Ɖ Aḷnz, Ʈorps, n Morḷndz ol met in ɖ īvnñ at ɖ ʈiytr; n, az Caʈrin n Iẓbela sat tgɖr, ɖr wz ɖen an oṗtyṇti fr ɖ latr t utr sm fy v ɖ mni ʈǎznd ʈñz ẃć hd bn c’lectñ wɖn hr fr cḿṇceśn in ɖ imeźṛbl leñʈ v tîm ẃć hd dvîdd ɖm. “Ǒ, hevnz! Mî b’luvid Caʈrin, hv I got y at last?” wz hr adres on Caʈrin’z enṭrñ ɖ box n sitñ bî hr. “Nǎ, Mr Morḷnd,” fr h wz clos t hr on ɖ uɖr sîd, “I śl nt spīc anɖr wrd t y ol ɖ rest v ɖ īvnñ; so I ćarj y nt t xpct it. Mî swītist Caʈrin, hǎ hv y bn ɖs loñ ej? Bt I nīd nt asc y, fr y lc dlîtf̣li. Y riyli hv dn yr her in a mor hevnli stîl ɖn evr; y misćvs crīćr, d y wont t atract evrbdi? I aśur y, mî bruɖr z qt in luv wɖ y olrdi; n az fr Mr Tilni—bt ɖt z a setld ʈñ—īvn yr modsti canot dǎt hiz ataćmnt nǎ; hiz cmñ bac t Baʈ mcs it tù plen. Ǒ! Ẃt wd nt I gv t si him! I riyli am qt wîld wɖ impeśns. Mî muɖr sz h z ɖ most dlîtfl yuñ man in ɖ wrld; ś sw him ɖs mornñ, y nǒ; y mst intṛdys him t m. Z h in ɖ hǎs nǎ? Lc abt, fr hevn’z sec! I aśur y, I cn hardli xist tl I si him.”
“No,” sd Caʈrin, “h z nt hir; I canot si him enẃr.”
“Ǒ, horid! Am I nvr t b aqentd wɖ him? Hǎ d y lîc mî gǎn? I ʈnc it dz nt lc amis; ɖ slīvz wr intîrli mî ǒn ʈt. D y nǒ, I gt so imodṛtli sic v Baʈ; yr bruɖr n I wr agriyñ ɖs mornñ ɖt, ɖo it z vastli wel t b hir fr a fy wīcs, w wd nt liv hir fr miłnz. W sn faund ǎt ɖt ǎr tests wr xacli alîc in prifŕñ ɖ cuntri t evri uɖr ples; riyli, ǎr opińnz wr so xacli ɖ sem, it wz qt r’dikyḷs! Ɖr wz nt a sngl pônt in ẃć w difrd; I wd nt hv hd y bî fr ɖ wrld; y r sć a slî ʈñ, I am śr y wd hv md sm drol rmarc or uɖr abt it.”
“No, indd I śd nt.”
“Ǒ, yes y wd indd; I nǒ y betr ɖn y nǒ yrslf. Y wd hv tld s ɖt w sīmd born fr ć uɖr, or sm nonsns v ɖt cnd, ẃć wd hv dstrest m bynd cnspśn; mî ćīcs wd hv bn az red az yr rozz; I wd nt hv hd y bî fr ɖ wrld.”
“Indd y d m injustis; I wd nt hv md so impropr a rmarc upn eni acǎnt; n bsdz, I am śr it wd nvr hv entrd mî hed.”
Iẓbela smîld increɉḷsli n tōct ɖ rest v ɖ īvnñ t Jemz.
Caʈrin’z reẓluśn v indevrñ t mīt Mis Tilni agn cntinyd in fl fors ɖ nxt mornñ; n tl ɖ yźl momnt v gwñ t ɖ pumprūm, ś flt sm alarm fṛm ɖ dred v a secnd privnśn. Bt nʈñ v ɖt cnd ocŕd, no vizitrz apird t dle ɖm, n ɖe ol ʈri set of in gd tîm fr ɖ pumprūm, ẃr ɖ ordnri cors v ivnts n convseśn tc ples; Mr Aḷn, aftr drincñ hiz glas v wōtr, jônd sm jntlṃn t tōc ovr ɖ poḷtcs v ɖ de n cmper ɖ acǎnts v ɖer nyzpeprz; n ɖ lediz wōct abt tgɖr, noṭsñ evri ny fes, n olmst evri ny bonit in ɖ rūm. Ɖ fīmel part v ɖ Ʈorp faṃli, atndd bî Jemz Morḷnd, apird amñ ɖ crǎd in les ɖn a qortr v an aur, n Caʈrin imījtli tc hr yźl ples bî ɖ sîd v hr frend. Jemz, hu wz nǎ in constnt atndns, mntend a similr pziśn, n seṗretñ ɖmslvz fṛm ɖ rest v ɖer parti, ɖe wōct in ɖt manr fr sm tîm, tl Caʈrin bgan t dǎt ɖ hapinis v a sićueśn ẃć, cnfînñ hr intîrli t hr frend n bruɖr, gev hr vri litl śer in ɖ notis v îɖr. Ɖe wr olwz ingejd in sm snṭmntl dscuśn or lîvli dspyt, bt ɖer sntimnt wz cnveid in sć ẃisṗrñ vôsz, n ɖer vivaṣti atndd wɖ so mć laftr, ɖt ɖo Caʈrin’z s’portñ opińn wz nt unfrīqntli cōld fr bî wn or ɖ uɖr, ś wz nvr ebl t gv eni, fṛm nt hvñ hŕd a wrd v ɖ subjict. At leñʈ hvr ś wz impǎrd t disingej hrslf fṛm hr frend, bî ɖ avaud nseṣti v spīcñ t Mis Tilni, hūm ś most jôf̣li sw jst enṭrñ ɖ rūm wɖ Msz Hȳz, n hūm ś instntli jônd, wɖ a frmr dtrṃneśn t b aqentd, ɖn ś mt hv hd curij t cmand, hd ś nt bn rjd bî ɖ dis’pôntmnt v ɖ de bfr. Mis Tilni met hr wɖ gret sviḷti, rtrnd hr advansz wɖ īql gdwil, n ɖe cntinyd tōcñ tgɖr az loñ az bʈ partiz rmend in ɖ rūm; n ɖo in ol probbiḷti nt an obzveśn wz md, nr an xpreśn yzd bî îɖr ẃć hd nt bn md n yzd sm ʈǎzndz v tîmz bfr, undr ɖt rūf, in evri Baʈ sīzn, yt ɖ merit v ɖer biyñ spocn wɖ simpliṣti n truʈ, n wɖǎt prsnl cnsit, mt b smʈñ uncomn.
“Hǎ wel yr bruɖr dansz!” wz an artlis xcḷmeśn v Caʈrin’z twdz ɖ cloz v ɖer convseśn, ẃć at wns s’prîzd n aḿzd hr cmpańn.
“Henri!” ś rplaid wɖ a smîl. “Yes, h dz dans vri wel.”
“H mst hv ʈt it vri od t hír m se I wz ingejd ɖ uɖr īvnñ, ẃn h sw m sitñ dǎn. Bt I riyli hd bn ingejd ɖ hol de t Mr Ʈorp.” Mis Tilni cd onli bǎ. “Y canot ʈnc,” add Caʈrin aftr a momnt’s sîḷns, “hǎ s’prîzd I wz t si him agn. I flt so śr v hiz biyñ qt gn awe.”
“Ẃn Henri hd ɖ pleźr v siyñ y bfr, h wz in Baʈ bt fr a cupl v dez. H cem onli t ingej lojñz fr s.”
“Ɖt nvr ocŕd t m; n v cors, nt siyñ him enẃr, I ʈt h mst b gn. Wz nt ɖ yuñ ledi h danst wɖ on Munde a Mis Smiʈ?”
“Yes, an aqentns v Msz Hȳz.”
“I der se ś wz vri glad t dans. D y ʈnc hr priti?”
“Nt vri.”
“H nvr cmz t ɖ pumprūm, I s’poz?”
“Yes, smtmz; bt h hz rid ǎt ɖs mornñ wɖ mî faɖr.”
Msz Hȳz nǎ jônd ɖm, n asct Mis Tilni f ś wz redi t g. “I hop I śl hv ɖ pleźr v siyñ y agn sn,” sd Caʈrin. “Śl y b at ɖ c’tiłnbōl tmro?”
“Phps w—Yes, I ʈnc w srtnli śl.”
“I am glad v it, fr w śl ol b ɖr.” Ɖs sviḷti wz dyli rtrnd; n ɖe partd—on Mis Tilni’z sîd wɖ sm nolij v hr ny aqentns’z fīlñz, n on Caʈrin’z, wɖǎt ɖ smōlist conśsnis v hvñ xplend ɖm.
Ś wnt hom vri hapi. Ɖ mornñ hd ansrd ol hr hops, n ɖ īvnñ v ɖ folowñ de wz nǎ ɖ objict v xpcteśn, ɖ fyćr gd. Ẃt gǎn n ẃt heḑres ś śd wer on ɖ oceźn bcem hr ćīf cnsrn. Ś canot b jusṭfaid in it. Dres z at ol tîmz a frivḷs dstñśn, n xesv s’liṣtyd abt it ofn dstrôz its ǒn em. Caʈrin ń ol ɖs vri wel; hr gret ānt hd réd hr a lecćr on ɖ subjict onli ɖ Crisṃs bfr; n yt ś le awec ten minits on Wenzde nît dbetñ btwn hr spotd n hr tambrd muzlin, n nʈñ bt ɖ śortnis v ɖ tîm privntd hr bayñ a ny wn fr ɖ īvnñ. Ɖs wd hv bn an err in jujmnt, gret ɖo nt uncomn, fṛm ẃć wn v ɖ uɖr sx rɖr ɖn hr ǒn, a bruɖr rɖr ɖn a gret ānt, mt hv wornd hr, fr man onli cn b awer v ɖ insnṣbiḷti v man twdz a ny gǎn. It wd b morṭfayñ t ɖ fīlñz v mni lediz, cd ɖe b md t unḍstand hǎ litl ɖ hart v man z afctd bî ẃt z costli or ny in ɖer atîr; hǎ litl it z bayst bî ɖ txćr v ɖer muzlin, n hǎ unssptbl v pkłr tndrnis twdz ɖ spotd, ɖ sprigd, ɖ mul, or ɖ jac̣nét. Wmn z fîn fr hr ǒn saṭsfax́n alon. No man wl admîr hr ɖ mor, no wmn wl lîc hr ɖ betr fr it. Nītnis n faśn r inuf fr ɖ formr, n a smʈñ v śabinis or impṛprayti wl b most indirñ t ɖ latr. Bt nt wn v ɖz grev rflex́nz trubld ɖ tranqiḷti v Caʈrin.
Ś entrd ɖ rūmz on Ʈrzde īvnñ wɖ fīlñz vri difṛnt fṛm ẃt hd atndd hr ɖiɖr ɖ Munde bfr. Ś hd ɖen bn xultñ in hr ingejmnt t Ʈorp, n wz nǎ ćīfli añśs t avôd hiz sît, lest h śd ingej hr agn; fr ɖo ś cd nt, derd nt xpct ɖt Mr Tilni śd asc hr a ʈrd tîm t dans, hr wśz, hops, n planz ol sntrd in nʈñ les. Evri yuñ ledi me fīl fr mî herǒin in ɖs criticl momnt, fr evri yuñ ledi hz at sm tîm or uɖr noun ɖ sem ajteśn. Ol hv bn, or at līst ol hv b’livd ɖmslvz t b, in denjr fṛm ɖ psyt v smwn hūm ɖe wśt t avôd; n ol hv bn añśs fr ɖ atnśnz v smwn hūm ɖe wśt t plīz. Az sn az ɖe wr jônd bî ɖ Ʈorps, Caʈrin’z aġni bgan; ś fiɉtd abt f Jon Ʈorp cem twdz hr, hid hrslf az mć az poṣbl fṛm hiz vy, n ẃn h spouc t hr pritndd nt t hír him. Ɖ ctiłnz wr ovr, ɖ cuntridansñ bginñ, n ś sw nʈñ v ɖ Tilniz.
“D nt b frîtnd, mî dir Caʈrin,” ẃisprd Iẓbela, “bt I am riyli gwñ t dans wɖ yr bruɖr agn. I dcler pozṭvli it z qt śocñ. I tel him h òt t b aśemd v himslf, bt y n Jon mst cīp s in cǎntinns. Mc hest, mî dir crīćr, n cm t s. Jon z jst wōct of, bt h wl b bac in a momnt.”
Caʈrin hd nɖr tîm nr incḷneśn t ansr. Ɖ uɖrz wōct awe, Jon Ʈorp wz stl in vy, n ś gev hrslf p fr lost. Ɖt ś mt nt apir, hvr, t obzrv or xpct him, ś cept hr îz intntli fixt on hr fan; n a slf-condmneśn fr hr foli, in s’pozñ ɖt amñ sć a crǎd ɖe śd īvn mīt wɖ ɖ Tilniz in eni rīzṇbl tîm, hd jst pást ʈru hr mînd, ẃn ś sudnli faund hrslf adrest n agn s’liṣtd t dans, bî Mr Tilni himslf. Wɖ ẃt sparclñ îz n redi mośn ś grantd hiz rqst, n wɖ hǎ plizñ a flutr v hart ś wnt wɖ him t ɖ set, me b īẓli imajnd. T iscep, n, az ś b’livd, so naroli iscep Jon Ʈorp, n t b asct, so imījtli on hiz jônñ hr, asct bî Mr Tilni, az f h hd sòt hr on prṗs!—it dd nt apir t hr ɖt lîf cd s’plî eni gretr f’liṣti.
Scersli hd ɖe wrct ɖmslvz intu ɖ qayt pześn v a ples, hvr, ẃn hr atnśn wz clemd bî Jon Ʈorp, hu std bhnd hr. “Hêdê, Mis Morḷnd!” sd h. “Ẃt z ɖ mīnñ v ɖs? I ʈt y n I wr t dans tgɖr.”
“I wundr y śd ʈnc so, fr y nvr asct m.”
“Ɖt z a gd wn, bî Jov! I asct y az sn az I cem intu ɖ rūm, n I wz jst gwñ t asc y agn, bt ẃn I trnd rnd, y wr gn! Ɖs z a crst śabi tric! I onli cem fr ɖ sec v dansñ wɖ y, n I frmli b’liv y wr ingejd t m evr sins Munde. Yes; I rmembr, I asct y ẃl y wr wêtñ in ɖ lobi fr yr clǒc. N hir hv I bn telñ ol mî aqentns ɖt I wz gwñ t dans wɖ ɖ pritiist grl in ɖ rūm; n ẃn ɖe si y standñ p wɖ smbdi els, ɖe wl qiz m feṃsli.”
“Ǒ, no; ɖe wl nvr ʈnc v m, aftr sć a dscripśn az ɖt.”
“Bî hevnz, f ɖe d nt, I wl cic ɖm ǎt v ɖ rūm fr blochedz. Ẃt ćap hv y ɖr?” Caʈrin saṭsfaid hiz krioṣti. “Tilni,” h rpitd. “Hm—I d nt nǒ him. A gd figr v a man; wel pt tgɖr. Dz h wont a hors? Hir z a frend v mîn, Sam Flećr, hz got wn t sel ɖt wd sūt enbdi. A feṃs clevr animl fr ɖ rod—onli forti giniz. I hd fifti mîndz t bai it mslf, fr it z wn v mî maximz olwz t bai a gd hors ẃn I mīt wɖ wn; bt it wd nt ansr mî prṗs, it wd nt d fr ɖ fīld. I wd gv eni muni fr a riyl gd huntr. I hv ʈri nǎ, ɖ bst ɖt evr wr bact. I wd nt tec et hundṛd giniz fr ɖm. Flećr n I mīn t gt a hǎs in Lestrśr, agnst ɖ nxt sīzn. It z so d— uncumftbl, livñ at an ín.”
Ɖs wz ɖ last sntns bî ẃć h cd wiri Caʈrin’z atnśn, fr h wz jst ɖen bòrn of bî ɖ rzistlis preśr v a loñ strñ v pasñ lediz. Hr partnr nǎ drù nir, n sd, “Ɖt jntlmn wd hv pt m ǎt v peśns, hd h steid wɖ y haf a minit longr. H hz no biznis t wɖdrw ɖ atnśn v mî partnr fṛm m. W hv entrd intu a contract v ḿćl agriyblnis fr ɖ spes v an īvnñ, n ol ǎr agriyblnis b’loñz soļi t ć uɖr fr ɖt tîm. Nbdi cn fasn ɖmslvz on ɖ notis v wn, wɖǎt inɉrñ ɖ rîts v ɖ uɖr. I cnsidr a cuntridans az an emblim v marij. Fideḷti n cmplesns r ɖ prinsipl dytiz v bʈ; n ɖoz men hu d nt ćūz t dans or mari ɖmslvz, hv no biznis wɖ ɖ partnrz or wîvz v ɖer nebrz.”
“Bt ɖe r sć vri difṛnt ʈñz!”
“—Ɖt y ʈnc ɖe canot b cmperd tgɖr.”
“T b śr nt. Ppl ɖt mari cn nvr part, bt mst g n cīp hǎs tgɖr. Ppl ɖt dans onli stand oṗzit ć uɖr in a loñ rūm fr haf an aur.”
“N sć z yr def̣niśn v matriṃni n dansñ. Tecn in ɖt lît srtnli, ɖer rzmbḷns z nt strîcñ; bt I ʈnc I cd ples ɖm in sć a vy. Y wl alǎ, ɖt in bʈ, man hz ɖ advantij v ćôs, wmn onli ɖ pǎr v rfyzl; ɖt in bʈ, it z an ingejmnt btwn man n wmn, formd fr ɖ advantij v ć; n ɖt ẃn wns entrd intu, ɖe b’loñ xclusivli t ć uɖr tl ɖ momnt v its diṣluśn; ɖt it z ɖer dyti, ć t indevr t gv ɖ uɖr no cōz fr wśñ ɖt h or ś hd bstod ɖmslvz elsẃr, n ɖer bst inṭrest t cīp ɖer ǒn imaɉneśnz fṛm wonḍrñ twdz ɖ pfx́nz v ɖer nebrz, or fansiyñ ɖt ɖe śd hv bn betr of wɖ enwn els. Y wl alǎ ol ɖs?”
“Yes, t b śr, az y stet it, ol ɖs sǎndz vri wel; bt stl ɖe r so vri difṛnt. I canot lc upn ɖm at ol in ɖ sem lît, nr ʈnc ɖ sem dytiz b’loñ t ɖm.”
“In wn rspct, ɖr srtnli z a difṛns. In marij, ɖ man z s’pozd t pṛvîd fr ɖ s’port v ɖ wmn, ɖ wmn t mc ɖ hom agriybl t ɖ man; h z t prve, n ś z t smîl. Bt in dansñ, ɖer dytiz r xacli ćenjd; ɖ agriyblnis, ɖ cmplayns r xpctd fṛm him, ẃl ś frṇśz ɖ fan n ɖ lavndrwōtr. Ɖt, I s’poz, wz ɖ difṛns v dytiz ẃć struc y, az renḍrñ ɖ cndiśnz inceṗbl v cmparisn.”
“No, indd, I nvr ʈt v ɖt.”
“Ɖen I am qt at a los. Wn ʈñ, hvr, I mst obzrv. Ɖs disṗziśn on yr sîd z rɖr alarmñ. Y toṭli dis’lǎ eni siṃlaṛti in ɖ obḷgeśnz; n me I nt ɖns infŕ ɖt yr nośnz v ɖ dytiz v ɖ dansñstet r nt so strict az yr partnr mt wś? Hv I nt rīzn t fir ɖt f ɖ jntlmn hu spouc t y jst nǎ wr t rtrn, or f eni uɖr jntlmn wr t adres y, ɖr wd b nʈñ t rstren y fṛm cnvrsñ wɖ him az loñ az y ćouz?”
“Mr Ʈorp z sć a vri ptiklr frend v mî bruɖr’z, ɖt f h tōcs t m, I mst tōc t him agn; bt ɖr r hardli ʈri yuñ men in ɖ rūm bsdz him ɖt I hv eni aqentns wɖ.”
“N z ɖt t b mî onli s’kṛti? Alas, alas!”
“Nê, I am śr y canot hv a betr; fr f I d nt nǒ enbdi, it z imposbl fr m t tōc t ɖm; n, bsdz, I d nt wont t tōc t enbdi.”
“Nǎ y hv gvn m a s’kṛti wrʈ hvñ; n I śl pṛsid wɖ curij. D y fînd Baʈ az agriybl az ẃn I hd ɖ onr v mcñ ɖ inqîri bfr?”
“Yes, qt—mor so, indd.”
“Mor so! Tec cer, or y wl fget t b tîrd v it at ɖ propr tîm. Y òt t b tîrd at ɖ end v six wīcs.”
“I d nt ʈnc I śd b tîrd, f I wr t ste hir six munʈs.”
“Baʈ, cmperd wɖ Lundn, hz litl vrayti, n so evrbdi fîndz ǎt evri yir. ‘Fr six wīcs, I alǎ Baʈ z pleznt inuf; bt bynd ɖt, it z ɖ most tîrsm ples in ɖ wrld.’ Y wd b tld so bî ppl v ol dscripśnz, hu cm reğlrli evri wintr, leñʈn ɖer six wīcs intu ten or twelv, n g awe at last bcz ɖe cn aford t ste no longr.”
“Wel, uɖr ppl mst juj fr ɖmslvz, n ɖoz hu g t Lundn me ʈnc nʈñ v Baʈ. Bt I, hu liv in a smōl rtîrd vilij in ɖ cuntri, cn nvr fînd gretr semnis in sć a ples az ɖs ɖn in mî ǒn hom; fr hir r a vrayti v aḿzmnts, a vrayti v ʈñz t b sìn n dn ol de loñ, ẃć I cn nǒ nʈñ v ɖr.”
“Y r nt fond v ɖ cuntri.”
“Yes, I am. I hv olwz livd ɖr, n olwz bn vri hapi. Bt srtnli ɖr z mć mor semnis in a cuntrilîf ɖn in a Baʈ lîf. Wn de in ɖ cuntri z xacli lîc anɖr.”
“Bt ɖen y spend yr tîm so mć mor raśṇli in ɖ cuntri.”
“D I?”
“D y nt?”
“I d nt b’liv ɖr z mć difṛns.”
“Hir y r in psyt onli v aḿzmnt ol de loñ.”
“N so I am at hom—onli I d nt fînd so mć v it. I wōc abt hir, n so I d ɖr; bt hir I si a vrayti v ppl in evri strīt, n ɖr I cn onli g n cōl on Msz Aḷn.”
Mr Tilni wz vri mć aḿzd.
“Onli g n cōl on Msz Aḷn!” h rpitd. “Ẃt a picćr v inṭlecćl poṿti! Hvr, ẃn y snc intu ɖs abis agn, y wl hv mor t se. Y wl b ebl t tōc v Baʈ, n v ol ɖt y dd hir.”
“Ǒ! Yes. I śl nvr b in wont v smʈñ t tōc v agn t Msz Aḷn, or enbdi els. I riyli b’liv I śl olwz b tōcñ v Baʈ, ẃn I am at hom agn—I d lîc it so vri mć. F I cd bt hv Ppā n Mmā, n ɖ rest v ɖm hir, I s’poz I śd b tù hapi! Jemz’z cmñ (mî eldist bruɖr) z qt dlîtfl—n ispeśli az it trnz ǎt ɖt ɖ vri faṃli w r jst got so intiṃt wɖ r hiz intiṃt frendz olrdi. Ǒ! Hu cn evr b tîrd v Baʈ?”
“Nt ɖoz hu brñ sć freś fīlñz v evri sort t it az y d. Bt ppāz n mmāz, n bruɖrz, n intiṃt frendz r a gd dīl gn bî, t most v ɖ fṛqentrz v Baʈ—n ɖ onist reliś v bōlz n plez, n evridê sîts, z past wɖ ɖm.” Hir ɖer convseśn clozd, ɖ dmandz v ɖ dans bcmñ nǎ tù imporćṇt fr a dvîdd atnśn.
Sn aftr ɖer rīćñ ɖ botm v ɖ set, Caʈrin psivd hrslf t b rṇstli rgardd bî a jntlmn hu std amñ ɖ lcrz-on, imījtli bhnd hr partnr. H wz a vri hansm man, v a cmandñ aspect, past ɖ blūm, bt nt past ɖ vigr v lîf; n wɖ hiz î stl d’rectd twdz hr, ś sw him prezntli adres Mr Tilni in a fmiłr ẃispr. Cnfyzd bî hiz notis, n bluśñ fṛm ɖ fir v its biyñ xîtd bî smʈñ roñ in hr apiṛns, ś trnd awe hr hed. Bt ẃl ś dd so, ɖ jntlmn rtritd, n hr partnr, cmñ nirr, sd, “I si ɖt y ges ẃt I hv jst bn asct. Ɖt jntlmn nz yr nem, n y hv a rît t nǒ hiz. It z Jenṛl Tilni, mî faɖr.”
Caʈrin’z ansr wz onli “Ǒ!”—bt it wz an “Ǒ!” xpresñ evrʈñ nīdfl: atnśn t hiz wrdz, n prfict rlayns on ɖer truʈ. Wɖ riyl inṭrest n stroñ adṃreśn dd hr î nǎ folo ɖ jenṛl, az h muvd ʈru ɖ crǎd, n “Hǎ hansm a faṃli ɖe r!” wz hr sīcrit rmarc.
In ćatñ wɖ Mis Tilni bfr ɖ īvnñ cncludd, a ny sors v f’liṣti arouz t hr. Ś hd nvr tecn a cuntriwōc sins hr arîvl in Baʈ. Mis Tilni, t hūm ol ɖ comnli fṛqentd invîṛnz wr fmiłr, spouc v ɖm in trmz ẃć md hr ol īgrnis t nǒ ɖm tù; n on hr opnli firñ ɖt ś mt fînd nbdi t g wɖ hr, it wz pṛpozd bî ɖ bruɖr n sistr ɖt ɖe śd jôn in a wōc, sm mornñ or uɖr. “I śl lîc it,” ś craid, “bynd enʈñ in ɖ wrld; n d nt let s pt it of—let s g tmro.” Ɖs wz reḍli agrìd t, wɖ onli a proviso v Mis Tilni’z, ɖt it dd nt ren, ẃć Caʈrin wz śr it wd nt. At twelv o’cloc, ɖe wr t cōl fr hr in Pŭltni Strīt; n “Rmembr—twelv o’cloc,” wz hr partñspīć t hr ny frend. V hr uɖr, hr oldr, hr mor istabliśt frend, Iẓbela, v huz fideḷti n wrʈ ś hd injoid a fortnît’s xpirịns, ś scersli sw enʈñ jrñ ɖ īvnñ. Yt, ɖo loññ t mc hr aqentd wɖ hr hapinis, ś ćirf̣li sbmitd t ɖ wś v Mr Aḷn, ẃć tc ɖm rɖr rli awe, n hr spirits danst wɖn hr, az ś danst in hr ćer ol ɖ we hom.
