himself too much; don't let him break his neck in hunting;
especially, let him mind how he rides down that dangerous hill near the
Hollow."

"I like a descent," said Shirley; "I like to clear it rapidly; and
especially I like that romantic Hollow with all my heart."

"Romantic, with a mill in it?"

"Romantic with a mill in it. The old mill and the white cottage are each
admirable in its way."

"And the counting-house, Mr. Keeldar?"

"The counting-house is better than my bloom-coloured drawing-room. I
adore the counting-house."

"And the trade? The cloth, the greasy wool, the polluting dyeing-vats?"

"The trade is to be thoroughly respected."

"And the tradesman is a hero? Good!"

"I am glad to hear you say so. I thought the tradesman looked heroic."

Mischief, spirit, and glee sparkled all over her face as she thus
bandied words with the old Cossack, who almost equally enjoyed the tilt.

"Captain Keeldar, you have no mercantile blood in your veins. Why are
you so fond of trade?"

"Because I am a mill-owner, of course. Half my income comes from the
works in that Hollow."

"Don't enter into partnership--that's all."

"You've put it into my head! you've put it into my head!" she exclaimed,
with a joyous laugh. "It will never get out. Thank you." And waving her
hand, white as a lily and fine as a fairy's, she vanished within the
porch, while the rector and his niece passed out through the arched
gateway.

CHAPTER XII.

SHIRLEY AND CAROLINE.

Shirley showed she had been sincere in saying she should be glad of
Caroline's society, by frequently seeking it; and, indeed, if she had
not sought it, she would not have had it, for Miss Helstone was slow to
make fresh acquaintance. She was always held back by the idea that
people could not want her, that she could not amuse them; and a
brilliant, happy, youthful creature like the heiress of Fieldhead seemed
to her too completely independent of society so uninteresting as hers
ever to find it really welcome.

Shirley might be brilliant, and probably happy likewise, but no one is
independent of genial society; and though in about a month she had made
the acquaintance of most of the families round, and was on quite free
and easy terms with all the Misses Sykes, and all the Misses Pearson,
and the two superlative Misses Wynne of Walden Hall, yet, it appeared,
she found none amongst them very genial: she fraternized with none of
them, to use her own words.