`WhathaveIdonetooffendyou？’saidshe，moreplaintively。
`IwishIknew。’
`Come，takeyourtea，Eliza，anddon’tbefoolish，’respondedI，handingherthesugarandcream。
Justthen，therearoseaslightcommotionontheothersideofme，occasionedbyMissWilson’scomingtonegotiateanexchangeofseatswithRose。
`Willyoubesogoodastoexchangeplaceswithme，MissMarkham？’
saidshe，`forIdon’tliketositbyMrsGraham。Ifyourmammathinkspropertoinvitesuchpersonstoherhouse，shecannotobjecttoherdaughter’skeepingcompanywiththem。’
ThislatterclausewasaddedinasortofsoliloquywhenRosewasgone；butIwasnotpoliteenoughtoletitpass：
`Willyoubesogoodastotellmewhatyoumean，MissWilson？’
saidI。
Thequestionstartledheralittle，butnotmuch。
`WhyMrMarkham，’repliedshe，coolly，havingquicklyrecoveredherself-possession，`itsurprisesmeratherthatMrsMarkhamshouldinvitesuchapersonasMrsGrahamtoherhouse；butperhapssheisnotawarethatthelady’scharacterisconsideredscarcelyrespectable。’
`Sheisnot，noramI；andtherefore，youwouldobligemebyexplainingyourmeaningalittlefurther。’
`Thisisscarcelythetimeortheplaceforsuchexplanations；
butIthinkyoucanhardlybesoignorantasyoupretend：youmustknowheraswellasIdo。’
`IthinkIdo，perhapsalittlebetter；andtherefore，ifyouwillinformmewhatyouhaveheard，orimaginedagainsther，Ishall，perhaps，beabletosetyouright。’
`Canyoutellme，then，whowasherhusband；orifsheeverhadany？’
Indignationkeptmesilent。AtsuchatimeandplaceIcouldnottrustmyselftoanswer。
`Haveyouneverobserved，’saidEliza，`whatastrikinglikenessthereisbetweenthatchildofhersand——`
`Andwhom？’demandedMissWilson，withanairofcold，butkeenseverity。
Elizawasstartled：thetimidlyspokensuggestionhadbeenintendedformyearalone。
`Oh，Ibegyourpardon！’pleadedshe，`Imaybemistaken——perhapsIwasmistaken。’Butsheaccompaniedthewordswithaslyglanceofderisiondirectedtomefromthecornerofherdisingenuouseye。
`There’snoneedtoaskmypardon，’repliedherfriend；
`butIseenooneherethatatallresemblesthatchild，excepthismother；
andwhenyouhearill-naturedreports，MissEliza，Iwillthankyou——thatis，Ithinkyouwilldowelltorefrainfromrepeatingthem。IpresumethepersonyoualludetoisMrLawrence；butIthinkIcanassureyouthatyoursuspicions，inthatrespect，areutterlymisplaced；andifhehasanyparticularconnectionwiththeladyatallwhichnoonehasarighttoassert，atleasthehaswhatcannotbesaidofsomeotherssufficientsenseofproprietytowithholdhimfromacknowledginganythingmorethanabowingacquaintanceinthepresenceofrespectablepersons——hewasevidentlybothsurprisedandannoyedtofindherhere。’
`Goit！’criedFergus，whosatontheothersideofEliza，andwastheonlyindividualwhosharedthatsideofthetablewithus；`goitlikebricks！mindyoudon’tleaveheronestoneuponanother。’
MissWilsondrewherselfupwithalookoffreezingscorn，butsaidnothing。Elizawouldhavereplied，butIinterruptedherbysaying，ascalmlyasIcould，thoughinatonewhichbetrayed，nodoubt，somelittleofwhatIfeltwithin，——
`Wehavehadenoughofthissubject：ifwecanonlyspeaktoslanderourbetters，letusholdourtongues。’
`Ithinkyou’dbetter，’observedFergus；`andsodoesourgoodparson：hehasbeenaddressingthecompanyinhisrichestveinallthewhile，andeyeingyou，fromtimetotime，withlooksofsterndistaste，whileyousatthere，irreverentlywhisperingandmutteringtogether；andoncehepausedinthemiddleofastory——orasermon，Idon’tknowwhich，andfixedhiseyesuponyou，Gilbert，asmuchastosay——“WhenMrMarkhamhasdoneflirtingwiththosetwoladiesIwillproceed！”’
Whatmorewassaidatthetea-tableIcannottell；norhowIfoundpatiencetosittillthemealwasover。Iremember，however，thatIswallowedwithdifficultytheremainderoftheteathatwasinmycup，andatenothing；
andthatthefirstthingIdidwastostareatArthurGraham，whosatbesidehismotherontheoppositesideofthetable，andthesecondtostareatMrLawrence，whosatbelow；and，first，itstruckmethattherewasalikeness；but，onfurthercontemplation，Iconcludeditwasonlyinimagination。
Both，itistrue，hadmoredelicatefeaturesandsmallerbonesthancommonlyfalltothelotofindividualsoftheroughersex，andLawrence’scomplexionwaspaleandclear，andArthur’sdelicatelyfair；butArthur’stiny，somewhatsnubbynosecouldneverbecomesolongandstraightasMrLawrence’s，andtheoutlineofhisface，thoughnotfullenoughtoberound，andtoofinelyconvergingtothesmall，dimpledchintobesquare，couldneverbedrawnouttothelongovaloftheother’s；whilethechild’shairwasevidentlyofalighter，warmertintthantheeldergentleman’shadeverbeen，andhislarge，clear，blueeyes，thoughprematurelyseriousattimes，wereutterlydissimilartotheshy，hazeleyesofMrLawrence，whencethesensitivesoullookedsodistrustfullyforth，aseverreadytoretirewithin，fromtheoffencesofatoorude，toouncongenialworld。WretchthatIwastoharbourthatdetestableideaforamoment！DidInotknowMrsGraham？HadInotseenher，conversedwithhertimeaftertime？WasInotcertainthatshe，inintellect，inpurityandelevationofsoul，wasimmeasurablysuperiortoanyofherdetractors；thatshewas，infact，thenoblest，themostadorable，ofhersexIhadeverbeheld，orevenimaginedtoexist？Yes，andIwouldsaywithMaryMillwardsensiblegirlasshewasthatifalltheparish，ay，oralltheworldshoulddinthesehorribleliesinmyears，Iwouldnotbelievethem；forIknewherbetterthanthey。
Meantime，mybrainwasonfirewithindignation，andmyheartseemedreadytoburstfromitsprisonwithconflictingpassions。IregardedmytwofairneighbourswithafeelingofabhorrenceandloathingIscarcelyendeavouredtoconceal：Iwasralliedfromseveralquartersformyabstractionandungallantneglectoftheladies；butIcaredlittleforthat：allI
caredabout，besidesthatonegrandsubjectofmythoughts，wastoseethecupstraveluptothetea-tray，andnotcomedownagain。IthoughtMrMillwardneverwouldceasetellingusthathewasnotea-drinker，andthatitwashighlyinjurioustokeeploadingthestomachwithslopstotheexclusionofmorewholesomesustenance，andsogivehimselftimetofinishhisfourthcup。
Atlengthitwasover；andIroseandleftthetableandtheguests，withoutawordofapology——Icouldenduretheircompanynolonger。Irushedouttocoolmybraininthebalmyeveningair，andtocomposemymind，orindulgemypassionatethoughtsinthesolitudeofthegarden。
Toavoidbeingseenfromthewindows，Iwentdownaquietlittleavenue，thatskirtedonesideoftheenclosure，atthebottomofwhichwasaseatemboweredinrosesandhoneysuckles。HereIsatdowntothinkoverthevirtuesandwrongsoftheladyofWildfellHall；butIhadnotbeensooccupiedtwominutes，beforevoicesandlaughter，andglimpsesofmovingobjectsthroughthetrees，informedmethatthewholecompanyhadturnedouttotakeanaIringinthegardentoo，However，Inestledupinacornerofthebower，andhopedtoretainpossessionofit，securealikefromobservationandintrusion。Butno——confoundit——therewassomeonecomingdowntheavenue！Whycouldn’ttheyenjoytheflowers。andsunshineoftheopengarden，andleavethatsunlessnooktome，andthegnatsandmidges？
Butpeepingthroughmyfragrantscreenofinterwovenbranchestodiscoverwhotheintruderswereforamurmurofvoicestoldmeitwasmorethanone，myvexationinstantlysubsided，andfarotherfeelingsagitatedmystillunquietsoul；fortherewasMrsGraham，slowlymovingdownthewalkwithArthurbyherride，andnooneelse。Whyweretheyalone？
Hadthepoisonofdetractingtonguesalreadyspreadthroughall？andhadtheyallturnedtheirbacksuponher？InowrecollectedhavingseenMrsWilson，intheearlypartoftheevening，edgingherchaircloseuptomymother，andbendingforward，evidentlyinthedeliveryofsomeimportant，confidentialintelligence；andfromtheincessantwaggingofherhead，thefrequentdistortionsofherwrinkledphysiognomy，andthewinkingandmalicioustwinkleofherlittleuglyeyes，Ijudgeditwassomespicypieceofscandalthatengagedherpowers；andfromthecautiousprivacyofthecommunication，Isupposedsomepersonthenpresentwasthelucklessobjectofhercalumnies；andfromallthesetokens，togetherwithmymother’slooksandgesturesofmingledhorrorandincredulity，InowconcludedthatobjecttohavebeenMrsGraham。Ididnotemergefrommyplaceofconcealment，tillshehadnearlyreaChedthebottomofthewalk，lestmyappearanceshoulddriveheraway；andwhenIdidstepforward，shestoodstillandseemedinclinedtoturnbackasitwas。
Oh，don’tletusdisturbyou，MrMarkham！’saidshe。`Wecameheretoseekretirementourselves；nottointrudeonyourseclusion。’
`Iamnohermit，MrsGraham——thoughIownitlooksratherlikeit，toabsentmyselfinthisuncourteousfashionfrommyguests。’
`Ifearedyouwereunwell，’saidshe，withalookofrealconcern。
`Iwasrather，butit’sovernow。Dositherealittle，andrest，andtellmehowyoulikethisarbour，’saidI，andliftingArthurbytheshoulders，Iplantedhiminthemiddleoftheseatbywayofsecuringhismamma，who，acknowledgingittobeatemptingplaceofrefuge，threwherselfbackinonecorner，whileItookpossessionoftheother。
Butthatwordrefugedisturbedme。Hadtheirunkindnessthenreallydrivenhertoseekforpeaceinsolitude？
`Whyhavetheyleftyoualone？’Iasked。
`ItisIwhohaveleftthem，’wasthesmilingrejoinder。`Iwasweariedtodeathwithsmalltalk——nothingwearsmeoutlikethat。Icannotimaginehowtheycangoonastheydo。’
Icouldnothelpsmilingattheseriousdepthofherwonderment。
`Isitthattheythinkitadutytobecontinuallytalking，’pursuedshe；`andsoneverpausetothink，butfillupwithaimlesstriflesandvainrepetitions，whensubjectsofrealinterestfailtopresentthemselves？——ordotheyreallytakeapleasureinsuchdiscourse？’
Verylikelytheydo，’saidI：`theirshallowmindscanholdnogreatideas，andtheirlightheadsarecarriedawaybytrivialitiesthatwouldnotmoveabetterfurnishedskill；——andtheironlyalternativetosuchdisCourseistoplungeoverheadandearsintothesloughofscandal——whichistheirchiefdelight。’
`Notallofthemsurely？’criedthelady，astonishedatthebitternessofmyremark。
`No，certainly；Iexoneratemysisterfromsuchdegradedtastes——andmymothertoo，ifyouincludedherinyouranimadversions。’
`Imeantnoanimadversionsagainstanyone，andcertainlyin-tendednodisrespectfulallusionstoyourmother。Ihaveknownsomesensiblepersonsgreatadeptsinthatstyleofconversation，whencircumstancesimpelledthemtoit；butitisagiftIcannotboastthepossessionof。Ikeptupmyattention，onthisoccasion，aslongasIcould，butwhenmypowerswereexhausted，Istoleaway，toseekafewminutes’reposeinthisquietwalk。1hatetalkingwherethereisnoexchangeofideasorsentiments，andnogoodgivenorreceived。’
`Well，’saidI，`ifeverItroubleyouwithmyloquacity，tellmesoatonce，andIpromisenottobeoffended；forIpossessthefacultyofenjoyingthecompanyofthoseI——ofmyfriendsaswellinsilenceasinconversation。’
`Idon’tquitebelieveyou；butifitwereso，youwouldexactlysuitmeforacompanion。’
`Iamallyouwish，then，inotherrespects？’
`No，Idon’tmeanthat。Howbeautifulthoselittleclustersoffoliagelook，wherethesuncomesthroughbehindthem！’saidshe，onpurposetochangethesubject。