Shesmiled，andoncemorebidmego，——and，atlength，Ijudgeditprudenttoobey；andshere-enteredthehouse，andIwentdownthehill。
　　ButasIwent，thetrampofhorses’hoofsfellonmyear，andbrokethestillnessofthedewyevening；and，lookingtowardsthelane，Isawasolitaryequestriancomingup。Incliningtoduskasitwas，Iknewhimataglance：
　　itwasMrLawrenceonhisgreypony。Iflewacrossthefield——leapedthestonefence——andthenwalkeddownthelanetomeethim。Onseeingme，hesuddenlydrewinhislittlesteed，andseemedinclinedtoturnback，butonsecondthought，apparentlyjudgeditbettertocontinuehiscourseasbefore。Heaccostedmewithaslightbow，and，edgingclosetothewall，endeavouredtopasson——butIwasnotsominded：seizinghishorsebythebridle，Iexclaimed：——
　　`Now，Lawrence，Iwillhavethismysteryexplained！Tellmewhereyouaregoing，andwhatyoumeantodo——atonce，anddistinctly！’
　　`Willyoutakeyourhandoffthebridle？’saidhe，quietly——`you’rehurtingmypony’smouth。’
　　`Youandyourponybe——’
　　`Whatmakesyousocoarseandbrutal，Markham？I’mquiteashamedofyou。’
　　`Youanswermyquestions——beforeyouleavethisspot！Iwillknowwhatyoumeanbythisperfidiousduplicity？’
　　`Ishallanswernoquestionstillyouletgothebridle，——ifyoustandtillmorning。’
　　`Nowthen，’saidI，unclosingmyhand，butstillstandingbeforehim。
　　`Askmesomeothertime，whenyoucanspeaklikeagentleman，’
　　returnedhe，andhemadeanefforttopassmeagain；butIquicklyrecapturedthepony，scarcelessastonishedthanitsmasteratsuchuncivilusage。
　　`Really，MrMarkham，thisistoomuch！’saidthelatter。`CanInotgotoseemytenantonmattersofbusiness，withoutbeingassaultedinthismannerby——’
　　`Thisisnotimeforbusiness，sir！——I’lltellyou，now，whatIthinkofyourConduct。’
　　`You’dbetterdeferyouropiniontoamoreconvenientseason，’
　　interruptedhe，inalowtone——`here’sthevicar。’
　　Andintruth，thevicarwasjustbehindme，ploddinghomewardfromsomeremotecornerofhisparish。Iimmediatelyreleasedthesquire；
　　andhewentonhisway，salutingMrMillwardashepassed。
　　`What，quarrelling，Markham？’criedthelatter，addressinghimselftome，——`andaboutthatyoungwidowIdoubt，’headded，reproachfullyshakinghishead。`Butletmetellyou，youngmanhereheputhisfaceintominewithanimportant，confidentialair，`the’snotworthit！’andheconfirmedtheassertionbyasolemnnod。
　　`MrMILLWARD！’Iexclaimed，inatoneofwrathfulmenacethatmadethereverendgentlemanlookround——aghast——astoundedatsuchunwontedinsolence，andstaremeintheface，withalookthatplainlysaid：`What，thistome！’ButIwastooindignanttoapologize，ortospeakanotherwordtohim：Iturnedaway，andhastenedhomewards，descendingwithrapidstridesthesteep，roughlane，andleavinghimtofollowashepleased。
　　TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter11CHAPTER11TheVicarAgainYoumustsupposeaboutthreeweekspassedover。MrsGrahamandIwerenowestablishedfriends——orbrotherandsister，asweratherchosetoconsiderourselves。ShecalledmeGilbert，bymyexpressdesire，andIcalledherHelen，forIhadseenthatnamewritteninherbooks。Iseldomattemptedtoseeherabovetwiceaweek；andstillImadeourmeetingsappeartheresultofaccidentasoftenasIcould——forIfounditnecessarytobeextremelycareful——and，altogether，Ibehavedwithsuchexceedingproprietythatsheneverhadoccasiontoreprovemeonce。YetIcouldnotbutperceivethatshewasattimesunhappyanddissatisfiedwithherself——orherposition，andtrulyImyselfwasnotquitecontentedwiththelatter：thisassumptionofbrotherlynonchalancewasveryhardtosustain，andIoftenfeltmyselfamostconfoundedhypocritewithitall；Isawtoo，orratherIfelt，that，inspiteofherself，`Iwasnotindifferenttoher。”asthenovelheroesmodestlyexpressit，andwhileIthankfullyenjoyedmypresentgoodfortune，Icouldnotfailtowishandhopeforsomethingbetterinfuture；butofcourse，Ikeptsuchdreamsentirelytomyself。
　　`Whereareyougoing，Gilbert？’saidRose，oneevening，shortlyaftertea，whenIhadbeenbusywiththefarmallday，`Totakeawalk，’wasthereply。
　　`Doyoualwaysbrushyourhatsocarefully，anddoyourhairsonicely，andputonsuchsmartnewgloveswhenyoutakeawalk？’
　　`Notalways。’
　　`You’regoingtoWildfellHall，aren’tyou？’
　　`Whatmakesyouthinkso？’
　　`Becauseyoulookasifyouwere——butIwishyouwouldn’tgosooften。’
　　`Nonsense，child！Idon’tgoonceinsixweeks——whatdoyoumean？’
　　`Well，butifIwereyou，Iwouldn’thavesomuchtodowithMrsGraham。’
　　`WhyRose，areyou，too，givingintotheprevailingopinion？’
　　`No，’returnedshe，hesitatingly——`butI’veheardsomuchaboutherlately，bothattheWilsons’andthevicarage；——andbesides，mammasays，ifshewereaproperperson，shewouldnotbelivingtherebyherself——anddon’tyourememberlastwinter，Gilbert，allthataboutthefalsenametothepicture；andhowsheexplainedit——sayingshehadfriendsoracquaintancesfromwhomshewishedherpresentresidencetobeconcealed，andthatshewasafraidoftheirtracingherout；——andthen，howsuddenlyshestartedupandlefttheroomwhenthatpersoncame——whomshetookgoodcarenottoletuscatchaglimpseof，andwhoArthur，withsuchanairofmystery，tolduswashismamma’sfriend？’
　　`Yes，Rose，Irememberitall；andIcanforgiveyouruncharitableconclusions；forperhaps，ifIdidnotknowhermyself，Ishouldputallthesethingstogether，andbelievethesameasyoudo；butthankGod，I
　　doknowher；andIshouldbeunworthythenameofaman，ifIcouldbelieveanythingthatwassaidagainsther，unlessIhearditfromherownlips——I
　　shouldassoonbelievesuchthingsofyou，Rose。’
　　`Oh，Gilbert！’
　　`Well，doyouthinkIcouldbelieveanythingofthekind，——whatevertheWilsonsandMillwardsdaredtowhisper？’
　　`Ishouldhopenotindeed！’
　　`Andwhynot？——BecauseIknowyou——well，andIknowherjustaswell。’
　　`Oh，no！youknownothingofherformerlife；andlastyearatthistime，youdidnotknowthatsuchapersonexisted。’
　　`Nomatter。Thereis’suchathingaslookingthroughaperson’seyesintotheheart，andlearningmoreoftheheight，andbreadth，anddepthofanother’ssoulinonehour，thanitmighttakeyoualifetimetodiscover，ifheorshewerenotdisposedtorevealit，——orifyouhadnotthesensetounderstandit。’
　　`Thenyouaregoingtoseeherthisevening？’
　　TobesureIam！’
　　`Butwhatwouldmammasay，Gilbert？’
　　`Mammaneedn’tknow。’
　　`Butshemustknowsometime，ifyougoon’
　　`Goon！——there’snogoingoninthematter——MrsGrahamandIaretwofriends——andwillbe；andnomanbreathingshallhinderit，——orhasarighttointerferebetweenus。’
　　`Butifyouknewhowtheytalk，youwouldbemorecareful——forhersakeaswellasforyourown。JaneWilsonthinksyourvisitstotheoldhallbutanotherproofofherdepravity——’
　　`ConfoundJaneWilson！’
　　`AndElizaMillwardisquitegrievedaboutyou。’
　　`Ihopesheis。’
　　`ButIwouldn’tifIwereyou。’
　　`Wouldn’twhat？——HowdotheyknowthatIgothere？’
　　`There’snothinghidfromthem：theyspyouteverything。’
　　`Oh，Ineverthoughtofthis！——Andsotheydaretoturnmyfriendshipintofoodforfurtherscandalagainsther！——Thatprovesthefalsehoodoftheirotherlies，atallevents，ifanyproofwerewanting——Mindyoucontradictthem，Rose，wheneveryoucan。’
　　`Buttheydon’tspeakopenlytomeaboutsuchthings：itisonlybyhintsandinnuendoes，andbywhatIhearotherssay，thatIknowwhattheythink。’
　　`Wellthen，Iwon’tgotoday，asit’sgettinglatish。Butoh，deucetaketheircursedenvenomedtongues！’Imuttered，inthebitternessofmysoul。
　　Andjustatthatmoment，thevicarenteredtheroom：wehadbeentoomuchabsorbedinourconversationtoobservehisknock。AlterhiscustomarycheerfulandfatherlygreetingofRose，whowasratherafavouritewiththeoldgentleman，heturnedsomewhatsternlytome：——
　　`Well，sir！’saidhe，`you’requiteastranger。Itis-let-me-see，’
　　hecontinued，slowly，ashedepositedhisponderousbulkinthearmchairthatRoseofficiouslybroughttowardshim，`itisjustsix——weeks——bymyreckoning，sinceyoudarkened——my——door！’Hespokeitwithemphasis，andstruckhisstickonthefloor。
　　`Isit，sir？’saidI。
　　`Ay！Itisso！’Headdedanaffiramatorynod，andcontinuedtogazeuponmewithakindofiratesolemnity，holdinghissubstantialstickbetweenhisknees，withhishandsclaspeduponitshead。
　　`Ihavebeenbusy，’Isaid，foranapologywasevidentlydemanded。
　　`Busy！’repeatedhe，derisively。
　　`Yes；youknowI’vebeengettinginmyhay：andnowtheharvestisbeginning。’
　　`Humph！’
　　Justthenmymothercamein，andcreatedadiversioninmyfavourbyherloquaciousandanimatedwelcomeofthereverendguest。Sheregretteddeeplythathehadnotcomealittleearlier，intimefortea，butofferedtohavesomeimmediatelyprepared，ifhewoulddoherthefavourtopartakeofit。
　　`Notanyforme，Ithankyou，’repliedhe；`Ishallbeathomeinafewminutes。’
　　`Oh，butdostayandtakealittle！itwillbereadyinfiveminutes。’
　　Butherejectedtheofferwithamajesticwaveofthehand。
　　`I’lltellyouwhatI’lltake，MrsMarkham，’saidhe：`I’lltakeaglassofyourexcellentale。’
　　`Withpleasure！’criedmymother，proceedingwithalacritytopull。thebellandorderthefavouredbeverage。
　　`Ithought，’continuedhe，`I’djustlookinuponyouasIpassed，andtasteyourhome-brewedale。I’vebeentocallonMrsGraham。’
　　`Haveyouindeed？’
　　Henoddedgravely，andaddedwithawfulemphasis——
　　Ithoughtitincumbentuponmetodoso。’
　　`Really！’ejaculatedmymother。
　　`Whyso，MrMillward？’askedI。Helookedatmewithsomeseverity，andturningagaintomymother，repeated——
　　`Ithoughtitincumbentuponme！’andstruckhisstickontheflooragain。Mymothersatopposite，anawe-struckbutadmiringauditor。
　　`“MrsGraham。”saidI，’hecontinued，shakinghisheadashespoke，`“theseareterriblereports！”“Whatsir？”saysshe，affectingtobeignorantofmymeaning。“Itismy——duty——as——yourpastor。”saidI，“totellyoubotheverythingthatImyselfseereprehensibleinyourconduct，andallIhavereasontosuspect，andwhatotherstellmeconcerningyou“——SoI
　　toldher！’
　　`Youdidsir？’criedI，startingfrommyseat，andstrikingmyfistonthetable。Hemerelyglancedtowardsme，andcontinued——addressinghishostess：
　　`Itwasapainfulduty，MrsMarkham——butItoldher！’
　　`Andhowdidshetakeit？’askedmymother。
　　`Hardened，Ifear——hardened！’hereplied，withadespondentshakeofthehead；`andatthesametime，therewasastrongdisplayofunchastened，misdirectedpassions。Sheturnedwhiteintheface，anddrewherbreaththroughherteethinasavagesortofway；——butsheofferednoextenuationordefence；andwithakindofshamelesscalmness——shockingindeedtowitness，inonesoyoung——asgoodastoldmethatmyremonstrancewasunavailing，andmypastoraladvicequitethrownawayuponher——nay，thatmyverypresencewasdispleasingwhileIspokesuchthings。AndIwithdrewatlength，tooplainlyseeingthatnothingcouldbedone——andsadlygrievedtofindhercasesohopeless。ButIamfullydetermined，MrsMarkham，thatmydaughters——shall——not——consortwithher。Doyouadoptthesameresolutionwithregardtoyours！——Asforyoursons——asforyou，youngman，’hecontinued，sternlyturningtome。
　　`AsforME，sir，——’Ibegan，butcheckedbysomeimpedimentinmyutterance，andfindingthatmywholeframetrembledwithfury，Isaidnomore——buttookthewiserpartofsnatchingupmyhatandboltingfromtheroom，slammingthedoorbehindmewithabangthatshookthehousetoitsfoundationsandmademymotherscream——andgaveamomentaryrelieftomyexcitedfeelings。
　　ThenextminutesawmehurryingwithrapidstridesinthedirectionofWildfellHall——towhatintentorpurposeIcouldscarcelytel！，butImustbemovingsomewhere，andnoothergoalwoulddo——Imustseeher，too，andspeaktoher——thatwascertain，butwhattosayorhowtoact，Ihadnodefiniteidea。Suchstormythoughts——somanydifferentresolutions——crowdedinuponme，hatmymindwaslittlebetterthanachaosofconflictingpassions。
　　TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter12