
the
side-ropes
.
But
the
whip
was
rigged
for
the
next
