登陆注册
5363100000334

第334章

Mr Thorne had confessed the iniquity, had dismissed the murderous gamekeeper, and all was serene. But the greater on that account was the feasibility of discussing the question, and the archdeacon had a good deal to say about it. Then Mr Thorne turned to the new vicar, and asked him whether foxes abounded in Hogglestock. Had he been asked as to the rats or moles, he would have known more about it.

'Indeed, sir, I know not whether or no there be any foxes in the parish of Hogglestock. I do not remember me that I ever saw one. It is an animal whose habits I have not watched.'

'There is an earth at Hoggle Bushes,' said the major; 'and I never knew it without a litter.'

'I think I know the domestic whereabouts of every fox in Plumstead,' said the archdeacon, with an ill-natured intention of astonishing Mr Crawley.

'Of foxes with two legs our friend is speaking, without doubt,' said the vicar of St Ewold's, with an attempt at grim pleasantry.

'Of them we have none at Plumstead. No--I was speaking of the dear old fellow with the brush. Pass the bottle, Mr Crawley. Won't you fill your glass?' Mr Crawley passed the bottle, but would not fill the glass. Then the dean, looking up slyly, saw the vexation written in the archdeacon's face. The parson whom the archdeacon feared most of all was the parson who wouldn't fill his glass.

Then the subject was changed. 'I'm told that the bishop has at last made his reappearance on his throne,' said the archdeacon.

'He was in the cathedral last Sunday,' said the dean.

'Does he ever mean to preach again?' 'He never did preach very often,' said the dean.

'A great deal too often, from all people say,' said the archdeacon. 'Inever heard him myself, and never shall, I daresay. You have heard him, Mr Crawley?'

'I have never had that good fortune, Mr Archdeacon. But living as Ishall now do, so near to the city, I may perhaps be enabled to attend the cathedral service on some holy-day of the Church, which may not require prayers in my own rural parish. I think that the clergy of the diocese should be acquainted with the opinions, and with the voice, and with the very manner and words of their bishop. As things are now done, this is not possible. I could wish that there were occasions on which a bishop might assemble his clergy, and preach to them sermons adapted to their use.'

'What do you call a bishop's charge, then?'

'It is usually in the printed form that I have received it,' said Mr Crawley.

'I think we have had quite enough of that kind of thing,' said the archdeacon.

'He is a man whose conversation is not pleasing to me,' Mr Crawley said to his wife that night.

'Do not judge him too quickly, Josiah,' his wife said. 'There is so much of good in him! He is kind, and generous, and I think affectionate.'

'But he is of the earth, earthy. When you and the other ladies had retired, the conversation at first fell on the habits and value of--foxes. I have been informed that in these parts the fox is greatly prized, as without a fox to run before the dogs, that scampering over the country which is called hunting, and which delights by the quickness and perhaps the peril of the exercise, is not relished by the riders. Of the wisdom or taste herein displayed by the hunters of the day I say nothing. But it seemed to me that in talking of foxes Dr Grantly was master of his subject. Thence the topic glided to the duties of a bishop and to questions of preaching, as to which Dr Grantly was not slow in offering his opinion. But I thought that I would rather have heard him talk about the foxes for a week together.' She said nothing more to him, knowing well how useless it was to attempt to turn him by any argument.

To her thinking the kindness of the archdeacon to them personally demanded some indulgence in the expression, and even in the formation, of an opinion, respecting his clerical peculiarities.

On the next day, however, Mr Crawley, having been summoned by the archdeacon into the library for a little private conversation, found that he got on better with him. How the archdeacon conquered him may perhaps be best described by a further narration of what Mr Crawley told his wife. 'I told him that in regard to money matters, as he called them, I had nothing to say. I only trusted that his son was aware that my daughter had no money, and never would have any. "My dear Crawley,"the archdeacon said--for of late there seems to have grown up in the world a habit of greater familiarity than that which I think did prevail when last I moved much among men--"my dear Crawley, I have enough for both." "I would we stood on more equal ground," I said. Then as he answered me, he rose from his chair. "We stand," said he, "on the perfect level on which men can meet each other. We are both gentlemen.""Sir," I said, rising also, "from the bottom of the heart I agree with you. I could not have spoken such words; but coming from you who are rich to me am poor, they are honourable to the one and comfortable to the other."'

'And after that?'

'He took down from the shelves a volume of some sermons which his father published many years ago, and presented to me. I have it now under my arm. It hath the old bishop's manuscript notes, which I will study carefully.' And thus the archdeacon had hit his bird on both wings.

同类推荐
  • 阿惟越致遮经

    阿惟越致遮经

    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。
  • 六十种曲金莲记

    六十种曲金莲记

    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。
  • 佛说大鱼事经

    佛说大鱼事经

    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。
  • The Guilty River

    The Guilty River

    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。
  • 东林十八高贤传

    东林十八高贤传

    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
  • 爆笑囧情:一代妖后养成记

    爆笑囧情:一代妖后养成记

    穿越前,他是高富帅,她是白穷美。穿越后,他成了九五至尊的北魏皇帝,而她,则是他后宫中燕瘦环肥莺声燕语的众多女人之一。他少年聪慧,杀伐决断,冷情弃爱,谈笑间指点江山。她美丽依旧,顽皮依旧,桀骜依旧,媚笑中招蜂引蝶。他怒:你是我的女人,怎么可以如此的水性杨花?她不屑:男人可以三妻四妾,女人为什么不可以三丈四夫?终有一天,她成了他墙上一抹蚊子血;而他,则成了她头上一只跳蚤虫。
  • 妖媚金陵

    妖媚金陵

    白玉为堂金作马,珍珠如土金如铁。东海缺少白玉床,龙王来请金陵王。传说金陵王是史上最富有的帝王,拥天下数之不尽的金银,可是生性冷傲,手段残忍,有九九八十一妃嫔,却无子嗣。传说后背处有花形胎记的女子,是金陵王的皇后,可以孕育出金陵王唯一的子嗣。一个偶然的机会,潇湘女作家风云小妖(云朵儿)恰逢九星连珠,因为一个古老的神秘银镯掉进了时光隧道,来到了历史上没有记载的金陵王朝。“什么?让我做你的八十二妃?”做人家的二奶都没有勇气,何况是八十二奶!云朵儿彻底疯狂,眼前这个褐发蓝眼的帅哥,怕是精神有些问题。十箱的金银堆积在面前,嗜钱如命的云朵儿忘记了骂人,八十二奶就八十二奶,只要有钱,嫁谁不是嫁!更何况对方是位人世间少见的帅哥。侍寝?别傻了,这种事情怎么可以发生在自己的身上,云朵儿是八十二奶,就算那个威武健壮的金陵王不休息,那也要三个月才轮一次!三个月?云朵儿早已经打包将满贯的金银运回现代!****************风云小妖的最新作品《情挑首席总裁》正在更新中推荐小妖的新文《滥情总裁》正在更新中哦,非常的好看,欢迎大家捧场另外推荐小妖的其他两部作品《天外飞仙》已经完结《美女保镖》刚刚完结推荐小妖的完结新文《调教太子妃》非常的精彩哦!《PK杨玉环》正在更新中哈,同样的精彩另外推荐好友醉恋的《冥王的小妖后》非常好看的说!!!!这是潇湘的七位作者合力所著恶魔之吻系列女作家穿越系列文紫云曦<火爆王爷冰美人>柳少白<绝恋海陵王>如雪《俏皮王妃酷王爷》冥月流水《情断兰陵》山上草的《乱红》非常经典的说
  • 别靠我太近

    别靠我太近

    又起雾了。每当起雾的时候,母亲总在我面前念叨:“以前你父亲总会在这个时候说,我去透透气。”我不知道父亲所说“透气”的真正含义,直到上学之后才多少对这个词有了些了解。但让我不解的是,偌大一个周庄,竟然让父亲透不过气来。真不知道他怎么会憋得这么厉害,因为父亲不是走出屋子去透气,而是一个人沿着村路走出周庄,到雾霭缭绕的村外去透气。看上去村里的雾并不很大,空气湿漉漉的,连地上也蒙了一层潮湿气,这样的潮湿气常常让我产生错觉,泥路看上去没那么硬,踩上去却硬邦邦的硌脚。雾不浓,一缕一缕的,或浓或淡,像挂起的轻纱,在风的轻抚下,起起落落。
  • 佛说六字神咒王经

    佛说六字神咒王经

    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。
  • 金玉良缘:妃你不可

    金玉良缘:妃你不可

    她是异界一缕灵魂,逍遥自在,却不想遇到了一个无赖的王爷,第一次见面就调戏她,让她看免费的限制级画面,第二次闯入她闺房翻出了她的红肚兜。从此一路追随一路赖,动不动就牵牵小手,搂搂小腰,亲亲小嘴,还时不时提议去房里把米饭做熟,某王爷笑的一脸无害,“我都说了,这辈子非你不可!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 施佳莫妮闯天下

    施佳莫妮闯天下

    在一个名字叫“车师前城堡”,有一天突然天降怪风,在那场风过后,可以庇佑他们的图腾消失了,城堡之主燃灯上古每天唉声叹气。在莲花书院,施佳和莫妮学到了什么呢?在这座书院中,施佳和莫妮又有了新的遭遇和经历……施佳和莫妮离开颜如玉后,她们沿着寻找“琉璃翡翠简”的路线继续行走,在路上居然当了父母官儿,判了一些案子……是是非非,谁错谁对,真真假假谁错,要看结果了!
  • 空间之女神归来

    空间之女神归来

    身世坎坷的仙二代,一步步解开身世之谜,成功蜕变为强大的仙二代的故事。#女主重生的和其他所有人重生的不是同一世##重生并没什么帮助##苏#
  • 凰妃浅笑:废柴杀手逆天下

    凰妃浅笑:废柴杀手逆天下

    她是杀手界的“废物”,却没人敢轻视她。惊才绝艳,惊鸿一瞥,天下臣服。一朝穿越,竟成了一个只记得姓氏的迷之少女。也好,省得她与奇葩们费脑力斗智商。遇到他后,她立刻改主意:我靠,还不如宅斗呢!他是弑光之王,冷酷无情,一张黑色面具遮挡着他的绝美容貌,也压制着他的感情。当面具掀开,他又如谦谦君子,无数少女为其倾心。繁华城外月色凉,竹林湖畔初相逢。他与她相逢,自此天上地下,舍命相陪。他说涉过崎岖,只是想再看她一眼……她说逆转天下,只为此生与他一起……天命说,她与他注定为敌,永世都不可相爱……她轻笑,天是什么?命是什么?人在做,天在看,那还请这片天好好看着,看她如何一手逆乾坤,破这天定宿命!
  • 变身

    变身

    “你一个人看电影啊?”前面那女孩侧过头来,面带微笑地问他。“啊?哦!”他的脸腾地红了。他飞快地朝边上看一眼,又收回来,笑笑地看着这个陌生的女孩。他一直站在她的身后,排了好长时间了,有半个小时吧。她只比他稍低一点,一头披肩黑发,偶尔转转脑袋,才能看得见侧脸。她很白,丰腴得有点过,然而紧身的牛仔裤并没有使她显出多么胖来。在他站到她身后之前,他似乎瞥见过她的正脸儿,但是一站过去,那样子就模糊了。他只把眼睛放到前面去,在队伍的深处寻找风景,却忽略了近在眼前的一个人。好像,她回过一两次头?只是他没有留意罢了。
  • 依楞严究竟事忏

    依楞严究竟事忏

    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。