“You should hate nobody, Jenny,” said Bessy.
“Perhaps not, ma’am. But nature that makes us love, makes us hate, and we can’t help it. Them Jerichos is going to take the Hall.”
“Is it possible?” asked Bessy, with strange calmness.
“I saw ’em all there. Going to take the Hall,” repeated Jenny, much incensed.
“Very well. Somebody must live there,” said Bessy. And then, strangely perplexed, she looked at the heartsease, and knew not what to think.
Basil, on his hurried way home, was no less perplexed. He accused himself of folly, cruelty. He had torn open the girl’s heart with his clumsy blunder; and of what avail was it, that he would die to dry her tears?
“Why, my dear fellow,” said an acquaintance, stopping Basil, fuming with remorse, “My dear fellow, what is the matter with you? Anything wrong? Anything I can do to help you?”
“Yes,” exclaimed Basil. “Bind me to you for life, and get me a coalheaver.”
“A coalheaver!” cried his friend.
“A coalheaver,” repeated Basil. “In my present state of feeling, nothing—I know it—nothing can restore me to tranquillity till I’ve licked a coalheaver.”