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George Eliot                                                        ElecBook Classics 


… Page 469…

                                  Adam Bede                                    469 



                            Chapter XXXIV 



                              The Betrothal 



     t   was   a   dry   Sunday;   and   really   a   pleasant   day   for   the   2d   of 

     November。 There was no sunshine; but the clouds were high; 

Iand         the   wind    was   so   still  that  the  yellow    leaves   which 



fluttered   down   from   the   hedgerow   elms   must   have        fallen  from 

pure   decay。   Nevertheless;   Mrs。   Poyser   did   not   go   to   church;   for 

she had taken a cold too serious to be neglected; only two winters 

ago she had been laid up for weeks with a cold; and since his wife 

did not go to church; Mr。 Poyser considered that  on   the   whole   it 

would     be   as   well  for   him   to   stay  away     too  and    “keep    her 

company。”   He   could   perhaps   have   given   no   precise   form   to   the 

reasons that determined this conclusion; but it is well known to all 

experienced        minds     that   our    firmest    convictions     are    often 

dependent   on   subtle   impressions   for   which   words   are   quite   too 

coarse a medium。 However it was; no one from the Poyser family 

went   to   church    that   afternoon    except    Hetty   and   the  boys;   yet 

Adam was bold enough to join them after church; and say that he 

would     walk   home     with   them;   though    all  the  way    through    the 

village he appeared to be chiefly occupied with Marty and Tommy; 

telling them about the squirrels in Binton Coppice; and promising 

to take them there some day。 But when they came to the fields he 

said to the boys; “Now; then; which is the stoutest walker? Him as 

gets to th’ home…gate first shall be the first to go with me to Binton 

Coppice on the donkey。 But Tommy must have the start up to the 

next stile; because he’s the smallest。” 



George Eliot                                                      ElecBook Classics 


… Page 470…

                                    Adam Bede                                      470 



    Adam      had   never    behaved     so   much     like  a  determined      lover 

before。   As   soon   as   the   boys   had   both   set   off;   he   looked   down   at 

Hetty and said; “Won’t you hang on my arm; Hetty?” in a pleading 

tone;   as   if   he   had   already   asked   her   and   she   had   refused。   Hetty 

looked up at him smilingly and put her round arm through his in a 

moment。 It was nothing to her; putting her arm through Adam’s; 

but she knew he cared a great deal about having her arm through 

his; and she wished him to care。 Her heart beat no faster; and she 

looked at the half…bare hedgerows and the ploughed field with the 

same sense of oppressive dulness as before。 But Adam scarcely felt 

that   he   was   walking。   He   thought   Hetty   must   know   that   he   was 

pressing   her   arm   a   little—a   very   little。   Words   rushed   to   his   lips 

that he dared not utter—that he had made up his mind not to utter 

yet—and   so   he   was   silent   for   the   length   of   that   field。   The   calm 

patience with which he had once waited for Hetty’s love; content 

only with her presence and the thought of the future; had forsaken 

him     since    that   terrible   shock    nearly    three    months      ago。   The 

agitations of jealousy had given a new restlessness to his passion— 

had     made    fear   and    uncertainty     too   hard   almost     to  bear。   But 

though he might not speak to Hetty of his love; he would tell her 

about his new prospects and see if she would be pleased。 So when 

he was enough master of himself to talk; he said; “I’m going to tell 

your uncle some news that’ll surprise him; Hetty; and I think he’ll 

be glad to hear it too。” 

    “What’s that?” Hetty said indifferently。 

    “Why;   Mr。   Burge   has   offered   me   a   share   in   his   business;   and 

I’m going to take it。” 

    There was a change in Hetty’s face; certainly not produced by 

any     agreeable     impression      from    this   news。    In   fact  she   felt  a 



George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics 


… Page 471…

                                    Adam Bede                                       471 



momentary   annoyance   and   alarm;   for   she   had   so   often   heard   it 

hinted   by   her   uncle   that   Adam   might   have   Mary   Burge   and   a 

share in the business any day; if he liked; that she associated the 

two     objects   now;    and    the   thought     immediately       occurred      that 

perhaps Adam   had   given   her   up   because   of   what   had   happened 

lately;   and   had   turned   towards   Mary   Burge。   With   that   thought; 

and before she had time to remember any reasons why it could not 

be   true;   came   a   new   sense   of   forsakenness   and   disappointment。 

The one thing—the one person—her mind had rested on in its dull 

weariness;   had   slipped   away   from   her;   and   peevish   misery   filled 

her eyes with tears。 She was looking on the ground; but Adam saw 

her face; saw the tears; and before he had finished saying; “Hetty; 

dear Hetty; what are you crying for?” his eager rapid thought had 

flown   through  all   the   causes   conceivable   to   him;   and   had   at   last 

alighted on half the true one。 Hetty thought he was going to marry 

Mary   Burge—she   didn’t   like   him   to   marry—perhaps   she   didn’t 

like   him    to   marry   any   one   but   herself?   All    caution    was   swept 

away—all reason for it was gone; and Adam could feel nothing but 

trembling   joy。   He   leaned   towards   her   and   took   her   hand;   as   he 

said: 

    “I could afford to be married now; Hetty—I could make a wife 

comfortable; but I shall never want to be married if you won’t have 

me。” 

    Hetty   looked   up   at   him   and   smiled   through   her   tears;   as   she 

had done to Arthur that first evening in the wood; when she had 

thought   he   was   not   coming;   and   yet   he   came。   It   was   a   feebler 

relief; a feebler triumph she felt now; but the great dark eyes and 

the sweet  lips   were   as   beautiful as   ever;   perhaps more   beautiful; 

for  there   was   a   more   luxuriant   womanliness   about   Hetty   of   late。 



George Eliot                                                          ElecBook Classics 


… Page 472…

                                    Adam Bede                                      472 



Adam could hardly believe in the happiness  of  that  moment。   His 

right hand held her left; and he pressed her arm close against his 

heart as he leaned down towards her。 

    “Do you really love me; Hetty? Will you be my own wife; to love 

and take care of as long as I live?” 

    Hetty did not speak; but Adam’s face was very close to hers; and 

she put up her round cheek against his; like a kitten。 She wanted 

to   be   caressed—she   wanted   to   feel       as  if   Arthur   were   with   her 

again。 

    Adam   cared   for   no   words   after   that;     and   they   hardly   spoke 

through the rest of the walk。 He only said; “I may tell your uncle 

and aunt; mayn’t I; Hetty?” and she said; “Yes。” 

    The   red   fire…light   on   the   hearth   at   the   Hall   Farm    shone   on 

joyful faces that evening; when Hetty was gone upstairs and Adam 

took     the  opportunity      of  telling   Mr。   and    Mrs。    Poyser    and    the 

grandfather  that  he   saw  his   way   to   maintaining   a   wife   now;   and 

that Hetty had consented to have him。 

    “I   hope   you   have   no   objections   against   me   for   her   husband;” 

said Adam; “I’m a poor man as yet; but she shall want nothing as I 

can work for。” 

    “Objections?”   said   Mr。   Poyser;   while   the        grandfather   leaned 

forward   and   brought   out   his   long   “Nay;   nay。”   “What   objections 

can   we   ha’   to   you;   lad?   Never   mind   your   being   poorish   as   yet; 

there’s   money   in   your   head…piece   as   there’s   money   i’   the   sown 

field; but it must ha’ time。 You’ve got enough to begin on; and we 

can  do  a  deal   tow’rt  the   bit  o’   furniture   you’ll   want。   Thee   ’st   got 

feathers and linen to spare—plenty; eh?” 

    This question was of course addressed to Mrs。 Poyser; who was 

wrapped up in a warm shawl and was too hoarse to speak with her 



George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics 


… Page 473…

                                    Adam Bede                                       473 



usual facility。 At first she   only  nodded   emphatically; but  she   was 

presently unable to resist the temptation to be more explicit。 

    “It  ’ud   be a   poor  tale   if  I   hadna   feathers   and   linen;”   she   said; 

hoarsely;   “when   I   never   sell   a   fowl   but   what’s   plucked;   and   the 

wheel’s a…going every day o’ the week。” 

    “Come;   my  wench;”   said   Mr。   Poyser;   when   Hetty   came   down; 

“come and kiss us; and let us wish you luck。” 

    Hetty went very quietly and kissed the big good…natured man。 

    “There!”   he   said;   patting   her   on   the   back;   “go   and   kiss   your 

aunt and your grandfather。 I’m as wishful t’ have you settled well 

as if you was my own daughter; and so’s your aunt; I’ll be bound; 

for she’s done by you  this   seven   ’ear;   Hetty;   as   if  you’d  been   her 

own。 Come; come; now;” he went on; becoming jocose; as soon as 

Hetty had   kissed   her  aunt  and   the   old   man;  “Adam   wants   a kiss 

too; I’ll warrant; and he’s a right to one now。” 

    Hetty turned away; smiling; towards her empty chair。 

    “Come;   Adam;   then;   take   one;”   persisted   Mr。   Poyser;   “else   y’ 

arena half a man。” 

    Adam got up; blushing like a small maiden—great strong fellow 

as   he   was—and; putting  his   arm   round   Hetty   stooped   down   and 

gently kissed her lips。 

    It   was   a   pretty   scene   in   the   red   fire…light;   for   there   were   no 

candles—why   should   there   be;   when   the   fire   was   so   bright   and 

was   reflected   from   all   the   pewter   and   the   polished   oak?  No   one 

wanted to work on a Sunday evening。 Even Hetty  felt  something 

like contentment in the midst of all this love。 Adam’s attachment 

to   her;   Adam’s   caress;   stirred   no   passion   in   her;   were   no   longer 

enough to satisfy her vanity; but they were the best her

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