Munde, Tyzde, Wenzde, Ʈrzde, Frîde, n Saṭde hv nǎ pást in rvy bfr ɖ rīdr; ɖ ivnts v ć de, its hops n firz, mortif̣ceśnz n pleźrz, hv bn sepṛtli stetd, n ɖ pañz v Súnde onli nǎ rmen t b dscrîbd, n cloz ɖ wīc. Ɖ Cliftn scīm hd bn dfŕd, nt rlinqiśt, n on ɖ afṭnun’z Cresnt v ɖs de, it wz bròt fwd agn. In a prîvt conslteśn btwn Iẓbela n Jemz, ɖ formr v hūm hd ptiklrli set hr hart upn gwñ, n ɖ latr no les añśsli plest hiz upn plizñ hr, it wz agrìd ɖt, pṛvîdd ɖ weɖr wr fer, ɖ parti śd tec ples on ɖ folowñ mornñ; n ɖe wr t set v vri rli, in ordr t b at hom in gd tîm. Ɖ afer ɖus dtrmind, n Ʈorp’s apṛbeśn s’krd, Caʈrin onli rmend t b aprîzd v it. Ś hd left ɖm fr a fy minits t spīc t Mis Tilni. In ɖt inṭvl ɖ plan wz cmplitd, n az sn az ś cem agn, hr agrīmnt wz dmandd; bt instd v ɖ ge aqiesns xpctd bî Iẓbela, Caʈrin lct grev, wz vri sori, bt cd nt g. Ɖ ingejmnt ẃć òt t hv cept hr fṛm jônñ in ɖ formr atmt wd mc it imposibl fr hr t acumṗni ɖm nǎ. Ś hd ɖt momnt setld wɖ Mis Tilni t tec ɖer pṛpozd wōc tmro; it wz qt dtrmind, n ś wd nt, upn eni acǎnt, rtract. Bt ɖt ś mst n śd rtract wz instntli ɖ īgr crî v bʈ ɖ Ʈorps; ɖe mst g t Cliftn tmro, ɖe wd nt g wɖǎt hr, it wd b nʈñ t pt of a mir wōc fr wn de longr, n ɖe wd nt hír v a rfyzl. Caʈrin wz dstrest, bt nt sbdyd. “D nt rj m, Iẓbela. I am ingejd t Mis Tilni. I canot g.” Ɖs aveld nʈñ. Ɖ sem arğmnts aseld hr agn; ś mst g, ś śd g, n ɖe wd nt hír v a rfyzl. “It wd b so īzi t tel Mis Tilni ɖt y hd jst bn rmîndd v a prîr ingejmnt, n mst onli beg t pt of ɖ wōc tl Tyzde.”
“No, it wd nt b īzi. I cd nt d it. Ɖr hz bn no prîr ingejmnt.” Bt Iẓbela bcem onli mor n mor rjnt, cōlñ on hr in ɖ most afx́ṇt manr, adresñ hr bî ɖ most indirñ nemz. Ś wz śr hr dirist, swītist Caʈrin wd nt sirịsli rfyz sć a trîf̣lñ rqst t a frend hu luvd hr so dirli. Ś ń hr b’luvid Caʈrin t hv so fīlñ a hart, so swīt a tmpr, t b so īẓli pswedd bî ɖoz ś luvd. Bt ol in ven; Caʈrin flt hrslf t b in ɖ rît, n ɖo pend bî sć tndr, sć flaṭrñ supḷceśn, cd nt alǎ it t inflụns hr. Iẓbela ɖen traid anɖr meʈd. Ś rproćt hr wɖ hvñ mor afx́n fr Mis Tilni, ɖo ś hd noun hr so litl a ẃl, ɖn fr hr bst n oldist frendz, wɖ biyñ groun cold n indifṛnt, in śort, twdz hrslf. “I canot hlp biyñ jeḷs, Caʈrin, ẃn I si mslf slîtd fr strenjrz, I, hu luv y so xesvli! Ẃn wns mî afx́nz r plest, it z nt in ɖ pǎr v enʈñ t ćenj ɖm. Bt I b’liv mî fīlñz r strongr ɖn enbdi’z; I am śr ɖe r tù stroñ fr mî ǒn pīs; n t si mslf s’plantd in yr frendśp bî strenjrz dz cut m t ɖ qc, I ǒn. Ɖz Tilniz sīm t swolo p evrʈñ els.”
Caʈrin ʈt ɖs rproć īqli strenj n uncînd. Wz it ɖ part v a frend ɖus t xpoz hr fīlñz t ɖ notis v uɖrz? Iẓbela apird t hr unjenṛs n slfiś, rgardlis v evrʈñ bt hr ǒn gratif̣ceśn. Ɖz penfl îdiyz crost hr mînd, ɖo ś sd nʈñ. Iẓbela, in ɖ mnẃl, hd aplaid hr hanc̣ćif t hr îz; n Morḷnd, mizṛbl at sć a sît, cd nt hlp seyñ, “Nê, Caʈrin. I ʈnc y canot stand ǎt eni longr nǎ. Ɖ sacṛfîs z nt mć; n t oblîj sć a frend—I śl ʈnc y qt uncînd, f y stl rfyz.”
Ɖs wz ɖ frst tîm v hr bruɖr’z opnli sîdñ agnst hr, n añśs t avôd hiz dspleźr, ś pṛpozd a compṛmîz. F ɖe wd onli pt of ɖer scīm tl Tyzde, ẃć ɖe mt īẓli d, az it dpndd onli on ɖmslvz, ś cd g wɖ ɖm, n evrbdi mt ɖen b saṭsfaid. Bt “No, no, no!” wz ɖ imījt ansr; “ɖt cd nt b, fr Ʈorp dd nt nǒ ɖt h mt nt g t tǎn on Tyzde.” Caʈrin wz sori, bt cd d no mor; n a śort sîḷns insyd, ẃć wz brocn bî Iẓbela, hu in a vôs v cold rzntmnt sd, “Vri wel, ɖen ɖr z an end v ɖ parti. F Caʈrin dz nt g, I canot. I canot b ɖ onli wmn. I wd nt, upn eni acǎnt in ɖ wrld, d so impropr a ʈñ.”
“Caʈrin, y mst g,” sd Jemz.
“Bt ẃ canot Mr Ʈorp drîv wn v hiz uɖr sistrz? I der se îɖr v ɖm wd lîc t g.”
“Ʈanc yi,” craid Ʈorp, “bt I dd nt cm t Baʈ t drîv mî sistrz abt, n lc lîc a fūl. No, f y d nt g, d—— m f I d. I onli g fr ɖ sec v drîvñ y.”
“Ɖt z a complimnt ẃć gvz m no pleźr.” Bt hr wrdz wr lost on Ʈorp, hu hd trnd abrupli awe.
Ɖ ʈri uɖrz stl cntinyd tgɖr, wōcñ in a most uncumftbl manr t pur Caʈrin; smtmz nt a wrd wz sd, smtmz ś wz agn atact wɖ supḷceśnz or rproćz, n hr arm wz stl linct wɖn Iẓbela’z, ɖo ɖer harts wr at wor. At wn momnt ś wz sofnd, at anɖr iritetd; olwz dstrest, bt olwz stedi.
“I dd nt ʈnc y hd bn so obstiṇt, Caʈrin,” sd Jemz; “y wr nt yst t b so hard t pswed; y wns wr ɖ cîndist, bst-tmprd v mî sistrz.”
“I hop I am nt les so nǎ,” ś rplaid, vri fīlñli; “bt indd I canot g. F I am roñ, I am dwñ ẃt I b’liv t b rît.”
“I sspct,” sd Iẓbela, in a lo vôs, “ɖr z no gret strugl.”
Caʈrin’z hart sweld; ś drù awe hr arm, n Iẓbela md no opziśn. Ɖus pást a loñ ten minits, tl ɖe wr agn jônd bî Ʈorp, hu, cmñ t ɖm wɖ a geyr lc, sd, “Wel, I hv setld ɖ matr, n nǎ w me ol g tmro wɖ a sef conśns. I hv bn t Mis Tilni, n md yr xksz.”
“Y hv nt!” craid Caʈrin.
“I hv, upn mî soul. Left hr ɖs momnt. Tld hr y hd snt m t se ɖt, hvñ jst rec̣lectd a prîr ingejmnt v gwñ t Cliftn wɖ s tmro, y cd nt hv ɖ pleźr v wōcñ wɖ hr tl Tyzde. Ś sd vri wel, Tyzde wz jst az cnvińnt t hr; so ɖr z an end v ol ǎr dificltiz. A priti gd ʈt v mîn—hê?”
Iẓbela’z cǎntinns wz wns mor ol smîlz n gd hymr, n Jemz tù lct hapi agn.
“A most hevnli ʈt indd! Nǎ, mî swīt Caʈrin, ol ǎr dstresz r ovr; y r onṛbli aqitd, n w śl hv a most dlîtfl parti.”
“Ɖs wl nt d,” sd Caʈrin; “I canot sbmit t ɖs. I mst run aftr Mis Tilni d’recli n set hr rît.”
Iẓbela, hvr, còt hold v wn hand, Ʈorp v ɖ uɖr, n rmonstṛnsz pord in fṛm ol ʈri. Īvn Jemz wz qt angri. Ẃn evrʈñ wz setld, ẃn Mis Tilni hrslf sd ɖt Tyzde wd sūt hr az wel, it wz qt r’dikyḷs, qt absrd, t mc eni frɖr objx́n.
“I d nt cer. Mr Ʈorp hd no biznis t invnt eni sć mesij. F I hd ʈt it rît t pt it of, I cd hv spocn t Mis Tilni mslf. Ɖs z onli dwñ it in a rūdr we; n hǎ d I nǒ ɖt Mr Ʈorp hz—H me b mstecn agn phps; h léd m intu wn act v rūdnis bî hiz mstec on Frîde. Let m g, Mr Ʈorp; Iẓbela, d nt hold m.”
Ʈorp tld hr it wd b in ven t g aftr ɖ Tilniz; ɖe wr trnñ ɖ cornr intu Broc Strīt, ẃn h hd oṿtecn ɖm, n wr at hom bî ɖs tîm.
“Ɖen I wl g aftr ɖm,” sd Caʈrin; “ẃrvr ɖe r I wl g aftr ɖm. It dz nt sigṇfî tōcñ. F I cd nt b pswedd intu dwñ ẃt I ʈt roñ, I nvr wl b trict intu it.” N wɖ ɖz wrdz ś brouc awe n hurid of. Ʈorp wd hv dartd aftr hr, bt Morḷnd wɖheld him. “Let hr g, let hr g, f ś wl g.”
“Ś z az obstiṇt az—”
Ʈorp nvr finiśt ɖ siṃli, fr it cd hardli hv bn a propr wn.
Awe wōct Caʈrin in gret ajteśn, az fast az ɖ crǎd wd pmit hr, firfl v biyñ psyd, yt dtrmind t prsvir. Az ś wōct, ś rflectd on ẃt hd pást. It wz penfl t hr t dis’pônt n dspliz ɖm, ptiklrli t dspliz hr bruɖr; bt ś cd nt rpnt hr rzistns. Setñ hr ǒn incḷneśn apart, t hv feld a secnd tîm in hr ingejmnt t Mis Tilni, t hv rtractd a promis voḷntṛli md onli fîv minits bfr, n on a fōls pritns tù, mst hv bn roñ. Ś hd nt bn wɖstandñ ɖm on slfiś prínsiplz alon, ś hd nt cnsultd mirli hr ǒn gratif̣ceśn; ɖt mt hv bn inśurd in sm dgri bî ɖ xcrśn itslf, bî siyñ Bleiz Casl; no, ś hd atndd t ẃt wz dy t uɖrz, n t hr ǒn caṛctr in ɖer opińn. Hr cnvix́n v biyñ rît, hvr, wz nt inuf t rstor hr cmpoźr; tl ś hd spocn t Mis Tilni ś cd nt b at īz; n qc̣nñ hr pes ẃn ś got clir v ɖ Cresnt, ś olmst ran ovr ɖ rmenñ grǎnd tl ś gend ɖ top v Milsm Strīt. So rapid hd bn hr muvmnts ɖt in spît v ɖ Tilniz’ advantij in ɖ ǎtset, ɖe wr bt jst trnñ intu ɖer lojñz az ś cem wɖn vy v ɖm; n ɖ srvnt stl rmenñ at ɖ opn dor, ś yzd onli ɖ seriṃni v seyñ ɖt ś mst spīc wɖ Mis Tilni ɖt momnt, n huriyñ bî him pṛsidd upsterz. Ɖen, oṗnñ ɖ frst dor bfr hr, ẃć hapnd t b ɖ rît, ś imījtli faund hrslf in ɖ drw̃rūm wɖ Jenṛl Tilni, hiz sun, n dōtr. Hr xpḷneśn, dfctiv onli in biyñ—fṛm hr iriteśn v nrvz n śortnis v breʈ—no xpḷneśn at ol, wz instntli gvn. “I am cm in a gret huri—It wz ol a mstec—I nvr promist t g—I tld ɖm fṛm ɖ frst I cd nt g.—I ran awe in a gret huri t xplen it.—I dd nt cer ẃt y ʈt v m.—I wd nt ste fr ɖ srvnt.”
Ɖ biznis, hvr, ɖo nt prf̣cli ilūṣdetd bî ɖs spīć, sn sīst t b a puzl. Caʈrin faund ɖt Jon Ʈorp hd gvn ɖ mesij; n Mis Tilni hd no scrūpl in ǒnñ hrslf gretli s’prîzd bî it. Bt ẃɖr hr bruɖr hd stl xidd hr in rzntmnt, Caʈrin, ɖo ś instñtivli adrest hrslf az mć t wn az t ɖ uɖr in hr vindceśn, hd no mīnz v nwñ. Ẃtvr mt hv bn flt bfr hr arîvl, hr īgr decḷreśnz imījtli md evri lc n sntns az frendli az ś cd dzîr.
Ɖ afer ɖus haṗli setld, ś wz intṛdyst bî Mis Tilni t hr faɖr, n rsivd bî him wɖ sć redi, sć s’lisiṭs p’lîtnis az rcōld Ʈorp’s inf̣meśn t hr mînd, n md hr ʈnc wɖ pleźr ɖt h mt b smtmz dpndd on. T sć añśs atnśn wz ɖ jenṛl’z sviḷti carid, ɖt nt awer v hr xtrordnri swiftnis in enṭrñ ɖ hǎs, h wz qt angri wɖ ɖ srvnt huz nglect hd rdyst hr t opn ɖ dor v ɖ apartmnt hrslf. “Ẃt dd Wiłm mīn bî it? H śd mc a pônt v inqîrñ intu ɖ matr.” N f Caʈrin hd nt most wormli asrtd hiz iṇsns, it sīmd lîcli ɖt Wiłm wd lūz ɖ fevr v hiz mastr fr evr, f nt hiz ples, bî hr r’pidti.
Aftr sitñ wɖ ɖm a qortr v an aur, ś rouz t tec līv, n wz ɖen most agriybli s’prîzd bî Jenṛl Tilni’z ascñ hr f ś wd d hiz dōtr ɖ onr v dînñ n spendñ ɖ rest v ɖ de wɖ hr. Mis Tilni add hr ǒn wśz. Caʈrin wz gretli oblîjd; bt it wz qt ǎt v hr pǎr. Mr n Msz Aḷn wd xpct hr bac evri momnt. Ɖ jenṛl dclerd h cd se no mor; ɖ clemz v Mr n Msz Aḷn wr nt t b sūṗsidd; bt on sm uɖr de h trustd, ẃn longr notis cd b gvn, ɖe wd nt rfyz t sper hr t hr frend. “Ǒ, no; Caʈrin wz śr ɖe wd nt hv ɖ līst objx́n, n ś śd hv gret pleźr in cmñ.” Ɖ jenṛl atndd hr himslf t ɖ strītdor, seyñ evrʈñ gaḷnt az ɖe wnt dǎnsterz, admîrñ ɖ ilastiṣti v hr wōc, ẃć corispondd xacli wɖ ɖ spirit v hr dansñ, n mcñ hr wn v ɖ most gresfl bǎz ś hd evr bheld, ẃn ɖe partd.
Caʈrin, dlîtd bî ol ɖt hd pást, pṛsidd gêli t Pŭltni Strīt, wōcñ, az ś cncludd, wɖ gret ilastiṣti, ɖo ś hd nvr ʈt v it bfr. Ś rīćt hom wɖǎt siyñ enʈñ mor v ɖ ofndd parti; n nǎ ɖt ś hd bn trîumfnt ʈrt, hd carid hr pônt, n wz s’kr v hr wōc, ś bgan (az ɖ flutr v hr spirits sbsîdd) t dǎt ẃɖr ś hd bn prf̣cli rît. A sacṛfîs wz olwz nobl; n f ś hd gvn we t ɖer intritiz, ś śd hv bn sperd ɖ dstresñ îdīa v a frend dsplizd, a bruɖr angri, n a scīm v gret hapinis t bʈ dstroid, phps ʈru hr mīnz. T īz hr mînd, n aṣten bî ɖ opińn v an unpreɉdist prsn ẃt hr ǒn cnduct hd riyli bn, ś tc oceźn t mnśn bfr Mr Aḷn ɖ haf-setld scīm v hr bruɖr n ɖ Ʈorps fr ɖ folowñ de. Mr Aḷn còt at it d’recli. “Wel,” sd h, “n d y ʈnc v gwñ tù?”
“No; I hd jst ingejd mslf t wōc wɖ Mis Tilni bfr ɖe tld m v it; n ɖrfr y nǒ I cd nt g wɖ ɖm, cd I?”
“No, srtnli nt; n I am glad y d nt ʈnc v it. Ɖz scīmz r nt at ol ɖ ʈñ. Yuñ men n wimin drîvñ abt ɖ cuntri in opn caṛjz! Nǎ n ɖen it z vri wel; bt gwñ t ínz n public plesz tgɖr! It z nt rît; n I wundr Msz Ʈorp śd alǎ it. I am glad y d nt ʈnc v gwñ; I am śr Msz Morḷnd wd nt b plizd. Msz Aḷn, r nt y v mî we v ʈncñ? D nt y ʈnc ɖz cnd v projects objx́ṇbl?”
“Yes, vri mć so indd. Opn caṛjz r nasti ʈñz. A clīn gǎn z nt fîv minits’ wer in ɖm. Y r splaśt gtñ in n gtñ ǎt; n ɖ wind tecs yr her n yr bonit in evri d’rex́n. I het an opn carij mslf.”
“I nǒ y d; bt ɖt z nt ɖ qsćn. D nt y ʈnc it hz an od apiṛns, f yuñ lediz r frīqntli drivn abt in ɖm bî yuñ men, t hūm ɖe r nt īvn rletd?”
“Yes, mî dir, a vri od apiṛns indd. I canot ber t si it.”
“Dir madm,” craid Caʈrin, “ɖen ẃ dd nt y tel m so bfr? I am śr f I hd noun it t b impropr, I wd nt hv gn wɖ Mr Ʈorp at ol; bt I olwz hopt y wd tel m, f y ʈt I wz dwñ roñ.”
“N so I śd, mî dir, y me dpnd on it; fr az I tld Msz Morḷnd at partñ, I wd olwz d ɖ bst fr y in mî pǎr. Bt wn mst nt b ovr ptiklr. Yuñ ppl wl b yuñ ppl, az yr gd muɖr sz hrslf. Y nǒ I wontd y, ẃn w frst cem, nt t bai ɖt sprigd muzlin, bt y wd. Yuñ ppl d nt lîc t b olwz ʈwortd.”
“Bt ɖs wz smʈñ v riyl consiqns; n I d nt ʈnc y wd hv faund m hard t pswed.”
“Az far az it hz gn hiɖrtu, ɖr z no harm dn,” sd Mr Aḷn; “n I wd onli advîz y, mî dir, nt t g ǎt wɖ Mr Ʈorp eni mor.”
“Ɖt z jst ẃt I wz gwñ t se,” add hiz wîf.
Caʈrin, rlivd fr hrslf, flt unīzi fr Iẓbela, n aftr a momnt’s ʈt, asct Mr Aḷn ẃɖr it wd nt b bʈ propr n cînd in hr t rait t Mis Ʈorp, n xplen ɖ indicoṛm v ẃć ś mst b az insnsbl az hrslf; fr ś cnsidrd ɖt Iẓbela mt uɖwz phps b gwñ t Cliftn ɖ nxt de, in spît v ẃt hd pást. Mr Aḷn, hvr, dscurijd hr fṛm dwñ eni sć ʈñ. “Y hd betr līv hr alon, mî dir; ś z old inuf t nǒ ẃt ś z abt, n f nt, hz a muɖr t advîz hr. Msz Ʈorp z tù induljnt bynd a dǎt; bt, hvr, y hd betr nt inṭfir. Ś n yr bruɖr ćūz t g, n y wl b onli gtñ il wil.”
Caʈrin sbmitd, n ɖo sori t ʈnc ɖt Iẓbela śd b dwñ roñ, flt gretli rlivd bî Mr Aḷn’z apṛbeśn v hr ǒn conduct, n trūli rjôst t b prizrvd bî hiz advîs fṛm ɖ denjr v fōlñ intu sć an err hrslf. Hr iscep fṛm biyñ wn v ɖ parti t Cliftn wz nǎ an iscep indd; fr ẃt wd ɖ Tilniz hv ʈt v hr, f ś hd brocn hr promis t ɖm in ordr t d ẃt wz roñ in itslf, f ś hd bn gilti v wn brīć v pṛprayti, onli t inebl hr t b gilti v anɖr?
