It is still possible to believe that the attorney was not more guilty towards him, than an ingenious machine which performs its work with much regularity is guilty towards the rash man who, venturing too near it, is caught up by some fly-wheel or other, and suddenly converted into unexpected sausages.
But it is really impossible to decide this question by a glance at his person: the lines and lights of the human countenance are like other symbols - not always easy to read without a key.On an a priori view of Wakem's aquiline nose which offended Mr Tulliver there was not more rascality than in the shape of his stiff shirt collar, though this too, along with his nose, might have become fraught with damnatory meaning when once the rascality was ascertained.
`Mrs Tulliver, I think?' said Mr Wakem.
`Yes, sir, Miss Elizabeth Dodson as was.'
`Pray be seated.You have some business with me?'
`Well, sir, yes,' said Mrs Tulliver, beginning to feel alarmed at her own courage now she was really in presence of the formidable man, and reflecting that she had not settled with herself how she should begin.Mr Wakem felt in his waistcoat pockets and looked at her in silence.
`I hope, sir,' she began at last, `I hope, sir, you're not a-thinking as I bear you any ill-will because o' my husband's losing his lawsuit, and the bailies being put in, and the linen being sold - O dear!...for I wasn't brought up in that way.I'm sure you remember my father, sir, for he was close friends with Squire Darleigh, and we allays went to the dances there - the Miss Dodsons - nobody could be more looked on - and justly, for there was four of us, and you're quite aware as Mrs Glegg and Mrs Deane are my sisters.And as for going to law and losing money and having sales before you're dead, I never saw anything o' that before Iwas married nor for a long while after.And I'm not to be answerable for my bad luck i' marrying out o' my own family into one where the goings-on was different.And as for being drawn in t' abuse you as other folks abuse you, sir, that I niver was, and nobody can say it of me.'
Mrs Tulliver shook her head a little and looked at the hem of her pocket handkerchief.
`I've no doubt of what you say, Mrs Tulliver,' said Mr Wakem, with cold politeness.`But you have some question to ask me?'
`Well, sir, yes.But that's what I've said to myself - I've said you'd have some nat'ral feeling; and as for my husband as hasn't been himself for this two months, I'm not a-defending him, in no way, for being so hot about th' erigation - not but what there's worse men, for he never wronged nobody of a shilling nor a penny, not willingly - and as for his fieriness and lawing, what could I do? And him struck as if it was with death when he got the letter as said you'd the hold upo' the land.But I can't believe but what you'll behave as a gentleman.'
`What does all this mean, Mrs Tulliver?' said Mr Wakem, rather sharply.
`What do you want to ask me?'
`Why, sir, if you'll be so good,' said Mrs Tulliver, starting a little, and speaking more hurriedly, `if you'll be so good not to buy the mill an' the land - the land wouldn't so much matter, only my husband 'ull be like mad at your having it.'
Something like a new thought flashed across Mr Wakem's face as he said, `Who told you I meant to buy it?'
`Why, sir, it's none o' my inventing and I should never ha' thought of it, for my husband, as ought to know about the law, he allays used to say as lawyers had never no call to buy anything - either lands or houses - for they allays got 'em into their hands other ways.An' I should think that 'ud be the way with you, sir and I niver said as you'd be the man to do contrairy to that.'
`Ah, well, who was it that did say so?' said Wakem, opening his desk, and moving things about, with the accompaniment of an almost inaudible whistle.
`Why, sir, it was Mr Glegg and Mr Deane, as have all the management:
and Mr Deane thinks as Guest and Co.'ud buy the mill and let Mr Tulliver work it for 'em, if you didn't bid for it and raise the price.And it 'ud be such a thing for my husband to stay where he is, if he could get his living: for it was his father's before him, the mill was, and his grandfather built it, though I wasn't fond o' the noise of it, when first I was married, for there was no mills in our family - not the Dodsons - and if I'd known as the mills had so much to do with the law, it wouldn't have been me as 'ud have been the first Dodson to marry one; but I went into it blindfold, that I did, erigation and everything.'
`What - Guest and Co.would keep the mill in their own hands, I suppose, and pay your husband wages?'
`O dear, sir, it's hard to think of,' said poor Mrs Tulliver, a little tear ****** its way, `as my husband should take wage.But it 'ud look more like what used to be, to stay at the mill, than to go anywhere else.And if you'll only think - if you was to bid for the mill and buy it, my husband might be struck worse than he was before, and niver get better again as he's getting now.'
`Well, but if I bought the mill, and allowed your husband to act as my manager in the same way - how then?' said Mr Wakem.
`O sir, I doubt he could niver he got to do it, not if the very mill stood still to beg and pray of him.For your name's like poison to him, it's so as never was, and he looks upon it as you've been the ruin of him all along, ever since you set the law on him about the road through the meadow - that's eight year ago, and he's been going on ever since - as I've allays told him he was wrong...'
`He's a pig-headed, foul-mouthed fool!' burst out Mr Wakem, forgetting himself.
