It was not of the smallest use for Lady Bell to be haughty, to be flippant, to try every effort to escape from her persecutor. Mrs. Walsh only found fresh food for her homilies in the girl’s struggles.
“I must tell you, Lady Bell, it is very senseless and unbecoming of you to take a huff at good advice;” and Mrs. Walsh proceeded to state her views and issue her censures deliberately and elaborately: “It is not the work of a rational creature to thread beads and flourish on catgut. If Squire Trevor has the gout, it is not your part to leave him alone the whole morning while you make a play of gathering roseleaves. It would set you better to be gaining a knowledge of simples, so that you might distil a remedy for his pain. But I, or any one with open eyes, can see how little you mind him—your own husband, who is one flesh and blood with you, if so be you can please and divert yourself. I should be sorry to see my Sally, who is half a year younger than you, and has no goodman of her own to study and serve, as yet, of such a light and heedless turn of mind.”
“You may give your advice, ma’am, when I ask for it,” panted Lady Bell.
“I shall not wait for such an opening—folk would have to wait long enough, if they stayed till they were bidden call in question wrong-doing.” Mrs. Walsh rose and took to walking up and down the room, like a peripatetic philosopher delivering his dogmas.
“What call have you—what title have you to speak so to me, Mrs. Walsh?” insisted Lady Bell, her cheeks a-blaze.
“I have the call of my conscience and the title of one who, by God’s blessing, at least knows right from wrong, however imperfectly I may put it in practice,” announced Mrs. Walsh without a moment’s hesitation, standing still and looking down from her vantage on the culprit.
“If I were not an unhappy young creature,” Lady Bell broke down at last, and wrung her hands in futile youthful pain and rage, “if Mr. Trevor, cruel old tyrant as he is, were even like other husbands——”
“Have a care, Lady Bell, have a care,” interrupted Mrs. Walsh, in extreme disdain and disgust, “if you are so far left to yourself as openly to speak evil of the man whom you have vowed—ay, madam, vowed solemnly, so that you are a forsworn and lost woman if you break your vow—to honour and obey, then I shall not know what fine lady depravity we may look for next, or in what strict keeping, for your own unhappy sake, we ought to hold you.”
“You may heap insult on insult; you may report what I have said to your cousin, Mrs. Walsh.” Lady Bell gave her foe free leave, as she nervously twirled the lace of her bodice, “that will be fair and kind, like the rest of your conduct.”
“Indeed, my lady, I shall not stick to report this, or whatever I think necessary, to my cousin Trevor, at any time.” Mrs. Walsh accepted the permission undauntedly. “Worldly honour and I have shaken hands long ago. To do my duty to God and my neighbour, is all my care.”