登陆注册
5429600000204

第204章

CONCLUSION

The end of a novel, like the end of a children's dinner-party, must be made up of sweetmeats and sugar-plums. There is now nothing else to be told but the gala doings of Mr Arabin's marriage, nothing more to be described than the wedding dresses, no further dialogue to be recorded than that which took place between the archdeacon who married them, and Mr Arabin and Eleanor who were married. 'Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife?' and 'Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God's ordinance?' Mr Arabin and Eleanor each answered, 'I will'. We have no doubt that they will keep their promises; the more especially as the Signora Neroni had left Barchester before the ceremony was performed.

Mrs Bold had been somewhat more than two years a widow before she was married to her second husband, and little Johnnie was then able with due assistance to walk on his own legs into the drawing-room to receive the salutations of the assembled guests. Mr Harding gave away the bride, the archdeacon performed the service, and the two Miss Grantlys, who were joined in their labours by other young ladies of the neighbourhood, performed the duties of bridesmaids with equal diligence and grace. Mrs Grantly superintended the breakfast and bouquets and Mary Bold distributed the cards and cake. The archdeacon's three sons had also come home for the occasion. The eldest was great with learning, being regarded by all who knew him as a certain future double first. The second, however, bore the palm on this occasion, being resplendent in his new uniform. The third was just entering the university, and was probably the proudest of the three.

But the most remarkable feature in the whole occasion was the excessive liberality of the archdeacon. He literally made presents to everybody. As Mr Arabin had already moved out of the parsonage of St Ewold's, that scheme of elongating the dining-room was of course abandoned; but he would have refurnished the whole deanery had he been allowed. He sent down a magnificent piano by Erard, gave Mr Arabin a cob which any dean in the land might have been proud to bestride, and made a special present to Eleanor of a new pony chair that had gained a prize in the Exhibition. Nor did he even stay his hand here; he bought a set of cameos for his wife, and a sapphire bracelet for Miss Bold; showered pearls and workboxes on is daughters, and to each of his sons he presented a cheque for 20 pounds. On Mr Harding he bestowed a magnificent violoncello with all the new-fashioned arrangements and expensive additions, which, on account of these novelties, that gentleman could never use with satisfaction to his audience or pleasure to himself.

Those who knew the archdeacon well, perfectly understood the cause of his extravagance. 'Twas thus that he sang his song of triumph over Mr Slope. This was his paean, his hymn of thanksgiving, his loud oration. He had girded himself with his sword, and gone forth to the war; now he was returning from the field laden with the spoils of the foe. The cob, the cameos, the violoncello and the pianoforte, were all as it were trophies reft from the tent of his now conquered enemy.

The Arabins after their marriage went abroad for a couple of months, according the custom in such matters now duly established, and then commenced their deanery life under good auspices. And nothing can be more pleasant than the present arrangement of ecclesiastical affairs in Barchester. The titular bishop never interfered, and Mrs Proudie not often. Her sphere is more extended, more noble, and more suited to her ambition than that of a cathedral city. As long as she can do what she pleases with the diocese, she is willing to leave the dean and chapter to themselves. Mr Slope tried his hand at subverting the old-established customs of the close, and from his failure she has learnt experience. The burly chancellor and the meagre little prebendary are not teased by any application respecting Sabbath-day schools, the dean is left to his own dominions, and the intercourse between Mrs Proudie and Mrs Arabin is confined to a yearly dinner by each to the other. At these dinners Dr Grantly will not take a part; but he never fails to ask for and receive a full account of all that Mrs Proudie does or says.

同类推荐
  • 宋建隆详定刑统 宋刑统

    宋建隆详定刑统 宋刑统

    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。
  • 脉法

    脉法

    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。
  • 皇朝经世文编_4

    皇朝经世文编_4

    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。
  • 手杖论

    手杖论

    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。
  • 注解伤寒论

    注解伤寒论

    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。
热门推荐
  • 肆记

    肆记

    人类,大陆的寄生虫,掠夺大陆的血液,采食大陆的血肉,做成激素促使他们的文明发展。终于,他们迎来了最辉煌同样也是最肆意的时代——蒸汽时代
  • 长情王妃很腹黑

    长情王妃很腹黑

    故事讲述了宫内宫外的政局变化风云,在阴谋中生长出来的儿女情长。女主虽然有着柔弱之躯,但在这种背景下,依旧有着对心上人的执着、对美好事物的向往。她靠着自己的智慧,经历了失去,背叛,一步步走出自己的路来,成长、蜕变、强大。命运多舛,兜兜转转,终于获得了自己的幸福。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 大智律师礼赞文

    大智律师礼赞文

    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。
  • 证治心传

    证治心传

    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。
  • 六十种曲焚香记

    六十种曲焚香记

    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。
  • 末日之虫族帝国

    末日之虫族帝国

    蓝幽雪在末日爆发十年后很憋屈的死去了,却因虫族系统而意外得重生了。重生之后的她决定自己一定要好好利用虫族系统,不再憋屈的活着,在这末日中拥有话语权,占领一方领土,建立起属于自己的虫族帝国。只是随着事情的发展,蓝幽雪感觉自己越来越不对劲,她正在变得越来越冷血残暴。但是她从未想过使她变成这个样子的最终祸首竟然是它。这真是成也萧何,败也萧何。
  • 卡徒

    卡徒

    方想所构建的一个全新幻想世界,请入!
  • 盛唐剑圣

    盛唐剑圣

    盛唐三绝:李白的诗、张旭的草书、裴旻的剑。一个中文系的学生穿越成了史上唯一一个经由国家承认的剑圣裴旻,青锋三尺,天下无敌,上揽九霄寰宇,重铸盛唐诗篇。
  • 一本书读完发现自然的历史

    一本书读完发现自然的历史

    纵观人类的文明进步史,就是一部活生生的自然探索史,对自然地理的探索推动了人类文明的发展。本书讲述了对动物世界、植物世界、微生物世界以及宇宙的探索发现故事,着重介绍了自然世界的一个个科学谜题,充满了趣味性和知识性。
  • 时尚大佬

    时尚大佬

    新书《我的重生不一样啊》已发,欢迎大家观看!他被世人称为时尚圈唯一的教父,他建立起一个堪称伟大的时尚帝国……书友群:23380-8522,另外还有VIP群,需全订截图验证后方可进。