Peregrine's Progress

for once I was heedless of the ethereal beauty of the scene before me and felt none of that poetic rapture that would otherwis

dyl

ful word in its application to myself. And gradually, having regard to the manifest injustice and bad taste of the term, conscious

t my breath, shocked, amazed, and not a little ashamed at this outb

garity, and passion uncontrolled lessens

controvertible maxims, I grew abashed (as I say

dyli

ithet for the third time and

taste. To me, the subtle beauty of line or colour, the singing music of a phrase, were of more account than the reek of stables or the wh

ken,' to shoot and be shot at, to spur sweating and unwilling horses over dangerous fences-

uisite harmonies of colour; and coming before the cheval mirror I stood to view and examine myself as I had never done hitherto, surveying

o great stature, clothed in gar

saturnine cast-but the

llow-but clear an

oo long-but dark

too prominent-bu

d soft-but well-

short to please me-but

in its curves-but the

ed, at a glance-but when se

npleasing, though I yearned might

ispassionately set down, my outer being; as to my inner

y passed slowly to and fro, each word of their conversation very plain to hear upon the warm, still air. Honour should have compelled me to close my ears or the lattice; had I done so, how different

aid my uncle George

wherefore the pity? Our youth is a perfect a

he faint jingle of his spurs), "we roasted him devilishly to

did the tal

exclaimed uncle George. "What an am

ence, his disdainful airs-the cock of h

George, "always make me feel so dooced-er-so curst hum

ggested Uncle Jervas

ed, d'ye see-her whole life one of exemplary s

ry, we know, while she has this precio

of us,

e a fool! She couldn

e'd ha' to be content wi' one of us

lf, G

ing more gustily than ever. "Be

etimes thought she has the preposter

claimed my uncle George

d you though-d

of this incubus Peregrine, free to live for her own happiness instead of

eorge, "you were always

ggish, self-satisfied do-nothing, and s

od God! Hush, Jervas-it

ty old female, myself into a solitary, embittered recluse, and you into

d hemmed loudly, whereupon they halted very suddenly and stood staring up

bowing to them as well as I might, "p

imed my uncle Jervas, fumbling for hi

clambering through the casement, I descended forthwith, hand over han

Jervas, lounging against the balustrade, viewed me languidly through his glass, and

ar to you as a 'fish,' a 'puppy' and a 'self-satisfied do-nothing,' but

e!" ejaculate

to remove myself for a while-let us say fo

ed uncle Jervas, peering at me a

roads, consort with all and sundry, open the book o

my uncle Jervas,-"

xcellent advice, Uncle Jervas, and go out into the world t

when, m

t, as I said befo

pping his glass to tenderly strok

venture to enquire

g at once, both together or turn about, because I would not have her-this best, this noblest and most generous of women-forfeit anything of happiness

clashing his spurs suddenly. "Lor

nguor, he stood suddenly erect, frowni

inking, have you, Pe

, s

ou must

sir. Howbeit

ridiculous!" he ex

uaring my shoulders resolute

l never permit such t

, folding my arms. "I go for h

"'t would break her heart, Perry; she'd grieve, boy, aye, be

must do-it is for this I am about to sacrifice the joy of her companionship, the gentle quiet and luxury of home to pit myself, alone and friendless, against an alien world. This, my

errace again, "Tush and fiddle-de-dee! If you have done with these heroics, let us get to

sudden, cold fury, as that contemptuous yawn. Even as I stood mute with righte

ed sleepily, "come you in t

at him as contemptuously as possi

e as if he had never seen me before in all his life. Uncle Jervas, on the contrary, regarded me silently

. There was an evil word very well meant and heartily expressed!" And he laughed again; then his long arm shot out, though whether to cuff or pat my head I do

manners, sir! Uncle George, farewell. Uncles both, heaven teach you to be some day more worthy my loved aunt Jul

o uncles hastening after me; hotfoot they came, at something betwixt walk and run, their long legs covering the ground with remarkable speed. Instinctively I began to back away and was

rry!" he called, spurs

o one-two very large, ponderous men; pray

Jervas a trifle breathlessly, "w

uncle George. "Besides, we've bro

se?" I enquired, maintai

" answered

our!" cried

nd suffered them t

ttempting the futility

!" said un

our!" cried

tout, "I for one heartily concur and commend your decision in so far as concerns your

ship-if not too hard. So we thought it well to see t

sir?" I

ad-chink,

search of my various pockets resulted in the discovery of one shilling and a groat. "Precisely as I surmised," nodded my uncle Jervas, "having had your every possible want supplied hitherto, money is a sordid vulgarity you know little about, y

id uncle George, thrusting h

dequate sum, perhaps, but these should last you a few days-with care, or at le

lapping me on the shoulder and eyeing me a littl

, he will!" nodd

bly solitary, s

mall,

eliness-'my mind to me my kingdom is,' and one peopled by a t

e, ruffling up his thick curls and eyeing me as

top at I will write her fully regar

rge, fumbling for his whisker, "she'll be sure

l but serve to draw you nearer together, all three, and I look forward with assur

love

oul!" exclaimed my tw

ng suspected your passion for my peerle

exclaimed my unc

ar words pass between you tha

pper!" exclaimed my uncle J

s. But before I go, I would beg of you to satisfy me on a point

y uncle Jervas in stra

" sighed my

ame they to die

broken heart, Peregri

d!" added u

n His mercy has mended

sirs,-how came he

changed looks as thou

r told you?" enquir

ning more than the once. But you are men and so

quivering fist. "They fought in a little wood not so far from here-such a lad he was-our fag at school, d'ye

added my uncle Jervas, "just as

And whose hand s

my uncle Jervas, gazing

ut of reach

added uncle George,

t Vienna-anyho

cle Jervas, still apparently lo

my shoulder, "if go you will, come back soon! And should you meet trouble-n

ing you prompt advice in any difficulty and, what is better, perhaps-money. Moreover, should

eir hands in turn, "for this kind solicitu

old them watching me, motionless and side by side; hereupon, moved by their wistful attitude, I forgot my dignit