He told himself that it was absurd, and laughed at it, but it was a dismal kind of mirth that echoed hollowly in his ears, startling him, for he fancied that the laughter sounded mocking, and he began to recall the old legends that he had read about holy men being tempted of the emissaries of the Evil One, and of the strange guises they had been said to assume for the better leading of their victims astray.
Was he he asked himself being chosen for one of those terrible temptations? Was he to be the object of one of their assaults?
For the moment he was ready to accept the idea; but directly after, his common-sense stepped in to point out how weak and full of vanity was such a fancy. And he then found himself thinking of how sweet and ladylike Hazel Thorne was in all her dealings with the school children how gentle and yet how firm! And if she could be so good a manager of these children, what would she not be as a wife!
He could not bear the thought, but cast it from him, and half angrily he wished that Hazel Thorne had never come to the town; but directly after, his pale handsome face lit up with a smile, his eyelids dropped, and he began thinking of how bright his life had seemed ever since Hazel Thorne had come.
Good-day, Mr Chute. Yes, a nice day, he said, as he came suddenly upon the schoolmaster, gnashing his teeth as usual, but ceasing the operation upon finding himself suddenly face to face with his vicar, who bowed gravely after replying to his salutation, and passed on.
Why, he isnt going there too, is he? said Chute, looking over his shoulder. I hope he isnt. No, I dont hope he is. Why am I not asked there too? he exclaimed angrily, as he saw the vicar pass in at the Burges gate. Its a shame, that it is; and no more favour ought to be shown to the mistress than the master. But I wont have it. I wont stand it. She shant talk to Canninge, and Ill speak to her about it to-night. I consider her as good as mine, and its abominable for her to be going where Im not asked, and talking to the gentry like this. Gentry, indeed! Ha, ha, ha! I dont think much of such gentry as Mr Burge: a nasty, fat, stuck-up, red-faced, common, kidney-dealing, beefsteak butcher thats what he is!
Strange to say, Mr Chute did not feel any better for this verbal explosion, but after casting a few angry glances at the house that was tabooed to him, he turned back into the fields, and began, in a make-believe sort of manner, to botanise, collecting any of the simple plants around, and trying to recollect the orders to which they belonged, but always keeping within sight of Mr Burges gates.
Therell be a regular row about this, and I hope Lambent will give her a few words of a sort, he muttered. It will prepare her for what I mean to say to her to-night. Ill give her such a lesson. I shall divide my lesson into three parts, he went on, speaking mechanically.
How many parts shall I divide my lesson into! Oh, what a fool I am! Whats this? Oh, its a cress. Belongs to the cruciferous family, and Hang the cruciferous family! Its too bad. I wont stand it. Therell be a regular scandal about her talking to the young squire. I dont mind, of course; but I wont stand it for the sake of the schools. A girl who has been trained ought to know better. You wouldnt catch a master trained at Saint Marks going on like that with girls.
And then somehow, with a bunch of wild flowers in his hand, Mr Chutes thoughts ran back to certain Saturday afternoons, when three or four students somehow found themselves in the neighbourhood of Chelsea, meeting accidentally with three or four other students who did not wear coats and waistcoats; and in the walks that followed parsing was never mentioned, a blade-board and chalk never came into their heads, neither did they converse on the notes of an object lesson, or ask one another what was the price of Pinnocks Analysis, or whether they could make head or tail of Lathams Grammar.
But I was only a boy then, said Mr Chute importantly. Now I am a man.
Chapter Nineteen. Visitors to the Burges
Ah, Miss Burge, how are you! he cried cheerily. I found Miss Thorne on the way here, and I thought I ought to come and say a word as well, for Ive not seen you since the feast.
Im so glad you did come, Mr Canninge, said the little lady, shaking hands very warmly, as she led the way into the drawing-room after kissing Hazel affectionately. You dont know how we have talked about you.
Slanders behind my back. Miss Burge!
Bless my heart, sir, no. Why, it was all about how you did go on and help at the school feast, making such fun and games for the poor children; and it all seemed so strange.
Strange, Miss Burge! said Canninge. May I ask why!
Because wed always heard that you were so proud and orty like, sir, when youre really about the nicest gentleman I ever met.
Do you hear that Miss Thorne! he cried merrily. There, I shall go home as proud as a peacock. Oh, heres Mr Burge. What do you think your sister says!
That were very glad to see you, Mr Canninge, sir; and what will you take!