`WhathaveIdonetooffendyou？’saidshe，moreplaintively。
　　`IwishIknew。’
　　`Come，takeyourtea，Eliza，anddon’tbefoolish，’respondedI，handingherthesugarandcream。
　　Justthen，therearoseaslightcommotionontheothersideofme，occasionedbyMissWilson’scomingtonegotiateanexchangeofseatswithRose。
　　`Willyoubesogoodastoexchangeplaceswithme，MissMarkham？’
　　saidshe，`forIdon’tliketositbyMrsGraham。Ifyourmammathinkspropertoinvitesuchpersonstoherhouse，shecannotobjecttoherdaughter’skeepingcompanywiththem。’
　　ThislatterclausewasaddedinasortofsoliloquywhenRosewasgone；butIwasnotpoliteenoughtoletitpass：
　　`Willyoubesogoodastotellmewhatyoumean，MissWilson？’
　　saidI。
　　Thequestionstartledheralittle，butnotmuch。
　　`WhyMrMarkham，’repliedshe，coolly，havingquicklyrecoveredherself-possession，`itsurprisesmeratherthatMrsMarkhamshouldinvitesuchapersonasMrsGrahamtoherhouse；butperhapssheisnotawarethatthelady’scharacterisconsideredscarcelyrespectable。’
　　`Sheisnot，noramI；andtherefore，youwouldobligemebyexplainingyourmeaningalittlefurther。’
　　`Thisisscarcelythetimeortheplaceforsuchexplanations；
　　butIthinkyoucanhardlybesoignorantasyoupretend：youmustknowheraswellasIdo。’
　　`IthinkIdo，perhapsalittlebetter；andtherefore，ifyouwillinformmewhatyouhaveheard，orimaginedagainsther，Ishall，perhaps，beabletosetyouright。’
　　`Canyoutellme，then，whowasherhusband；orifsheeverhadany？’
　　Indignationkeptmesilent。AtsuchatimeandplaceIcouldnottrustmyselftoanswer。
　　`Haveyouneverobserved，’saidEliza，`whatastrikinglikenessthereisbetweenthatchildofhersand——`
　　`Andwhom？’demandedMissWilson，withanairofcold，butkeenseverity。
　　Elizawasstartled：thetimidlyspokensuggestionhadbeenintendedformyearalone。
　　`Oh，Ibegyourpardon！’pleadedshe，`Imaybemistaken——perhapsIwasmistaken。’Butsheaccompaniedthewordswithaslyglanceofderisiondirectedtomefromthecornerofherdisingenuouseye。
　　`There’snoneedtoaskmypardon，’repliedherfriend；
　　`butIseenooneherethatatallresemblesthatchild，excepthismother；
　　andwhenyouhearill-naturedreports，MissEliza，Iwillthankyou——thatis，Ithinkyouwilldowelltorefrainfromrepeatingthem。IpresumethepersonyoualludetoisMrLawrence；butIthinkIcanassureyouthatyoursuspicions，inthatrespect，areutterlymisplaced；andifhehasanyparticularconnectionwiththeladyatallwhichnoonehasarighttoassert，atleasthehaswhatcannotbesaidofsomeotherssufficientsenseofproprietytowithholdhimfromacknowledginganythingmorethanabowingacquaintanceinthepresenceofrespectablepersons——hewasevidentlybothsurprisedandannoyedtofindherhere。’
　　`Goit！’criedFergus，whosatontheothersideofEliza，andwastheonlyindividualwhosharedthatsideofthetablewithus；`goitlikebricks！mindyoudon’tleaveheronestoneuponanother。’
　　MissWilsondrewherselfupwithalookoffreezingscorn，butsaidnothing。Elizawouldhavereplied，butIinterruptedherbysaying，ascalmlyasIcould，thoughinatonewhichbetrayed，nodoubt，somelittleofwhatIfeltwithin，——
　　`Wehavehadenoughofthissubject：ifwecanonlyspeaktoslanderourbetters，letusholdourtongues。’
　　`Ithinkyou’dbetter，’observedFergus；`andsodoesourgoodparson：hehasbeenaddressingthecompanyinhisrichestveinallthewhile，andeyeingyou，fromtimetotime，withlooksofsterndistaste，whileyousatthere，irreverentlywhisperingandmutteringtogether；andoncehepausedinthemiddleofastory——orasermon，Idon’tknowwhich，andfixedhiseyesuponyou，Gilbert，asmuchastosay——“WhenMrMarkhamhasdoneflirtingwiththosetwoladiesIwillproceed！”’
　　Whatmorewassaidatthetea-tableIcannottell；norhowIfoundpatiencetosittillthemealwasover。Iremember，however，thatIswallowedwithdifficultytheremainderoftheteathatwasinmycup，andatenothing；
　　andthatthefirstthingIdidwastostareatArthurGraham，whosatbesidehismotherontheoppositesideofthetable，andthesecondtostareatMrLawrence，whosatbelow；and，first，itstruckmethattherewasalikeness；but，onfurthercontemplation，Iconcludeditwasonlyinimagination。
　　Both，itistrue，hadmoredelicatefeaturesandsmallerbonesthancommonlyfalltothelotofindividualsoftheroughersex，andLawrence’scomplexionwaspaleandclear，andArthur’sdelicatelyfair；butArthur’stiny，somewhatsnubbynosecouldneverbecomesolongandstraightasMrLawrence’s，andtheoutlineofhisface，thoughnotfullenoughtoberound，andtoofinelyconvergingtothesmall，dimpledchintobesquare，couldneverbedrawnouttothelongovaloftheother’s；whilethechild’shairwasevidentlyofalighter，warmertintthantheeldergentleman’shadeverbeen，andhislarge，clear，blueeyes，thoughprematurelyseriousattimes，wereutterlydissimilartotheshy，hazeleyesofMrLawrence，whencethesensitivesoullookedsodistrustfullyforth，aseverreadytoretirewithin，fromtheoffencesofatoorude，toouncongenialworld。WretchthatIwastoharbourthatdetestableideaforamoment！DidInotknowMrsGraham？HadInotseenher，conversedwithhertimeaftertime？WasInotcertainthatshe，inintellect，inpurityandelevationofsoul，wasimmeasurablysuperiortoanyofherdetractors；thatshewas，infact，thenoblest，themostadorable，ofhersexIhadeverbeheld，orevenimaginedtoexist？Yes，andIwouldsaywithMaryMillwardsensiblegirlasshewasthatifalltheparish，ay，oralltheworldshoulddinthesehorribleliesinmyears，Iwouldnotbelievethem；forIknewherbetterthanthey。
　　Meantime，mybrainwasonfirewithindignation，andmyheartseemedreadytoburstfromitsprisonwithconflictingpassions。IregardedmytwofairneighbourswithafeelingofabhorrenceandloathingIscarcelyendeavouredtoconceal：Iwasralliedfromseveralquartersformyabstractionandungallantneglectoftheladies；butIcaredlittleforthat：allI
　　caredabout，besidesthatonegrandsubjectofmythoughts，wastoseethecupstraveluptothetea-tray，andnotcomedownagain。IthoughtMrMillwardneverwouldceasetellingusthathewasnotea-drinker，andthatitwashighlyinjurioustokeeploadingthestomachwithslopstotheexclusionofmorewholesomesustenance，andsogivehimselftimetofinishhisfourthcup。
　　Atlengthitwasover；andIroseandleftthetableandtheguests，withoutawordofapology——Icouldenduretheircompanynolonger。Irushedouttocoolmybraininthebalmyeveningair，andtocomposemymind，orindulgemypassionatethoughtsinthesolitudeofthegarden。
　　Toavoidbeingseenfromthewindows，Iwentdownaquietlittleavenue，thatskirtedonesideoftheenclosure，atthebottomofwhichwasaseatemboweredinrosesandhoneysuckles。HereIsatdowntothinkoverthevirtuesandwrongsoftheladyofWildfellHall；butIhadnotbeensooccupiedtwominutes，beforevoicesandlaughter，andglimpsesofmovingobjectsthroughthetrees，informedmethatthewholecompanyhadturnedouttotakeanaIringinthegardentoo，However，Inestledupinacornerofthebower，andhopedtoretainpossessionofit，securealikefromobservationandintrusion。Butno——confoundit——therewassomeonecomingdowntheavenue！Whycouldn’ttheyenjoytheflowers。andsunshineoftheopengarden，andleavethatsunlessnooktome，andthegnatsandmidges？
　　Butpeepingthroughmyfragrantscreenofinterwovenbranchestodiscoverwhotheintruderswereforamurmurofvoicestoldmeitwasmorethanone，myvexationinstantlysubsided，andfarotherfeelingsagitatedmystillunquietsoul；fortherewasMrsGraham，slowlymovingdownthewalkwithArthurbyherride，andnooneelse。Whyweretheyalone？
　　Hadthepoisonofdetractingtonguesalreadyspreadthroughall？andhadtheyallturnedtheirbacksuponher？InowrecollectedhavingseenMrsWilson，intheearlypartoftheevening，edgingherchaircloseuptomymother，andbendingforward，evidentlyinthedeliveryofsomeimportant，confidentialintelligence；andfromtheincessantwaggingofherhead，thefrequentdistortionsofherwrinkledphysiognomy，andthewinkingandmalicioustwinkleofherlittleuglyeyes，Ijudgeditwassomespicypieceofscandalthatengagedherpowers；andfromthecautiousprivacyofthecommunication，Isupposedsomepersonthenpresentwasthelucklessobjectofhercalumnies；andfromallthesetokens，togetherwithmymother’slooksandgesturesofmingledhorrorandincredulity，InowconcludedthatobjecttohavebeenMrsGraham。Ididnotemergefrommyplaceofconcealment，tillshehadnearlyreaChedthebottomofthewalk，lestmyappearanceshoulddriveheraway；andwhenIdidstepforward，shestoodstillandseemedinclinedtoturnbackasitwas。
　　Oh，don’tletusdisturbyou，MrMarkham！’saidshe。`Wecameheretoseekretirementourselves；nottointrudeonyourseclusion。’
　　`Iamnohermit，MrsGraham——thoughIownitlooksratherlikeit，toabsentmyselfinthisuncourteousfashionfrommyguests。’
　　`Ifearedyouwereunwell，’saidshe，withalookofrealconcern。
　　`Iwasrather，butit’sovernow。Dositherealittle，andrest，andtellmehowyoulikethisarbour，’saidI，andliftingArthurbytheshoulders，Iplantedhiminthemiddleoftheseatbywayofsecuringhismamma，who，acknowledgingittobeatemptingplaceofrefuge，threwherselfbackinonecorner，whileItookpossessionoftheother。
　　Butthatwordrefugedisturbedme。Hadtheirunkindnessthenreallydrivenhertoseekforpeaceinsolitude？
　　`Whyhavetheyleftyoualone？’Iasked。
　　`ItisIwhohaveleftthem，’wasthesmilingrejoinder。`Iwasweariedtodeathwithsmalltalk——nothingwearsmeoutlikethat。Icannotimaginehowtheycangoonastheydo。’
　　Icouldnothelpsmilingattheseriousdepthofherwonderment。
　　`Isitthattheythinkitadutytobecontinuallytalking，’pursuedshe；`andsoneverpausetothink，butfillupwithaimlesstriflesandvainrepetitions，whensubjectsofrealinterestfailtopresentthemselves？——ordotheyreallytakeapleasureinsuchdiscourse？’
　　Verylikelytheydo，’saidI：`theirshallowmindscanholdnogreatideas，andtheirlightheadsarecarriedawaybytrivialitiesthatwouldnotmoveabetterfurnishedskill；——andtheironlyalternativetosuchdisCourseistoplungeoverheadandearsintothesloughofscandal——whichistheirchiefdelight。’
　　`Notallofthemsurely？’criedthelady，astonishedatthebitternessofmyremark。
　　`No，certainly；Iexoneratemysisterfromsuchdegradedtastes——andmymothertoo，ifyouincludedherinyouranimadversions。’
　　`Imeantnoanimadversionsagainstanyone，andcertainlyin-tendednodisrespectfulallusionstoyourmother。Ihaveknownsomesensiblepersonsgreatadeptsinthatstyleofconversation，whencircumstancesimpelledthemtoit；butitisagiftIcannotboastthepossessionof。Ikeptupmyattention，onthisoccasion，aslongasIcould，butwhenmypowerswereexhausted，Istoleaway，toseekafewminutes’reposeinthisquietwalk。1hatetalkingwherethereisnoexchangeofideasorsentiments，andnogoodgivenorreceived。’
　　`Well，’saidI，`ifeverItroubleyouwithmyloquacity，tellmesoatonce，andIpromisenottobeoffended；forIpossessthefacultyofenjoyingthecompanyofthoseI——ofmyfriendsaswellinsilenceasinconversation。’
　　`Idon’tquitebelieveyou；butifitwereso，youwouldexactlysuitmeforacompanion。’
　　`Iamallyouwish，then，inotherrespects？’
　　`No，Idon’tmeanthat。Howbeautifulthoselittleclustersoffoliagelook，wherethesuncomesthroughbehindthem！’saidshe，onpurposetochangethesubject。