VII. A Coalition between Beauty and Oddness

           Theoldcaptain’sprevailingindifferencetohisgranddaughter’smovementsleftherfreeasabirdtofollowherowncourses;butitsohappenedthathedidtakeuponhimselfthenextmorningtoaskherwhyshehadwalkedoutsolate.

           “Onlyinsearchofevents,Grandfather,”shesaid,lookingoutofthewindowwiththatdrowsylatencyofmannerwhichdiscoveredsomuchforcebehinditwheneverthetriggerwaspressed.

           “Searchofevents—onewouldthinkyouwereoneofthebucksIknewatone-and-twenty.”

           “Itislonelyhere.”

           “Somuchthebetter.IfIwerelivinginatownmywholetimewouldbetakenupinlookingafteryou.IfullyexpectedyouwouldhavebeenhomewhenIreturnedfromtheWoman.”

           “Iwon’tconcealwhatIdid.Iwantedanadventure,andIwentwiththemummers.IplayedthepartoftheTurkishKnight.”

           “No,never?Ha,ha!Goodgad!Ididn’texpectitofyou,Eustacia.”

           “Itwasmyfirstperformance,anditcertainlywillbemylast.NowIhavetoldyou—andrememberitisasecret.”

           “Ofcourse.But,Eustacia,youneverdid—ha!ha!Dammy,how’twouldhavepleasedmefortyyearsago!Butremember,nomoreofit,mygirl.Youmaywalkontheheathnightorday,asyouchoose,sothatyoudon’tbotherme;butnofiguringinbreechesagain.”

           “Youneedhavenofearforme,Grandpapa.”

           Heretheconversationceased,Eustacia’smoraltrainingneverexceedinginseverityadialogueofthissort,which,ifiteverbecameprofitabletogoodworks,wouldbearesultnotdearattheprice.