Незнакомка из Уайлдфелл-Холла. Уровень 2 / The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

“Do you not find it a desolate place to live in?” said I, after a moment of silent contemplation.

“I do, sometimes,” replied she. “On winter evenings, when Arthur is in bed, and I am sitting there alone. But it is folly to give way to such weakness, I know. Rachel is satisfied with such a life. Indeed, I must be thankful for such an asylum.”

Then bid me good-evening and withdrew.

Soon perceived Mr. Lawrence, on his pretty grey pony. I went a little out of my way to speak to him.

“Was that Mrs.

Graham you were speaking to just now?” said he.

“Yes.”

“Humph! I thought so.”

“Well! What then?”

“Oh, nothing!” replied he. “Only I thought you disliked her.”

“Suppose I did. Can't a man change his mind?”

“Yes, of course,” returned he. “Then you have changed your mind?”

“I can't say that I have exactly. No; I think I hold the same opinion – but slightly ameliorated.”

“Oh!” He glanced up at the moon.

“Lawrence,” said I calmly, “are you in love with Mrs. Graham?”

He laughed.

“I am in love with her!” repeated he. “Why do you think so?”

“From the interest you take in the progress of my acquaintance with the lady, and the changes of my opinion concerning her, I thought you were jealous.”

He laughed again.

“Jealous! no. But I thought you were going to marry Eliza Millward.”

“You thought wrong, then; I am not going to marry either one or the other.

”

Chapter VII

Not many days after this, on a mild sunny morning, I was out on the hill-side. I beheld three persons below. They were Eliza Millward, Fergus, and Rose; so I crossed the field to meet them. They told me that they were going to Wildfell Hall. I joined them, and offered my arm to Eliza, who readily accepted it.

So we went all. The meagre old maid-servant, that opened the door, ushered us into a tolerably spacious and lofty room.

The lady was seated in a stiff, high-backed arm-chair, with a small round table, containing a desk and a work-basket on one side of her, and her little boy on the other.

The boy was leaning his elbow on her knee, and reading to her, with wonderful fluency, from a small volume that lay in her lap.

I do not think Mrs. Graham was particularly delighted to see us. There was something indescribably chilly in her quiet, calm civility; but I did not talk much to her.