atriotic,andagreatmoralassetforthehouse,shelackedthatpliancyandtactwhichhermothersomuchvalued,andhadexpectedhertopickupforherself.Harriet,ifshehadbeenallowed,wouldhavedrivenLiliatoanopenrupture,and,whatwasworse,shewouldhavedonethesametoPhiliptwoyearsbefore,whenhereturnedfullofpassionforItaly,andridiculingSawstonanditsways.
“It’sashame,Mother!”shehadcried.“Philiplaughsateverything—theBookClub,theDebatingSociety,theProgressiveWhist,thebazaars.Peoplewon’tlikeit.Wehaveourreputation.Ahousedividedagainstitselfcannotstand.”
Mrs.Herritonrepliedinthememorablewords,“LetPhilipsaywhathelikes,andhewillletusdowhatwelike.”AndHarriethadacquiesced.
Theysowedthedullervegetablesfirst,andapleasantfeelingofrighteousfatiguestoleoverthemastheyaddressedthemselvestothepeas.Harrietstretchedastringtoguidetherowstraight,andMrs.Herritonscratchedafurrowwithapointedstick.Attheendofitshelookedatherwatch.
“It’stwelve!Thesecondpost’sin.Runandseeifthereareanyletters.”
Harrietdidnotwanttogo.“Let’sfinishthepeas.Therewon’tbeanyletters.”
“No,dearpleasego.I’llsowthepeas,butyoushallcoverthemup—andmindthebirdsdon’tsee‘em!”
Mrs.Herritonwasverycarefultoletthosepeastrickleevenlyfromherhand,andattheendoftherowshewasconsciousthatshehadneversownbetter.Theywereexpensivetoo.
“ActuallyoldMrs.Theobald!”saidHarriet,returning.
“Readmetheletter.Myhandsaredirty.Howintolerablethecrestedpaperis.”
Harrietopenedtheenvelope.
“Idon’tunderstand,”shesaid“itdoesn’tmakesense.”
“Herlettersneverdid.”
“Butitmustbesillierthanusual,”saidHarriet,andhervoicebegantoquaver.“Lookhere,readit,MotherIcan’tmakeheadortail.”
Mrs.Herritontooktheletterindulgently.“Whatisthedifficulty?”shesaidafteralongpause.“Whatisitthatpuzzlesyouinthisletter?”
“Themeaning—”falteredHarriet.Thesparrowshoppednearerandbegantoeyethepeas.
“Themeaningisquiteclear—Liliaisengagedtobemarried.Don’tcry,dearpleasemebynotcrying—don’ttalkatall.It’smorethanIcouldbear.Sheisgoingtomarrysomeoneshehasmetinahotel.Taketheletterandreadforyourself.”Suddenlyshebrokedownoverwhatmightseemasmallpoint.“Howdareshenottellmedirect!HowdareshewritefirsttoYorkshire!Pray,amItohearthroughMrs.Theobald—apatronizing,insolentletterlikethis?HaveInoclaimatall?Bearwitness,dear”—shechokedwithpassion—“bearwitnessthatforthisI’llneverforgivehe