第13章

Paul’s，jinglingrapidlybythestrangers’entryofFleet-

Market，which，withExeter’Change，hasnowdepartedtotheworldofshadows——howtheypassedtheWhiteBearinPiccadilly，andsawthedewrisingupfromthemarket-gardensofKnightsbridge——howTurnhamgreen，Brentwood，Bagshot，werepassed——neednotbetoldhere。

Butthewriterofthesepages，whohaspursuedinformerdays，andinthesamebrightweather，thesameremarkablejourney，cannotbutthinkofitwithasweetandtenderregret。Whereistheroadnow，anditsmerryincidentsoflife？IstherenoChelseaorGreenwichfortheoldhonestpimple-nosedcoachmen？Iwonderwherearethey，thosegoodfellows？IsoldWelleraliveordead？

andthewaiters，yea，andtheinnsatwhichtheywaited，andthecoldroundsofbeefinside，andthestuntedostler，withhisbluenoseandclinkingpail，whereishe，andwhereishisgeneration？Tothosegreatgeniusesnowinpetticoats，whoshallwritenovelsforthebelovedreader’schildren，thesemenandthingswillbeasmuchlegendandhistoryasNineveh，orCoeurdeLion，orJackSheppard。Forthemstage-coacheswillhavebecomeromances——ateamoffourbaysasfabulousasBucephalusorBlackBess。Ah，howtheircoatsshone，asthestable-menpulledtheirclothesoff，andawaytheywent——ah，howtheirtailsshook，aswithsmokingsidesatthestage’sendtheydemurelywalkedawayintotheinn-yard。Alas！weshallneverhearthehornsingatmidnight，orseethepike-gatesflyopenanymore。Whither，however，isthelightfour-insideTrafalgarcoachcarryingus？LetusbesetdownatQueen’sCrawleywithoutfurtherdivagation，andseehowMissRebeccaSharpspeedsthere。

CHAPTERVIII

MissRebeccaSharptoMissAmeliaSedley，RussellSquare，London。

(Free——PittCrawley。)

MYDEAREST，SWEETESTAMELIA，WithwhatmingledjoyandsorrowdoItakeupthepentowritetomydearestfriend！Oh，whatachangebetweento-dayandyesterday！NowIamfriendlessandalone；yesterdayIwasathome，inthesweetcompanyofasister，whomIshallever，evercherish！

IwillnottellyouinwhattearsandsadnessIpassedthefatalnightinwhichIseparatedfromyou。YOUwentonTuesdaytojoyandhappiness，withyourmotherandYOURDEVOTEDYOUNGSOLDIERbyyourside；andIthoughtofyouallnight，dancingatthePerkins’s，theprettiest，Iamsure，ofalltheyoungladiesattheBall。IwasbroughtbythegroomintheoldcarriagetoSirPittCrawley’stownhouse，where，afterJohnthegroomhadbehavedmostrudelyandinsolentlytome(alas！’twassafetoinsultpovertyandmisfortune！)，IwasgivenovertoSirP。’scare，andmadetopassthenightinanoldgloomybed，andbythesideofahorridgloomyoldcharwoman，whokeepsthehouse。Ididnotsleeponesinglewinkthewholenight。

SirPittisnotwhatwesillygirls，whenweusedtoreadCeciliaatChiswick，imaginedabaronetmusthavebeen。Anything，indeed，lesslikeLordOrvillecannotbeimagined。Fancyanold，stumpy，short，vulgar，andverydirtyman，inoldclothesandshabbyoldgaiters，whosmokesahorridpipe，andcookshisownhorridsupperinasaucepan。Hespeakswithacountryaccent，andsworeagreatdealattheoldcharwoman，atthehackneycoachmanwhodroveustotheinnwherethecoachwentfrom，andonwhichImadethejourneyOUTSIDEFORTHE

GREATERPARTOFTHEWAY。

Iwasawakenedatdaybreakbythecharwoman，andhavingarrivedattheinn，wasatfirstplacedinsidethecoach。But，whenwegottoaplacecalledLeakington，wheretherainbegantofallveryheavily——willyoubelieveit？——Iwasforcedtocomeoutside；forSirPittisaproprietorofthecoach，andasapassengercameatMudbury，whowantedaninsideplace，Iwasobligedtogooutsideintherain，where，however，ayounggentlemanfromCambridgeCollegeshelteredmeverykindlyinoneofhisseveralgreatcoats。

ThisgentlemanandtheguardseemedtoknowSirPittverywell，andlaughedathimagreatdeal。Theybothagreedincallinghimanoldscrew；whichmeansaverystingy，avariciousperson。Henevergivesanymoneytoanybody，theysaid(andthismeannessIhate)；andtheyounggentlemanmademeremarkthatwedroveveryslowforthelasttwostagesontheroad，becauseSirPittwasonthebox，andbecauseheisproprietorofthehorsesforthispartofthejourney。”Butwon’tI

flog’emontoSquashmore，whenItaketheribbons？”

saidtheyoungCantab。”Andsarve’emright，MasterJack。”saidtheguard。WhenIcomprehendedthemeaningofthisphrase，andthatMasterJackintendedtodrivetherestoftheway，andrevengehimselfonSirPitt’shorses，ofcourseIlaughedtoo。

Acarriageandfoursplendidhorses，coveredwitharmorialbearings，however，awaitedusatMudbury，fourmilesfromQueen’sCrawley，andwemadeourentrancetothebaronet’sparkinstate。Thereisafineavenueofamilelongleadingtothehouse，andthewomanatthelodge-gate(overthepillarsofwhichareaserpentandadove，thesupportersoftheCrawleyarms)，madeusanumberofcurtsiesassheflungopentheoldironcarveddoors，whicharesomethinglikethoseatodiousChiswick。

“There’sanavenue。”saidSirPitt，“amilelong。

There’ssixthousandpoundoftimberinthemtheretrees。Doyoucallthatnothing？”Hepronouncedavenue——EVENUE，andnothing——NOTHINK，sodroll；andhehadaMr。Hodson，hishindfromMudbury，intothecarriagewithhim，andtheytalkedaboutdistraining，andsellingup，anddrainingandsubsoiling，andagreatdealabouttenantsandfarming——muchmorethanIcouldunderstand。SamMileshadbeencaughtpoaching，andPeterBaileyhadgonetotheworkhouseatlast。”Servehimright。”saidSirPitt；“himandhisfamilyhasbeencheatingmeonthatfarmthesehundredandfiftyyears。”

Someoldtenant，Isuppose，whocouldnotpayhisrent。

SirPittmighthavesaid“heandhisfamily。”tobesure；

butrichbaronetsdonotneedtobecarefulaboutgrammar，aspoorgovernessesmustbe。

Aswepassed，Iremarkedabeautifulchurch-spirerisingabovesomeoldelmsinthepark；andbeforethem，inthemidstofalawn，andsomeouthouses，anoldredhousewithtallchimneyscoveredwithivy，andthewindowsshininginthesun。”Isthatyourchurch，sir？”

Isaid。

“Yes，hangit。”(saidSirPitt，onlyheused，dear，AMUCH

WICKEDERWORD)；“how’sButy，Hodson？Buty’smybrotherBute，mydear——mybrothertheparson。ButyandtheBeastIcallhim，ha，ha！”

Hodsonlaughedtoo，andthenlookingmoregraveandnoddinghishead，said，“I’mafraidhe’sbetter，SirPitt。Hewasoutonhisponyyesterday，lookingatourcorn。”

“Lookingafterhistithes，hang’un(onlyheusedthesamewickedword)。Willbrandyandwaterneverkillhim？He’sastoughasoldwhatdyecallum——oldMethusalem。”

Mr。Hodsonlaughedagain。”Theyoungmenishomefromcollege。They’vewhoppedJohnScrogginstillhe’swellnighdead。”

“Whopmysecondkeeper！”roaredoutSirPitt。

“Hewasontheparson’sground，sir。”repliedMr。

Hodson；andSirPittinafurysworethatifheevercaught’empoachingonhisground，he’dtransport’em，bythelordhewould。However，hesaid，“I’vesoldthepresentationoftheliving，Hodson；noneofthatbreedshallgetit，Iwar’nt“；andMr。Hodsonsaidhewasquiteright：

andIhavenodoubtfromthisthatthetwobrothersareatvariance——asbrothersoftenare，andsisterstoo。Don’tyourememberthetwoMissScratchleysatChiswick，howtheyusedalwaystofightandquarrel——andMaryBox，howshewasalwaysthumpingLouisa？

Presently，seeingtwolittleboysgatheringsticksinthewood，Mr。Hodsonjumpedoutofthecarriage，atSirPitt’sorder，andrusheduponthemwithhiswhip。”Pitchinto’em，Hodson。”roaredthebaronet；“flogtheirlittlesoulsout，andbring’emuptothehouse，thevagabonds；

I’llcommit’emassureasmyname’sPitt。”AndpresentlyweheardMr。Hodson’swhipcrackingontheshouldersofthepoorlittleblubberingwretches，andSirPitt，seeingthatthemalefactorswereincustody，droveontothehall。

Alltheservantswerereadytomeetus，and……

Here，mydear，Iwasinterruptedlastnightbyadreadfulthumpingatmydoor：andwhodoyouthinkitwas？SirPittCrawleyinhisnight-capanddressing-

gown，suchafigure！AsIshrankawayfromsuchavisitor，hecameforwardandseizedmycandle。”Nocandlesaftereleveno’clock，MissBecky。”saidhe。”Gotobedinthedark，youprettylittlehussy“(thatiswhathecalledme)，“andunlessyouwishmetocomeforthecandleeverynight，mindandbeinbedateleven。”Andwiththis，heandMr。Horrocksthebutlerwentofflaughing。YoumaybesureIshallnotencourageanymoreoftheirvisits。Theyletloosetwoimmensebloodhoundsatnight，whichalllastnightwereyellingandhowlingatthemoon。”IcallthedogGorer。”saidSirPitt；“he’skilledamanthatdoghas，andismasterofabull，andthemotherIusedtocallFlora；butnowIcallsherAroarer，forshe’stoooldtobite。Haw，haw！”

BeforethehouseofQueen’sCrawley，whichisanodiousold-fashionedredbrickmansion，withtallchimneysandgablesofthestyleofQueenBess，thereisaterraceflankedbythefamilydoveandserpent，andonwhichthegreathall-dooropens。Andoh，mydear，thegreathallIamsureisasbigandasglumasthegreathallinthedearcastleofUdolpho。Ithasalargefireplace，inwhichwemightputhalfMissPinkerton’sschool，andthegrateisbigenoughtoroastanoxattheveryleast。RoundtheroomhangIdon’tknowhowmanygenerationsofCrawleys，somewithbeardsandruffs，somewithhugewigsandtoesturnedout，somedressedinlongstraightstaysandgownsthatlookasstiffastowers，andsomewithlongringlets，andoh，mydear！scarcelyanystaysatall。Atoneendofthehallisthegreatstaircaseallinblackoak，asdismalasmaybe，andoneithersidearetalldoorswithstags’heads。overthem，leadingtothebilliard-roomandthelibrary，andthegreatyellowsaloonandthemorning-rooms。Ithinkthereareatleasttwentybedroomsonthefirstfloor；oneofthemhasthebedinwhichQueenElizabethslept；

andIhavebeentakenbymynewpupilsthroughallthesefineapartmentsthismorning。Theyarenotrenderedlessgloomy，Ipromiseyou，byhavingtheshuttersalwaysshut；andthereisscarceoneoftheapartments，butwhenthelightwasletintoit，Iexpectedtoseeaghostintheroom。Wehaveaschoolroomonthesecondfloor，withmybedroomleadingintoitononeside，andthatoftheyoungladiesontheother。ThenthereareMr。Pitt’sapartments——Mr。Crawley，heiscalled——theeldestson，andMr。RawdonCrawley’srooms——heisanofficerlikeSOMEBODY，andawaywithhisregiment。ThereisnowantofroomIassureyou。YoumightlodgeallthepeopleinRussellSquareinthehouse，Ithink，andhavespacetospare。

Halfanhourafterourarrival，thegreatdinner-bellwasrung，andIcamedownwithmytwopupils(theyareverythininsignificantlittlechitsoftenandeightyearsold)。Icamedowninyourdearmuslingown(aboutwhichthatodiousMrs。Pinnerwassorude，becauseyougaveitme)；forIamtobetreatedasoneofthefamily，exceptoncompanydays，whentheyoungladiesandIaretodineupstairs。

Well，thegreatdinner-bellrang，andweallassembledinthelittledrawing-roomwheremyLadyCrawleysits。SheisthesecondLadyCrawley，andmotheroftheyoungladies。Shewasanironmonger’sdaughter，andhermarriagewasthoughtagreatmatch。Shelooksasifshehadbeenhandsomeonce，andhereyesarealwaysweepingforthelossofherbeauty。Sheispaleandmeagreandhigh-shouldered，andhasnotawordtosayforherself，evidently。HerstepsonMr。Crawley，waslikewiseintheroom。Hewasinfulldress，aspompousasanundertaker。Heispale，thin，ugly，silent；hehasthinlegs，nochest，hay-colouredwhiskers，andstraw-

colouredhair。Heistheverypictureofhissaintedmotheroverthemantelpiece——GriseldaofthenoblehouseofBinkie。

“Thisisthenewgoverness，Mr。Crawley。”saidLadyCrawley，comingforwardandtakingmyhand。”MissSharp。”

“0！”saidMr。Crawley，andpushedhisheadonceforwardandbeganagaintoreadagreatpamphletwithwhichhewasbusy。

“Ihopeyouwillbekindtomygirls。”saidLadyCrawley，withherpinkeyesalwaysfulloftears。

“Law，Ma，ofcourseshewill。”saidtheeldest：andI

sawataglancethatIneednotbeafraidofTHATwoman。

“Myladyisserved。”saysthebutlerinblack，inanimmensewhiteshirt-frill，thatlookedasifithadbeenoneoftheQueenElizabeth’sruffsdepictedinthehall；