IV
He stopped and lifted his hat with a shy smile. "I beg your pardon," hesaid. "I thought there was no one here."
Charity stood before him, barring his way. "You can't come in. Thelibrary ain't open to the public Wednesdays."
"I know it's not; but my cousin gave me her key."
"Miss Hatchard's got no right to give her key to other folks, any more'nI have. I'm the librarian and I know the by-laws. This is my library."
The young man looked profoundly surprised.
"Why, I know it is; I'm so sorry if you mind my coming."
"I suppose you came to see what more you could say to set her againstme? But you needn't trouble: it's my library today, but it won't bethis time tomorrow. I'm on the way now to take her back the key and theregister."
Young Harney's face grew grave, but without betraying the consciousnessof guilt she had looked for.
"I don't understand," he said. "There must be some mistake. Why should Isay things against you to Miss Hatchard--or to anyone?"
The apparent evasiveness of the reply caused Charity's indignation tooverflow. "I don't know why you should. I could understand Orma Fry'sdoing it, because she's always wanted to get me out of here ever sincethe first day. I can't see why, when she's got her own home, and herfather to work for her; nor Ida Targatt, neither, when she got a legacyfrom her step-brother on'y last year. But anyway we all live in thesame place, and when it's a place like North Dormer it's enough to makepeople hate each other just to have to walk down the same street everyday. But you don't live here, and you don't know anything about any ofus, so what did you have to meddle for? Do you suppose the other girls'dhave kept the books any better'n I did? Why, Orma Fry don't hardly knowa book from a flat-iron! And what if I don't always sit round heredoing nothing till it strikes five up at the church? Who cares if thelibrary's open or shut? Do you suppose anybody ever comes here forbooks? What they'd like to come for is to meet the fellows they're goingwith if I'd let 'em. But I wouldn't let Bill Sollas from over the hillhang round here waiting for the youngest Targatt girl, because I knowhim... that's all... even if I don't know about books all I ought to...."
She stopped with a choking in her throat. Tremors of rage were runningthrough her, and she steadied herself against the edge of the desk lesthe should see her weakness.
What he saw seemed to affect him deeply, for he grew red under hissunburn, and stammered out: "But, Miss Royall, I assure you... I assureyou...."
His distress inflamed her anger, and she regained her voice to flingback: "If I was you I'd have the nerve to stick to what I said!"
The taunt seemed to restore his presence of mind. "I hope I should if Iknew; but I don't. Apparently something disagreeable has happened, forwhich you think I'm to blame. But I don't know what it is, because I'vebeen up on Eagle Ridge ever since the early morning."
"I don't know where you've been this morning, but I know you were herein this library yesterday; and it was you that went home and told yourcousin the books were in bad shape, and brought her round to see how I'dneglected them."
Young Harney looked sincerely concerned. "Was that what you were told?I don't wonder you're angry. The books are in bad shape, and as some areinteresting it's a pity. I told Miss Hatchard they were suffering fromdampness and lack of air; and I brought her here to show her how easilythe place could be ventilated. I also told her you ought to have someone to help you do the dusting and airing. If you were given a wrongversion of what I said I'm sorry; but I'm so fond of old books thatI'd rather see them made into a bonfire than left to moulder away likethese."
Charity felt her sobs rising and tried to stifle them in words. "I don'tcare what you say you told her. All I know is she thinks it's all myfault, and I'm going to lose my job, and I wanted it more'n anyone inthe village, because I haven't got anybody belonging to me, the wayother folks have. All I wanted was to put aside money enough to get awayfrom here sometime. D'you suppose if it hadn't been for that I'd havekept on sitting day after day in this old vault?"
Of this appeal her hearer took up only the last question. "It is anold vault; but need it be? That's the point. And it's my putting thequestion to my cousin that seems to have been the cause of the trouble."His glance explored the melancholy penumbra of the long narrow room,resting on the blotched walls, the discoloured rows of books, and thestern rosewood desk surmounted by the portrait of the young Honorius."Of course it's a bad job to do anything with a building jammed againsta hill like this ridiculous mausoleum: you couldn't get a good draughtthrough it without blowing a hole in the mountain. But it can beventilated after a fashion, and the sun can be let in: I'll show youhow if you like...." The architect's passion for improvement hadalready made him lose sight of her grievance, and he lifted his stickinstructively toward the cornice. But her silence seemed to tell himthat she took no interest in the ventilation of the library, and turningback to her abruptly he held out both hands. "Look here--you don't meanwhat you said? You don't really think I'd do anything to hurt you?"
A new note in his voice disarmed her: no one had ever spoken to her inthat tone.
"Oh, what DID you do it for then?" she wailed. He had her hands inhis, and she was feeling the smooth touch that she had imagined the daybefore on the hillside.
He pressed her hands lightly and let them go. "Why, to make thingspleasanter for you here; and better for the books. I'm sorry if mycousin twisted around what I said. She's excitable, and she lives ontrifles: I ought to have remembered that. Don't punish me by letting herthink you take her seriously."
It was wonderful to hear him speak of Miss Hatchard as if she were aquerulous baby: in spite of his shyness he had the air of power that theexperience of cities probably gave. It was the fact of having livedin Nettleton that made lawyer Royall, in spite of his infirmities, thestrongest man in North Dormer; and Charity was sure that this young manhad lived in bigger places than Nettleton.
She felt that if she kept up her denunciatory tone he would secretlyclass her with Miss Hatchard; and the thought made her suddenly simple.
"It don't matter to Miss Hatchard how I take her. Mr. Royall says she'sgoing to get a trained librarian; and I'd sooner resign than have thevillage say she sent me away."
"Naturally you would. But I'm sure she doesn't mean to send you away.At any rate, won't you give me the chance to find out first and let youknow? It will be time enough to resign if I'm mistaken."
Her pride flamed into her cheeks at the suggestion of his intervening."I don't want anybody should coax her to keep me if I don't suit."
He coloured too. "I give you my word I won't do that. Only wait tilltomorrow, will you?" He looked straight into her eyes with his shy greyglance. "You can trust me, you know--you really can."
All the old frozen woes seemed to melt in her, and she murmuredawkwardly, looking away from him: "Oh, I'll wait."