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Adam Bede 335
he could not possibly know that she was come； and she should not
see him for a long； long while—not till after dinner； when they said
he was to come up and make a speech。
But Hetty was wrong in part of her conjecture。 No grand
company was come except the Irwines； for whom the carriage had
been sent early； and Arthur was at that moment not in a back
room； but walking with the rector into the broad stone cloisters of
the old abbey； where the long tables were laid for all the cottage
tenants and the farm…servants。 A very handsome young Briton he
looked to…day； in high spirits and a bright…blue frock…coat； the
highest mode—his arm no longer in a sling。 So open…looking and
candid； too； but candid people have their secrets； and secrets leave
no lines in young faces。
“Upon my word；” he said； as they entered the cool cloisters； “I
think the cottagers have the best of it： these cloisters make a
delightful dining…room on a hot day。 That was capital advice of
yours； Irwine； about the dinners—to let them be as orderly and
comfortable as possible； and only for the tenants： especially as I
had only a limited sum after all； for though my grandfather talked
of a carte blanche； he couldn’t make up his mind to trust me； when
it came to the point。”
“Never mind； you’ll give more pleasure in this quiet way；” said
Mr。 Irwine。 “In this sort of thing people are constantly
confounding liberality with riot and disorder。 It sounds very grand
to say that so many sheep and oxen were roasted whole； and
everybody ate who liked to come； but in the end it generally
happens that no one has had an enjoyable meal。 If the people get a
good dinner and a moderate quantity of ale in the middle of the
day； they’ll be able to enjoy the games as the day cools。 You can’t
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hinder some of them from getting too much towards evening； but
drunkenness and darkness go better together than drunkenness
and daylight。”
“Well； I hope there won’t be much of it。 I’ve kept the
Treddleston people away by having a feast for them in the town；
and I’ve got Casson and Adam Bede and some other good fellows
to look to the giving out of ale in the booths； and to take care
things don’t go too far。 Come； let us go up above now and see the
dinner…tables for the large tenants。”
They went up the stone staircase leading simply to the long
gallery above the cloisters； a gallery where all the dusty worthless
old pictures had been banished for the last three generations—
mouldy portraits of Queen Elizabeth and her ladies； General Monk
with his eye knocked out； Daniel very much in the dark among the
lions； and Julius Caesar on horseback； with a high nose and laurel
crown； holding his Commentaries in his hand。
“What a capital thing it is that they saved this piece of the old
abbey！” said Arthur。 “If I’m ever master here； I shall do up the
gallery in first…rate style。 We’ve got no room in the house a third as
large as this。 That second table is for the farmers’ wives and
children： Mrs。 Best said it would be more comfortable for the
mothers and children to be by themselves。 I was determined to
have the children； and make a regular family thing of it。 I shall be
’the old squire’ to those little lads and lasses some day； and they’ll
tell their children what a much finer young fellow I was than my
own son。 There’s a table for the women and children below as
well。 But you will see them all—you will come up with me after
dinner； I hope？”
“Yes； to be sure；” said Mr。 Irwine。 “I wouldn’t miss your maiden
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speech to the tenantry。”
“And there will be something else you’ll like to hear；” said
Arthur。 “Let us go into the library and I’ll tell you all about it while
my grandfather is in the drawing…room with the ladies。 Something
that will surprise you；” he continued； as they sat down。 “My
grandfather has come round after all。”
“What； about Adam？”
“Yes； I should have ridden over to tell you about it； only I was
so busy。 You know I told you I had quite given up arguing the
matter with him—I thought it was hopeless—but yesterday
morning he asked me to come in here to him before I went out；
and astonished me by saying that he had decided on all the new
arrangements he should make in consequence of old Satchell
being obliged to lay by work； and that he intended to employ
Adam in superintending the woods at a salary of a guinea a…week；
and the use of a pony to be kept here。 I believe the secret of it is；
he saw from the first it would be a profitable plan； but he had
some particular dislike of Adam to get over—and besides； the fact
that I propose a thing is generally a reason with him for rejecting
it。 There’s the most curious contradiction in my grandfather： I
know he means to leave me all the money he has saved； and he is
likely enough to have cut off poor Aunt Lydia； who has been a
slave to him all her life； with only five hundred a…year； for the sake
of giving me all the more； and yet I sometimes think he positively
hates me because I’m his heir。 I believe if I were to break my neck；
he would feel it the greatest misfortune that could befall him； and
yet it seems a pleasure to him to make my life a series of petty
annoyances。”
“Ah； my boy； it is not only woman’s love that is απερ？τοζ ερ？ζ
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as old AEschylus calls it。 There’s plenty of ‘unloving love’ in the
world