Queechy Volume Ii Part 72

"I am afraid you have wanted my former prescription to-day,"

said Mr. Carleton, after considering the little-improved colour of Fleda's face.

"I have, indeed."

"Where is it?"

Fleda hesitated, and then, in a little confusion, said, she supposed it was lying on Mrs. Evelyn's centre-table.

"How happens that?" said he, smiling.

"Because I could not help it, Mr. Carleton," said Fleda, with no little difficulty; "I was foolish, I could not bring it away."

He understood and was silent.

"Are you fit to bear a long ride in the cold?" he said, compa.s.sionately, a few minutes after.

"Oh, yes; it will do me good."

"You have had a miserable day, have you not?"

"My head has been pretty bad," said Fleda, a little evasively.

"Well, what would you have?" said he, lightly; "doesn't that make a miserable day of it?"

Fleda hesitated and coloured, and then, conscious that her cheeks were answering for her, coloured so exceedingly, that she was fain to put both her hands up to hide what they only served the more plainly to show. No advantage was taken. Mr.

Carleton said nothing; she could not see what answer might be in his face. It was only by a peculiar quietness in his tone whenever he spoke to her afterwards that Fleda knew she had been thoroughly understood. She dared not lift her eyes.

They had soon employment enough around her. A sleigh and horses, better than anything else Quarrenton had been known to furnish, were carrying her rapidly towards home, the weather had perfectly cleared off, and in full brightness and fairness the sun was s.h.i.+ning upon a brilliant world. It was cold indeed, though the only wind was that made by their progress; but Fleda had been again unresistingly wrapped in the furs, and was, for the time, beyond the reach of that or any other annoyance. She sat silently and quietly enjoying; so quietly that a stranger might have questioned there being any enjoyment in the case. It was a very picturesque, broken country, fresh covered with snow; and at that hour, late in the day, the lights and shadows were a constantly varying charm to the eye. Clumps of evergreens stood out in full disclosure against the white ground; the bare branches of neighbouring trees in all their barrenness, had a wild prospective or retrospective beauty peculiar to themselves. On the wavy white surface of the meadow land, or the steep hill- sides, lay every variety of shadow in blue and neutral tint; where they lay not, the snow was too brilliant to be borne.

And afar off, through a heaven, bright and cold enough to hold the canopy over winter's head, the ruler of the day was gently preparing to say good-bye to the world. Fleda's eye seemed to be new set for all forms of beauty, and roved from one to the other as grave and bright as nature itself.

For a little way, Mr. Carleton left her to her musings, and was as silent as she. But then he gently drew her into a conversation that broke up the settled gravity of her face, and obliged her to divide her attention between nature and him, and his part of it he knew how to manage. But though eye and smile constantly answered him, he could win neither to a straightforward bearing.

They were about a mile from Queechy, when Fleda suddenly exclaimed ?

"Oh, Mr. Carleton, please stop the sleigh!"

The horses were stopped.

"It is only Earl Dougla.s.s, our farmer," Fleda said, in explanation: "I want to ask how they are at home?"

In answer to her nod of recognition, Mr. Dougla.s.s came to the side of the vehicle; but till he was there, close, gave her no other answer by word or sign; when there, broke forth his accustomed guttural ? "How d'ye do?"

"How d'ye do, Mr. Dougla.s.s," said Fleda. "How are they all at home?"

"Well, there aint nothin' new among 'em, as I've heerd on,"

said Earl, diligently though stealthily, at the same time qualifying himself to make a report of Mr. Carleton. "I guess they'll be glad to see you. _I_ be."

"Thank you, Mr. Dougla.s.s. How is Hugh?"

"He aint nothin' different from what he's been for a spell back ? at least I ain't heerd that he was. Maybe he is, but if he is, I ha'n't heerd speak of it, and if he was, I think I should ha' heerd speak of it. He was pretty bad a spell ago ?

about when you went away ? but he's been better sen. So they say. I ha'n't seen him. Well Flidda," he added, with somewhat of a sly gleam in his eye, "do you think you're going to make up your mind to stay to hum this time?"

"I have no immediate intention of running away, Mr. Dougla.s.s,"

said Fleda, her pale cheeks turning rose as she saw him looking curiously up and down the edges of the black fox. His eye came back to hers with a good- humoured intelligence that she could hardly stand.

"It's time you was back," said he. "Your uncle's to hum, but he don't do me much good, whatever he does to other folks, or himself nother, as far as the farm goes; there's that corn ?"

"Very well, Mr. Dougla.s.s," said Fleda, "I shall be at home now, and I'll see about it."

"_Very_ good!" said Earl, as he stepped back, "Queechy can't get along without you, that's no mistake."

They drove on a few minutes in silence.

"Aren't you thinking, Mr. Carleton," said Fleda, "that my countrymen are a strange mixture?"

"I was not thinking of them at all at this moment. I believe such a notion has crossed my mind."

"It has crossed mine very often," said Fleda.

"How do you read them? What is the basis of it?"

"I think, the strong self-respect which springs from the security and importance that republican inst.i.tutions give every man. But," she added, colouring, "I have seen very little of the world, and ought not to judge."

"I have no doubt you are quite right," said Mr. Carleton, smiling. "But don't you think an equal degree of self-respect may consist with giving honour where honour is due?"

"Yes," said Fleda, a little doubtfully, "where religion and not republicanism is the spring of it."

"Humility and not pride," said he. "Yes, you are right."

"My countrymen do yield honour where they think it is due,"

said Fleda, "especially where it is not claimed. They must give it to reality, not to pretension. And, I confess, I would rather see them a little rude in their independence, than cringing before mere advantages of external position ? even for my own personal pleasure."

"I agree with you, Elfie, putting, perhaps, the last clause out of the question."

"Now, that man," said Fleda, smiling at his look ? "I suppose his address must have struck you as very strange; and yet there was no want of respect under it. I am sure he has a true thorough respect, and even regard for me, and would prove it on any occasion."

"I have no doubt of that."

"But it does not satisfy you?"

"Not quite. I confess I should require more from any one under my control."

"Oh, n.o.body is under control here," said Fleda. "That is, I mean, individual control, unless so far as self-interest comes in. I suppose that is all-powerful here as elsewhere."

"And the reason it gives less power to individuals is, that the greater freedom of resources makes no man's interest depend so absolutely on one other man. That is a reason you cannot regret. No, your countrymen have the best of it, Elfie.

But, do you suppose that this is a fair sample of the whole country?"

"I dare not say that," said Fleda. "I am afraid there is not so much intelligence and cultivation everywhere. But I am sure there are many parts of the land that will bear a fair comparison with it."