When they finally accepted his invitation, they found Mrs. Rawdon drinking a cup of tea with Ruth in the hall. Ethel joined them with affected high spirits and random explanations and excuses, but both women no-ticed her radiant face and exulting air.
"The garden is such a heavenly place," she said ecstatically, and Mrs Rawdon remarked, as she rose and put her cup on the table, "Girls need chaperons in gardens if they need them anywhere. I made Nicholas Rawdon a promise in Mossgill Garden I've had to spend all my life since trying to keep.""Tyrrel and I have been sitting under the plane tree watching the bees. They are such busy, sensible creatures.""They are that," answered Mrs. Rawdon.
"If you knew all about them you would wonder a bit. My father had a great many;he studied their ways and used to laugh at the ladies of the hive being so like the ladies of the world. You see the young lady bees are just as inexperienced as a schoolgirl.
They get lost in the flowers, and are often so overtaken and reckless, that the night finds them far from the hive, heavy with pollen and chilled with cold. Sometimes father would lift one of these imprudent young things, carry it home, and try to get it admitted.
He never could manage it. The lady bees acted just as women are apt to do when other women GO where they don't go, or DOas they don't do."
"But this is interesting," said Ruth.
"Pray, how did the ladies of the hive behave to the culprit?""They came out and felt her all over, turned her round and round, and then pushed her out of their community. There was always a deal of buzzing about the poor, silly thing, and I shouldn't wonder if their stings were busy too. Bees are ill-natured as they can be. Well, well, I don't blame anyone for sitting in the garden such a day as this; only, as I was saying, gardens have been very dangerous places for women as far as I know."Ruth laughed softly. "I shall take a chaperon with me, then, when I go into the garden.""I would, dearie. There's the Judge; he's a very suitable, sedate-looking one but you never can tell. The first woman found in a garden and a tree had plenty of sorrow for herself and every woman that has lived after her. I wish Nicholas and John Thomas would come. I'll warrant they're talking what they call politics."Politics was precisely the subject which had been occupying them, for when Tyrrel entered the dining-room, the Squire, Judge Rawdon, and Mr. Nicholas Rawdon were all standing, evidently just finishing a Conservative argument against the Radical opinions of John Thomas. The young man was still sitting, but he rose with smiling good-humor as Tyrrel entered.
"Here is Cousin Tyrrel," he cried; "he will tell you that you may call a government anything you like radical, conservative, republican, democratic, socialistic, but if it isn't a CHEAP government, it isn't a good government;and there won't be a cheap government in England till poor men have a deal to say about ****** laws and voting taxes.""Is that the kind of stuff you talk to our hands, John Thomas? No wonder they are neither to hold nor to bind."They were in the hall as John Thomas finished his political creed, and in a few minutes the adieux were said, and the wonderful day was over. It had been a wonderful day for all, but perhaps no one was sorry for a pause in life--a pause in which they might rest and try to realize what it had brought and what it had taken away. The Squire went at once to his room, and Ethel looked at Ruth inquiringly. She seemed exhausted, and was out of sympathy with all her surroundings.
"What enormous vitality these Yorkshire women must have!" she said almost crossly.
"Mrs. Rawdon has been talking incessantly for six hours. She has felt all she said. She has frequently risen and walked about. She has used all sorts of actions to emphasize her words, and she is as fresh as if she had just taken her morning bath. How do the men stand them?""Because they are just as vital. John Thomas will overlook and scold and order his thousand hands all day, talk even his mother down while he eats his dinner, and then lecture or lead his Musical Union, or conduct a poor man's concert, or go to `the Weaver's Union,' and what he calls `threep them' for two or three hours that labor is ruining capital, and killing the goose that lays golden eggs for them. Oh, they are a wonderful race, Ruth!""I really can't discuss them now, Ethel."
"Don't you want to know what Tyrrel said to me this afternoon?""My dear, I know. Lovers have said such things before, and lovers will say them evermore.
You shall tell me in the morning. I thought he looked distrait and bored with our company."Indeed, Tyrrel was so remarkably quiet that John Thomas also noticed his mood, and as they sat smoking in Tyrrel's room, he resolved to find out the reason, and with his usual directness asked:
"What do you think of Ethel Rawdon, Tyrrel,""I think she is the most beautiful woman I ever saw. She has also the most sincere nature, and her high spirit is sweetly tempered by her affectionate heart.""I am glad you know so much about her.
Look here, Cousin Tyrrel, I fancied to-night you were a bit jealous of me. It is easy to see you are in love, and I've no doubt you were thinking of the days when you would be thousands of miles away, and I should have the ground clear and so on, eh?""Suppose I was, cousin, what then?"
"You would be worrying for nothing. I don't want to marry Ethel Rawdon. If I did, you would have to be on the ground all the time, and then I should best you; but Ipicked out my wife two years ago, and if we are both alive and well, we are going to be married next Christmas.""I am delighted. I----"
"I thought you would be."
"Who is the young lady?"
