The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Anne BrontĂ« (librera reader .txt) đ
- Author: Anne Brontë
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âAnd very good doctrine too,â said my mother. âGilbert thinks so, Iâm sure.â
âVery convenient doctrine, for us, at all events,â said I; âbut if you would really study my pleasure, mother, you must consider your own comfort and convenience a little more than you doâ âas for Rose, I have no doubt sheâll take care of herself; and whenever she does make a sacrifice or perform a remarkable act of devotedness, sheâll take good care to let me know the extent of it. But for you I might sink into the grossest condition of self-indulgence and carelessness about the wants of others, from the mere habit of being constantly cared for myself, and having all my wants anticipated or immediately supplied, while left in total ignorance of what is done for meâ âif Rose did not enlighten me now and then; and I should receive all your kindness as a matter of course, and never know how much I owe you.â
âAh! and you never will know, Gilbert, till youâre married. Then, when youâve got some trifling, self-conceited girl like Eliza Millward, careless of everything but her own immediate pleasure and advantage, or some misguided, obstinate woman, like Mrs. Graham, ignorant of her principal duties, and clever only in what concerns her least to knowâ âthen youâll find the difference.â
âIt will do me good, mother; I was not sent into the world merely to exercise the good capacities and good feelings of othersâ âwas I?â âbut to exert my own towards them; and when I marry, I shall expect to find more pleasure in making my wife happy and comfortable, than in being made so by her: I would rather give than receive.â
âOh! thatâs all nonsense, my dear. Itâs mere boyâs talk that! Youâll soon tire of petting and humouring your wife, be she ever so charming, and then comes the trial.â
âWell, then, we must bear one anotherâs burdens.â
âThen you must fall each into your proper place. Youâll do your business, and she, if sheâs worthy of you, will do hers; but itâs your business to please yourself, and hers to please you. Iâm sure your poor, dear father was as good a husband as ever lived, and after the first six months or so were over, I should as soon have expected him to fly, as to put himself out of his way to pleasure me. He always said I was a good wife, and did my duty; and he always did hisâ âbless him!â âhe was steady and punctual, seldom found fault without a reason, always did justice to my good dinners, and hardly ever spoiled my cookery by delayâ âand thatâs as much as any woman can expect of any man.â
Is it so, Halford? Is that the extent of your domestic virtues; and does your happy wife exact no more?
VIINot many days after this, on a mild sunny morningâ ârather soft under foot; for the last fall of snow was only just wasted away, leaving yet a thin ridge, here and there, lingering on the fresh green grass beneath the hedges; but beside them already, the young primroses were peeping from among their moist, dark foliage, and the lark above was singing of summer, and hope, and love, and every heavenly thingâ âI was out on the hillside, enjoying these delights, and looking after the well-being of my young lambs and their mothers, when, on glancing round me, I beheld three persons ascending from the vale below. They were Eliza Millward, Fergus, and Rose; so I crossed the field to meet them; and, being told they were going to Wildfell Hall, I declared myself willing to go with them, and offering my arm to Eliza, who readily accepted it in lieu of my brotherâs, told the latter he might go back, for I would accompany the ladies.
âI beg your pardon!â exclaimed he. âItâs the ladies that are accompanying me, not I them. You had all had a peep at this wonderful stranger but me, and I could endure my wretched ignorance no longerâ âcome what would, I must be satisfied; so I begged Rose to go with me to the Hall, and introduce me to her at once. She swore she would not, unless Miss Eliza would go too; so I ran to the vicarage and fetched her; and weâve come hooked all the way, as fond as a pair of loversâ âand now youâve taken her from me; and you want to deprive me of my walk and my visit besides. Go back to your fields and your cattle, you lubberly fellow; youâre not fit to associate with ladies and gentlemen like us, that have nothing to do but
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