f the lightning — was no other than aunt Pullet. She did not live at St. Ogg’s, but the road from Garum Firs lay by the Red Deeps, at the end opposite that by which Maggie entered.
The day after Maggie’s last meeting with Philip, being a Sunday on which Mr. Pullet was bound to appear in funeral hatband and scarf at St. Ogg’s church, Mrs. Pullet made this the occasion of dining with sister Glegg, and taking tea with poor sister [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] Tulliver. Sunday was the one day in the week on which Tom was at home in the afternoon; and today the brighter spirits he had been in of late had flowed over in unusually cheerful open chat with his father, and in the invitation, “Come, Magsie, you come too!” when he strolled out with his mother in the garden to see the advancing cherry-blossoms. He had been better pleased with Maggie since she had been less odd and ascetic; he was even getting rather proud of her; several persons had remarked in his hearing that his sister was a very fine girl. To-day there was a peculiar brightness in her face, due in reality to an undercurrent of excitement, which had as much doubt and pain as pleasure in it; but it might pass for a sign of happiness.
“You look very well, my dear,” said aunt Pullet, shaking her head sadly, as they sat round the tea-table. “I niver thought your girl ‘ud be so good-looking, Bessy. But you [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] must wear pink, my dear; that blue thing as your aunt Glegg gave you turns you into a crowflower. Jane never was tasty. Why don’t you wear that gown o’ mine?”
“It is so pretty and so smart, aunt. I think it’s too showy for me — at least for my other clothes, that I must wear with it.
“To be sure, it ‘ud be unbecoming if it wasn’t well known you’ve got them belonging to you as can afford to give you such things when they’ve done with ’em themselves. It stands to reason I must give my own niece clothes now and then — such things as I buy every year, and never wear anything out. And as for Lucy, there’s no giving to her, for she’s got everything o’ the choicest; sister Deane may well hold her head [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] up — though she looks dreadful yallow, poor thing — I doubt this liver complaint ‘ull carry her off. That’s what this new vicar, this Dr. Kenn, said in the funeral sermon to-day.”
“Ah, he’s a wonderful preacher, by all account — isn’t he, Sophy?” said Mrs. Tulliver.
“Why, Lucy [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] had [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] got a collar on this blessed day,” continued Mrs. [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] Pullet, with her eyes fixed in a ruminating manner, “as I don’t say I haven’t got as good, but I must look out my best to match it.”
“Miss Lucy’s called the bell o’ St. Ogg’s, [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] they say; that’s a cur’ous word,” observed Mr. Pullet, on whom the mysteries of etymology sometimes fell with an oppressive weight.
“Pooh!” said Mr. Tulliver, jealous for Maggie, “she’s a small thing, not much of a figure. But fine feathers make fine birds. I see nothing to admire so much in those diminutive women; they look silly by the side o’ the men — out o’ proporti
ich is most modish for a gentleman who dresses in the [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] fashion. You see, Clarke, that we were active in our idleness, and that there was no lack of employment. Then as evening came on there were the playhouses to draw us, Dorset Gardens, Lincoln’s Inn, Drury Lane, and the Queen’s — among the four there was ever some amusement to be found.’
‘There, [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] at least, your time was well employed,’ said I; ‘you could not hearken to the grand thoughts or lofty words of Shakespeare or of Massinger without feeling some image of them in your own soul.’
Sir Gervas chuckled quietly. ‘You are as fresh to me, Micah, as this sweet country air,’ said he. ‘Know, thou dear babe, that it was not to see the play that we frequented the playhouse.’
‘Then why, in Heaven’s name?’ I asked.
‘To see each other,’ he answered. ‘It was the mode, I assure you, for a man of fashion to stand with his back turned to the stage from the rise of the curtain to the fall of it. There were the orange wenches to quiz — plaguey sharp of tongue the hussies are, too — and there were the vizards of the pit, whose little black masks did invite inquiry, and there were the beauties of the town and the toasts of the Court, all fair mark [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] for our quizzing-glasses. Play, indeed! S’bud, we [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] had something better to do than to listen to alexandrines or weigh the merits of hexameters! ’Tis true that if La Jeune were dancing, or if Mrs. Bracegirdle or Mrs. Oldfield came upon the boards, we would hum and clap, but it was the fine woman that we applauded rather than the actress.’
‘And when the play was over you went doubtless to supper and so to bed?’
‘To supper, certainly. Sometimes to the Rhenish House, sometimes to Pontack’s in Abchurch Lane. Every one had his own taste in that matter. Then there were dice and cards at the Groom Porter’s or under the arches at Covent Garden, piquet, passage, hazard, primero — what you choose. After that you could find all the world at the coffee-houses, where an arriere supper was often served with devilled bones and prunes, to drive the fumes of wine from the head. Zounds, Micah! If the Jews should relax their pressure, or if this war brings us any luck, you shall come to town with me and shall see all these things for yourself.’
‘Truth to tell, it doth not tempt me much,’ I answered. ‘Slow [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] and solemn I am by nature, and in such scenes as you have described I should feel a very death’s head at a banquet.’
Sir Gervas was about to reply, when of a sudden out of the silence of the night there rose a [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] long-drawn piercing scream, which thrilled through every nerve of our bodies. I [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] have never heard such a wail of despair. We pulled up our horses, as did the troopers behind us, and strained our ears for some sign as to whence the sound proceeded, for some were of opinion that it came from our right and some from our left. The main body with the waggons had come up, and we all listened intently for any return of the terrible cry. Presently it broke upon us again
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