a time of more lively enjoyment than any one else of the company. No other person paid them any attention, even in thought; and when the collation was spread, Eleanor half wondered that her morning's friend neither came forward nor was for some moments asked to do so. She thought indeed she heard Julia ask him, but if so it was without effect. Mr. Rhys remained in the distant angle, studying the stones there; till Mr. Powle shouted to him and brought him into the company. Having done this good action, the squire felt benevolently disposed towards the object of his care, and entered into conversation with him. It grew so satisfactory to Mr. Powle, that it absorbed his attention from all but the meats and wines which were offered him, the enjoyment of which it probably heightened; the talk was prolonged, and seemed to grow more interesting as it went on. Eleanor could not hear what it was about, her own ear was so much engaged with business nearer at hand. The whole play had not escaped her, however; and between question and answer of the rattling gaiety going on about her ears, and indeed on her own tongue, she found time to wonder whether Mr. Rhys were shy, or kept back by a feeling of inferiority; so marked his conduct was by the absence of all voluntary self-assertion, She could not determine that he was either. No look or word favoured the one or the other supposition. And Eleanor could not look at those keen eyes, without feeling that it was extremely unlikely they would quail before anybody or anything. Very different from those fine hazel irids that were flashing fun and gallantry into hers with every glance. Very different; but what was the difference? It was something deeper than colour and contour. Eleanor had no chance to make further discoveries; for her father engrossed his new acquaintance all the way home, and only did not bring him to Ivy Lodge to tea because Mr. Rhys refused it; for the invitation was given.
CHAPTER II.
AT THE GARDEN-DOOR
"To die – to sleep.
To sleep! perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come" —
The family at Ivy Lodge gathered round the tea-table with spirits rather whetted, apparently for both talking and eating. Certainly the one exercise had been intermitted for some hours; the other however had gone on without cessation. It went on still. The party was now reduced to the home party, with the addition of Miss Broadus; which lady, with her sister, was at home at Ivy Lodge, as she was everywhere else. Elderly, respectable and respected old ladies they were; and though they dealt in gossip, would not willingly have hurt a fly. They dealt in receipts and in jellies too; in fashions, and in many kindnesses, both received and given by all the neighbourhood. They were daughters of a former rector of the parish, and poor, and asked nobody to help them; which indeed they had no need to ask.
"You seemed to like your afternoon's acquaintance, papa?" said Eleanor.
"He is a fine fellow," said the squire. "He's a fine fellow. Knows something. My dear, he teaches a small school at Wiglands, I hear."
"Does he. I wonder who goes to it," said Mrs. Powle.
"I don't know," said the squire; "but I mean to send Alfred."
"My dear Mr. Powle! to such a school as that? Nobody can go to it but some of the farmers' children around – there is no one else."
"It won't hurt him, for a little while," said the squire. "I like the master, and that's of more importance than the children. Don't you worry."
"My dear Mr. Powle! But I never heard of such a thing in my life. I do not believe Dr. Cairnes will like it at all. He will think it very strange, your sending your boy to a man that is not a Churchman, and is not anything, that anybody knows of."
"Dr. Cairnes be hanged!" said the squire, – "and mind his own affairs.
He wouldn't want me to send Alfred to him."
"My dear Mrs. Powle," said Miss Broadus, "I can tell you this for your comfort – there are two sons of Mr. Churchill, the Independent minister of Eastcombe – that come over to him; besides one or two more that are quite respectable."
"Why does not Mr. Churchill send his boys to school it Eastcombe?"
"O well, it doesn't suit him, I suppose; and like goes to like, you know, my dear."
"That is what I think," said Mrs. Powle, looking at her husband, – "and I wonder Mr. Powle does not think so too."
"If you mean me," said the squire, "I am not 'like' anybody – that I can tell you. A good schoolmaster is a good schoolmaster – I don't care what else he calls himself."
"And Mr. Rhys is a good schoolmaster, I have no doubt," said Miss Broadus.
"I know what he is," said Julia; "he is a nice man, I like him."
"I saw he kept you quiet," said Eleanor. "How did he manage it?"
"He didn't manage it. He told me about things," said Julia; "and he got flowers for me, and told me about ferns. You never saw such lovely ferns as we found; and you would not know where to look for them, either. I never saw such a nice man as Mr. Rhys in my life."
"There, my dear," said her mother, "do not encourage Julia in talking.
She is always too ready."
"I am going to walk with him again, to get flowers," said the child.
"I shall invite him to the Lodge," said the squire. "He is a very sensible man, and knows what he is about."
"Do you know anything more about him, Mr. Powle?"
"He does more than teach three or four boys," said Miss Broadus. "He serves a little Dissenting Chapel of some sort, over at Lily Vale."
"Why does he not live there then?" said Mrs. Powle. "Lily Vale is two and a half miles off. Not very convenient, I should think."
"I don't know, my dear. Perhaps he finds living cheap at Wiglands, and I am sure he may. Do you know, I get butter for less than one-half what I paid when I was in Leicester?"
"It is summer time now, Miss Broadus," said the squire.
"Yes, I know, but still – I am sure Wiglands is the nicest, easiest place for poor people to live, that ever was."
"Why you are not poor, Miss Broadus," said the squire.
Miss Broadus chuckled. The fact was, that the Miss Broadus's not being poor was a standing pleasant joke with them; it being well known that they were not largely supplied with means, but contrived to make a little do the apparent work of much more than they had. A way of achieving respectability upon which they prided themselves.
"Eleanor," said her mother as they left the table, "you look pale. Did you get your feet wet?"
"Yes, mamma – there was no helping that."
"Then you'll be laid up!"
"She must not, just now, my dear," said Miss Broadus smilingly.
Eleanor could not laugh off the prophecy, which an internal warning told her was well founded. She went to bed thinking of Mr. Rhys's helmet. She did not know why; she was not given to such thoughts; neither did she comprehend exactly what the helmet might be; yet now the thought came uneasily across her mind, that just such a cold as she had taken had been many a one's death; and with that came a strange feeling of unprotectedness – of want of defence. It was very uncomfortable to go to bed with that slight sensation of sore throat and feverishness, and to remember that the beginning of multitudes of last sicknesses had been no
