登陆注册
5169600000054

第54章

It was evident I had said something terrible.Another black sheep in the Church? thought I with a little sorrow; for I don't care to own that I have a respect for the cloth.'I--hope there's nothing wrong?

'Wrong?' says Mrs.P., clasping her hands with a tragic air.

'Oh!' says Miss Wirt, and the two girls, gasping in chorus.

'Well,' says I, 'I'm very sorry for it.I never saw a nicer-looking old gentleman, or a better school, or heard a better sermon.'

'He used to preach those sermons in a surplice,' hissed out Mrs.Ponto.'He's a Puseyite, Mr.Snob.'

'Heavenly powers!' says I, admiring the pure ardour of these female theologians; and Stripes came in with the tea.It's so weak that no wonder Ponto's sleep isn't disturbed by it.

Of mornings we used to go out shooting.We had Ponto's own fields to sport over (where we got the landrail), and the non-preserved part of the Hawbuck property: and one evening in a stubble of Ponto's skirting the Carabas woods, we got among some pheasants, and had some real sport.I shot a hen, I know, greatly to my delight.

'Bag it,' says Ponto, in rather a hurried manner: 'here's somebody coming.' So I pocketed the bird.

'You infernal poaching thieves!' roars out a man from the hedge in the garb of a gamekeeper.'I wish I could catch you on this side of the hedge.I'd put a brace of barrels into you, that I would.'

'Curse that Snapper,' says Ponto, moving off; 'he's always watching me like a spy.'

'Carry off the birds, you sneaks, and sell 'em in London,' roars the individual, who it appears was a keeper of Lord Carabas.'You'll get six shillings a brace for 'em.'

'YOU know the price of 'em well enough, and so does your master too, you scoundrel,' says Ponto, still retreating.

'We kill 'em on our ground,' cries Mr.Snapper.'WEdon't set traps for other people's birds.We're no decoy ducks.We're no sneaking poachers.We don't shoot 'ens, like that 'ere Cockney, who's got the tail of one a-sticking out of his pocket.Only just come across the hedge, that's all.'

'I tell you what,' says Stripes, who was out with us as keeper this day, (in fact he's keeper, coachman, gardener, valet, and bailiff, with Tummus under him,) 'if YOU'LL come across, John Snapper, and take your coat off, I'll give you such a whopping as you've never had since the last time I did it at Guttlebury Fair.'

'Whop one of your own weight,' Mr.Snapper said, whistling his dogs and disappearing into the wood.And so we came out of this controversy rather victoriously;but I began to alter my preconceived ideas of rural felicity.

Notes.

(1) I have since heard that this aristocratic lady's father was a livery-button maker in St.Martin's Lane:

where he met with misfortunes, and his daughter acquired her taste for heraldry.But it may be told to her credit, that out of her earnings she has kept the bed-ridden old bankrupt in great comfort and secrecy at Pentonville; and furnished her brother's outfit for the Cadetship which her patron, Lord Swigglebiggle, gave her when he was at the Board of Control.I have this information from a friend.To hear Miss Wirt herself, you would fancy that her Papa was a Rothschild, and that the markets of Europe were convulsed when he went into the GAZETTE.

同类推荐
  • 种福堂公选良方

    种福堂公选良方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 肉门

    肉门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 千家诗

    千家诗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 国宝新编

    国宝新编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 元故宫遗录

    元故宫遗录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 猎爱全城

    猎爱全城

    灰姑娘到豪门的距离,近在咫尺,更远似天涯。 她曾经以为,对他的暗恋将是今生今世都不能说出的秘密。 毕竟,他是她身处绝境时的救命恩人,也是沈氏黑金集团的幕后掌门人。然而,那冷峻背后的成熟,那严肃表面下的温柔,那世人眼中的霸气和一个人时候的孤独,无不像巨大的磁场,将她牢牢地吸住…… 一场突如其来的事故,让她从心底里萌生了猎爱的勇气和信心。 当誓言被时间消磨,历经波折的她,能否守得云开见月明?
  • 伤寒论条辨

    伤寒论条辨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 魅力GOING她世纪之优质生活

    魅力GOING她世纪之优质生活

    e时代的精英男人眼中的魅力女人必是“出得厅堂,下得厨房”,当然,这是来自男性半边天空的“一家之言”,e时代的粉红女郎不必照单全收,权作参考好了。过去,中国式传统女子大多“女为悦己者容”,如今,女人坚定不移地奉行“女为悦己容”。因为有职业甚至有事业的女人已然经济独立,男人不再是生活的支柱甚至必须,对女人而言“一个人也可以过得精彩”。她世纪女人应该做的是,魅力Going,打造e时代魅力女人,扬长避短,才能真正在职场游刃有余、畅行无阻;才能真正在生活中风度翩翩、舍我其谁。
  • 青少年励志成长丛书:努力自觉的激励

    青少年励志成长丛书:努力自觉的激励

    本书内容包括:对挫折的感悟、对爱心的感悟、对友情的感悟、对做事的感悟、对智慧的感悟、对品格的感悟、对自信的感悟等。
  • 离婚容易复婚难1:前夫请排队

    离婚容易复婚难1:前夫请排队

    5年前他主动提出离婚,她平静地签下离婚协议,带着足够她花一辈子的赡养费黯然地离开他。5年后他出现在她面前,看着她怀有5个月大的肚子说:你是我的女人,我不许你有别人的孩子,拿掉……呵,世界上最大的笑话,一个离婚的前夫竟然还义正言辞地说她是他的女人,甚至连她的孩子都要管,他算什么身份?她就要挺着大肚子做别人的情人,还有无数个好男人供她选,前夫想再回来,请排队……
  • 武道天途

    武道天途

    神秘身世,被师父驱逐的少年,突然被召回宗门却意外陷入被无数强人追杀的死劫。她,如同一只美艳之极的野鬼出现报恩,带给他强大天外功法。他发奋修炼击杀强敌,掳获无数美女,举手投足下天火灭世!剑气纵横千万里,一剑光寒十九州,只手可遮天!
  • 墨子

    墨子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太古噬灵决

    太古噬灵决

    神秘石珠,自带空间,带着他魂穿异界,掀起一场腥风血雨。
  • 阿黑不是警犬

    阿黑不是警犬

    阿黑不是警犬,说它是家犬,我也勉强接受,只是你千万别叫它狗,叫它狗我会跟你急的。怎么说阿黑也是生长在警犬基地,它父亲黑子还是辉煌一时的功勋犬,算是名门之后吧。最关键的,你叫它狗就是掉了它的份儿,掉了它的份儿也就是掉了它的主人——我和青哥的份儿,不光是我,连青哥也会背地里念叨你祖宗的。至于说阿黑为什么不是警犬,很简单,阿黑没有编制。为什么没有编制?很简单,我们级别低,尽管谁也没规定县级公安局不许有警犬基地,可我们的条件……对,说到条件,就在点子上了,归根结底还是一个钱字。
  • 狂野萌妃:腹黑世子追妻忙

    狂野萌妃:腹黑世子追妻忙

    她欣喜的准备与他的婚礼,不料却意外撞见他和别的女人厮混!那么不堪的一幕,她气愤不已的质问,却招来狗男女的合谋杀害!含恨而死!一朝重生,竟穿越到一个人见人打的小乞丐身上,老天!你既然给我机会重生,我便不在这般活着。从此不在做弱小之人,陷害我的,我加倍奉还!欺凌我的,全部去死!推荐新文:《残王毒妃:本宫有系统》