Between you and me! she cried with a twirl of her broom along the step, theres nothing between you and me. Theres a deal to be done first, Mr. Gervase, before any man shall say as theres something between him and Miss Hewitt of the Seven Thorns; and if you dont know that, youre the only man in the parish as doesnt. Is there anything as I can do for you? for Ive got my work, and I cant stand idling here.
Oh, Patty, dont turn like that at the first word! As if I wasnt down enough! You told me last night to give it up for your sake, and I meant to; and now you come and tempt me with it! If I must have neither my beer nor you, what is to become of me? poor Gervase cried.
Patty felt that things were becoming serious. She was conscious of all the pathos of this cry. She leant the broom
in a corner, and coming down the steps, approached the disconsolate young man outside. Whatevers to do, Mr. Gervase? she said.
Patty, Ill have to give you up! said the poor fellow, with his head upon his hand, and something very like a sob bursting from his breast.
Give me up? Youve never had me, so you cant give me up, cried proud Patty. She was, however, more interested by this than by other more flattering methods of wooing. She laughed fiercely. Sir Giles and my lady wont hear of it? No, of course they wont! And this is my fine gentleman that thought nothing in the world as good as me! I told you youd give in at the first word! She was very angry, though she had never accepted poor Gervases protestations. He raised his head piteously, and the sight of her, flaming, sparkling, enveloping him in a sort of fiery contempt and fury, roused the little spark of gentlemanhood that was in Gervases breast.
If I give in, he said, it is because of you, Patty. Ill not marry you not if you were ready this moment to be the wife of a man without a penny that would have to draw beer for his living. I wouldnt; no, I wouldnt unless I was to make you a lady. I wanted to make a lady of you, Patty!
And he wept; the Softy, the poor, silly fellow! Patty had something in her, though she was the veriest little egotist and as hard as the nether millstone, which vibrated in spite of her at this touch. She said, Lord, bless the man! What nonsense is he talking? Draw beer for his living! Tell me now, Mr. Gervase, theres a dear, what ist you mean.
And then poor Gervase poured out his heart: how he had been threatened with the Lord Chancellor and even with the Queen; how they could take not only every penny but his very name from him, and so make him bring shame upon the girl he loved instead of honour and glory as he had hoped. And how, in these circumstances, he would have to give her up. Better, though it might kill him, that she should marry a man who could keep her up in every thing than one who would be thrown upon her to make his living drawing beer.
Patty listened patiently, and cross-examined acutely to get to the bottom of this mystery. She was a little overawed to hear of the Lord Chancellor, whose prerogatives she could not limit, and who might be able to do something terrible; but gradually her good sense surmounted even the terrors of that mysterious power. They cant take your name from you, she said; its nonsense; not a bit. Your name? Why, you were born to it. Its not like the estate. Of course your names yours, and nobody cant take it away.
Not? said Gervase, looking up beseechingly into her eyes.
Not a bit. I, for one, dont believe it. Nor the property either! I, for one, dont believe it. Theyve neither chick nor child but you. What! give it away to a dreadful old man, a cousin, and you there, their own child! No, Mr. Gervase, I dont believe a word of it. They wanted to frighten you bad; and so they have done, and thats all.
They shant frighten me, said Gervase, lifting his pale cheek and setting his hat on with a defiant look, not if youll stand by me, Patty.
How am I to stand by you, cried the coquette with a laugh, if youre a-going to give me up?
It was only for your sake, Patty, he said. Id marry you to-day if I could, you know. Thats what I should like just to marry you straight off this very day. He got up and came close to her, almost animated in the fervour of his passion. His dull eyes lighted up, a little colour came to his face. If he could only be made always to look like that, it would be something like! was the swift thought that passed through her mind. She kept him off, retreating a step, and raising both her hands.
Stand where you are, Mr. Gervase! You say so, I know; but I dont see as you do anything to prove it, for all your fine words.
A look of distress, the puzzled distress habitual to it, came over poor Gervases face. His under lip dropped once more, What can I do? he cried; if I knew, Id do it fast enough. Patty, dont it all stand with you?
I never heard yet, cried Patty, that it was the lady who took the steps; everybody knows theres steps that have to be took.
What steps, what steps, Patty? he cried, with a feeble glance at his own feet, and the trace of them on the sandy road. Then a gleam of shame and confusion came over the poor fellows face. He knew the steps to be taken could not be like that, and paused eager, anxious, with his mouth open, waiting for his instructions like a faithful dog ready to start after any stick or stone.