第79章

’Oh，dear，yes，’Ireplied；’itisofverygreatconsequence；andIunderstandthewholeofit。YouwanttogivethatstupidAnnie，whohaslostyouahundredthousandpounds，andwhoisgoingtobemarriedbeforeus，dear——Godonlycantellwhy，beingmyyoungersister——youwanttogiveheraweddingpresent。

Andyoushalldoit，darling；becauseitissogoodofyou。Don’tyouknowyourtitle，love？Howhumbleyouarewithushumblefolk。YouareLadyLornasomething，sofarasIcanmakeoutyet：andyououghtnoteventospeaktous。Youwillgoawayanddisdainus。’

’Ifyouplease，talknotlikethat，John。Iwillhavenothingtodowithit，ifitcomesbetweenyouandme，John。’

’Youcannothelpyourself，’saidI。Andthenshevowedthatshecouldandwould。Andrankandbirthwerebanishedfrombetweenourlipsinnotime。

’WhatcanIgethergoodenough？IamsureIdonotknow，’sheasked：’shehasbeensokindandgoodtome，andsheissuchadarling。HowIshallmissher，tobesure!Bythebye，youseemtothink，John，thatIshallberichsomeday。’

’Ofcourseyouwill。AsrichastheFrenchKingwhokeepsours。WouldtheLordChancellortroublehimselfaboutyou，ifyouwerepoor？’

’ThenifIamrich，perhapsyouwouldlendmetwentypounds，dearJohn。Tenpoundswouldbeverymeanforawealthypersontogiveher。’

TothisIagreed，uponconditionthatIshouldmakethepurchasemyself，whateveritmightbe。FornothingcouldbeeasierthantocheatLornaaboutthecost，untiltimeshouldcomeforherpayingme。Andthiswasbetterthantocheatherforthebenefitofourfamily。

Forthisend，andformanyothers，IsetofftoDulverton，bearingmorecommissions，moremessages，andmorequestionsthanamanofthricemymemorymightcarrysofarasthecornerwherethesawpitis。Andtomakethingsworse，onegirlorotherwouldkeeponrunninguptome，orevenafterme(whenstarted)withsomethingorothershehadjustthoughtof，whichshecouldnotpossiblydowithout，andwhichImustbesuretoremember，asthemostimportantofthewhole。

Tomydearmother，whohadpartlyoutlivedtheexceedingvalueoftrifles，themostimportantmatterseemedtoensureUncleReuben’scountenanceandpresenceatthemarriage。AndifIsucceededinthis，Imightwellforgetallthemaidens’trumpery。Thisshewouldhavebeenwisertotellmewhentheywereoutofhearing；forIlefthertofightherownbattlewiththem；andlaughingatherpredicament，promisedtodothebestIcouldforall，sofarasmywitswouldgo。

UncleReubenwasnotathome，butRuth，whoreceivedmeverykindly，althoughwithoutanyexpressionsofjoy，wassureofhisreturnintheafternoon，andpersuadedmetowaitforhim。AndbythetimethatIhadfinishedallIcouldrecollectofmyorders，evenwithpapertohelpme，theoldgentlemanrodeintotheyard，andwasmoresurprisedthanpleasedtoseeme。Butifhewassurprised，Iwasmorethanthat——IwasutterlyastonishedatthechangeinhisappearancesincethelasttimeIhadseenhim。Fromahale，andratherheavyman，gray-haired，butplump，andruddy，hewasalteredtoashrunken，wizened，trembling，andalmostdecrepitfigure。Insteadofcurlyandcomelylocks，grizzledindeed，butplentiful，hehadonlyafewlankwhitehairsscatteredandflatteneduponhisforehead。

Butthegreatestchangeofallwasintheexpressionofhiseyes，whichhadbeensokeen，andrestless，andbright，andalittlesarcastic。Brightindeedtheystillwere，butwithaslowunhealthylustre；theirkeennesswasturnedtoperpetualoutlook，theirrestlessnesstoahaggardwant。Asforthehumourwhichoncegleamedthere(whichpeoplewhofearitcallsarcasm)ithadbeensucceededbystaresofterror，andthenmistrust，andshrinking。Therewasnoneoftheinterestinmankind，whichisneedfulevenforsatire。

’Nowwhatcanthisbe？’thoughtItomyself，’hastheoldmanlostallhisproperty，ortakentoomuchtostrongwaters？’

’Comeinside，JohnRidd，’hesaid；’Iwillhaveatalkwithyou。Itiscoldouthere；anditistoolight。

Comeinside，JohnRidd，boy。’

Ifollowedhimintoalittledarkroom，quitedifferentfromRuthHuckaback’s。Itwasclosedfromtheshopbyanolddivisionofboarding，hungwithtannedcanvas；

andthesmellwasverycloseandfaint。Heretherewasaledgerde