`Ibegyourpardon，sir，’stammeredshe，——suddenlycalmingdown，——thelightofreasonseemingtobreakuponherbecloudedspiritandafaintblushmantlingonhercheek——`Ididnotknowyou；——andIthought——’
Shestoopedtokissthechild，andfondlyclaspedherarmroundhisneck。
`YouthoughtIwasgoingtokidnapyourson，Isuppose？’
Shestrokedhisheadwithahalf-embarrassedlaugh，andreplied，——
`Ididnotknowhehadattemptedtoclimbthewall——IhavethepleasureofaddressingMrMarkham，Ibelieve？’sheadded，somewhatabruptly。
Ibowed，butventuredtoaskhowsheknewme。
`Yoursistercalledhere，afewdaysago，withMrsMarkham。’
`Istheresemblancesostrongthen？’Iasked，insomesurprise，andnotsogreatlyBatteredattheideaasIoughttohavebeen。
`Thereisalikenessabouttheeyesandcomplexion，Ithink，’
repliedshe，somewhatdubiouslysurveyingmyface；——`andIthinkIsawyouatchurchonSunday。’
Ismiled——Therewassomethingeitherinthatsmileortherecollectionsitawakenedthatwasparticularlydispleasingtoher，forshesuddenlyassumedagainthatproud，chillylookthathadsounspeakablyrousedmycorruptionatchurch——alookofrepellentscorn，soeasilyassumed，andsoentirelywithouttheleastdistortionofasinglefeaturethat，whilethere，itseemedlikethenaturalexpressionoftheface，andwasthemoreprovokingtome，becauseIcouldnotthinkitaffected。
`Goodmorning，MrMarkham，’saidshe；andwithoutanotherwordorglance，shewithdrewwithherchildintothegarden；andIreturnedhome，angryanddissatisfied——Icouldscarcelytellyouwhy——andthereforewillnotattemptit。
Ionlystayedtoputawaymygunandpowder-horn，andgivesomerequisitedirectionstooneofthefarming-men，andthenrepairedtothevicarage，tosolacemyspiritandsoothemyruffledtemperwiththecompanyandconversationofElizaMillward。
Ifoundher，asusual，busywithsomepieceofsoftembroiderythemaniaforBerlinwoolshadnotyetcommenced，whilehersisterwasseatedatthechimney-corner，withthecatonherknee，mendingaheapofstockings。
`Mary——Mary！putthemaway！’Elizawashastilysaying，justasIenteredtheroom。
`NotI，indeed！’wasthephlegmaticreply；andmyappearancepreventedfurtherdiscussion。
`You’resounfortunate，MrMarkham！’observedtheyoungersister，withoneofherarch，sidelongglances。`Papa’sjustgoneoutintotheparish，andnotlikelytobebackforanhour！’
`Nevermind；Icanmanagetospendafewminuteswithhisdaughters，ifthey’llallowme，’saidI，bringingachairtothefire，andseatingmyselftherein，withoutwaitingtobeasked。
`Well，ifyou’llbeverygoodandamusing，weshan’tobject。’
`Letyourpermissionbeunconditional，pray；forIcamenottogivepleasure，buttoseekit，’Ianswered。
However，Ithoughtitbutreasonabletomakesomeslightexertiontorendermycompanyagreeable；andwhatlittleeffortImadewasapparentlyprettysuccessful，forMissElizawasneverinabetterhumour。Weseemed，indeed，tobemutuallypleasedwitheachother，andmanagedtomaintainbetweenusacheerfulandanimated，thoughnotveryprofoundconversation。
Itwaslittlebetterthanatê；te-à；-tê；te，forMissMillwardneveropenedherlips，exceptoccasionallytocorrectsomerandomassertionorexaggeratedexpressionofhersister’s，andoncetoaskhertopickuptheballofcotton，thathadrolledunderthetable。Ididthismyself，however，asindutybound。
`Thankyou，MrMarkham，’saidshe，asIpresentedittoher。`I
wouldhavepickeditupmyself；onlyIdidnotwanttodisturbthecat。’
`Mary，dear，thatwon’texcuseyouinMrMarkham’seyes，’saidEliza；`hehatescats，Idaresay，ascordiallyashedoesoldmaids——likeallothergentlemen——Don’tyou，MrMarkham？’
`Ibelieveitisnaturalforourunamiablesextodislikethecreatures，’repliedI；`foryouladieslavishsomanycaressesuponthem’
`Blessthem——littledarlings！’criedshe，inasuddenburstofenthusiasm，turningroundandoverwhelminghersister’spetwithashowerofkisses。
`Don’t，Eliza！’saidMissMillward，somewhatgrufflyassheimpatientlypushedheraway。
Butitwastimeformetobegoing：makewhathasteIwould，I
shouldstillbetoolatefortea；andmymotherwasthesouloforderandpunctuality。
Myfairfriendwasevidentlyunwillingtobidmeadieu。Itenderlysqueezedherlittlehandatparting；andsherepaidmewithoneofhersoftestsmilesandmostbewitchingglances。Iwenthomeveryhappy，withaheartbrimfulofcomplacencyformyself，andoverflowingwithloveforEliza。
TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter3CHAPTER3AControversyTwodaysafter，MrsGrahamcalledatLinden-Car，contrarytotheexpectationofRose，whoentertainedanideathatthemysteriousoccupantofWildfellHallwouldwhollydisregardthecommonobservancesofcivilizedlife，——inwhichopinionshewassupportedbytheWilsons，whotestifiedthatneithertheircallnortheMillwards’hadbeenreturnedasyet。Now，however，thecauseofthatomissionwasexplained，thoughnotentirelytothesatisfactionofRose。MrsGrahamhadbroughtherchildwithher，andonmymother’sexpressingsurprisethathecouldwalksofar，shereplied，——
`Itisalongwalkforhim；butImusthaveeithertakenhimwithme，orrelinquishedthevisitaltogether：forIneverleavehimalone；
andIthink，MrsMarkham，ImustbegyoutomakemyexcusestotheMillwardsandMrsWilson，whenyouseethem，asIfearIcannotdomyselfthepleasureofcallinguponthemtillmylittleArthurisabletoaccompanyme。’
`Butyouhaveaservant，’saidRose；`couldyounotleavehimwithher？’
`Shehasherownoccupationstoattendto；andbesides，sheistoooldtorunafterachild，andheistoomercurialtobetiedtoanelderlywoman。
`Butyoulefthimtocometochurch。’
`Yes，once；butIwouldnothavelefthimforanyotherpurpose；
andIthink，infuture，Imustcontrivetobringhimwithme，orstayathome。’
`Ishesomischievous？’askedmymother，considerablyshocked。
`No，’repliedthelady，sadlysmiling，asshestrokedthewavylocksofherson，whowasseatedonalowstoolatherfeet，`butheismyonlytreasure；andIamhisonlyfriend，sowedon’tliketobeseparated。’
`Butmydear，Icallthatdoting，’saidmyplain-spokenparent。
`Youshouldtrytosuppresssuchfoolishfondness，aswelltosaveyoursonfromruinasyourselffromridicule。’
`Ruin，MrsMarkham？’
`Yes；itisspoilingthechild。Evenathisage，heoughtnottobealwaystiedtohismother’sapronstring；heshouldlearntobeashamedofit。’
`MrsMarkham，Ibegyouwillnotsaysuchthingsinhispresence，atleast。Itrustmysonwillneverbeashamedtolovehismother！’
saidMrsGraham，withaseriousenergythatstartledthecompany。
Mymotherattemptedtoappeaseherbyanexplanation；butsheseemedtothinkenoughhadbeensaidonthesubject，andabruptlyturnedtheconversation。
`JustasIthought，’saidItomyself：`thelady’stemperisnoneofthemildest，notwithstandinghersweet，palefaceandloftybrow，wherethoughtandsufferingseemequallytohavestampedtheirimpress。’
Allthistime，Iwasseatedatatableontheothersideoftheroom，apparentlyimmersedintheperusalofavolumeofthe`Farmer’sMagazine’，whichIhappenedtohavebeenreadingatthemomentofourvisitor’sarrival；
and，notchoosingtobeovercivil，Ihadmerelybowedassheentered，andcontinuedmyoccupationasbefore。
Inalittlewhile，however，Iwassensiblethatsomeonewasapproachingme，withalight，butslowandhesitatingtread。ItwaslittleArthur，irresistiblyattractedbymydogSancho，thatwaslyingatmyfeet。Onlookingup，Ibeheldhimstandingabouttwoyardsoff，withhisclearblueeyeswistfullygazingonthedog，transfixedtothespot，notbyfearoftheanimal，butbyatimiddisinclinationtoapproachitsmaster。Alittleencouragement，however，inducedhimtocomeforward。Thechild，thoughshy，wasnotsullen。Inaminutehewaskneelingonthecarpet，withhisarmsroundSancho’sneck，andinaminuteortwomore，thelittlefellowwasseatedonmyknee，surveyingwitheagerinterestthevariousspecimensofhorses，cattle，pigs，andmodelfarmsportrayedinthevolumebeforeme。Iglancedathismothernowandthen，toseehowsherelishedthenew-sprungintimacy；andIsaw，bytheunquietaspectofhereye，thatforsomereasonorother，shewasuneasyatthechild’sposition。
`Arthur，’saidshe，atlength，`comehere。YouaretroublesometoMrMarkham：hewishestoread。’
`Bynomeans，MrsGraham；praylethimstay。Iamasmuchamusedasheis，’pleadedI。Butstill，withhandandeye，shesilentlycalledhimtoherside。
`No，mamma，’saidthechild；`letmelookatthesepicturesfirst；
andthenI’llcome，andtellyouallaboutthem。’
`WearegoingtohaveasmallpartyonMonday，thefifthofNovember，’
saidmymother；`andIhopeyouwillnotrefusetomakeone，MrsGraham。
Youcanbringyourlittleboywithyou，youknow——Idaresayweshallbeabletoamusehim；——andthenyoucanmakeyourownapologiestotheMillwardsandWilsons，——theywillallbehereIexpect。’
`Thankyou，Inevergotoparties。’
`Oh！butthiswillbequiteafamilyconcern——earlyhours，andnobodyherebutourselves，andjusttheMillwardsandWilsons，mostofwhomyoualreadyknow，andMrLawrence，yourlandlord，whomyououghttomakeacquaintancewith。’
`Idoknowsomethingofhim——butyoumustexcusemethistime；
fortheevenings，now，aredarkanddamp，andArthur，Ifear，istoodelicatetoriskexposuretotheirinfluencewithimpunity。Wemustdefertheenjoymentofyourhospitality，tillthereturnoflongerdaysandwarmernights。’
Rose，now，atahintfrommymother，producedadecanterofwine，withaccompanimentsofglassesandcake，fromthecupboardundertheoaksideboard，andtherefreshmentwasdulypresentedtotheguests。Theybothpartookofthecake，butobstinatelyrefusedthewine，inspiteoftheirhostess’shospitableattemptstoforceituponthem。Arthur，especially，shrankfromtherubynectarasifinterroranddisgust，andwasreadytocrywhenurgedtotakeit。
`Nevermind，Arthur，’saidhismamma，`MrsMarkhamthinksitwilldoyougood，asyouweretiredwithyourwalk；butshewillnotobligeyoutotakeit；——Idaresayyouwilldoverywellwithout。Hedeteststheverysightofwine，’sheadded，`andthesmellofitalmostmakeshimsick。
Ihavebeenaccustomedtomakehimshallowalittlewineorweakspirits-and-water，bywayofmedicinewhenhewassick，and，infact，Ihavedonewhatcouldtomakehimhatethem。’
Everybodylaughed，excepttheyoungwidowandherson。
`Well，MrsGraham，’saidmymother，wipingthetearsofmerrimentfromherbright，blueeyes——`well，yousurpriseme！Ireallygaveyoucreditforhavingmoresense——Thepoorchildwillbetheveriestmilksopthateverwassopped！Onlythinkwhatamanyouwillmakeofhim，ifyoupersistin——’
`Ithinkitaveryexcellentplan，’interruptedMrsGraham，withimperturbablegravity。`BythatmeansIhopetosavehimfromonedegradingviceatleast。IwishIcouldrendertheincentivestoeveryotherequallyinnoxiousinhiscase。’
`Butbysuchmeans，’saidI，`youwillneverrenderhimvirtuous——Whatisitthatconstitutesvirtue，MrsGraham？Isitthecircumstanceofbeingableandwillingtoresisttemptation；orthatofhavingnotemptationstoresist？——Isheastrongmanthatovercomesgreatobstaclesandperformssurprisingachievements，thoughbydintofgreatmuscularexertion，andattheriskofsomesubsequentfatigue，orhethatsitsinhischairallday，withnothingtodomorelaboriousthanstirringthefire，andcarryinghisfoodtohismouth？Ifyouwouldhaveyoursontowalkhonourablythroughtheworld，youmustnotattempttoclearthestonesfromhispath，butteachhimtowalkfirmlyoverthem——notinsistuponleadinghimbythehand，butlethimlearntogoalone。’
`Iwillleadhimbythehand，MrMarkham，tillhehasstrengthtogoalone；andIwillclearasmanystonesfromhispathasIcan，andteachhimtoavoidtherest——orwalkfirmlyoverthemasyousay；——forwhenIhavedonemyutmost，inthewayofclearance，therewillstillbeplentylefttoexercisealltheagility，steadiness，andcircumspectionhewilleverhave——Itisallverywelltotalkaboutnobleresistance，andtrialsofvirtue；butforfifty——orfivehundredmenthathaveyieldedtotemptation，showmeonethathashadvirtuetoresist。AndwhyshouldItakeitforgrantedthatmysonwillbeoneinathousand？——andnotratherpreparefortheworst，andsupposehewillbelikehis——liketherestofmankind，unlessItakecaretopreventit？’
`Youareverycomplimentarytousall，’Iobserved。