the visible shake his fever had given
to his health. But, once back in the old lodgings, where I had always
seen him so buoyant, eloquent, decided, and vigorous in former days, my
spirits sank at the change in one whom I had always regarded with a
strong feeling of admiring affection. He sank into silence and
despondency after the least exertion; he seemed as if he could not make
up his mind to any action, or else that, when it was made up, he lacked
strength to carry out his purpose. Of course, it was but the natural
state of slow convalescence, after so sharp an illness; but, at the
time, I did not know this, and perhaps I represented his state as more
serious than it was to my kind relations at Hope Farm; who, in their
grave, simple, eager way, immediately thought of the only help they
could give.
'Bring him out here,' said the minister. 'Our air here is good to a
proverb; the June days are fine; he may loiter away his time in the
hay-field, and the sweet smells will be a balm in themselves—better
than physic.'
'And,' said cousin Holman, scarcely waiting for her husband to finish
his sentence, 'tell him there is new milk and fresh eggs to be had for
the asking; it's lucky Daisy has just calved, for her milk is always as
good as other cows' cream; and there is the plaid room with the morning
sun all streaming in.' Phillis said nothing, but looked as much
interested in the project as any one. I took it upon myself. I wanted
them to see him; him to know them. I proposed it to him when I got
home. He was too languid after the day's fatigue, to be willing to make
the little exertion of going amongst strangers; and disappointed me by
almost declining to accept the invitation I brought. The next morning
it was different; he apologized for his ungraciousness of the night
before; and told me that he would get all things in train, so as to be
ready to go out with me to Hope Farm on the following Saturday.
'For you must go with me, Manning,' said he; 'I used to be as impudent
a fellow as need be, and rather liked going amongst strangers, and
making my way; but since my illness I am almost like a girl, and turn
hot and cold with shyness, as they do, I fancy.'
So it was fixed. We were to go out to Hope Farm on Saturday afternoon;
and it was also understood that if the air and the life suited Mr
Holdsworth, he was to remain there for a week or ten days, doing what
work he could at that end of the line, while I took his place at Eltham
to the best of my ability. I grew a little nervous, as the time drew
near, and wondered how the brilliant Holdsworth would agree with the
quiet quaint family of the minister; how they would like him, and many
of his half-foreign ways. I tried to prepare him, by telling him from
time to time little things about the goings-on at Hope Farm.
'Manning,' said he, 'I see you don't think I am half good enough for
your friends. Out with it, man.'
'No,' I replied, boldly. 'I think you are good; but I don't know if you
are quite of their kind of goodness.'
'And you've found out already that there is greater chance of
disagreement between two "kinds of goodness", each having its own idea
of right, than between a given goodness and a moderate degree of
naughtiness—which last often arises from an indifference to right?'
'I don't know. I think you're talking metaphysics, and I am sure that
is bad for you.'
'"When a man talks to you in a way that you don't understand about a
thing which he does not understand, them's metaphysics." You remember
the clown's definition, don't you, Manning?'
'No, I don't,' said I. 'But what I do understand is, that you must go
to bed; and tell me at what time we must start tomorrow, that I may go
to Hepworth, and get those letters written we were talking about this
morning.'
'Wait till to-morrow, and let us see what the day is like,' he
answered, with such languid indecision as showed me he was
over-fatigued. So I went my way. The morrow was blue and sunny, and
beautiful; the
to his health. But, once back in the old lodgings, where I had always
seen him so buoyant, eloquent, decided, and vigorous in former days, my
spirits sank at the change in one whom I had always regarded with a
strong feeling of admiring affection. He sank into silence and
despondency after the least exertion; he seemed as if he could not make
up his mind to any action, or else that, when it was made up, he lacked
strength to carry out his purpose. Of course, it was but the natural
state of slow convalescence, after so sharp an illness; but, at the
time, I did not know this, and perhaps I represented his state as more
serious than it was to my kind relations at Hope Farm; who, in their
grave, simple, eager way, immediately thought of the only help they
could give.
'Bring him out here,' said the minister. 'Our air here is good to a
proverb; the June days are fine; he may loiter away his time in the
hay-field, and the sweet smells will be a balm in themselves—better
than physic.'
'And,' said cousin Holman, scarcely waiting for her husband to finish
his sentence, 'tell him there is new milk and fresh eggs to be had for
the asking; it's lucky Daisy has just calved, for her milk is always as
good as other cows' cream; and there is the plaid room with the morning
sun all streaming in.' Phillis said nothing, but looked as much
interested in the project as any one. I took it upon myself. I wanted
them to see him; him to know them. I proposed it to him when I got
home. He was too languid after the day's fatigue, to be willing to make
the little exertion of going amongst strangers; and disappointed me by
almost declining to accept the invitation I brought. The next morning
it was different; he apologized for his ungraciousness of the night
before; and told me that he would get all things in train, so as to be
ready to go out with me to Hope Farm on the following Saturday.
'For you must go with me, Manning,' said he; 'I used to be as impudent
a fellow as need be, and rather liked going amongst strangers, and
making my way; but since my illness I am almost like a girl, and turn
hot and cold with shyness, as they do, I fancy.'
So it was fixed. We were to go out to Hope Farm on Saturday afternoon;
and it was also understood that if the air and the life suited Mr
Holdsworth, he was to remain there for a week or ten days, doing what
work he could at that end of the line, while I took his place at Eltham
to the best of my ability. I grew a little nervous, as the time drew
near, and wondered how the brilliant Holdsworth would agree with the
quiet quaint family of the minister; how they would like him, and many
of his half-foreign ways. I tried to prepare him, by telling him from
time to time little things about the goings-on at Hope Farm.
'Manning,' said he, 'I see you don't think I am half good enough for
your friends. Out with it, man.'
'No,' I replied, boldly. 'I think you are good; but I don't know if you
are quite of their kind of goodness.'
'And you've found out already that there is greater chance of
disagreement between two "kinds of goodness", each having its own idea
of right, than between a given goodness and a moderate degree of
naughtiness—which last often arises from an indifference to right?'
'I don't know. I think you're talking metaphysics, and I am sure that
is bad for you.'
'"When a man talks to you in a way that you don't understand about a
thing which he does not understand, them's metaphysics." You remember
the clown's definition, don't you, Manning?'
'No, I don't,' said I. 'But what I do understand is, that you must go
to bed; and tell me at what time we must start tomorrow, that I may go
to Hepworth, and get those letters written we were talking about this
morning.'
'Wait till to-morrow, and let us see what the day is like,' he
answered, with such languid indecision as showed me he was
over-fatigued. So I went my way. The morrow was blue and sunny, and
beautiful; the
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