rulesit
.
”
“
Then
why
does
it
produce
a
Professor
Fortescue
now
and
then
?
”
“
Possibly
as
a
corrective
.
”
“
Or
perhaps
for
fun
,
”
said
Hadria
.
CHAPTER
XXIII
.
“
PROFESSOR
THEOBALD
,
if
you
are
able
to
resist
the
fascinations
of
this
old
house
you
are
made
of
sterner
stuff
than
I
thought
.
”
“
I
can
never
resist
fascinations
,
Lady
Engleton
.
”
“
Do
you
ever
try
?
”
“
My
life
is
spent
in
the
endeavour
.
”
“
How
foolish
!
”
Whether
this
applied
to
the
endeavour
or
to
the
remark
,
did
not
quite
appear
.
Lady
Engleton
's
graceful
figure
leant
over
the
parapet
.
“
Do
you
know
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
”
she
said
in
her
incessantly
vivacious
manner
,
“
I
have
scarcely
heard
a
serious
word
since
our
two
Professors
came
to
us
.
Is
n't
it
disgraceful
?
I
naturally
expected
to
be
improved
and
enlightened
,
but
they
are
both
so
frivolous
,
I
ca
n't
keep
them
for
a
moment
to
any
important
subject
.
They
refuse
to
be
profound
.
It
is
I
who
have
to
be
profound
.
”
“
While
we
endeavour
to
be
charming
,
”
said
Professor
Theobald
.
“
You
may
think
that
flattering
,
but
I
confess
it
seems
to
me
a
beggarly
compliment
(
as
men
's
to
women
usually
are
)
.
”
“
You
expect
too
much
of
finite
intelligence
,
Lady
Engleton
.
”
“
This
is
how
I
am
always
put
off
!
If
it
were
not
that
you
are
both
such
old
friends
—
you
are
a
sort
of
cousin
I
think
,
Professor
Fortescue
—
I
should
really
feel
aggrieved
.
One
has
to
endure
so
much
more
from
relations
.
No
,
but
really
;
I
appeal
to
Mrs.
Temperley
.
When
one
is
hungering
for
erudition
,
to
be
offered
compliments
!
Not
that
I
can
accuse
Professor
Fortescue
of
compliments
,
”
she
added
with
a
laugh
;
“
wild
horses
would
not
drag
one
from
him
.
I
angle
vainly
.
But
he
is
so
ridiculously
young
.
He
enjoys
things
as
if
he
were
a
schoolboy
.
Does
one
look
for
that
in
one
's
Professors
?
He
talks
of
the
country
as
if
it
were
Paradise
Regained
.
”
“
So
it
is
to
me
,
”
he
said
with
a
smile
.
“
But
that
is
not
your
rôle
.
You
have
to
think
,
not
to
enjoy
.
”
“
Then
you
must
not
invite
us
to
Craddock
Place
,
”
Professor
Theobald
stipulated
.
“
As
usual
,
a
halting
compliment
.
”
“
To
take
you
seriously
,
Lady
Engleton
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
,
“
(
though
I
know
it
is
a
dangerous
practice
)
one
of
the
great
advantages
of
an
occasional
think
is
to
enable
one
to
relish
the
joys
of
mental
vacuity
,
just
as
the
pleasure
of
idleness
is
never
fully
known
till
one
has
worked
.
”
“
Ah
,
”
sighed
Lady
Engleton
,
“
I
know
I
do
n't
extract
the
full
flavour
out
of
that
!
”
“
It
is
a
neglected
art
,
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
After
worrying
himself
with
the
problems
of
existence
,
as
the
human
being
is
prone
to
do
,
as
soon
as
existence
is
more
or
less
secure
and
peaceful
,
a
man
can
experience
few
things
more
enjoyable
than
to
leave
aside
all
problems
and
go
out
into
the
fields
,
into
the
sun
,
to
feel
the
life
in
his
veins
,
the
world
at
the
threshold
of
his
five
senses
.
”
“
All
,
now
you
really
are
profound
at
last
,
Professor
!
”
“
I
thought
it
was
risky
to
take
you
seriously
.
”
“
No
,
no
,
I
am
delighted
.
The
world
at
the
threshold
of
one
's
five
senses
.
One
has
but
to
look
and
to
listen
and
the
beauty
of
things
displays
itself
for
our
benefit
.
Yes
,
but
that
is
what
the
artists
say
,
not
the
Professors
.
”
“
Even
a
Professor
is
human
,
”
pleaded
Theobald
.
Valeria
quoted
some
lines
that
she
said
expressed
Professor
Fortescue
's
idea
.
“
Carry
me
out
into
the
wind
and
the
sunshine
,
Into
the
beautiful
world
!
”
Lady
Engleton
's
artistic
instinct
seemed
to
occupy
itself
less
with
the
interpretation
of
Nature
than
with
the
appreciation
of
the
handiwork
of
man
.
The
lines
did
not
stir
her
.
Professor
Theobald
shared
her
indifference
for
the
poetic
expression
,
but
not
for
the
reality
expressed
.
“
I
quarrel
with
you
about
art
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
Art
is
art
,
and
nature
is
nature
,
both
charming
in
their
way
,
though
I
prefer
art
.
”
“
Our
old
quarrel
!
”
said
the
Professor
.
“
Because
a
wild
glade
is
beautiful
in
its
quality
of
wild
glade
,
you
ca
n't
see
the
beauty
in
a
trim
bit
of
garden
,
with
its
delightful
suggestion
of
human
thought
and
care
.
”
“
I
object
to
stiffness
,
”
said
Professor
Theobald
.
His
proposals
to
improve
the
stately
old
gardens
at
the
Priory
by
adding
what
Lady
Engleton
called
“
fatuous
wriggles
to
all
the
walks
,
for
mere
wrigglings
'
sake
,
”
had
led
to
hot
discussions
on
the
principles
of
art
and
the
relation
of
symmetry
to
the
sensibilities
of
mankind
.
Lady
Engleton
thought
the
Professor
crude
in
taste
,
and
shallow
in
knowledge
,
on
this
point
.
“
And
yet
you
appreciate
so
keenly
my
old
enamels
,
and
your
eye
seeks
out
,
in
a
minute
,
a
picturesque
roof
or
gable
.
”
“
Perhaps
Theobald
leans
to
the
picturesque
and
does
not
care
for
the
classic
,
”
suggested
his
colleague
;
“
a
fundamental
distinction
in
mental
bias
.
”
“
Then
why
does
he
enjoy
so
much
of
the
Renaissance
work
on
caskets
and
goblets
?
He
was
raving
about
them
last
night
in
the
choicest
English
.
”
Lady
Engleton
crossed
over
to
speak
to
Miss
Du
Prel
.
Professor
Theobald
approached
Mrs.
Temperley
and
Joseph
Fleming
.
Hadria
knew
by
some
instinct
that
the
Professor
had
been
waiting
for
an
opportunity
to
speak
to
her
.
As
he
drew
near
,
a
feeling
of
intense
enmity
arose
within
her
,
which
reached
its
highest
pitch
when
he
addressed
her
in
a
fine
,
low-toned
voice
of
peculiarly
fascinating
quality
.
Every
instinct
rose
up
as
if
in
warning
.
He
sat
down
beside
her
,
and
began
to
talk
about
the
Priory
and
its
history
.
His
ability
was
obvious
,
even
in
his
choice
of
words
and
his
selection
of
incidents
.
He
had
the
power
of
making
dry
archæological
facts
almost
dramatic
.
His
speech
differed
from
that
of
most
men
,
in
the
indefinable
manner
wherein
excellence
differs
from
mediocrity
.
Yet
Hadria
was
glad
to
notice
some
equally
indefinable
lack
,
corresponding
perhaps
to
the
gap
in
his
consciousness
that
Lady
Engleton
had
come
upon
in
their
discussions
on
the
general
principles
of
art
.
What
was
it
?
A
certain
stilted
,
unreal
quality
?
Scarcely
.
Words
refused
to
fit
themselves
to
the
evasive
form
.
Something
that
suggested
the
term
“
second
class
,
”
though
whether
it
were
the
manner
or
the
substance
that
was
responsible
for
the
impression
,
was
difficult
to
say
.
Sometimes
his
words
allowed
two
possible
interpretations
to
be
put
upon
a
sentence
.
He
was
a
master
of
the
ambiguous
.
Obviously
it
was
not
lack
of
skill
that
produced
the
double-faced
phrases
.
He
did
not
leave
his
listeners
long
in
doubt
as
to
his
personal
history
.
He
enjoyed
talking
about
himself
.
He
was
a
Professor
of
archæology
,
and
had
written
various
learned
books
on
the
subject
.
But
his
studies
had
by
no
means
been
confined
to
the
one
theme
.
History
had
also
interested
him
profoundly
.
He
had
published
a
work
on
the
old
houses
of
England
.
The
Priory
figured
among
them
.
It
was
not
difficult
to
discover
from
the
conversation
of
this
singular
man
,
whose
subtle
and
secretive
instincts
were
contradicted
,
at
times
,
by
a
strange
inconsequent
frankness
,
that
his
genuine
feeling
for
the
picturesque
was
accompanied
by
an
equally
strong
predilection
for
the
appurtenances
of
wealth
and
splendour
;
his
love
of
great
names
and
estates
being
almost
of
the
calibre
of
the
housemaid
's
passion
for
lofty
personages
in
her
penny
periodical
.
He
seemed
to
be
a
man
of
keen
and
cunning
ability
,
who
studied
and
played
upon
the
passions
and
weaknesses
of
his
fellows
,
possibly
for
their
good
,
but
always
as
a
magician
might
deal
with
the
beings
subject
to
his
power
.
By
what
strange
lapse
did
he
thus
naïvely
lay
himself
open
to
their
smiles
?
Hadria
was
amused
at
his
occasional
impulse
of
egotistic
frankness
(
or
what
appeared
to
be
such
)
,
when
he
would
solemnly
analyse
his
own
character
,
admitting
his
instinct
to
deceive
with
an
engaging
and
scholarly
candour
.
His
penetrating
eyes
kept
a
watch
upon
his
audience
.
His
very
simplicity
seemed
to
be
guarded
by
his
keenness
.
Hadria
chafed
under
his
persistent
effort
to
attract
and
interest
her
.
She
gave
a
little
inward
shiver
on
finding
that
there
was
a
vague
,
unaccountable
,
and
unpleasant
fascination
in
the
personality
of
the
man
.
It
was
not
charm
,
it
was
nothing
that
inspired
admiration
;
it
rather
inspired
curiosity
and
stirred
the
spirit
of
research
,
a
spirit
which
evidently
animated
himself
.
She
felt
that
,
in
order
to
investigate
the
workings
of
her
mind
and
her
heart
,
the
Professor
would
have
coolly
pursued
the
most
ruthless
psychical
experiments
,
no
matter
at
what
cost
of
anguish
to
herself
.
In
the
interests
of
science
and
humanity
,
the
learned
Professor
would
certainly
not
hesitate
to
make
one
wretched
individual
agonize
.
His
appeal
to
the
intellect
was
stimulatingly
strong
;
it
was
like
a
stinging
wind
,
that
made
one
walk
at
a
reckless
pace
,
and
brought
the
blood
tingling
through
every
vein
.
That
intellectual
force
could
alone
explain
the
fact
of
his
being
counted
by
Professor
Fortescue
as
a
friend
.
Even
then
it
was
a
puzzling
friendship
.
Could
it
be
that
to
Professor
Fortescue
,
he
shewed
only
his
best
side
?
His
manner
was
more
respectful
towards
his
colleague
than
towards
other
men
,
but
even
with
him
he
was
irreverent
in
his
heart
,
as
towards
mankind
in
general
.
To
Hadria
he
spoke
of
Professor
Fortescue
with
enthusiasm
—
praising
his
great
power
,
his
generosity
,
his
genial
qualities
,
and
his
uprightness
;
then
he
laughed
at
him
as
a
modern
Don
Quixote
,
and
sneered
at
his
efforts
to
save
animal
suffering
when
he
might
have
made
a
name
that
would
never
be
forgotten
,
if
he
pursued
a
more
fruitful
branch
of
research
.
Hadria
remarked
that
Professor
Theobald
's
last
sentence
had
added
the
crowning
dignity
to
his
eulogium
.
He
glanced
at
her
,
as
if
taking
her
measure
.
“
Fortescue
,
”
he
called
out
,
“
I
envy
you
your
champion
.
You
point
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
to
lofty
altitudes
.
I
,
as
a
mere
man
,
cannot
pretend
to
scale
them
.
”
Then
he
proceeded
to
bring
down
feminine
loftiness
with
virile
reason
.
“
In
this
world
,
where
there
are
so
many
other
evils
to
combat
,
one
feels
that
it
is
more
rational
to
attack
the
more
important
first
.
”
“
Ah
!
there
is
nothing
like
an
evil
to
bolster
up
an
evil
,
”
cried
Professor
Fortescue
;
“
the
argument
never
fails
.
Every
abuse
may
find
shelter
behind
it
.
The
slave
trade
,
for
instance
;
have
we
not
white
slavery
in
our
midst
?
How
inconsistent
to
trouble
about
negroes
till
our
own
people
are
truly
free
!
Wife-beating
?
Sad
;
but
then
children
are
often
shamefully
ill-used
.
Wait
till
they
are
fully
protected
before
fussing
about
wives
.
Protect
children
?
Foolish
knight-errant
,
when
you
ought
to
know
that
drunkenness
is
at
the
root
of
these
crimes
!
Sweep
away
this
curse
,
before
thinking
of
the
children
.
As
for
animals
,
how
can
any
rational
person
consider
their
sufferings
,
when
there
are
men
,
women
,
and
children
with
wrongs
to
be
redressed
?
”
Professor
Theobald
laughed
.
“
My
dear
Fortescue
,
I
knew
you
would
have
some
ingenious
excuse
for
your
amiable
weaknesses
.
”
“
It
is
easier
to
find
epithets
than
answers
,
Theobald
,
”
said
the
Professor
with
a
smile
.
“
I
confess
I
wonder
at
a
man
of
your
logical
power
being
taken
in
with
this
cheap
argument
,
if
argument
it
can
be
called
.
”
“
It
is
my
attachment
to
logic
that
makes
me
crave
for
consistency
,
”
said
Theobald
,
not
over
pleased
at
his
friend
's
attack
.
Professor
Fortescue
stared
in
surprise
.
“
But
do
you
really
mean
to
tell
me
that
you
think
it
logical
to
excuse
one
abuse
by
pointing
to
another
?
”
“
I
think
that
while
there
are
ill-used
women
and
children
,
it
is
certainly
inconsistent
to
consider
animals
,
”
said
Theobald
.
“
It
does
not
occur
to
you
that
the
spirit
in
man
that
permits
abuse
of
power
over
animals
is
precisely
the
same
devil-inspired
spirit
that
expresses
itself
in
cruelty
towards
children
.
Ah
,
”
continued
Professor
Fortescue
,
shaking
his
head
,
“
then
you
really
are
one
of
the
many
who
help
wrong
to
breed
wrong
,
and
suffering
to
foster
suffering
,
all
the
world
over
.
It
is
you
and
those
who
reason
as
you
reason
,
who
give
to
our
miseries
their
terrible
vitality
.
What
arguments
has
evil
ever
given
to
evil
!
What
shelter
and
succour
cruelty
offers
eternally
to
cruelty
!
”
I
ca
n't
attempt
to
combat
this
hobby
of
yours
,
Fortescue
.
”
“
Again
a
be-littling
epithet
in
place
of
an
argument
!
But
I
know
of
old
that
on
this
subject
your
intellectual
acumen
deserts
you
,
as
it
deserts
nearly
all
men
.
You
sink
suddenly
to
lower
spiritual
rank
,
and
employ
reasoning
that
you
would
laugh
to
scorn
in
connection
with
every
other
topic
.
”
“
You
seem
bent
on
crushing
me
,
”
exclaimed
Theobald
.
“
And
Mrs.
Temperley
enjoys
seeing
me
mangled
.
Talk
about
cruelty
to
animals
!
I
call
this
cold-blooded
devilry
!
Mrs.
Temperley
,
come
to
my
rescue
!
”
“
So
long
as
other
forms
of
cruelty
can
be
instanced
,
Professor
Theobald
,
I
do
n't
see
how
,
on
your
own
shewing
,
you
can
expect
any
consistent
person
to
raise
a
finger
to
help
you
,
”
Hadria
returned
.
Theobald
laughed
.
“
But
I
consider
myself
too
important
and
valuable
to
be
made
the
subject
of
this
harsh
treatment
.
”
“
That
is
for
others
to
decide
.
If
it
affords
us
amusement
to
torment
you
,
and
amusement
benefits
our
nerves
and
digestion
,
how
can
you
justly
object
?
We
must
consider
the
greatest
good
of
the
greatest
number
;
and
we
are
twice
as
numerous
as
you
.
”
“
You
are
delicious
!
”
he
exclaimed
.
Mrs.
Temperley
's
manner
stiffened
.
Acute
as
the
Professor
was
in
many
directions
,
he
did
not
appear
to
notice
the
change
.
His
own
manner
was
not
above
criticism
.
“
It
is
strange
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
,
in
speaking
of
him
afterwards
to
Hadria
,
“
it
is
strange
that
his
cleverness
does
not
come
to
the
rescue
;
but
so
far
from
that
,
I
think
it
leads
him
a
wild
dance
over
boggy
ground
,
like
some
will-o'-the-wisp
,
but
for
whose
freakish
allurements
the
good
man
might
have
trodden
a
quiet
and
inoffensive
way
.
”
The
only
means
of
procuring
the
indispensable
afternoon
tea
was
to
go
on
to
the
Red
House
,
which
Mrs.
Temperley
proposed
that
they
should
all
do
.
“
And
is
there
no
shaking
your
decision
about
the
Priory
,
Professor
Theobald
?
”
Lady
Engleton
asked
as
they
descended
the
steps
.
The
Professor
's
quick
glance
sought
Mrs.
Temperley
's
before
he
answered
.
“
I
confess
to
feeling
less
heroic
this
afternoon
.
”
“
Oh
,
good
!
We
may
perhaps
have
you
for
a
neighbour
after
all
.
”
CHAPTER
XXIV
.
HADRIA
tried
to
avoid
Professor
Theobald
,
but
he
was
not
easily
avoided
.
She
frequently
met
him
in
her
walks
.
The
return
of
spring
had
tempted
her
to
resume
her
old
habit
of
rising
with
the
sun
.
But
she
found
,
what
she
had
feared
,
that
her
strength
had
departed
,
and
she
as
fatigued
instead
of
invigorated
,
as
of
yore
.
She
did
not
regard
this
loss
in
a
resigned
spirit
.
Resignation
was
certainly
not
her
strong
point
.
The
vicar
's
wife
and
the
doctor
's
wife
and
the
rest
of
the
neighbours
compared
their
woes
and
weariness
over
five
o'clock
tea
,
and
these
appeared
so
many
and
so
severe
that
Hadria
felt
half
ashamed
to
count
hers
at
all
.
Yet
why
lower
the
altars
of
the
sane
goddess
because
her
shrine
was
deserted
?
Health
was
health
,
though
all
the
women
of
England
were
confirmed
invalids
.
And
with
nothing
less
ought
reasonable
creatures
to
be
satisfied
.
As
for
taking
enfeeblement
as
a
natural
dispensation
,
she
would
as
soon
regard
delirium
tremens
in
that
light
.
She
chafed
fiercely
against
the
loss
of
that
blessed
sense
of
well-being
and
overflowing
health
,
that
she
used
to
have
,
in
the
old
days
.
She
resented
the
nerve-weariness
,
the
fatigue
that
she
was
now
more
conscious
of
than
ever
,
with
the
coming
of
the
spring
.
The
impulse
of
creative
energy
broke
forth
in
her
.
The
pearly
mornings
and
the
birds
'
songs
stirred
every
instinct
of
expression
.
The
outburst
did
not
receive
its
usual
check
.
The
influences
of
disenchantment
were
counteracted
by
Professor
Fortescue
's
presence
.
His
sympathy
was
marvellous
in
its
penetration
,
brimming
the
cold
hollows
of
her
spirit
,
as
a
flooded
river
fills
the
tiniest
chinks
and
corners
about
its
arid
banks
.
He
called
forth
all
her
natural
buoyancy
and
her
exulting
sense
of
life
,
which
was
precisely
the
element
which
charged
her
sadness
with
such
a
fierce
electric
quality
,
when
she
became
possessed
by
it
,
as
a
cloud
by
storm
.
Valeria
too
was
roused
by
the
season
.
“
What
a
parable
it
all
is
,
as
old
as
the
earth
,
and
as
fresh
,
each
new
year
,
as
if
a
messenger-angel
had
come
straight
from
heaven
,
in
his
home-spun
of
young
green
,
to
tell
us
that
all
is
well
.
”
If
Hadria
met
Professor
Theobald
in
her
rambles
,
she
always
cut
short
her
intended
walk
.
She
and
Valeria
with
Professor
Fortescue
wandered
together
,
far
and
wide
.
They
watched
the
daily
budding
greenery
,
the
gleams
of
daffodils
among
their
sword-blades
of
leaves
,
the
pushing
of
sheaths
and
heads
through
the
teeming
soil
,
the
bursts
of
sunshine
and
the
absurd
childish
little
gushes
of
rain
,
skimming
the
green
country
like
a
frown
.
“
Truly
a
time
for
joy
and
idleness
.
”
“
If
only
,
”
said
Hadria
,
when
Professor
Theobald
thus
grew
enthusiastic
on
the
subject
,
“
if
only
my
cook
had
not
given
a
month
's
notice
.
”
She
would
not
second
his
mood
,
be
it
what
it
might
.
Each
day
,
as
they
passed
along
the
lanes
,
the
pale
green
had
spread
,
like
fire
,
on
the
hedges
,
caught
the
chestnuts
,
with
their
fat
buds
shining
in
the
sun
,
which
already
was
releasing
the
close-packed
leaflets
.
Hadria
(
apparently
out
of
sheer
devilry
,
said
Professor
Theobald
)
kept
up
a
running
commentary
on
the
season
,
and
on
her
hapless
position
,
bound
to
be
off
on
the
chase
for
a
cook
at
this
moment
of
festival
.
Nor
was
this
all
.
Crockery
,
pots
and
pans
,
clothes
for
the
children
,
clothes
for
herself
,
were
urgently
needed
,
and
no
experienced
person
,
she
declared
,
could
afford
to
regard
the
matter
as
simple
because
it
was
trivial
.
“
One
of
the
ghastliest
mistakes
in
this
trivial
and
laborious
world
.
”
Valeria
thought
that
cooks
had
simply
to
be
advertised
for
,
and
they
came
.
“
What
naïveté
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
.
“
Helen
was
persuaded
to
cross
the
seas
from
her
Spartan
home
to
set
Troy
ablaze
,
and
tarnish
her
fair
fame
,
but
it
would
take
twenty
sons
of
Priam
to
induce
a
damsel
to
come
over
dry
land
to
Craddock
Dene
,
to
cook
our
dinners
and
retain
her
character
.
”
“
You
would
almost
imply
that
women
do
n't
so
very
much
care
about
their
characters
,
”
said
Valeria
.
“
Oh
,
they
do
!
but
sometimes
the
dulness
that
an
intelligent
society
has
ordained
as
the
classic
accompaniment
to
social
smiles
,
gets
the
better
of
a
select
few
—
Helen
par
exemple
.
”
It
frequently
happened
that
Hadria
and
Miss
Du
Prel
came
across
Lady
Engleton
and
her
guests
,
in
the
Priory
garden
.
From
being
accidental
,
the
meetings
had
become
intentional
.
“
I
like
to
fancy
we
are
fugitives
—
like
Boccaccio
's
merry
company
—
from
the
plague
of
our
daily
prose
,
to
this
garden
of
sweet
poetry
!
”
cried
Miss
Du
Prel
.
They
all
kindled
at
the
idea
.
Valeria
made
some
fanciful
laws
that
she
said
were
to
govern
the
little
realm
.
Everyone
might
express
himself
freely
,
and
all
that
he
said
would
be
held
as
sacred
,
as
if
it
were
in
confidence
.
To
speak
ill
or
slightingly
of
anyone
,
was
forbidden
.
All
local
and
practical
topics
were
to
be
dropped
,
as
soon
as
the
moss-grown
griffins
who
guarded
the
Garden
of
Forgetfulness
were
passed
.
Hadria
was
incorrigibly
flippant
about
the
banishment
of
important
local
subjects
.
She
said
that
the
kitchen-boiler
was
out
of
order
,
and
yet
she
had
to
take
part
in
these
highly-cultivated
conversations
and
smile
,
as
she
complained
,
with
that
kitchen-boiler
gnawing
at
her
vitals
.
She
claimed
to
be
set
on
a
level
with
the
Spartan
boy
,
if
not
above
him
.
Valeria
might
scoff
,
as
those
proverbially
did
who
never
felt
a
wound
.
Hadria
found
a
certain
lack
of
tender
feeling
among
the
happy
few
who
had
no
such
tragic
burdens
to
sustain
.
Not
only
were
these
prosaic
subjects
banished
from
within
the
cincture
of
the
gentle
griffins
,
but
also
the
suspicions
,
spites
,
petty
jealousies
,
vulgar
curiosities
,
and
all
the
indefinable
little
darts
and
daggers
that
fly
in
the
social
air
,
destroying
human
sympathy
and
good-will
.
Each
mind
could
expand
freely
,
no
longer
on
the
defensive
against
the
rain
of
small
stabs
.
There
grew
up
a
delicate
,
and
chivalrous
code
among
the
little
group
who
met
within
the
griffins
'
territory
.
“
It
is
not
for
us
to
say
that
,
individually
,
we
transcend
the
average
of
educated
mortals
,
”
said
Professor
Theobald
,
“
but
I
do
assert
that
collectively
we
soar
high
above
that
depressing
standard
.
”
Professor
Fortescue
observed
that
whatever
might
be
said
about
their
own
little
band
,
it
was
a
strange
fact
that
bodies
of
human
beings
were
able
to
produce
,
by
union
,
a
condition
far
above
or
far
below
the
average
of
their
separate
values
.
“
There
is
something
chemical
and
explosive
in
human
relationships
,
”
he
said
.
These
meetings
stood
out
as
a
unique
experience
in
the
memory
of
all
who
took
part
in
them
.
Chance
had
brought
them
to
pass
,
and
they
refused
to
answer
to
the
call
of
a
less
learned
magician
.
Lady
Engleton
and
Mrs.
Temperley
alternately
sent
tea
and
fruit
to
the
terrace
,
on
the
days
of
meeting
,
and
there
the
little
company
would
spend
the
afternoon
serenely
,
surrounded
by
the
beauties
of
the
garden
with
its
enticing
avenues
,
its
chaunting
birds
,
its
flushes
of
bloom
,
and
its
rich
delicious
scents
.
“
Why
do
we
,
in
the
nineteenth
century
,
starve
ourselves
of
these
delicate
joys
?
”
cried
Valeria
.
“
Why
do
we
so
seldom
leave
our
stupid
pre-occupations
and
open
our
souls
to
the
sun
,
to
the
spring
,
to
the
gentle
invitations
of
gardens
,
to
the
charm
of
conversation
?
We
seem
to
know
nothing
of
the
serenities
,
the
urbanities
of
life
.
”
“
We
live
too
fast
;
we
are
too
much
troubled
about
outward
things
—
cooks
and
dressmakers
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
”
said
Professor
Theobald
.
“
Poor
cooks
and
dressmakers
!
”
murmured
Professor
Fortescue
,
“
where
are
their
serenities
and
urbanities
?
”
“
I
would
not
deprive
any
person
of
the
good
things
of
life
,
”
cried
Valeria
;
“
but
at
present
,
it
is
only
a
few
who
can
appreciate
and
contribute
to
the
delicate
essence
that
I
speak
of
.
I
do
n't
think
one
could
expect
it
of
one
's
cook
,
after
all
.
”
“
One
is
mad
to
expect
anything
of
those
who
have
had
no
chance
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
.
“
That
nevertheless
we
consistently
do
,
—
or
what
amounts
to
the
same
thing
:
we
plume
ourselves
on
what
chance
has
enabled
us
to
be
and
to
achieve
,
as
if
between
us
and
the
less
fortunate
there
were
some
great
difference
of
calibre
and
merit
.
Nine
times
in
ten
,
there
is
nothing
between
us
but
luck
.
”
“
Oh
,
dear
,
you
are
democratic
,
Professor
!
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
.
“
No
;
I
am
merely
trying
to
be
just
.
”
“
To
be
just
you
must
apply
your
theory
to
men
and
women
,
as
well
as
to
class
and
class
,
”
Valeria
suggested
.
“
Mon
Dieu
!
but
so
I
do
;
so
I
always
have
done
,
as
soon
as
I
was
intellectually
short-coated
.
”
“
And
would
you
excuse
all
our
weaknesses
on
that
ground
?
”
asked
Lady
Engleton
,
with
a
somewhat
ingratiating
upward
gaze
of
her
blue
eyes
.
“
I
would
account
for
them
as
I
would
account
for
the
weaknesses
of
my
own
sex
.
As
for
excusing
,
the
question
of
moral
responsibility
is
too
involved
to
be
decided
off-hand
.
”
The
atmosphere
of
Griffin-land
,
as
Professor
Theobald
called
it
,
while
becoming
to
his
character
,
made
him
a
little
recklessly
frank
at
times
.
He
admitted
that
throughout
his
varied
experience
of
life
,
he
had
found
flattery
the
most
powerful
weapon
in
a
skilled
hand
,
and
that
he
had
never
known
it
fail
.
He
related
instances
of
the
signal
success
which
had
followed
its
application
with
the
trowel
.
He
reminded
his
listeners
of
Lord
Beaconsfield
's
famous
saying
,
and
chuckled
over
the
unfortunate
woman
,
“
plain
as
a
pike-staff
,
”
who
had
become
his
benefactress
,
in
consequence
of
a
discreet
allusion
to
the
“
power
of
beauty
”
and
a
well-placed
sigh
.
“
The
woman
must
have
been
a
fool
!
”
said
Joseph
Fleming
.
“
By
no
means
;
she
was
of
brilliant
intellect
.
But
praises
of
that
were
tame
to
her
;
she
knew
her
force
,
and
was
perhaps
tired
of
the
solitude
it
induced
.
”
Professor
Theobald
laughed
mightily
at
his
own
sarcasm
.
“
But
when
the
whisper
of
‘beauty’
came
stealing
to
her
ear
(
which
was
by
no
means
like
a
shell
)
it
was
surpassing
sweet
to
her
.
I
think
there
is
no
yearning
more
intense
than
that
of
a
clever
woman
for
the
triumphs
of
mere
beauty
.
She
would
give
all
her
powers
of
intellect
for
the
smallest
tribute
to
personal
and
feminine
charm
.
What
is
your
verdict
,
Mrs.
Temperley
?
”
Mrs.
Temperley
supposed
that
clever
women
had
something
of
human
nature
in
them
,
and
valued
overmuch
what
they
did
not
possess
.
Professor
Theobald
had
perhaps
looked
for
an
answer
that
would
have
betrayed
more
of
the
speaker
's
secret
feelings
.
“
It
is
the
fashion
,
I
know
,
”
he
said
,
“
to
regard
woman
as
an
enigma
.
Now
,
without
professing
any
unusual
acuteness
,
I
believe
that
this
is
a
mistake
.
Woman
is
an
enigma
certainly
,
because
she
is
human
,
but
that
ends
it
.
Her
conditions
have
tended
to
cultivate
in
her
the
power
of
dissimulation
,
and
the
histrionic
quality
,
just
as
the
peaceful
ilex
learns
to
put
forth
thorns
if
you
expose
it
to
the
attacks
of
devouring
cattle
.
It
is
this
instinct
to
develop
thorns
in
self-defence
,
and
yet
to
live
a
little
behind
the
prickly
outposts
,
that
leads
to
our
notion
of
mystery
in
woman
's
nature
.
Let
a
man
's
subsistence
and
career
be
subject
to
the
same
powers
and
chances
as
the
success
of
a
woman
's
life
now
hangs
on
,
and
see
whether
he
too
does
not
become
a
histrionic
enigma
.
”
Professor
Fortescue
observed
that
the
clergy
,
at
times
,
developed
qualities
called
feminine
,
because
in
some
respects
their
conditions
resembled
those
of
women
.
Theobald
assented
enthusiastically
to
this
view
.
He
had
himself
entered
the
church
as
a
young
fellow
(
let
not
Mrs.
Temperley
look
so
inconsiderately
astonished
)
,
and
had
left
it
on
account
of
being
unable
to
conscientiously
subscribe
to
its
tenets
.
“
But
not
before
I
had
acquired
some
severe
training
in
that
sort
of
strategy
which
is
incumbent
upon
women
,
in
the
conduct
of
their
lives
.
Whatever
I
might
privately
think
or
feel
,
my
office
required
that
I
should
only
express
that
which
would
be
more
or
less
grateful
to
my
hearers
.
(
Is
not
this
the
woman
's
case
,
in
almost
every
position
in
life
?
)
Even
orthodoxy
must
trip
it
on
tiptoe
;
there
was
always
some
prejudice
,
some
susceptibility
to
consider
.
What
was
frankness
in
others
was
imprudence
in
me
;
other
men
's
minds
might
roam
at
large
;
mine
was
tethered
,
if
not
in
its
secret
movements
,
at
least
in
its
utterance
;
and
it
is
a
curious
and
somewhat
sinister
law
of
Nature
,
that
perpetual
denial
of
utterance
ends
by
killing
the
power
or
the
feeling
so
held
in
durance
.
”
Hadria
coloured
.
“
That
experience
and
its
effect
upon
my
own
nature
,
which
has
lasted
to
this
day
,
”
added
Theobald
,
“
served
to
increase
my
interest
in
the
fascinating
study
of
character
in
its
relation
to
environment
.
”
“
Ah
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
,
“
then
you
do
n't
believe
in
the
independent
power
of
the
human
will
?
”
“
Certainly
not
.
To
talk
of
character
overcoming
circumstance
is
to
talk
of
an
effect
without
a
cause
.
Yet
this
phrase
is
a
mere
commonplace
in
our
speech
.
A
man
no
more
overcomes
his
circumstance
than
oxygen
overcomes
nitrogen
when
it
combines
with
it
to
form
the
air
we
breathe
.
If
the
nitrogen
is
present
,
the
combination
takes
place
;
but
if
there
is
no
nitrogen
to
be
had
,
all
the
oxygen
in
the
world
will
not
produce
our
blessed
atmosphere
!
”
Joseph
Fleming
caused
a
sort
of
anti-climax
by
mentioning
simply
that
he
did
n't
know
that
any
nitrogen
was
required
in
the
atmosphere
.
One
always
heard
about
the
oxygen
.
Professor
Theobald
remarked
,
with
a
chuckle
,
that
this
was
one
of
the
uses
of
polite
conversation
;
one
picked
up
information
by
the
way-side
.
Joseph
agreed
that
it
was
wonderfully
instructive
,
if
the
speakers
were
intelligent
.
“
That
helps
,
”
said
the
Professor
,
tapping
Joseph
familiarly
on
the
shoulder
.
“
When
shall
we
have
our
next
meeting
?
”
enquired
Lady
Engleton
,
when
the
moment
came
for
parting
.
“
The
sooner
the
better
,
”
said
Valeria
.
“
English
skies
have
Puritan
moods
,
and
we
may
as
well
profit
by
their
present
jocund
temper
.
I
never
saw
a
bluer
sky
in
all
Italy
.
”
“
I
certainly
shall
not
be
absent
from
the
next
meeting
,
”
announced
Theobald
,
with
a
glance
at
Hadria
.
“
Nor
I
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
Such
opportunities
come
none
too
often
.
”
“
I
,
”
Hadria
observed
,
“
shall
be
cook-hunting
.
”
Professor
Theobald
's
jaw
shut
with
a
snap
,
and
he
turned
and
left
the
group
almost
rudely
.
CHAPTER
XXV
.
HADRIA
thought
that
Professor
Theobald
had
not
spoken
at
random
,
when
he
said
that
the
sweetest
tribute
a
woman
can
receive
is
that
paid
to
her
personal
charm
.
This
unwilling
admission
was
dragged
out
of
her
by
the
sight
of
Valeria
Du
Prel
,
as
the
central
figure
of
an
admiring
group
,
in
the
large
drawing-room
at
Craddock
Place
.
She
was
looking
handsome
and
animated
,
her
white
hair
drawn
proudly
off
her
brow
,
and
placed
as
if
with
intention
beside
the
silken
curtains
,
whose
tint
of
misty
pale
green
was
so
becoming
to
her
beauty
.
Valeria
was
holding
her
little
court
,
and
thoroughly
enjoying
the
admiration
.
“
If
we
have
had
to
live
by
our
looks
for
all
these
centuries
,
surely
the
instinct
that
Professor
Theobald
thinks
himself
so
penetrating
to
have
discovered
in
clever
women
,
is
accounted
for
simply
enough
by
heredity
,
”
Hadria
said
to
herself
,
resentfully
.
Professor
Theobald
was
bending
over
Miss
Du
Prel
with
an
air
of
devotion
.
Hadria
wished
that
she
would
not
take
his
compliments
so
smilingly
.
Valeria
would
not
be
proof
against
his
flattery
.
She
kindled
with
a
child
's
frankness
at
praise
.
It
stung
Hadria
to
think
of
her
friend
being
carelessly
classed
by
the
Professor
among
women
whose
weakness
he
understood
and
could
play
upon
.
He
would
imagine
that
he
had
discovered
the
mystery
of
the
sun
,
because
he
had
observed
a
spot
upon
it
,
not
understanding
the
nature
of
the
very
spot
.
Granted
that
a
little
salve
to
one
's
battered
and
scarified
self-love
was
soft
and
grateful
,
what
did
that
prove
of
the
woman
who
welcomed
it
,
beyond
a
human
craving
to
keep
the
inner
picture
of
herself
as
bright
and
fine
as
might
be
?
The
man
who
,
out
of
contempt
or
irreverence
,
set
a
bait
for
the
universal
appetite
proved
himself
,
rather
than
his
intended
victim
,
of
meagre
quality
.
Valeria
complimented
him
generously
by
supposing
him
sincere
.
Occasional
bursts
of
laughter
came
from
her
court
.
Professor
Theobald
looked
furtively
round
,
as
if
seeking
some
one
,
or
watching
the
effect
of
his
conduct
on
Mrs.
Temperley
.
Could
he
be
trying
to
make
her
jealous
of
Valeria
?
Hadria
gave
a
sudden
little
laugh
while
Lord
Engleton
—
a
shy
,
rather
taciturn
man
—
was
shewing
her
his
wife
's
last
picture
.
Hadria
had
to
explain
the
apparent
discourtesy
as
best
she
could
.
The
picture
was
of
English
meadows
at
sunset
.
“
They
are
the
meadows
you
see
from
your
windows
,
”
said
Lord
Engleton
.
“
That
village
is
Masham
,
with
the
spire
shewing
through
the
trees
.
I
daresay
you
know
the
view
pretty
well
.
”
“
I
doubt
,
”
she
answered
,
with
the
instinct
of
extravagance
that
annoyed
Hubert
,
“
I
doubt
if
I
know
anything
else
.
”
Lord
Engleton
brought
a
portfolio
full
of
sketches
for
her
to
see
.
“
Lady
Engleton
has
been
busy
.
”
As
Hadria
laid
down
the
last
sketch
,
her
eyes
wandered
round
the
softly-lighted
,
dimly
beautiful
room
,
and
suddenly
she
was
seized
with
a
swift
,
reasonless
,
overpowering
sense
of
happiness
that
she
felt
to
be
atmospheric
and
parenthetical
in
character
,
but
all
the
more
keen
for
that
reason
,
while
it
lasted
.
The
second
black
inexorable
semicircle
was
ready
to
enclose
the
little
moment
,
but
its
contents
had
the
condensed
character
of
that
which
stands
within
limits
,
and
reminded
her
,
with
a
little
sting
,
as
of
spur
to
horse
,
of
her
sharp
,
terrible
aptitude
for
delight
and
her
hunger
for
it
.
Why
not
,
why
not
?
What
pinched
,
ungenerous
philosophy
was
it
that
insisted
on
voluntary
starvation
?
One
saw
its
offspring
in
the
troops
of
thin
white
souls
that
hurry
,
like
ghosts
,
down
the
avenues
of
Life
.
Again
Professor
Theobald
's
stealthy
glance
was
directed
towards
Mrs.
Temperley
.
“
He
is
as
determined
to
analyse
me
as
if
I
were
a
chemical
compound
,
”
she
said
to
herself
.
“
Perhaps
we
may
as
well
join
the
group
,
”
suggested
Lord
Engleton
.
It
opened
to
admit
the
new
comers
,
disclosing
Miss
Du
Prel
,
in
a
gown
of
pale
amber
brocade
,
enthroned
upon
a
straight-backed
antique
sofa
.
The
exquisiteness
of
the
surroundings
which
Lady
Engleton
had
a
peculiar
gift
in
arranging
,
the
mellow
candlelight
,
the
flowers
and
colours
,
seem
to
have
satisfied
in
Valeria
an
inborn
love
of
splendour
that
often
opened
hungry
and
unsatisfied
jaws
.
She
had
never
looked
so
brilliant
or
so
handsome
.
Professor
Theobald
's
face
cleared
.
He
explained
to
Mrs.
Temperley
that
they
had
been
discussing
the
complexity
of
human
character
,
and
had
come
to
the
conclusion
that
it
was
impossible
to
really
understand
even
the
simplest
man
or
woman
alive
.
Professor
Theobald
said
that
it
was
a
dispensation
of
Providence
which
intended
the
human
race
for
social
life
.
Lady
Engleton
upbraided
the
author
of
the
cynical
utterance
.
“
Which
of
us
can
dare
to
face
his
own
basest
self
?
”
the
culprit
demanded
.
“
If
any
one
is
so
bold
,
I
fear
I
must
accuse
him
(
or
even
her
)
of
lack
of
self-knowledge
rather
than
give
praise
for
spotlessness
.
”
“
Oh
,
I
do
n't
believe
all
these
dreadful
things
about
my
fellows
!
”
cried
Miss
Du
Prel
,
flinging
up
her
fine
head
defiantly
;
“
one
is
likely
to
find
in
them
more
or
less
what
one
expects
.
It
's
the
same
everywhere
.
If
you
go
seeking
mole-hills
and
worms
,
and
put
nose
to
ground
on
the
scent
for
carrion
,
you
will
find
them
all
,
with
the
range
of
snow-capped
Alps
in
full
view
,
and
the
infinite
of
blue
above
your
blind
head
!
”
Hadria
,
in
justice
,
could
not
refuse
to
acknowledge
that
Professor
Theobald
was
open-minded
.
“
True
,
”
he
said
,
“
it
is
dangerous
to
seek
for
evil
,
unless
you
naturally
love
it
,
and
then
—
”
“
You
are
past
praying
for
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
.
“
Or
at
least
you
never
pray
,
”
added
Hadria
.
Both
Professors
looked
at
her
,
each
with
an
expression
of
enquiry
.
It
was
difficult
to
understand
from
exactly
what
sources
of
experience
or
intuition
the
singular
remark
could
have
sprung
.
The
conversation
took
a
slight
swerve
.
Professor
Theobald
contended
that
all
our
fond
distinctions
of
vice
and
virtue
,
right
and
wrong
,
were
mere
praise
and
blame
of
conditions
and
events
.
“
We
like
to
fancy
the
qualities
of
character
inherent
,
while
really
they
are
laid
on
by
slow
degrees
,
like
paint
,
and
we
name
our
acquaintance
by
the
colour
of
his
last
coat
.
”
This
view
offended
Miss
Du
Prel
.
Joseph
Fleming
and
Lord
Engleton
rallied
round
her
.
Hubert
Temperley
joined
them
.
Man
,
the
sublime
,
the
summit
of
the
creation
,
the
end
and
object
of
the
long
and
painful
processes
of
nature
;
sin-spotted
perhaps
,
weak
and
stumbling
,
but
still
the
masterpiece
of
the
centuries
—
was
this
great
and
mysterious
creature
to
be
thought
of
irreverently
as
a
mere
plain
surface
for
paint
?
Only
consider
it
!
Professor
Theobald
's
head
went
down
between
his
shoulders
as
he
laughed
.
“
The
sublime
creature
would
not
look
well
un
painted
,
believe
me
.
”
“
He
dare
not
appear
in
that
plight
even
to
himself
,
if
Theobald
be
right
in
what
he
stated
just
now
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
.
“
Life
to
a
character
is
like
varnish
to
wood
,
”
asserted
Miss
Du
Prel
“
it
brings
out
the
grain
.
”
“
Ah
!
”
cried
Professor
Theobald
.
“
Then
you
insist
on
varnish
,
I
on
paint
.
”
“
There
is
a
difference
.
”
“
And
it
affects
your
respective
views
throughout
,
”
added
Professor
Fortescue
,
“
for
if
the
paint
theory
be
correct
,
then
it
is
true
that
to
know
one
's
fellows
is
impossible
,
you
can
only
know
the
upper
coat
;
whereas
if
the
truth
lies
in
varnish
,
the
substance
of
the
nature
is
revealed
to
you
frankly
,
if
you
have
eyes
to
trace
the
delicacies
of
the
markings
,
which
tell
the
secrets
of
sap
and
fibre
,
of
impetus
and
check
:
all
the
inner
marvels
of
life
and
growth
that
go
forward
in
that
most
botanic
thing
,
the
human
soul
.
”
“
Professor
Fortescue
is
eloquent
,
but
he
makes
one
feel
distressingly
vegetable
,
”
said
Temperley
.
“
Oh
!
not
unless
one
has
a
human
soul
,
”
Lady
Engleton
reassured
him
.
“
Am
I
to
understand
that
you
would
deprive
me
of
mine
?
”
he
asked
,
with
a
courtly
bow
.
“
Not
at
all
;
souls
are
private
property
,
or
ought
to
be
.
”
“
I
wish
one
could
persuade
the
majority
of
that
!
”
cried
Professor
Fortescue
.
“
Impossible
,
”
said
Theobald
.
“
The
chief
interest
of
man
is
the
condition
of
his
neighbour
's
soul
.
”
“
Could
he
not
be
induced
to
look
after
his
own
?
”
Hadria
demanded
.
“
All
fun
would
be
over
,
”
said
Professor
Fortescue
.
“
I
wish
one
could
have
an
Act
of
Parliament
,
obliging
every
man
to
leave
his
neighbour
's
soul
in
peace
.
”
“
You
would
sap
the
very
source
of
human
happiness
and
enterprise
,
”
Professor
Fortescue
asserted
,
fantastically
.
“
I
should
be
glad
if
I
could
think
the
average
human
being
had
the
energy
to
look
after
any
business
;
even
other
people
's
!
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
.
“
I
believe
that
,
as
a
matter
of
fact
,
the
soul
is
a
hibernating
creature
,
”
said
Theobald
,
with
a
chuckle
.
“
It
certainly
has
its
drowsy
winters
,
”
observed
Hadria
.
“
Ah
!
but
its
spring
awakenings
!
”
cried
Miss
Du
Prel
.
The
chime
of
a
clock
startled
them
with
its
accusation
of
lingering
too
long
.
The
hostess
remonstrated
at
the
breaking
up
the
party
.
Why
should
they
hurry
away
?
“
The
time
when
we
could
lay
claim
to
have
‘hurried’
has
long
since
passed
,
Lady
Engleton
,
”
said
Hubert
,
“
we
can
only
plead
forgiveness
by
blaming
you
for
making
us
too
happy
.
”
Professor
Theobald
went
to
the
window
.
“
What
splendid
moonlight
!
Lady
Engleton
,
do
n't
you
feel
tempted
to
walk
with
your
guests
to
the
end
of
the
avenue
?
”
The
idea
was
eagerly
adopted
,
and
the
whole
party
sallied
forth
together
into
the
brilliant
night
.
Long
black
shadows
of
their
forms
stalked
on
before
them
,
as
if
,
said
Valeria
,
they
were
messengers
from
Hades
come
to
conduct
each
his
victim
to
the
abode
of
the
shades
.
Professor
Theobald
shuddered
.
“
I
hate
that
dreadful
chill
idea
of
the
Greeks
.
I
have
much
too
strong
a
hold
on
this
pleasant
earth
to
relish
the
notion
of
that
gloomy
under-world
yet
a
while
.
What
do
you
say
,
Mrs.
Temperley
?
”
She
made
some
intentionally
trite
answer
.
Professor
Theobald
's
quick
eyes
discovered
a
glow-worm
,
and
he
shouted
to
the
ladies
to
come
and
see
the
little
green
lantern
of
the
spring
.
The
mysterious
light
was
bright
enough
to
irradiate
the
blades
of
grass
around
it
,
and
even
to
cast
a
wizard-like
gleam
on
the
strange
face
of
the
Professor
as
he
bent
down
close
to
the
ground
.
“
Fancy
being
a
lamp
to
oneself
!
”
cried
Lady
Engleton
.
“
It
's
as
much
as
most
of
us
can
do
to
be
a
lamp
to
others
,
”
commented
Hadria
.
“
Some
one
has
compared
the
glow-worm
's
light
to
Hero
's
,
when
she
waited
,
with
trimmed
lamp
,
for
her
Leander
,
”
said
Professor
Theobald
.
“
Look
here
,
Mr.
Fleming
,
if
you
stoop
down
just
here
,
you
will
be
able
to
see
the
little
animal
.
”
The
Professor
resigned
his
place
to
him
.
When
Joseph
rose
from
his
somewhat
indifferent
survey
of
the
insect
,
Professor
Theobald
had
established
himself
at
Mrs.
Temperley
's
right
hand
,
and
the
rest
of
the
party
were
left
behind
.
“
Talking
of
Greek
ideas
,
”
said
the
Professor
,
“
that
wonderful
people
perceived
more
clearly
than
we
Christians
have
ever
done
,
with
all
our
science
,
the
natural
forces
of
Nature
.
What
we
call
superstitions
were
really
great
scientific
intuitions
or
prophecies
.
Of
course
I
should
not
dare
to
speak
in
this
frank
fashion
to
the
good
people
of
Craddock
Dene
,
but
to
you
I
need
not
be
on
my
guard
.
”
“
I
appreciate
your
confidence
.
”
“
Ah
,
now
,
Mrs.
Temperley
,
you
are
unkind
.
It
is
of
no
use
for
you
to
try
to
persuade
me
that
you
are
of
as
well
as
in
the
village
of
Craddock
Dene
.
”
“
I
have
never
set
out
upon
that
task
.
”
“
Again
I
offend
!
”
Hadria
,
dropping
the
subject
,
enquired
whether
the
Professor
was
well
acquainted
with
this
part
of
the
country
.
He
knew
it
by
heart
.
A
charming
country
;
warm
,
luxuriant
,
picturesque
,
the
pick
of
England
to
his
mind
.
What
could
beat
its
woodlands
,
its
hills
,
its
relics
of
the
old
world
,
its
barns
and
churches
and
smiling
villages
?
“
Then
it
is
not
only
Tudor
mansions
that
attract
you
?
”
Hadria
could
not
resist
asking
.
Tudor
mansions
?
There
was
no
cottage
so
humble
,
provided
it
were
picturesque
,
that
did
not
charm
him
.
“
Really
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
,
with
a
faintly
emphasized
surprise
.
“
Have
I
put
my
luckless
foot
into
it
again
?
”
“
May
I
not
be
impressed
by
magnanimity
?
”
The
Professor
's
mouth
shut
sharply
.
“
Mrs.
Temperley
is
pleased
to
deride
me
.
Craddock
Dene
must
shrivel
under
destroying
blasts
like
these
.
”
“
Not
so
much
as
one
might
think
.
”
The
sound
of
their
steps
on
the
broad
avenue
smote
sharply
on
their
ears
.
Their
absurd-looking
shadows
stretched
always
in
front
of
them
.
“
A
splendid
night
,
”
Hadria
observed
,
to
break
the
silence
.
“
Glorious
!
”
returned
her
companion
,
as
if
waking
from
thought
.
“
Spring
is
our
best
season
here
,
the
time
of
blossoming
.
”
“
I
am
horribly
tempted
to
take
root
in
the
lovely
district
,
in
the
hope
of
also
blossoming
.
Can
you
imagine
me
a
sort
of
patriarchal
apple-tree
laden
with
snowy
blooms
?
”
“
You
somewhat
burden
my
imagination
.
”
“
I
have
had
to
work
hard
all
my
life
,
until
an
unexpected
legacy
from
an
admirable
distant
relation
put
me
at
the
end
of
a
longer
tether
.
I
still
have
to
work
,
but
less
hard
.
I
have
always
tried
not
to
ossify
,
keeping
in
view
a
possible
serene
time
to
come
,
when
I
might
put
forth
blossoms
in
this
vernal
fashion
that
tempts
my
middle-aged
fancy
.
And
where
could
I
choose
a
sweeter
spot
for
these
late
efforts
to
be
young
and
green
,
than
here
in
this
perfect
south
of
England
home
?
”
“
It
seems
large
,
”
said
Hadria
.
Professor
Theobald
grinned
.
“
You
do
n't
appear
to
take
a
keen
interest
in
my
blossoming
.
”
Why
in
heaven
's
name
should
she
?
“
I
cannot
naturally
expect
it
,
”
Professor
Theobald
continued
,
reading
her
silence
aright
,
“
but
I
should
be
really
obliged
by
your
counsel
on
this
matter
.
You
know
the
village
;
you
know
from
your
own
experience
whether
it
is
a
place
to
live
in
always
.
Advise
me
,
I
beg
.
”
“
Really
,
Professor
Theobald
,
it
is
impossible
for
me
to
advise
you
in
a
matter
so
entirely
depending
on
your
own
taste
and
your
own
affairs
.
”
“
You
can
at
least
tell
me
how
you
like
the
district
yourself
;
whether
it
satisfies
you
as
to
society
,
easy
access
of
town
,
influence
on
the
mind
and
the
spirits
,
and
so
forth
.
”
“
We
are
considered
well
off
as
to
society
.
There
are
a
good
many
neighbours
within
a
radius
of
five
miles
;
the
trains
to
town
are
not
all
that
could
be
wished
.
There
are
only
two
in
the
day
worth
calling
such
.
”
“
And
as
to
its
effect
upon
the
general
aspect
of
life
;
is
it
rousing
,
cheering
,
inspiring
,
invigorating
?
”
Hadria
gave
a
little
laugh
.
“
I
must
refer
you
to
other
inhabitants
on
this
point
.
I
think
Lady
Engleton
finds
it
fairly
inspiring
.
”
“
Lady
Engleton
is
not
Mrs.
Temperley
.
”
“
I
doubt
not
that
same
speech
has
already
done
duty
as
a
compliment
to
Lady
Engleton
.
”
“
You
are
incorrigible
!
”
“
I
wish
you
would
make
it
when
she
is
present
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
and
see
us
both
bow
!
”
The
Professor
laughed
delightedly
.
“
I
do
n't
know
what
social
treasures
may
be
buried
within
your
radius
of
five
miles
,
but
the
mines
need
not
be
worked
.
An
inhabitant
of
the
Priory
would
not
need
them
.
Mrs.
Temperley
is
a
society
in
herself
.
”
“
An
inhabitant
of
the
Priory
might
risk
disappointment
,
in
supposing
that
Mrs.
Temperley
had
nothing
else
to
do
than
to
supply
her
neighbours
with
society
.
”
The
big
jaw
closed
,
with
a
snap
.
“
I
do
n't
think
,
on
the
whole
,
that
I
will
take
the
Priory
,
”
he
said
,
after
a
considerable
pause
;
“
it
is
,
as
you
say
,
large
.
”
Mrs.
Temperley
made
no
comment
.
“
I
suppose
I
should
be
an
unwelcome
neighbour
,
”
he
said
,
with
a
sigh
.
“
I
fear
any
polite
assurance
,
after
such
a
challenge
,
would
be
a
poor
compliment
.
As
for
entreating
you
to
take
the
Priory
,
I
really
do
not
feel
equal
to
the
responsibility
.
”
“
I
accept
in
all
humility
,
”
said
the
Professor
,
as
he
opened
the
gate
of
the
Red
House
,
“
a
deserved
reproof
.
”
CHAPTER
XXVI
.
“
A
SINGULAR
character
!
”
said
Professor
Theobald
.
“
There
is
a
lot
of
good
in
her
,
”
Lady
Engleton
asserted
.
Lord
Engleton
observed
that
people
were
always
speaking
ill
of
Mrs.
Temperley
,
but
he
never
could
see
that
she
was
worse
than
her
neighbours
.
She
was
cleverer
;
that
might
be
her
offence
.
Madame
Bertaux
observed
in
her
short
,
decisive
way
that
Craddock
Dene
might
have
settled
down
with
Mrs.
Temperley
peaceably
enough
,
if
it
had
n't
been
for
her
action
about
the
schoolmistress
's
child
.
“
Yes
;
that
has
offended
everybody
,
”
said
Lady
Engleton
.
“
What
action
was
that
?
”
asked
Theobald
,
turning
slowly
towards
his
hostess
.
“
Oh
,
have
n't
you
heard
?
That
really
speaks
well
for
this
house
.
You
ca
n't
accuse
us
of
gossip
.
”
Lady
Engleton
related
the
incident
.
“
By
the
way
,
you
must
remember
that
poor
woman
,
Professor
.
Do
n't
you
know
you
were
here
at
the
school-feast
that
we
gave
one
summer
in
the
park
,
when
all
the
children
came
and
had
tea
and
games
,
and
you
helped
us
so
amiably
to
look
after
them
?
”
The
Professor
remembered
the
occasion
perfectly
.
“
And
do
n't
you
recollect
a
very
pretty
,
rather
timid
,
fair-haired
woman
who
brought
the
children
?
We
all
used
to
admire
her
.
She
was
a
particularly
graceful
,
refined-looking
creature
.
She
had
read
a
great
deal
and
was
quite
cultivated
.
I
often
used
to
think
she
must
feel
very
solitary
at
Craddock
,
with
not
a
soul
to
sympathize
with
her
tastes
.
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Walker
used
to
preach
to
her
,
poor
soul
,
reproving
her
love
of
reading
,
which
took
her
thoughts
away
from
her
duties
and
her
sphere
.
”
Madame
Bertaux
snorted
significantly
.
Lady
Engleton
had
remarked
a
strange
,
sad
look
in
Ellen
Jervis
's
eyes
,
and
owned
to
having
done
her
best
to
circumvent
the
respected
pastor
and
his
wife
,
by
lending
her
books
occasionally
,
and
encouraging
her
to
think
her
own
thoughts
,
and
get
what
happiness
she
could
out
of
her
communings
with
larger
spirits
than
she
was
likely
to
find
in
Craddock
.
Of
course
Mrs.
Walker
now
gave
Lady
Engleton
to
understand
that
she
was
partly
responsible
for
the
poor
woman
's
misfortune
.
She
attributed
it
to
Ellen
's
having
had
“
all
sorts
of
ideas
in
her
head
!
”
“
I
admit
that
if
not
having
all
sorts
of
ideas
in
one
's
head
is
a
safeguard
,
the
unimpeachable
virtue
of
a
district
is
amply
accounted
for
.
”
Professor
Theobald
chuckled
.
He
enquired
if
Lady
Engleton
knew
Mrs.
Temperley
's
motive
in
adopting
the
child
.
“
Oh
,
partly
real
kindness
;
but
I
think
,
between
ourselves
,
that
Mrs.
Temperley
likes
to
be
a
little
eccentric
.
Most
people
have
the
instinct
to
go
with
the
crowd
.
Hadria
Temperley
has
the
opposite
fault
.
She
loves
to
run
counter
to
it
,
even
when
it
is
pursuing
a
harmless
course
.
”
Some
weeks
had
now
passed
since
the
arrival
of
the
two
Professors
.
The
meetings
in
the
Priory
garden
had
been
frequent
.
They
had
affected
for
the
better
Professor
Theobald
's
manner
.
Valeria
's
laws
had
curbed
the
worst
side
of
him
,
or
prevented
it
from
shewing
itself
so
freely
.
He
felt
the
atmosphere
of
the
little
society
,
and
acknowledged
that
it
was
“
taming
the
savage
beast
.
”
As
for
his
intellect
it
took
to
blazing
,
as
if
,
he
said
,
without
false
modesty
,
a
torch
had
been
placed
in
pure
oxygen
.
“
My
brain
takes
fire
here
and
flames
.
I
should
make
a
very
creditable
beacon
if
the
burning
of
brains
and
the
burning
of
faggots
were
only
of
equal
value
.
”
The
little
feud
between
him
and
Mrs.
Temperley
had
been
patched
up
.
She
felt
that
she
had
been
rude
to
him
,
on
one
occasion
at
any
rate
,
and
desired
to
make
amends
.
He
had
become
more
cautious
in
his
conduct
towards
her
.
During
this
period
of
the
Renaissance
,
as
Hadria
afterwards
called
the
short-lived
epoch
,
little
Martha
was
visited
frequently
.
Her
protectress
had
expected
to
have
to
do
battle
with
hereditary
weakness
on
account
of
her
mother
's
sufferings
,
but
the
child
shewed
no
signs
of
this
.
Either
the
common
belief
that
mental
trouble
in
the
mother
is
reflected
in
the
child
,
was
unfounded
,
or
the
evil
could
be
overcome
by
the
simple
beneficence
of
pure
air
,
good
food
,
and
warm
clothing
.
Hadria
had
begun
to
feel
a
more
personal
interest
in
her
charge
.
She
had
taken
it
under
her
care
of
her
own
choice
,
without
the
pressure
of
any
social
law
or
sentiment
,
and
in
these
circumstances
of
freedom
,
its
helplessness
appealed
to
her
protective
instincts
.
She
felt
the
relationship
to
be
a
true
one
,
in
contradistinction
to
the
more
usual
form
of
protectorate
of
woman
to
child
.
“
There
is
nothing
in
it
that
gives
offence
to
one
's
dignity
as
a
human
being
,
”
she
asserted
,
“
which
is
more
than
can
be
said
of
the
ordinary
relation
,
especially
if
it
be
legal
.
”
She
was
issuing
from
little
Martha
's
cottage
on
one
splendid
morning
,
when
she
saw
Professor
Theobald
coming
up
the
road
from
Craddock
Dene
.
He
caught
sight
of
Hadria
,
hesitated
,
coloured
,
glanced
furtively
up
the
road
,
and
then
,
seeing
he
was
observed
,
came
forward
,
raising
his
cap.
“
You
ca
n't
imagine
what
a
charming
picture
you
make
;
the
English
cottage
creeper-covered
and
smiling
;
the
nurse
and
child
at
the
threshold
equally
smiling
,
yourself
a
very
emblem
of
spring
in
your
fresh
