ButIwasnotleftlongalone，forMrWilmot，ofallmentheleastwelcome，tookadvantageofmyisolatedpositiontocomeandplantbesideme。IhadflatteredmyselfthatIhadsoeffectuallyrepulsedhisadvancesonallformeroccasions，thatIhadnothingmoretoapprehendfromhisunfortunatepredilection；butitseemsIwasmistaken：sogreatwashisconfidence，eitherinhiswealthorhisremainingpowersofattraction，andsofirmhisconvictionoffeminineweakness，thathethoughthimselfwarrantedtoreturntothesiege，whichhedidwithrenovatedardour，enkindledbythequantityofwinehehaddrunk——acircumstancethatrenderedhiminfinitelythemoredisgusting；butgreatlyasIabhorredhimatthatmoment，Ididnotliketotreathimwithrudeness，asIwasnowhisguestandhadjustbeenenjoyinghishospitality；andIwasnohandatapolitebutdeterminedrejection，norwouldithavegreatlyavailedmeifIhad；forhewastoocoarse-mindedtotakeanyrepulsethatwasnotasplainandpositiveashisowneffrontery。Theconsequencewas，thathewaxedmorefulsomelytender，andmorerepulsivelywarm，andIwasdriventotheveryvergeofdesperationandabouttosay，Iknownotwhat，whenIfeltmyhand，thathungoverthearmofthesofa，suddenlytakenbyanotherandgentlybutferventlypressed。Instinctively，Iguessedwhoitwas，andonlookingup，waslesssurprisedthandelighted，toseeMrHuntingdonsmilinguponme。Itwasliketurningfromsomepurgatorialfiendtoanangeloflight，cometoannouncethattheseasonoftormentwaspast。
　　`Helen，’saidhehefrequentlycalledmeHelen，andIneverresentedthefreedom，`Iwantyoutolookatthispicture：MrWilmotwillexcuseyouamoment，I’msure。’
　　Irosewithalacrity。Hedrewmyarmwithinhis，andledmeacrosstheroomtoasplendidpaintingofVandyke’sthatIhadnoticedbefore，butnotsufficientlyexamined。Afteramomentofsilentcontemplation，Iwasbeginningtocommentonitsbeautiesandpeculiarities，when，playfullypressingthehandhestillretainedwithinhisarm，heinterruptedmewith——
　　`Nevermindthepicture，itwasnotforthatIbroughtyouhere；
　　itwastogetyouawayfromthatscoundrellyoldprofligateyonder，whoislookingasifhewouldliketochallengemefortheaffront。’
　　`Iamverymuchobligedtoyou，’saidI。`Thisistwiceyouhavedeliveredmefromsuchunpleasantcompanionship。’
　　`Don’tbetoothankful，’heanswered：`Itisnotallkindnesstoyou；itispartlyfromafeelingofspitetoyourtormentorsthatmakesmedelightedtodotheoldfellowsabadturn，thoughIdon’tthinkIhaveanygreatreasontodreadthemasrivals——HaveI，Helen？’
　　`YouknowIdetestthemboth。’
　　`Andme？’
　　`Ihavenoreasontodetestyou。’
　　`Butwhatareyoursentimentstowardsme？——Helen——Speak！——Howdoyouregardme？’
　　Andagainhepressedmyhand；butIfearedtherewasmoreofconsciouspowerthantendernessinhisdemeanour，andIfelthehadnorighttoextortaconfessionofattachmentfrommewhenhehadmadenocorrespondentavowalhimself，andknewnotwhattoanswer。AtlastIsaid——
　　`Howdoyouregardme？’
　　`Sweetangel，Iadoreyou！I——’
　　`Helen；Iwantyouamoment，’saidthedistinct，lowvoiceofmyaunt，closebesideus。AndIlefthim，mutteringmaledictionsagainsthisevilangel。
　　`Well，aunt，whatisit？batdoyouwant？’saidI，followinghertotheembrasureofthewindow。
　　`Iwantyoutojointhecompany，whenyouarefittobeseen，returnedshe，severelyregardingme；`butpleasetostayherealittle，tillthatshockingcolourissomewhatabated，andyoureyeshaverecoveredsomethingoftheirnaturalexpression。Ishouldbeashamedforanyonetoseeyouinyourpresentstate。’
　　Ofcourse，sucharemarkhadnoeffectinreducingthe`shockingcolour’；onthecontrary，Ifeltmyfaceglowwithredoubledfires，kindledbyacomplicationofemotions，ofwhichindignant，swellingangerwasthechief。Iofferednoreply，however，butpushedasidethecurtainandlookedintothenight——orrather，intothelamp-litsquare。
　　`WasMrHuntingdonproposingtoyou，Helen？’enquiredmytoowatchfulrelative。
　　`No。’
　　`Whatwashesayingthen？Iheardsomethingverylikeit。’
　　`Idon’tknowwhathewouldhavesaid，ifyouhadn’tinterruptedhim。’
　　`Andwouldyouhaveacceptedhim，Helen，ifhehadproposed？’
　　`Ofcoursenot——withoutconsultinguncleandyou。’
　　`Oh！I’mglad，mydear，youhavesomuchprudenceleft。Wellnow，’
　　sheadded，afteramoment’spause，`youhavemadeyourselfconspicuousenoughforoneevening。Theladiesaredirectingenquiringglancestowardsusatthismoment，Isee。Ishalljointhem。Doyoucometoo，whenyouaresufficientlycomposedtoappearasusual。’
　　`Iamsonow。’
　　`Speakgentlythen；anddon’tlooksomalicious，’saidmycalm，butprovokingaunt。`Weshallreturnhomeshortly，andthen，’sheadded，withsolemnsignificance，`Ihavemuchtosaytoyou。’
　　SoIwenthomepreparedforaformidablelecture。Littlewassaidbyeitherpartyinthecarriageduringourshorttransithomewards；butwhenIhadenteredmyroomandthrownmyselfintoaneasychairtoreflectontheeventsoftheday，myauntfollowedmehither，andhavingdismissedRachel，whowascarefullystowingawaymyornaments，closedthedoor：andplacingachairbesideme，orratheratrightangleswithmine，satdown。
　　WithduedeferenceIofferedhermymorecommodiousseat。Shedeclinedit，andthusopenedtheconference：
　　`Doyouremember，Helen，ourconversationthenightbutonebeforeweleftStaningley？’
　　`Yes，aunt。’
　　`Anddoyourememberhowlwarnedyouagainstlettingyourheartbestolenfromyoubythoseunworthyofitspossession；andfixingyouraffectionswhereapprobationdidnotgobefore，andwherereasonandjudgmentwithheldtheirsanction？’
　　`Yes，butmyreason——’
　　`Pardonme——anddoyourememberassuringmethattherewasnooccasionforuneasinessonyouraccount；foryoushouldneverbetemptedtomarryamanwhowasdeficientinsenseorprinciple，howeverhandsomeorcharminginotherrespectshemightbe，foryoucouldnotlovehim，youshouldhate——despise——pity——anythingbutlovehim——werenotthoseyourwords？’
　　`Yes，but——’
　　`Anddidyounotsaythatyouraffectionmustbefoundedonapprobation；andthatunlessyoucouldapproveandhonourandrespect，youcouldnotlove？’
　　`Yes，butIdoapproveandhonourandrespect——’
　　`Howso，mydear？isMrHuntingdonagoodman？’
　　`Heisamuchbettermanthanyouthinkhim。’
　　`Thatisnothingtothepurpose。Isheagoodman？’
　　`Yes——insomerespects。Hehasagooddisposition。’
　　`Isheamanofprinciple？’
　　`Perhapsnot，exactly；butitisonlyforwantofthought：ifhehadsomeonetoadvisehim，andremindhimofwhatisright——’
　　`Hewouldsoonlearn，youthink——andyouyourselfwouldwillinglyundertaketobehisteacher？But，mydear，heis，Ibelieve，fulltenyearsolderthanyou——howisitthatyouaresobeforehandinmoralacquirements？’
　　`Thankstoyou，aunt，Ihavebeenwellbroughtup，andhadgoodexamplesalwaysbeforeme，whichhe，mostlikely，hasnot；——andbesides，heisofasanguinetemperament，andagaysthoughtlesstemper，andI
　　amnaturallyinclinedtoreflection。’
　　`Well，nowyouhavemadehimouttobedeficientinbothsenseandprinciple，byyourownconfession——’
　　`Thenmysenseandmyprincipleareathisservice！’
　　`Thatsoundspresumptuous，Helen！Doyouthinkyouhaveenoughforboth；anddoyouimagineyourmerry，thoughtlessprofligatewouldallowhimselftobeguidedbyayoung，girllikeyou？’
　　`No；Ishouldnotwishtoguidehim；butIthinkImighthaveinfluencesufficienttosavehimfromsomeerrors，andIshouldthinkmylifewellspentintheefforttopreservesonobleanaturefromdestruction。
　　Healwayslistensattentivelynow，whenIspeakseriouslytohimandI
　　oftenventuretoreprovehisrandomwayoftalking，andsometimeshesaysthatifhehadmealwaysbyhissideheshouldneverdoorsayawickedthing，andthatalittledailytalkwithmewouldmakehimquiteasaint。
　　Itmaybepartlyjestandpartlyflattery，butstill——’
　　`Butstillyouthinkitmaybetruth？’
　　`IfIdothinkthereisanymixtureoftruthinit，itisnotfromconfidenceinmyownpowers，butinhisnaturalgoodness——Andyouhavenorighttocallhimaprofligate，aunt；heisnothingofthekind。’
　　`Whotoldyouso，mydear？batwasthatstoryabouthisintriguewithamarriedlady——Ladywhowasit——MissWilmotherselfwastellingyoutheotherday？’
　　`Itwasfalse——false！’Icried。`Idon’tbelieveawordofit。’
　　`Youthink，then，thatheisavirtuous，well-conductedyoungman？’
　　`Iknownothingpositiverespectinghischaracter。IonlyknowthatIhaveheardnothingdefinitiveagainstit——nothingthatcouldbeproved，atleast；andtillpeoplecanprovetheirslanderousaccusations，Iwillnotbelievethem。AndIknowthis，thatifhehascommittederrors，theyareonlysuchasarecommontoyouth，andsuchasnobodythinksanythingabout；forIseethateverybodylikeshim，andallthemammassmileuponhim，andtheedaughters——andMissWilmotherself——areonlytoogladtoattracthisattention。’
　　`Helen，theworldmaylookuponsuchoffencesasvenial；
　　afewunprincipledmothersmaybeanxioustocatchayoungmanoffortunewithoutreferencetohischaracter；andthoughtlessgirlsmaybegladtowinthesmilesofsohandsomeagentlemanwithoutseekingtopenetratebeyondthesurface；butyou，Itrusted，werebetterinformedthantoseewiththeireyes，andjudgewiththeirpervertedjudgment。Ididnotthinkyouwouldcallthesevenialerrors！’
　　`NordoI，aunt；butifIhatethesinsIlovethesinner，andwoulddomuchforIllssalvation，evensupposingyoursuspicionstobemainlytrue——whichIdonotandwillnotbelieve。’
　　`Well，mydear，askyourunclewhatsortofcompanyhekeepsandifheisnotbandedwithasetofloose，profligateyoungmen，whomhecallshisfriends——hisjollycompanions，andwhosechiefdelightistowallowinvice，andviewitheachotherwhocanrunfastestandfarthestdowntheheadlongroadtotheplacepreparedforthedevilandhisangels。’
　　`ThenIwillsavehimfromthem。’
　　`Oh，Helen，Helen！youlittleknowthemiseryofunitingyourfortunestosuchaman！’
　　`Ihavesuchconfidenceinhim，aunt，notwithstandingallyousay，thatIwouldwillinglyriskmyhappinessforthechanceofsecurInghis。Iwillleavebettermentothosewhoonlyconsidertheirownadvantage。
　　Ifhehasdoneamiss，Ishallconsidermylifewellspentinsavinghimfromtheconsequencesofhisearlyerrors，andstrivingtorecallhimtothepathofvirtue——Godgrantmesuccess！’
　　HeretheConversationended，foratthisjuncture，myuncle’svoicewasheardfromhischamber，loudlycallinguponmyaunttocometobed。Hewasinabadhumourthatnight；forhisgoutwasworse。Ithadbeengraduallyincreasinguponhimeversincewecametotown；andmyaunttookadvantageofthecircumstance，nextmorning，topersuadehimtoreturntothecountryimmediately，withoutwaitingforthecloseoftheseason。
　　Hisphysiciansupportedandenforcedherarguments；andcontrarytoherusualhabits，shesohurriedthepreparationsforremovalasmuchformysakeasmyuncle’s，Ithink，thatinaveryfewdayswedeparted；andIsawnomoreofMrHuntingdon。MyauntflattersherselfIshallsoonforgethim——perhapssheIhaveforgottenhimalready，forInevermentionhisname；andshemaycontinuetothinkso，tillwemeetagain，——ifeverthatshouldbe。Iwonderifitwill。
　　TheTenantofWildfellHall：Chapter18CHAPTER18TheMiniatureAugust25th——Iamnowquitesettleddowntomyusualroutineofsteadyoccupationsandquietamusements——tolerablycontentedandcheerful，butstilllookingforwardtospringwiththehopeofreturningtotown，notforitsgaietiesanddissipations，butforthechanceofmeetingMrHuntingdononceagain；forstillheisalwaysinmythoughtsandinmydreams。Inallmyemployments，whateverIdo，orsee，orhear，hasanultimatereferencetohim；whateverskillorknowledgeIacquireissomedaytobeturnedtohisadvantageoramusement；whatevernewbeautiesinnatureorartI