登陆注册
5429600000200

第200章

'You may publish as you please, sir,' said Mrs Proudie. 'But you will not be insane enough to publish any of your doings in Barchester. Do you think I have not heard of your kneelings at that creature's feet--that is if she has any feet--and of your constant slobbering over her hand? I advise you to beware, Mr Slope, of what you do and say. Clergymen have been unfrocked for less than what you have been guilty of.'

'My lord, if this goes on I shall be obliged to indict this woman--Mrs Proudie I mean--for defamation of character.'

'I think, Mr Slope, you had better now retire,' said the bishop. 'Iwill enclose to you a cheque for any balance that may be due to you; and, under the present circumstances, it will of course be better for all parties that you should leave the palace at the earliest possible moment.'

'If, however, you wish to remain in this neighbourhood,' said Mrs Proudie, 'and will solemnly pledge yourself never again to see that woman, and will promise also to be more circumspect in your conduct, the bishop will mention your name to Mr Quiverful, who now wants a curate at Puddingdale.

The house is, I imagine, quite sufficient for your requirements:

and there will moreover by a stipend of fifty pounds a year.'

'May God forgive you, madam, for the manner in which you have treated me,' said Mr Slope, looking at her with a very heavenly look; 'and remember this, madam, that you yourself may still have a fall;' and he looked at her with a very worldly look. 'As to the bishop, I pity him!' And so saying, Mr Slope left the room. Thus ended the intimacy of the Bishop of Barchester with his confidential chaplain.

Mrs Proudie was right in this; namely, that Mr Slope was not insane enough to publish to the world any of his doings in Barchester. He did not trouble his friend Mr Towers with any written statement of the iniquity of Mrs Proudie, or the imbecility of her husband. He was aware that it would be wise in him to drop for the future all allusions to his doings in the cathedral city. Soon after the interview just recorded, he left Barchester, shaking the dust off his feet as he entered the railway carriage; and he gave no longing lingering look after the cathedral towers, as the train hurried him quickly out of their sight.

It is well known that the family of the Slopes never starve; they always fall on their feet like cats, and let them fall where they will, they live on the fat of the land. Our Mr Slope did so. On his return to town he found that the sugar-refiner had died, and that the widow was inconsolable; or, in other words, in want of consolation. Mr Slope consoled her, and soon found himself settled with much comfort in the house in Baker Street. He possessed himself, also before long, of a church in the vicinity of the New Road, and become known to fame as one of the most eloquent preachers and pious clergymen in that part of the metropolis. There let us leave him.

Of the bishop and his wife very little further need be said. From that time forth nothing material occurred to interrupt the even course of their domestic harmony. Very speedily, a further vacancy on the bench of bishops gave Dr Proudie the seat in the House of Lords, which he at first so anxiously longed for. But by this time, he had become a wiser man. He did certainly take his seat, and occasionally registered a vote in favour of Government view on ecclesiastical matters.

But he had thoroughly learnt that his proper sphere of action lay in close contiguity with Mrs Proudie's wardrobe. He never again aspired to disobey, or seemed even to wish for autocratic diocesan authority. If ever he thought of freedom, he did so, as men think of the millennium, as of a good time which may be coming, but which nobody expects to come in their day. Mrs Proudie might be said still to bloom, and was, at any rate, strong; and the bishop had no reason to apprehend that he would be speedily visited with the sorrows of a widower's life.

He is still bishop of Barchester. He has so graced that throne, that the Government has been adverse to translate him, even to higher duties. There may he remain, under safe pupilage, till the new-fangled manners of the age have discovered him to be superannuated, and bestowed on him a pension. As for Mrs Proudie, our prayers for her are that she may live for ever.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 闲燕常谈

    闲燕常谈

    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。
  • 再见天堂之天落

    再见天堂之天落

    一场家庭纷争,一份失踪的遗嘱,一段注定的命运,一对可怜的姐弟,他们该如何在乱世中生存?
  • 净业痛策

    净业痛策

    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。
  • 冰山总裁PK麻辣女神

    冰山总裁PK麻辣女神

    她,江天儿是明星天后;他,闫雷宇是商界权贵。小三插足,她与他之间划分了一个不可逾越的鸿沟。为了愈合情感的创伤,她全身心投入工作当中,遇到如天使一般的狄恩关心他,呵护她,她曾几何时有那么一丝丝的心动,他却又追她而来,她犹豫彷徨,又在此时,江天儿被卷入了洪家争产风波……
  • 无非求碗热汤喝

    无非求碗热汤喝

    人生在世,吃喝二字。豆瓣、知乎、虎扑知名作者张佳玮暖心美食随笔。从家常食话,到零食小点;从应景吃食,到各地风物,从文化掌故,到童话臆想……引经据典,深入浅出。有吃,有文化,有故事;关于吃,吃什么,怎么吃;更关于吃的心情,陪你吃的人,你吃的时候想着你和你想着的人……
  • 会升级的魔兽

    会升级的魔兽

    管你剑圣、法神、圣兽、巨龙在外有多风光,在我眼中,你们不过是一群送经验的‘怪’。
  • 失足穿越:相公皆妖娆

    失足穿越:相公皆妖娆

    当都市屌丝女青年穿越异世成为天下第一女王爷会遇上什么?美男子?财宝?天才宝贝?no,是无穷尽的追杀!追杀也就算了,怎么又凭空多出来了个夫君?这老皇帝又是几个意思,要把七皇子赐给自己?天下第一富商?妙手神医?哦,寡人有疾,寡人头痛。…………………………………………有人说:“肖淡淡,若你想为王,我愿手捧玉玺,永世为臣。”有人说:“肖淡淡,你到底有没有心?”原来,曾有人愿意用整个江山来换她一笑。
  • 我在毫无逻辑的古代生活

    我在毫无逻辑的古代生活

    如果穿越到古代,成为废材,你会放弃还是努力,喜欢你的女孩既然是王爷的千金,喜欢她的人比比皆是,你会坚持,还是放弃,看看主人翁怎么做吧
  • 经济如此动荡,你要早作打算

    经济如此动荡,你要早作打算

    有了货币,自然产生投机;有了投机,便不可避免地产生泡沫;因为泡沫,经济便出现大的动荡。无论是1997年的亚洲金融危机,2007年的美国次贷危机,抑或是至今仍然蔓延的欧债危机,都给世界经济带来了大的动荡,我们既然身处“地球村”中,自是无可躲避。在全球经济动荡的背景下,《经济如此动荡,你要早作打算》深入剖析了中国泡沫经济产生的深刻根源和制度背景,并通过分析不同国家和地区曾经发生的泡沫经济,寻找中国泡沫经济的独特规律,预测及展望中国未来的经济趋势。经济如此动荡,我们要尽量避免陷入泡沫破灭的陷阱,清醒地等待机会的到来,早作打算。
  • 校霸的伪娇妻

    校霸的伪娇妻

    聂诗晓打算重新做人,遇上心动嘉宾赵傅,改掉坏习惯,励志做个好学生。赵傅每天都想着晓晓好可爱,兄弟对他说聂诗晓凶时,他打死也不信。直到——看见他眼中娇小软弱的晓晓徒手干翻四个猛男…【甜文】