登陆注册
5363100000049

第49章

Mr Crawley, ever since first coming into Hogglestock, had been very busy among these brickmakers, and by no means without success. Indeed the farmers had quarrelled with him because the brickmakers had so crowded the parish church, as to leave but scant room for decent people. 'Doo they folk pay tithes? That's what I want'un to tell me?' argued one farmer--not altogether unnaturally, believing as he did that Mr Crawley was paid by tithes out of his own pocket. But Mr Crawley had done his best to make the brickmaker welcome at the church, scandalising the farmers by causing them to sit or stand in any portion of the church which was hitherto unappropriated. He had been constant in his personal visits to them, and had felt himself to more a St Paul with them than with any other of his neighbours around him.

It was a cold morning, but the rain of the preceding evening had given way to frost, and the air, though sharp, was dry. The ground under the feet was crisp, having felt the wind and frost, and was no longer clogged with mud. In his present state of mind the walk was good for our poor pastor, and exhilarated him; but still, as he went, he thought always of his injuries. His own wife believed that he was about to commit suicide, and for so believing he was very angry with her; and yet, as he well knew, the idea of making away with himself had flitted through his own mind a dozen times. Not from his own wife could he get real sympathy. He would see what he could do with a certain brickmaker of his acquaintance.

'Are you here, Dan?' he said, knocking at the door of a cottage which stood alone, close to the towing path of the canal, and close also to a forlorn corner of the muddy, watery, ugly, disordered brick-field. It was now just past six o'clock, and the men would be rising, as in midwinter they commenced their work at seven. The cottage was an unalluring, straight brick-built tenement, seeming as though intended to be one of a row which had never progressed beyond Number One. A voice answered from the interior, inquiring who was the visitor, to which Mr Crawley replied by giving his name. Then the key was turned in the lock, and Dan Morris, the brickmaker, appeared with a candle in his hand. He had been engaged in lighting the fire, with a view to his own breakfast.

'Where is your wife, Dan?' asked Mr Crawley. The man answered by pointing with a short poker, which he held in his hand, to the bed, which was half-screened from the room by a ragged curtain, which hung from the ceiling half-way down to the floor. 'And are the Darvels here?' asked Mr Crawley. Then Morris, again using the poker, pointed upwards, showing that the Darvels were still in their allotted abode upstairs.

'You're early out, Muster Crawley,' said Morris, and then he went on with his fire. 'Drat the sticks, if they bean't as wet as the old 'un hisself. Get up, old woman, and do you do it, for I can't. They wun't kindle for me, nohow.' But the old woman, having well noted the presence of Mr Crawley, thought it better to remain where she was.

Mr Crawley sat himself down by the obstinate fire, and began to arrange the sticks. 'Dan, Dan,' said a voice from the bed, 'sure you wouldn't let his reverence trouble himself with the fire.'

'How be I to keep him from it, if he chooses? I didn't ax him.' Then Morris stood by and watched, and after a while Mr Crawley succeeded in his attempt.

'How could it burn when you had not given the small spark a current of air to help it?' said Mr Crawley.

'In course not,' said the woman, 'but he be such stupid.'

The husband said no word in acknowledgement of this compliment, nor did he thank Mr Crawley for what he had done, nor appear as though he intended to take any notice of him. He was going on with his work when Mr Crawley again interrupted him.

'How did you get back from Silverbridge yesterday, Dan?'

'Footed it--all the blessed way.'

'It's only eight miles.'

'And I footed it there, and that's sixteen. And I paid one-and-sixpence for beer and grub;--s'help me I did.'

'Dan!' said a voice from the bed, rebuking him for the impropriety of his language.

'Well; I beg pardon, but I did. And they guv'me two bob;--just two plain shillings by--'

'Dan!'

同类推荐
  • 太平经合校

    太平经合校

    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。
  • 元始天尊说北方真武妙经

    元始天尊说北方真武妙经

    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。
  • 荷牐丛谈

    荷牐丛谈

    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。
  • 琴谱序

    琴谱序

    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 Major

    The Major

    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
  • 网游之轮回主宰

    网游之轮回主宰

    逆天神话,一朝轮回,神器,神兽,隐藏角色,隐藏职业!尽落于一人之手,看其如何在游戏世界翻云覆雨,成就主宰!
  • 快穿之男神你的形象又崩了

    快穿之男神你的形象又崩了

    我喜欢你,愿来生依旧依偎而伴。我爱你,愿来世我们不分彼此。
  • 言语

    言语

    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。
  • 悲喜牛头山

    悲喜牛头山

    每年的五月,都是各种文艺演出层出不穷的时节,而聆听一场高水平的音乐会,对于酷爱艺术、向往浪漫生活的人来说,又是可遇而不可求的。早在两月前,皇甫劲松就从报纸上获知,著名钢琴演奏家克莱德曼将在北京举办个人演奏会。尽管对于克莱德曼的艺术造诣历来褒贬不一,但这丝毫也不影响皇甫劲松到现场感受音乐魅力的诱惑,这将是一件多么浪漫的事情啊!没想到和邱钟慧一说,邱钟慧却是一脸的不屑。“我不去,我劝你也别去。现在都什么时候了,还搞这种不着调的事。”邱钟慧脸上揶揄的笑容,对皇甫劲松造成了一定的挫伤。皇甫劲松无奈地摇头苦笑。
  • 唐宋大曲考

    唐宋大曲考

    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。
  • 醉月舞

    醉月舞

    【四海游龙系列一】“明月几时有?把酒问青天……”这是她最喜欢的一首词,不料却成了她最真实另一生的写照。当岳翼如贞子般从棺材里爬出来,方知道自己穿越到了魏晋时期,摇身从警察变成了古代大小姐!而且还有一个未婚夫!“自此以后,岳翼愿以男装打扮跟随二哥左右,护你周全。”当说出这句话,她便与这义兄兼四海游龙的大当家有了扯不断的关联。无论是商场、官场、抑或是情场,她永远跟在他身后,如影相随。我歌月徘徊我舞影凌乱曾经面对无数犯人的她,面对重重危机,爱恨情仇,又如何敌得过这“人有悲欢离合,月有阴晴圆缺,此事古难全。”的戏说,舞出别样人生?在这个无亲无故什么都不习惯的战乱动荡朝代,且看女警花如何上演一出自力更生求新求变执子之手的好戏。
  • 笔髓论

    笔髓论

    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。
  • 老板要给员工讲的365个故事

    老板要给员工讲的365个故事

    本书搜集、选取了老板最应该讲给员工的365个故事,旨在启迪员工心智、增强企业战斗力,让员工和企业实现双赢发展。我们所需要做的,就是反复琢磨故事中的道理,仔细思考:你能从中学到什么?你是不是也可以这样做,或者能否避免同样的错误?最后,真诚地希望你能够从中受到启发,感悟故事中的道理,领略故事中的魅力,并将其运用于你的工作和生活中,在完善自身心智的同时,和企业一起扬帆远航!
  • 易经一日一解

    易经一日一解

    六十四卦网罗天地万象,穷尽宇宙之变化,展示了人事的吉凶悔吝。《易经》用阴阳之道来解释天、地、人、万物的变化原理,其中彰显了天道行健、自强不息的人类精神,同时也点明了厚德载物、与时变通的生存谋略。借鉴古老的人生指南,开启真正的智慧,我们将用和谐的举措去趋吉避凶、如意纳福,去考量世界,体验人生。
  • 鉴宝女王

    鉴宝女王

    碰见自己的豪门未婚夫和好姐妹缠绵,心灰意冷,发生争执,意外伤到额头,本以为命已休,却没想到,医院养完伤后,竟然有了鉴定古玩和透视能力。