`Oh! as good as to say, you wish we would all of us mind our own business, and let you alone.'
`No, I dislike an extensive acquaintance; but if I have a few friends, of course I am glad to see them occasionally. No one can be happy in eternal solitude. Therefore, Mr Fergus, if you choose to enter my house as a friend, I will make you welcome; if not, I must confess, I would rather you kept away.' She then turned and addressed some observation to Rose or Eliza.
`And, Mrs Graham,' said he, again, five minutes after, `we were disputing, as we came along, a question that you can readily decide for us, as it mainly regarded yourself--and indeed, we often hold discussions about you; for some of us have nothing better to do than to talk about our neighbours' concerns, and we, the indigenous plants of the soil, have known each other so long, and talked each other over so often, that we are quite sick of that game; so that a stranger coming amongst us makes an invaluable addition to our exhausted sources of amusement, Well, the question, or questions, you are requested to solve--`'
`Hold your tongue, Fergus!' cried Rose, in a fever of apprehension and wrath.
`I won't, I tell you. The questions you are requested to solve are these:--first, concerning your birth, extraction, and previous residence.
Some will have it that you are a foreigner, and some an Englishwoman; some a native of the north country, and some of the south; some say--`'
`Well, Mr Fergus, I'll tell you. I'm an Englishwoman--and I don't see why anyone should doubt it--and I was born in the country neither in the extreme north nor south of our happy isle; and in the country I have chiefly passed my life, and now, I hope, you are satisfied; for I am not disposed to answer any more questions at present.'
`Except this--`'
`No, not one more!' laughed she, and instantly quitting her seat, she sought refuge at the window by which I was seated, and, in very desperation, to escape my brother's persecutions, endeavoured to draw me into conversation.
`Mr Markham,' said she, her rapid utterance and heightened colour too plainly evincing her disquietude, `have you forgotten the fine sea view we were speaking of some time ago? I think I must trouble you, now, to tell me the nearest way to it; for if this beautiful weather continue, I shall, perhaps, be able to walk there, and take my sketch; I have exhausted every other subject for painting; and I long to see it.'
I was about to comply with her request; but Rose would not suffer me to proceed.
`Oh, don't tell her, Gilbert!' cried she; `she shall go with us.
It's---Bay you are thinking about, I suppose, Mrs Graham. It is a very long walk, too far for you, and out of the question for Arthur. But we were tag about making a picnic to see it, some fine day; and, if you will wait till the settled fine weather comes, I'm sure we shall all be delighted to have you amongst us.'
Poor Mrs Graham looked dismayed, and attempted to make excuses, but Rose, either compassionating her lonely life, or anxious to cultivate her acquaintance, was determined to have her: and every objection was overruled, She was told it would only be a small party, and all friends, and that the best view of all was from---cliffs, full five miles distant.
`Just a nice walk for the gentlemen,' continued Rose; `but the ladies will drive and walk by turns; for we shall have our pony carriage, which will be plenty large enough to contain little Arthur and three ladies, together with your sketching apparatus, and our provisions.'
So the proposal was finally acceded to; and, after some further don respeCting the time and manner of the projected excursion, we rose, and took our leave.
But this was only March: a cold, wet April, and two weeks of May passed over before we could venture forth on our expedition with the reasonable hope of obtaining that pleasure we sought in pleasant prospects, cheerful society, fresh air, good cheer, and exercise, without the alloy of bad roads, cold winds, or threatening clouds. Then, on a glorious morning, we gathered our forces and set forth. The company consisted of Mrs and Master Graham, Mary and Eliza Millward, Jane and Richard Wilson, and Rose, Fergus, and Gilbert Markham.
Mr Lawrence had been invited to join us, but, for some reason best known to himself, had refused to give us his company. I had solicited the favour myself. When I did so, he hesitated, and asked who were going.
Upon my naming Miss Wilson among the rest, he seemed half inclined to go, but when I mentioned Mrs Graham, thinking it might be a further inducement, it appeared to have a contrary effect, and he declined it altogether, and, to confess the truth, the decision was not displeasing to me, though I could scarcely tell you why.
It was about midday when we reached the place of our destination.
Mrs Graham walked all the way to the cliffs; and little Arthur walked the greater part of it too; for he was now much more hardy and active, than when he first entered the neighbour hood, and he did not like being in the carriage with strangers, while all his four friends, Mamma, and Sancho, and Mr Markham, and Miss Millward, were on foot, journeying far behind or, passing through distant fields and lanes.