CHAPTER 9
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Charity in Full DressTHE culmination of Maggies career as an admired member of society in St Oggs was certainly the day of the Bazaar, when her simple noble beauty, clad in a white muslin of some soft-floating kind, which I suspect must have e from the stores of aunt Pullets wardrobe, appeared with marked distinong the more adorned and ventional women around her. We perhaps never deteuch of our social demeanour is made up of artificial airs, until we see a person who is at once beautiful and simple: without the beauty we are apt to call simplicity awkwardness. The Miss Guests were much too well-bred to have any of the grimaces and affected tohat belong to pretentious vulgarity; but their stall beio the one where Maggie sat, it seemed newly obvious today that Miss Guest held her too high, and that Miss Laura spoke and moved tinually with a view to effect. All well-drest St Oggs and its neighbourhood were there, and it would have been worth while to e even from a distao see the fine old Hall, with its open roof and carved oaken rafters and great oaken folding-doors, and light shed down from a height on the many-coloured show beh - a very quaint place with broad faded stripes painted on the walls and here and there a show of heraldiimals of a bristly, long-snouted character, the cherished emblems of a noble family ohe seigniors of this now civic hall. A grand arch, cut in the upper wall at one end, surmounted an oaken orchestra with an open room behind it, where hothouse plants and stalls for refreshments were disposed - a very agreeable resort fentlemen disposed to loiter ao exge the occasional crush down below for a more odious point of view. In fact, the perfect fitness of this a building for an admirable modern purpose tha<bdi>99lib?</bdi>t made charity truly elegant, ahrough vanity up to the supply of a deficit, was so striking that hardly a persoered the room without exging the remark more than onear the great arch over the orchestra was the stone oriel with painted glass which was one of the venerable insistencies of the old Hall; and it was close by this that Lucy had her stall for the venience of certain large plain articles which she had taken charge of for Mrs Kenn. Maggie had begged to sit at the open end of the stall to have the sale of these articles rather than of bead mats and other elaborate products of which she had but a dim uanding. But it soon appeared that the gentlemens dressing-gowns, which were among her odities, were objects of such general attention and inquiry aed so troublesome a curiosity as to their lining and parative merits together with a determination to test them by trying on, as to make her post a very spicuous ohe ladies who had odities of their own to sell, and did not want dressing-gowns, saw at ohe frivolity and bad taste of this mase preference foods whiy tailor could furnish; and it is possible that the emphatiotice of various kinds which was drawn towards Miss Tulliver on this public occasion threw a very strong and unmistakable light on her subsequent du many minds the. Not that anger on at of spurned beauty dwell in the celestial breasts of charitable ladies, but rather, that the errors of persons who have once been much admired necessarily take a deeper tinge from the mere force of trast, and also, that today Maggies spicuous position for the first time made evideain characteristics which were subsequently felt to have an explanatory bearing. There was something rather bold in Miss Tullivers direct gaze, and something undefinably coarse iyle of her beauty, which placed her, in the opinion of all feminine judges, far below her cousin Miss Deane; for the ladies of St Oggs had now pletely ceded to Lucy their hypothetic claims on the admiration of Mr Stephe.
As for dear little Lucy herself, her late benevolent triumph about the Mill, and all the affeate projects she was cherishing fgie and Philip, helped to give her the highest spirits today, and she felt nothing but pleasure in the evidenaggies attractiveness. It is true, she was looking very charming herself, and Stephen ayihe utmost attention on this public occasion - jealously buying up the articles he had seen under her fingers in the process of making, and gaily helpio cajole the male ers into the purchase of the most effemiilities. He chose to lay aside his hat and wear a scarlet Fez of her embr, but by superficial observers this was necessarily liable to be interpreted less as a pliment to Lucy than as a mark of bry. `Guest is a great b, young Torry observed, `but then he is a privileged person in St Oggs - he carries all before him: if another fellow did such things, everybody would say he made a fool of himself. (Young Torry had red hair.)
And Stephen purchased absolutely nothing from Maggie, until Lucy said, in rather a vexed uone,
`See, now; all the things of Maggies knitting will be gone, and you will not have bought ohere are those deliciously soft warm things for the wrists - do buy them.
`Oh, no, said Stephen, `they must be intended for imaginative persons who chill themselves on this warm day by thinking of the frosty Caucasus. Stern reason is my forte, you know. You must get Philip to buy those. By the way, why doesnt he e?
`He never likes going where there are many people, though I enjoined him to e. He said he would buy up any of my goods that the rest of the world rejected. But now, do go and buy something of Maggie.
`No, no - see - she has got a er: there is old Wakem himself just ing up.
Lucys eyes turned with anxious iowards Maggie, to see how she went through this first interview since a sadly memorable time with a man towards whom she must have se a mixture of feelings, but she leased to notice that Wakem had taough to e oo talk about the bazaar wares and appear ied in purchasing, smiling now and then kindly at Maggie, and not calling oo speak much, as if he observed that she was rather pale and tremulous.
`Why, Wakem is making himself particularly amiabl<var>藏书网</var>e to your cousin, said Stephen, in an uoo Lucy. `Is it pure magnanimity? You talked of a family quarrel.
`O, that will soon be quite healed, I hope, said Lucy, being a little indiscreet in her satisfa, and speaking with an air of significe. But Stephen did not appear to notice this, and as some lady-purchasers came up, he lounged on towards Maggies end, handling trifles and standing aloof until Wakem, who had taken out his purse, had finished his transas.
`My son came with me, he overheard Wakem saying, `but he has vanished into some other part of the building, and has left all these charitable gallao me. I hope youll reproach him for his shabby duct.
She returned his smile and bow, without speaking, aurned away, only then Stephen and nodding to him. Maggie, scious that Stephen was still there, busied herself with ting money, and avoided looking up. She had been well pleased that he had devoted himself to Lucy today, and had not e near her. They had begun the m with an indifferent salutation and both had rejoiced in being aloof from each other, like a patient who has actually dohout his opium, in spite of former failures in resolution. And during the last few days they had even been making up their minds to failures, looking to the outward events that must soon e to separate them, as a reason for dispensing with self-quest iail.
Stephen moved step by step as if he were being unwillingly dragged, until he had got round the open end of the stall and was half hidden by a s of draperies. Maggie went on ting her moill she suddenly heard a deep gentle voice saying, `Arent you very tired? Do let me bring you something - some fruit or jelly - maynt I?
The ued tones shook her like a sudden actal vibration of a harp close by her.
`O no, thank you, she said, faintly, and only half looking up for an instant.
`You look so pale, Stephen insisted, in a more eing tone. `Im sure youre exhausted. I must disobey you, and bring something.
`No, indeed I couldnt take it.
`Are you angry with me? What have I done? Do look at me.
`Pray, go away, said Maggie, looking at him helplessly, her eyes glang immediately form him to the opposite er of the orchestra, which was half hidden by the folds of the old faded green curtain. Maggie had no sootered this ey than she was wretched at the admission it implied, but Stephen turned away at once, and, following her upward glance, he saw Philip Wakem seated in the half-hidden er, so that he could and little more than that angle of the hall in which Maggie sat. Airely hought occurred to Stephen, and, linking itself with what he had observed of Wakems manner, and with Lucys reply to his observation, it vinced him that there had been some former relatioween Philip and Maggie beyond that childish one of which he had heard. More than one impulse made him immediately leave the hall, and go upstairs to the refreshment room, where, walking up to Philip, he sat down behind him, and put his hand on his shoulder.
`Are you studying for a portrait, Phil, he said, `or for a sketch of that oriel window? By Gee, it makes a capital bit from this dark er, with the curtain just marking it off.
`I have been studying expression, said Philip curtly.
`What, Miss Tullivers? Its rather of the savage-moody order today, I think - something of the fallen princess serving behind a ter. Her cousi me to her with a civil offer to get her some refreshment, but I have been snubbed, as usual. Theres a natural antipathy between us, I suppose - I have seldom the honour to please her.
`What a hypocrite you are! said Philip, flushing angrily.
`What, because experience must have told me that Im universally pleasing? I admit the law, but theres some disturbing force here.
`I am going, said Philip, rising abruptly.
`So am I - to get a breath of fresh air; this place gets oppressive. I think I have done suit and service long enough.
The two friends walked downstairs together without speaking. Philip turhrough the outer door into the churchyard, but Stephen, saying, `O by the by, I must call in here, went on along the passage to one of the rooms at the other end of the building, which were appropriated to the town library. He had the room all to himself and a man requires nothihan this, when he wants to dash his cap oable, throw himself astride a chair and stare at a high brick wall with a frown which would not have beeh the occasion if he had been slaying the Giant Python. The duct that issues from a moral flict has often so close a resemblao vice, that the distin escapes all outward judgments, founded on a mere parison of as. It is clear to you, I hope, that Stephen was not a hypocrite - capable of deliberate doubleness for a selfish end; a his fluctuatioween the indulgence of a feeling and the systematicealment of it might have made a good case in support of Philips accusation.
Meanwhile, Maggie sate at her stall cold and trembling, with that painful sensation in the eyes whies from resolutely repressed tears. Was her life to be always like this? - always bringing some new source of inward strife? She heard fusedly the busy indifferent voices around her and wished her mind could flow into that easy, babbling current. It was at this moment that Dr Kenn, who had quite lately e into the hall, and was now walking down the middle with his hands behind him, taking a general view, fixed his eyes on Maggie for the first time, and was struck with the expression of pain on her beautiful face. She was sitting quite still, for the stream of ers had lesserike></strike>d at this late hour iernoon: the gentlemen had chiefly chosen the middle of the day, and Maggies stall was looking rather bare. This, with her absent, pained expression, fihe trast between her and her panions, who were all bright, eager and busy. He was strongly arrested. Her face had naturally drawn his attention as a new and striking o church, and he had been introduced to her during a short call on business at Mr Deanes, but he had never spoken more than three words to her. He walked towards her now, and Maggie, perceiving some one approag, roused herself to look up and be prepared to speak. She felt a child-like, instinctive relief from the sense of uneasiness in this exertion, when she saw it was Dr Kenns face that was looking at her: - that plain, middle-aged face, with a grave, peing kindness in it, seeming to tell of a human being who had reached a firm, safe strand, but was looking with helpful pity towards the strugglers still tossed by the waves, had an effeaggie at that moment which was afterwards remembered by her as if it had been a promise. The middle-aged, who have lived through their stro emotions, but are yet iime when memory is still half passionate and not merely plative, should surely be a sort of natural priesthood whom life has disciplined and secrated to be the refuge and rescue of early stumblers and victims of self-despair: most of us at some moment in our young lives, would have weled a priest of that natural order in any sort of icals or unicals, but had to scramble upwards into all the difficulties of eeirely without such aid, as Maggie did.
`You find your office rather a fatiguing one, I fear, Miss Tulliver? said Dr Kenn.
`It is, rather, said Maggie, simply, not being aced to simper amiable denials of obvious facts.
`But I tell Mrs Kenn that you have disposed of her goods very quickly, he added. `She will be very much obliged to you.
`O I have dohing: the gentlemen came very fast to buy the dressing-gowns and embroidered waistcoats but I think any of the other ladies would have sold more: I didnt know what to say about them.
Dr Kenn smiled. `I hope Im going to have you as a perma parishioner now, Miss Tulliver - am I? You have been at a distance from us hitherto.
`I have been a teacher in a school, and Im going into another situation of the same kind very soon.
`Ah? I was hoping you would remain among your friends who are all in this neighbour<q>9９lｉｂ.</q>hood, I believe.
`O I must go, said Maggie, early, looking at Dr Kenn with an expression of reliance, as if she had told him her history in those three words. It was one of those moments of implicit revelation which will sometimes happen eveween people who meet quite traly - on a miles journey, perhaps, or wheing by the wayside. There is always this possibility of a word or look from a strao keep alive the sense of human brotherhood.
Dr Kenns ear aook in all the signs that this brief fidenaggies was charged with meaning.
`I uand, he said; `you feel it right to go. But that will not prevent our meeting again, I hope - it will not prevent my knowing you better, if I be of any service to you.
He put out his hand and pressed hers kindly, before he turned away.
`She has some trouble or other at heart, he thought. `Poor child! she looks as if she might turn out to be one of
`The souls by nature pitchd too high, By suffering plungd too low.
Theres something wonderfully ho in those beautiful eyes.
It may be surprising that Maggie, among whose many imperfes an excessive delight in admiration and aowledged supremacy were not absent now, any more than when she was instrug the gypsies with a view towards achieving a royal position among them, was not more elated on a day when she had had the tribute of so many looks and smiles, together with that satisfactory sciousness which had necessarily e from being taken before Lucys cheval glass and made to look at the full length of her tall beauty, ed by the night of her massy hair. Maggie had smiled at herself then, and for the moment had fottehing in the sense of her owy. If that state of mind could have lasted, her choice would have been to have Stephe at her feet, her a life filled with all luxuries, with daily inse of adoration near and distant, with all possibilities of culture at her and. But there were things irohan vanity - passion, and affe, and long deep memories of early discipline and effort, of early claims on her love and pity; and the stream of vanity was soo along and mingled imperceptibly with that wider current which was at its highest force today, uhe double urgency of the events and inward impulses brought by the last week.
Philip had not spoken to her himself about the removal of obstacles between them on his fathers side - he shrank from that - but he had told everything to Lucy, with the hope that Maggie, being informed through her, might give him some encing sign that their being brought thus muearer to each other pio her. The rush of flig feelings was too great fgie to say much when Lucy with a face breathing playful joy, like one of Cios cherubs, poured forth her triumphant revelation, and Lucy could hardly be surprised that she could do little more than cry with gladness at the thought of her fathers wish being fulfilled and of Toms getting the Mill again in reward for all his hard striving. The details of preparation for the bazaar had then e to usurp Lucys attention for the few days, and n<dfn>9９ｌib?</dfn>othing had been said by the cousins on subjects that were likely to rouse deeper feelings. Philip had been to the house more than once, but Maggie had had no private versation with him, and thus she had beeo fight her inward battle without interference.
But when the bazaar was fairly ended, and the cousins were alone agaiing together at home, Lucy said,
`You must give up going to stay with your aunt Moss the day after tomorrow, Maggie: write a o her, and tell her you have put it off at my request and Ill send the man with it. She wont be displeased - youll have plenty of time to go by and by. And I dont want you to go out of the way just now.
`Yes, indeed I must go, dear - I t put it off. I wouldnt leave aunt Gritty out for the world. And I shall have very little time, for Im going away to a new situation owenty fifth of June.
`Maggie! said Lucy, almost white with astonishment.
`I didnt tell you, dear, said Maggie, making a great effort to and herself, `because youve been so busy. But some time ago, I wrote to our old governess, Miss Firniss, to ask her to let me know if she met with any situation that I could fill, and the other day I had a letter from her tellihat I could take three orphan pupils of hers to the coast during the holidays and then make trial of a situation with her as teacher. I wrote yesterday to accept the offer.
Lucy felt so hurt that for some moments she was uo speak.
`Maggie, she said at last, `how could you be so unkind to me - not to tell me - to take such a step - and now! She hesitated a little, and then added - `And Philip? I thought everything was going to be so happy. O Maggie - what is the reason? Give it up - let me write. There is nothing now to keep you and Philip apart.
`Yes, said Maggie, faintly. `There is Toms feeling. He said I must give him up, if I married Philip. And I know he will not ge - at least not for a long while - unless something happeo soften him.
`But I will talk to him - hes ing back this week. And this good news about the Mill will soften him. And Ill talk to him about Philip. Toms always very pliant to me - I dont think hes so obstinate.
`But I must go, said Maggie, in a distressed voice. `I must leave some time to pass. Dont press me to stay, dear Lucy.
Lucy was silent for two or three minutes, looking away and ruminating. At length she k down by her cousin and looking up in her face with anxious seriousness, said--
`Maggie, is it that you dont love Philip well enough to marry him? - tell me - trust me.
Maggie held Lucys hands tightly in silence a little while. Her owns hands were quite cold. But when she spoke, her voice was quietly clear and distinct.
`Yes, Lucy - I would choose to marry him. I think it would be the best and highest lot for me - to make his life happy. He loved me first. No one else could be quite what he is to me. But I t divide myself from my brother for life. I must go away, and wait. Pray dont speak to me again about it.
Lucy obeyed in pain and wohe word she said was,
`Well, dear Maggie, at least you will go to the da Park House tomorrow, and have some musid brightness, before you go to pay these dull, dutiful visits. Ah! here e aunty and the tea.
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