the man between-第27章

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id；　and　the　wonderful　day　was　over。　It　had　been　a　wonderful　day　for　all；　but　perhaps　no　one　was　sorry　for　a　pause　in　lifea　pause　in　which　they　might　rest　and　try　to　realize　what　it　had　brought　and　what　it　had　taken　away。　The　Squire　went　at　once　to　his　room；　and　Ethel　looked　at　Ruth　inquiringly。　She　seemed　exhausted；　and　was　out　of　sympathy　with　all　her　surroundings。

〃What　enormous　vitality　these　Yorkshire　women　must　have！〃　she　said　almost　crossly。　〃Mrs。　Rawdon　has　been　talking　incessantly　for　six　hours。　She　has　felt　all　she　said。　She　has　frequently　risen　and　walked　about。　She　has　used　all　sorts　of　actions　to　emphasize　her　words；　and　she　is　as　fresh　as　if　she　had　just　taken　her　morning　bath。　How　do　the　men　stand　them？〃

〃Because　they　are　just　as　vital。　John　Thomas　will　overlook　and　scold　and　order　his　thousand　hands　all　day；　talk　even　his　mother　down　while　he　eats　his　dinner；　and　then　lecture　or　lead　his　Musical　Union；　or　conduct　a　poor　man's　concert；　or　go　to　‘the　Weaver's　Union；'　and　what　he　calls　‘threep　them'　for　two　or　three　hours　that　labor　is　ruining　capital；　and　killing　the　goose　that　lays　golden　eggs　for　them。　Oh；　they　are　a　wonderful　race；　Ruth！〃

〃I　really　can't　discuss　them　now；　Ethel。〃

〃Don't　you　want　to　know　what　Tyrrel　said　to　me　this　afternoon？〃

〃My　dear；　I　know。　Lovers　have　said　such　things　before；　and　lovers　will　say　them　evermore。　You　shall　tell　me　in　the　morning。　I　thought　he　looked　distrait　and　bored　with　our　company。〃

Indeed；　Tyrrel　was　so　remarkably　quiet　that　John　Thomas　also　noticed　his　mood；　and　as　they　sat　smoking　in　Tyrrel's　room；　he　resolved　to　find　out　the　reason；　and　with　his　usual　directness　asked：

〃What　do　you　think　of　Ethel　Rawdon；　Tyrrel；〃

〃I　think　she　is　the　most　beautiful　woman　I　ever　saw。　She　has　also　the　most　sincere　nature；　and　her　high　spirit　is　sweetly　tempered　by　her　affectionate　heart。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　know　so　much　about　her。　Look　here；　Cousin　Tyrrel；　I　fancied　to…night　you　were　a　bit　jealous　of　me。　It　is　easy　to　see　you　are　in　love；　and　I've　no　doubt　you　were　thinking　of　the　days　when　you　would　be　thousands　of　miles　away；　and　I　should　have　the　ground　clear　and　so　on；　eh？〃

〃Suppose　I　was；　cousin；　what　then？〃

〃You　would　be　worrying　for　nothing。　I　don't　want　to　marry　Ethel　Rawdon。　If　I　did；　you　would　have　to　be　on　the　ground　all　the　time；　and　then　I　should　best　you；　but　I　picked　out　my　wife　two　years　ago；　and　if　we　are　both　alive　and　well；　we　are　going　to　be　married　next　Christmas。〃

〃I　am　delighted。　I〃

〃I　thought　you　would　be。〃

〃Who　is　the　young　lady？〃

〃Miss　Lucy　Watson。　Her　father　is　the　Independent　minister。　He　is　a　gentleman；　though　his　salary　is　less　than　we　give　our　overseer。　And　he　is　a　great　scholar。　So　is　Lucy。　She　finished　her　course　at　college　this　summer；　and　with　high　honors。　Bless　you；　Tyrrel；　she　knows　far　more　than　I　do　about　everything　but　warps　and　looms　and　such　like。　I　admire　a　clever　woman；　and　I'm　proud　of　Lucy。〃

〃Where　is　she　now？〃

〃Well；　she　was　a　bit　done　up　with　so　much　study；　and　so　she　went　to　Scarborough　for　a　few　weeks。　She　has　an　aunt　there。　The　sea　breezes　and　salt　water　soon　made　her　fit　for　anything。　She　may　be　home　very　soon　now。　Then；　Tyrrel；　you'll　see　a　beautyface　like　a　rose；　hair　brown　as　a　nut；　eyes　that　make　your　heart　go　galloping；　the　most　enticing　mouth；　the　prettiest　figure；　and　she　loves　me　with　all　her　heart。　When　she　says　‘John　Thomas；　dear　one；'　I　tremble　with　pleasure；　and　when　she　lets　me　kiss　her　sweet　mouth；　I　really　don't　know　where　I　am。　What　would　you　say　if　a　girl　whispered；　‘I　love　you；　and　nobody　but　you；'　and　gave　you　a　kiss　that　was　likelike　wine　and　roses？　Now　what　would　you　say？〃

〃I　know　as　little　as　you　do　what　I　would　say。　It's　a　situation　to　make　a　man　coin　new　words。　I　suppose　your　family　are　pleased。〃

〃Well；　I　never　thought　about　my　family　till　I　had　Lucy's　word。　Then　I　told　mother。　She　knew　Lucy　all　through。　Mother　has　a　great　respect　for　Independents；　and　though　father　sulked　a　bit　at　first；　mother　had　it　out　with　him　one　night；　and　when　mother　has　father　quiet　in　their　room　father　comes　to　see　things　just　as　she　wants　him。　I　suppose　that's　the　way　with　wives。　Lucy　will　be　just　like　that。　She's　got　a　sharp　little　temper；　too。　She'll　let　me　have　a　bit　of　it；　no　doubt；　now　and　then。〃

〃Will　you　like　that？〃

〃I　wouldn't　care　a　farthing　for　a　wife　without　a　bit　of　temper。　There　would　be　no　fun　in　living　with　a　woman　of　that　kind。　My　father　would　droop　and　pine　if　mother　didn't　spur　him　on　now　and　then。　And　he　likes　it。　Don't　I　know？　I've　seen　mother　snappy　and　awkward　with　him　all　breakfast　time；　tossing　her　head；　and　rattling　the　china；　and　declaring　she　was　worn　out　with　men　that　let　all　the　good　bargains　pass　them；　perhaps　making　fun　of　us　because　we　couldn't　manage　to　get　along　without　strikes。　She　had　no　strikes　with　her　hands；　she'd　like　to　see　her　women　stand　up　and　talk　to　her　about　shorter　hours；　and　so　on；　and　father　would　look　at　me　sly…like；　and　as　we　walked　to　the　mill　together　he'd　laugh　contentedly　and　say；　‘Your　mother　was　quite　refreshing　this　morning；　John　Thomas。　She　has　keyed　me　up　to　a　right　pitch。　When　Jonathan　Arkroyd　comes　about　that　wool　he　sold　us　I'll　be　all　ready　for　him。'　So　you　see　I'm　not　against　a　sharp　temper。　I　like　women　as　Tennyson　says　English　girls　are；　‘roses　set　round　with　little　wilful　thorns；'　eh？〃

Unusual　as　this　conversation　was；　its　general　tone　was　assumed　by　Ethel　in　her　confidential　talk　with　Ruth　the　following　day。　Of　course；　Ruth　was　not　at　all　surprised　at　the　news　Ethel　brought　her；　for　though　the　lovers　had　been　individually　sure　they　had　betrayed　their　secret　to　no　one；　it　had　really　been　an　open　one　to　Ruth　since　the　hour　of　their　meeting。　She　was　sincerely　ardent　in　her　praises　of　Tyrrel　Rawdon；　butand　there　is　always　a　butshe　wondered　if　Ethel　had　〃noticed　what

a　quick　temper　he　had。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　answered　Ethel；　〃I　should　not　like　him　not　to　have　a　quick　temper。　I　expect　my　husband　to　stand　up　at　a　moment's　notice　for　either　mine　or　his　own　rights　or　opinions。〃

And　in　the　afternoon　when　all　preliminaries　had　been　settled　and　approved；　Judge　Rawdon　expressed　himself　in　the　same　manner　to　Ruth。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　in　reply　to　her　timid　suggestion　of　temper；　〃you　can　strike　fire　anywhere　with　him　if　you　try　it；　but　he　has　it　under　control。　Besides；　Ethel　is　just　as　quick　to　flame　up。　It　will　be　Rawdon　against　Rawdon；　and　Ethel's　weapons　are　of　finer；　keener　steel　than　Tyrrel's。　Ethel　will　hold　her　own。　It　is　best　so。〃

〃How　did　the　Squire　feel　about　such　a　marriage？〃

〃He　was　quite　overcome　with　delight。　Nothing　was　said　to　Tyrrel　about　Ethel　having　bought　the　reversion　of　Rawdon　Manor；　for　things　have　been　harder　to　get　into　proper　shape　than　I　thought　they　would　be；　and　it　may　be　another　month　before　all　is　finally　settled；　but　the　Squire　has　the　secret　satisfaction；　and　he　was　much　affected　by　the　certainty　of　a　Rawdon　at　Rawdon　Court　after　him。　He　declined　to　think　of　it　in　any　other　way　but　‘providential；'　and　of　course　I　let　him　take　all　the　satisfaction　he　could　out　of　the　idea。　Ever　since　he　heard　of　the　engagement　he　has　been　at　the　organ　singing　the　One　Hundred　and　Third　Psalm。〃

〃He　is　the　dearest　and　noblest　of　men。　How　soon　shall　we　go　home　now？〃

〃In　about　a　month。　Are　you　tired　of　England？〃

〃I　shall　be　glad　to　see　America　again。　There　was　a　letter　from　Dora　this　morning。　They　sail　on　the　twenty…third。〃

〃Do　you　know　anything　of　Mostyn？〃

〃Since　he　wrote　us　a　polite　farewell　we　have　heard　nothing。〃

〃Do　you　think　he　went　to　America？〃

〃I　cannot　tell。　When　he　bid　us　good…by　he　made　no　statement　as　to　his　destination；　he　merely　said　‘he　was　leaving　England　on　business。'〃

〃Well；　Ruth；　we　shall　sail　as　soon　as　I　am　satisfied　all　is　right。　There　is　a　little　delay　about　some　leases　and　other　matters。　In　the　meantime　the　lovers　are　in　Paradise　wherever　we　locate　them。〃

And　in　Paradise　they　dwelt　for　another　four　weeks。　The　ancient　garden　had　doubtless　many　a　dream　of　love　to　keep；　but　none　sweeter　or　truer　than　the　idyl　of　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　Rawdon。　They　were　never　weary　of　rehearsing　it；　every　incident　of　its　growth　had　been　charming　and　romantic；　and；　as　they　believed；　appointed　fr