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amiable under the influence of hemlock than under that of the
social system which has made her so unhappy。〃
〃Well！〃 exclaimed Gertrude； outraged。 Then； after a pause； 〃I was
under the impression that I had accepted the escort of a
gentleman。〃 Then； after another pause； Trefusis being quite
undisturbed； 〃How do you know that I am unhappy？〃
〃By a certain defect in your countenance； which lacks the
crowning beauty of happiness； and a certain defect in your voice
which will never disappear until you learn to love or pity those
to whom you speak。〃
〃You are wrong；〃 said Gertrude； with calm disdain。 〃You do not
understand me in the least。 I am particularly attached to my
friends。〃
〃Then I have never seen you in their company。〃
〃You are still wrong。〃
〃Then how can you speak as you do； look as you do； act as you
do？〃
〃What do you mean？ HOW do I look and act？〃
〃Like one of the railings of Belgrave Square； cursed with
consciousness of itself； fears of the judgment of the other
railings； and doubts of their fitness to stand in the same row
with it。 You are cold； mistrustful； cruel to nervous or clumsy
people； and more afraid of the criticisms of those with whom you
dance and dine than of your conscience。 All of which prevents you
from looking like an angel。〃
〃Thank you。 Do you consider paying compliments the perfection of
gentlemanly behavior？〃
〃Have I been paying you many？ That last remark of mine was not
meant as one。 On my honor； the angels will not disappoint me if
they are no lovelier than you should be if you had that look in
your face and that tone in your voice I spoke of just now。 It can
hardly displease you to hear that。 If I were particularly
handsome myself； I should like to be told so。〃
〃I am sorry I cannot tell you so。〃
〃Oh！ Ha！ ha！ What a retort； Miss Lindsay！ You are not sorry
either； you are rather glad。〃
Gertrude knew it； and was angry with herself； not because her
retort was false； but because she thought it unladylike。 〃You
have no right to annoy me；〃 she exclaimed； in spite of herself。
〃None whatever；〃 he said； humbly。 〃 If I have done so； forgive me
before we part。 I will go no further with you； Max will give the
alarm if you faint in the avenue； which I don't think you are
likely to do； as you have forgotten all about the hemlock。〃
〃Oh； how maddening！〃 she cried。 〃I have left my basket behind。〃
〃Never mind； I will find it and have it filled and sent to you。〃
〃Thank you。 I am sorry to trouble you。〃
〃Not at all。 I hope you do not want the hemlock to help you to
get rid of the burden of life。〃
〃Nonsense。 I want it for my father； who uses it for medicine。〃
〃I will bring it myself to…morrow。 Is that soon enough？〃
〃Quite。 I am in no hurry。 Thank you； Mr。 Trefusis。 Good…bye。〃
She gave him her hand； and even smiled a little； and then hurried
away。 He stood watching her as she passed along the avenue under
the beeches。 Once； when she came into a band of sunlight at a gap
in the trees； she made so pretty a figure in her spring dress of
violet and white that his eyes kindled as he gazed。 He took out
his note…book； and entered her name and the date； with a brief
memorandum。
〃I have thawed her；〃 he said to himself as he put up his book。
〃She shall learn a lesson or two to hand on to her children
before I have done with her。 A trifle underbred； too； or she
would not insist so much on her breeding。 Henrietta used to wear
a dress like that。 I am glad to see that there is no danger of
her taking to me personally。〃
He turned away； and saw a crone passing； bending beneath a bundle
of sticks。 He eyed it curiously； and she scowled at him and
hurried on。
〃Hallo；〃 he said。
She continued for a few steps； but her courage failed her and she
stopped。
〃You are Mrs。 Hickling； I think？〃
〃Yes； please your worship。〃
〃You are the woman who carried away an old wooden gate that lay
on Sir Charles Brandon's land last winter and used it for
firewood。 You were imprisoned for seven days for it。〃
〃You may send me there again if you like；〃 she retorted； in a
cracked voice； as she turned at bay。 〃But the Lord will make me
even with you some day。 Cursed be them that oppress the poor and
needy； it is one of the seven deadly sins。〃
〃Those green laths on your back are the remainder of my garden
gate；〃 he said。 〃You took the first half last Saturday。 Next time
you want fuel come to the house and ask for coals； and let my
gates alone。 I suppose you can enjoy a fire without stealing the
combustibles。 Stow
256 pay me for my gate by telling me something I want to know。〃
〃And a kind gentleman too； sir； blessings。〃
〃What is the hemlock good for？〃
〃The hemlock； kind gentleman？ For the evil； sir； to be sure。〃
〃Scrofulous ulcers！〃 he exclaimed； recoiling。 〃The father of that
beautiful girl！〃 He turned homeward； and trudged along with his
head bent； muttering； 〃All rotten to the bone。 Oh； civilization！
civilization！ civilization！〃
CHAPTER XIV
〃What has come over Gertrude？〃 said Agatha one day to Lady
Brandon。
〃Why？ Is anything the matter with her？〃
〃I don't know； she has not been the same since she poisoned
herself。 And why did she not tell about it？ But for Trefusis we
should never have known。〃
〃Gertrude always made secrets of things。〃
〃She was in a vile temper for two days after； and now she is
quite changed。 She falls into long reveries； and does not hear a
word of what is going on around。 Then she starts into life again；
and begs your pardon with the greatest sweetness for not catching
what you have said。〃
〃I hate her when she is polite； it is not natural to her。 As to
her going to sleep； that is the effect of the hemlock。 We know a
man who took a spoonful of strychnine in a bath； and he never was
the same afterwards。〃
〃I think she is making up her mind to encourage Erskine；〃 said
Agatha。 〃When I came here he hardly dared speak to herat least；
she always snubbed him。 Now she lets him talk as much as he
likes； and actually sends him on messages and allows him to carry
things for her。〃
〃Yes。 I never saw anybody like Gertrude in my life。 In London； if
men were attentive to her； she sat on them for being officious；
and if they let her alone she was angry at being neglected。
Erskine is quite good enough for her； I think。〃
Here Erskine appeared at the door and looked round the room。
〃She's not here；〃 said Jane。
〃I am seeking Sir Charles；〃 he said； withdrawing somewhat
stiffly。
〃What a lie！〃 said Jane； discomfited by his reception of her
jest。 〃He was talking to Sir Charles ten minutes ago in the
billiard room。 Men are such conceited fools！〃
Agatha had strolled to the window； and was looking discontentedly
at the prospect； as she had often done at school when alone； and
sometimes did now in society。 The door opened again； and Sir
Charles appeared。 He； too； looked round； but when his roving
glance reached Agatha； it cast anchor； and he came in。
〃Are you busy just now； Miss Wylie？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 said Jane hastily。 〃She is going to write a letter for
me。〃
〃Really； Jane；〃 he said； 〃I think you are old enough to write
your letters without troubling Miss Wylie。〃
〃When I do write my own letters you always find fault with them；〃
she retorted。
〃I thought perhaps you might have leisure to try over a duet with
me；〃 he said； turning to Agatha。
〃Certainly；〃 she replied； hoping to smooth matters by humoring
him。 〃The letter will do any time before post hour。〃
Jane reddened； and said shortly； 〃I will write it myself； if you
will not。〃
Sir Charles quite lost his temper。 〃How can you be so damnably
rude？〃 he said； turning upon his wife。 〃What objection have you
to my singing duets with Miss Wylie？〃
〃Nice language that！〃 said Jane。 〃I never said I objected； and
you have no right to drag her away to the piano just when she is
going to write a letter for me。〃
〃I do not wish Miss Wylie to do anything except what pleases her
best。 It seems to me that writing letters to your tradespeople
cannot be a very pleasant occupation。〃
〃Pray don't mind me；〃 said Agatha。 〃It is not the least trouble
to me。 I used to write all Jane's letters for her at school。
Suppose I write the letter first； and then we can have the duet。
You will not mind waiting five minutes？〃
〃I can wait as long as you please； of course。 But it seems such
an absurd abuse of your good nature that I cannot help protest！〃
〃Oh； let it wait！〃 exclaimed Jane。 〃Such a ridiculous fuss to
make about asking Agatha to write a letter； just because you
happen to want her to play you your duets！ I am certain she is
heartily sick and tired of them。〃
Agatha； to escape the altercation； went to the library and wrote
the letter。 When she returned to the drawing…room； she found no
one there； but Sir Charles came in presently。
〃I am so sorry； Miss Wylie；〃 he said； as he opened the piano for
her； 〃that you should be incommoded because my wife is silly
enough to be jealous。〃
〃Jealous！〃
〃Of course。 Idiocy！〃
〃Oh； you are mistaken；〃 said Agatha； incredulously。 〃How could
she possibly be jealous of me？〃
〃She is jealous of everybody and everything；〃 he replied