第24章

CaptainRawdongotanextensionofleaveonhisaunt’sillness，andremaineddutifullyathome。Hewasalwaysinherantechamber。(Shelaysickinthestatebedroom，intowhichyouenteredbythelittlebluesaloon。)Hisfatherwasalwaysmeetinghimthere；orifhecamedownthecorridoreversoquietly，hisfather’sdoorwassuretoopen，andthehyenafaceoftheoldgentlemantoglareout。Whatwasitsetonetowatchtheotherso？Agenerousrivalry，nodoubt，astowhichshouldbemostattentivetothedearsuffererinthestatebedroom。Rebeccausedtocomeoutandcomfortbothofthem；oroneortheotherofthemrather。Bothoftheseworthygentlemenweremostanxioustohavenewsoftheinvalidfromherlittleconfidentialmessenger。

Atdinner——towhichmealshedescendedforhalfanhour——shekeptthepeacebetweenthem：afterwhichshedisappearedforthenight；whenRawdonwouldrideovertothedepotofthe150thatMudbury，leavinghispapatothesocietyofMr。Horrocksandhisrumandwater。

ShepassedaswearyafortnightasevermortalspentinMissCrawley’ssick-room；butherlittlenervesseemedtobeofiron，asshewasquiteunshakenbythedutyandthetediumofthesick-chamber。

Shenevertolduntillongafterwardshowpainfulthatdutywas；howpeevishapatientwasthejovialoldlady；

howangry；howsleepless；inwhathorrorsofdeath；

duringwhatlongnightsshelaymoaning，andinalmostdeliriousagoniesrespectingthatfutureworldwhichshequiteignoredwhenshewasingoodhealth——Picturetoyourself，ohfairyoungreader，aworldly，selfish，graceless，thankless，religionlessoldwoman，writhinginpainandfear，andwithoutherwig。Picturehertoyourself，andereyoubeold，learntoloveandpray！

Sharpwatchedthisgracelessbedsidewithindomitablepatience。Nothingescapedher；and，likeaprudentsteward，shefoundauseforeverything。ShetoldmanyagoodstoryaboutMissCrawley’sillnessinafterdays——

storieswhichmadetheladyblushthroughherartificialcarnations。Duringtheillnessshewasneveroutoftemper；alwaysalert；shesleptlight，havingaperfectlyclearconscience；andcouldtakethatrefreshmentatalmostanyminute’swarning。Andsoyousawveryfewtracesoffatigueinherappearance。Herfacemightbeatriflepaler，andthecirclesroundhereyesalittleblackerthanusual；butwhenevershecameoutfromthesick-roomshewasalwayssmiling，fresh，andneat，andlookedastriminherlittledressing-gownandcap，asinhersmartesteveningsuit。

TheCaptainthoughtso，andravedaboutherinuncouthconvulsions。Thebarbedshaftoflovehadpenetratedhisdullhide。Sixweeks——appropinquity——

opportunity——hadvictimisedhimcompletely。HemadeaconfidanteofhisauntattheRectory，ofallpersonsintheworld。Sheralliedhimaboutit；shehadperceivedhisfolly；shewarnedhim；shefinishedbyowningthatlittleSharpwasthemostclever，droll，odd，good-natured，simple，kindlycreatureinEngland。Rawdonmustnottriflewithheraffections，though——dearMissCrawleywouldneverpardonhimforthat；forshe，too，wasquiteovercomebythelittlegoverness，andlovedSharplikeadaughter。Rawdonmustgoaway——gobacktohisregimentandnaughtyLondon，andnotplaywithapoorartlessgirl’sfeelings。

Manyandmanyatimethisgood-naturedlady，compassionatingtheforlornlife-guardsman’scondition，gavehimanopportunityofseeingMissSharpattheRectory，andofwalkinghomewithher，aswehaveseen。Whenmenofacertainsort，ladies，areinlove，thoughtheyseethehookandthestring，andthewholeapparatuswithwhichtheyaretobetaken，theygorgethebaitnevertheless——theymustcometoit——theymustswallowit——andarepresentlystruckandlandedgasping。RawdonsawtherewasamanifestintentiononMrs。Bute’sparttocaptivatehimwithRebecca。Hewasnotverywise；

buthewasamanabouttown，andhadseenseveralseasons。Alightdawneduponhisduskysoul，ashethought，throughaspeechofMrs。Bute’s。

“Markmywords，Rawdon。”shesaid。”YouwillhaveMissSharponedayforyourrelation。”

“Whatrelation——mycousin，hey，Mrs。Bute？Jamessweetonher，hey？”inquiredthewaggishofficer。

“Morethanthat。”Mrs。Butesaid，withaflashfromherblackeyes。

“NotPitt？Hesha’n’thaveher。Thesneaka’n’tworthyof