第22章

CHAPTERLIII。

HELENA’SDIARYRESUMED。

AFTERtheheatofmyangerhadcooled，Imadetwodiscoveries。

Onecostmeafeetoamessenger，andtheotherexposedmetotheinsolenceofaservant。Ipaywillinglyinmypurseandmypride，whenthegainispeaceofmind。ThroughmymessengerI

ascertainedthatEunicehadneverleftthefarm。Throughmyowninquiries，answeredbythewaiterwithanimpudentgrin，IheardthatPhiliphadleftorderstohavehisroomkeptforhim。Whatmiseryourstupidhousemaidmighthavesparedme，ifshehadthoughtofputtingthatquestionwhenIsenthertothehotel！

TherestofthedaypassedinvainspeculationsonPhilip’smotiveforthissuddendeparture。Whatpoorweakcreaturesweare！Ipersuadedmyselftohopethatanxietyforourmarriagehadurgedhimtomakeanefforttotouchtheheartofhismeanfather。ShallIseehimto—morrow？AndshallIhavereasontobefonderofhimthanever？

Wemetagainto—dayasusual。Hehasbehavedinfamously。

WhenIaskedwhathadbeenhisobjectingoingtoLondon，Iwastoldthatitwas"amatterofbusiness。"HemadethatidioticexcuseascoollyasifhereallythoughtIshouldbelieveit。I

submittedinsilence，ratherthanmarhisreturntomebythedisasterofaquarrel。Butthiswasanunluckyday。Ahardertrialofmyself—controlwasstilltocome。Withouttheslightestappearanceofshame，PhilipinformedmethathewaschargedwithamessagefromMrs。Tenbruggen！ShewantedsomeIrishlace，andwouldIbesogoodastotellherwhichwasthebestshopatwhichshecouldbuyit？

Washereallyinearnest？"You，"Isaid，"whodistrustedanddetestedher——youareonfriendlytermswiththatwoman？"

Heremonstratedwithme。"MydearHelena，don’tspeakinthatwayofMrs。Tenbruggen。Wehavebothbeenmistakenabouther。ThatgoodcreaturehasforgiventhebrutalmannerinwhichIspoketoher，whenshewasinattendanceonmyfather。Shewasthefirsttoproposethatweshouldshakehandsandforgetit。Mydarling，don’tletallthegoodfeelingbeononeside。Youhavenoideahowkindlyshespeaksofyou，andhowanxioussheistohelpustobemarried。Come！come！meetherhalf—way。Writedownthenameoftheshoponmycard，andIwilltakeitbacktoher。"

Sheeramazementkeptmesilent：Ilethimgoon。HewasamerechildinthehandsofMrs。Tenbruggen：shehadonlytodeterminetomakeafoolofhim，andshecoulddoit。

Butwhydidshedoit？Whatadvantagehadshetogainbyinsinuatingherselfinthiswayintohisgoodopinion，evidentlywiththeintentionofurginghimtoreconcileustoeachother？HowcouldwetwopooryoungpeoplebeofthesmallestusetothefashionableMasseuse？

MysilencebegantoirritatePhilip。"Ineverknewbeforehowobstinateyoucouldbe，"hesaid；"youseemtobedoingyourbest——Ican’timaginewhy——toloweryourselfinmyestimation。"

Iheldmytongue；Iassumedmysmile。Itisallverywellformentotalkaboutthedeceitfulnessofwomen。Whatchance（Ishouldliketoasksomebodywhoknowsaboutit）dothemengiveusofmakingourliveswiththemendurable，exceptbydeceit！Igaveway，ofcourse，andwrotedowntheaddressoftheshop。

Hewassopleasedthathekissedme。Yes！themostfondlyaffectionatekissthathehadgivenme，forweekspast，wasmyrewardforsubmittingtoMrs。Tenbruggen。Sheisoldenoughtobehismother，andalmostasuglyasMissJillgall——andshehasmadeherinterestshisinterestsalready！

Onthenextday，IfullyexpectedtoreceiveavisitfromMrs。

Tenbruggen。Sheknewbetterthanthat。Ionlygotapolitelittlenote，thankingmefortheaddress，andaddinganartlessconcession："IearnmoremoneythanIknowwhattodowith；andI

adoreIrishlace。"

Thenextdaycame，andstillshewascarefulnottoshowherselftooeagerforapersonalreconciliation。Asplendidnosegaywassenttome，withanotherlittlenote："Atribute，dearHelena，offeredbyoneofmygratefulpatients。Toobeautifulapresentforanoldwomanlikeme。Iagreewiththepoet：’Sweetstothesweet。’AcharmingthoughtofShakespeare’s，isitnot？Ishouldliketoverifythequotation。Wouldyoumindleavingthevolumeformeinthehall，ifIcallto—morrow？"

Welldone，Mrs。Tenbruggen！Shedoesn’tventuretointrudeonMissGracedieuinthedrawing—room；sheonlywantstoverifyaquotationinthehall。Oh，goddessofHumility（ifthereissuchaperson），howbecominglyyouaredressedwhenyourmillinerisanartfuloldwoman！

Whilethisreflectionwaspassingthroughmymind，MissJillgallcamein——sawthenosegayonthetable——andinstantlypouncedonit。"Oh，forme！forme！"shecried。"InoticeditthismorningonElizabeth’stable。Howverykindofher！"Sheplungedherinquisitivenoseintothepoorflowers，andlookedupsentimentallyattheceiling。"Theperfumeofgoodness，"sheremarked，"mingledwiththeperfumeofflowers！""Whenyouhavequitedonewithit，"Isaid，"perhapsyouwillbesogoodastoreturnmynosegay？""_Your_nosegay！"sheexclaimed。"ThereisMrs。Tenbruggen’sletter，"Ireplied，"ifyouwouldliketolookatit。"Shedidlookatit。Allthebileinherbodyflewupintohereyes，andturnedthemgreen；shelookedasifshelongedtoscratchmyface。IgavetheflowersafterwardtoMaria；MissJillgall’snosehadcompletelyspoiledthem。

ItwouldhavebeentooridiculoustohaveallowedMrs。TenbruggentoconsultShakespeareinthehall。Ihadthehonorofreceivingherinmyownroom。Weaccomplishedatouchingreconciliation，andwequiteforgotShakespeare。

Shetroublesme；shedoesindeedtroubleme。

HavingsetherselfentirelyrightwithPhilip，sheisdeterminedonperformingthesamemiraclewithme。Herreformofherselfisalreadycomplete。Hervulgarhumorwaskeptunderstrictrestraint；shewasquietandwell—bred，andreadiertolistenthantotalk。Thischangewasnotpresentedabruptly。ShecontrivedtoexpressherfriendlyinterestsinPhilipandinmebyhintsdroppedhereandthere，assistedintheireffortbyanswersonmypart，intowhichIwastemptedsoskillfullythatI

onlydiscoveredthesnaresetforme，onreflection。Whatisit，Iaskagain，thatshehasinviewintakingallthistrouble？

Whereishermotiveforencouragingalove—affair，whichMissJillgallmusthavedenouncedtoherasanabominablewronginflictedonEunice？Money（eveniftherewasaprospectofsuchathing，inourcase）cannotbeherobject；itisquitetruethathersuccesssetsherabovepecuniaryanxiety。SpitefulfeelingagainstEuniceisoutofthequestion。Theyhaveonlymetonce；

andheropinionwasexpressedtomewithevidentsincerity："Yoursisterisanicegirl，butsheislikeothernicegirls——shedoesn’tinterestme。"ThereisEunice’scharacter，drawnfromthelifeinfewwords。InwhatanirritatingpositiondoIfindmyselfplaced！NeverbeforehaveIfeltsointerestedintryingtolookintoaperson’ssecretmind；andneverbeforehaveIbeensocompletelybaffled。

Ihadwrittenasfarasthis，andwasonthepointofclosingmyJournal，whenathirdnotearrivedfromMrs。Tenbruggen。

Shehadbeenthinkingaboutmeatintervals（shewrote）allthroughtherestoftheday；and，kindlyasIhadreceivedher，shewasconsciousofbeingtheobjectofdoubtsonmypartwhichhervisithadfailedtoremove。Mightsheaskleavetocallonme，inthehopeofimprovingherpositioninmyestimation？Anappointmentfollowedforthenextday。

Whatcanshehavetosaytomewhichshehasnotalreadysaid？IsitanythingaboutPhilip，Iwonder？

CHAPTERLIV。

HELENA’SDIARYRESUMED。

ATourinterviewofthenextday，Mrs。Tenbruggen’scapacityforself—reformappearedunderanewaspect。Shedroppedallfamiliaritywithme，andshestatedtheobjectofhervisitwithoutasuperfluouswordofexplanationorapology。

Ithoughtthisaremarkableeffortforawoman；andIrecognizedthemeritofitbyleavingthelion’sshareofthetalktomyvisitor。Inthesetermssheopenedherbusinesswithme：

"HasMr。PhilipDunboynetoldyouwhyhewenttoLondon？"

"Hemadeacommonplaceexcuse，"Ianswered。"Business，hesaid，tookhimtoLondon。Iknownomore。"

"Youhaveafairprospectofhappiness，MissHelena，whenyouaremarried——yourfuturehusbandisevidentlyafraidofyou。Iamnotafraidofyou；andIshallconfidetoyourprivateearsomethingwhichyouhaveaninterestinknowing。ThebusinesswhichtookyoungMr。DunboynetoLondonwastoconsultacompetentperson，onamatterconcerninghimself。Thecompetentpersonisthesagacious（nottosaysly）oldgentleman——whomweusedtocalltheGovernor