第85章

Whatcanyouwantwithacouchdownstairs？Ineverheardofsuchnonsense。Andyououghttobeinthedairy。’

’Iwon’tcry，brotherJohn，Iwon’t；becauseyouwanttomakemecry’——andallthetimeshewascrying——’youalwaysweresonasty，John，sometimes。Ah，youhavenonobilityofcharacter，likemyhusband。AndIhavenotseenyoufortwomonths，John；andnowyoucometoscoldme!’

’Youlittledarling，’Isaid，forAnnie’stearsalwaysconqueredme；’ifalltherestill-useme，Iwillnotquarrelwithyou，dear。Youhavealwaysbeentruetome；andIcanforgiveyourvanity。Yourthingsareverypretty，dear；andyoumaycouchtentimesaday，withoutmyinterference。Nodoubtyourhusbandhaspaidforallthis，withtheponieshestolefromExmoor。Nobilityofcharacterisathingbeyondmyunderstanding；butwhenmysisterlovesaman，andhedoeswellandflourishes，whoamItofindfaultwithhim？Motheroughttoseethesethings：theywouldturnherheadalmost：lookatthepimplesonthechairs!’

’Theyarenothing，’Annieanswered，afterkissingmeformykindness：’theyareonlyputinforthetimeindeed；andwearetohavemuchbetter，withgoldallroundthebindings，anddoubleplushatthecorners；sosoonasevertheKingrepaysthedebtheowestomypoorTom。’

IthoughttomyselfthatourpresentKinghadbeenmostunluckyinonething——debtsalloverthekingdom。NotamanwhohadstruckablowfortheKing，orforhispoorfather，orevensaidagoodwordforhim，inthetimeofhisadversity，butexpectedatleastabaronetcy，andagrantofestatestosupportit。ManyhavecalledKingCharlesungrateful：andhemayhavebeenso。Butsomeindulgenceisduetoaman，withentriesfewonthecreditside，andaterriblecolumnofdebits。

’Havenofearforthechair，’Isaid，foritcreakedundermeveryfearfully，havinglegsnotsolargeasmyfinger；’ifthechairbreaks，Annie，yourfearshouldbe，lestthetortoise-shellrunintome。Why，itisstripedlikeaviper’sloins!IsawsomehundredsinLondon；andverycheaptheyare。Theyaremadetobesoldtothecountrypeople，suchasyouandme，dear；

andcarefullykepttheywilllastforalmosthalfayear。Nowwillyoucomebackfromyourfurniture，andlistentomystory？’

Anniewasaheartydear，andsheknewthathalfmytalkwasjoke，tomakelightofmyworrying。Thereforeshetookitingoodpart，asIwellknewthatshewoulddo；

andsheledmetoagoodhonestchair；andshesatinmylapandkissedme。

’Allthisisnotlikeyou，John。Allthisisnotonebitlikeyou：andyourcheeksarenotastheyoughttobe。Ishallhavetocomehomeagain，ifthewomenworrymybrotherso。Wealwaysheldtogether，John；

andwealwayswill，youknow。’

’Youdear，’Icried，’thereisnobodywhounderstandsmeasyoudo。Lornamakestoomuchofme，andtheresttheymaketoolittle。’

’Notmother；oh，notmother，John!’

’No，mothermakestoomuch，nodoubt；butwantsitallforherselfalone；andreckonsitasapartofher。

Shemakesmemorewroththananyone：asifnotonlymylife，butallmyheadandheartmustseekfromhers，andhavenootherthoughtorcare。’

Beingspedofmygrumblingthus，andeasedintobettertemper，ItoldAnnieallthestrangehistoryaboutLornaandherdeparture，andthesmallchancethatnowremainedtomeofeverseeingmyloveagain。TothisAnniewouldnothearkentwice，butjudgingwomenbyherfaithfulself，wasquitevexedwithmeforspeakingso。

Andthen，tomysurpriseandsorrow，shewoulddelivernoopinionastowhatIoughttodountilshehadconsulteddarlingTom。

DearTomknewmuchoftheworld，nodoubt，especiallythedarksideofit。ButtomeitscarcelyseemedbecomingthatmycourseofactionwithregardtotheLadyLornaDugalshouldbereferredtoTomFaggus，anddependuponhisdecision。However，IwouldnotgrieveAnnieagainbymakinglightofherhusband；andsowhenhecameintodinner，thematterwaslaidbeforehim。

Nowthismanneverconfessedhimselfsurprised，underanycircumstances；hisknowledgeoflifebeingsoprofound，andhischarityuniversal。Andinthepresentcasehevowedthathehadsuspecteditallalong，andcouldhavethrownlightuponLorna’shistory，ifwehadseenfittoapplytohim。UponfurtherinquiryIfoundthatthislightwasaverydimone，flowingonlyfromthefactthathehadstoppedhermother’scoach，atthevillageofBolham，ontheBamptonRoad，thedaybeforeIsawthem。Findingonlywomentherein，andtheseinasadcondition，Tomwithhisusualchivalry(ashehadnoscentofthenecklace)

allowedthemtopass；withnothingmorethanapleasantexchangeofcourtesies，andatestimonialforceduponhim，intheshapeofabottleofBurgundywine。Thisthepoorcountesshandedhim；andhetwistedthecorkoutwithhisteeth，anddrankherhealthwithhishatoff。

’Aladyshewas，andatrueone；andIamaprettygoodjudge，’saidTom：’ah，Idolikeahighlady!’

OurAnnielookedratherqueeratthis，havingnopretensionstobeone：butsheconqueredherself，andsaid，’Yes，Tom；andmanyoft