"They don't understand warming a church in the country," said John apologetically.
"Is it not a little too large for the congregation?" asked the Senator.
The church was large and straggling and ill arranged, and on this particular Sunday had been almost empty. There was in it an harmonium which Mrs. Puttock played when she was at home, but in her absence the attempt made by a few rustics8 to sing the hymns9 had not been a musical success. The whole affair had been very sad, and so the Paragon10 had felt it who knew,—and was remembering through the whole service,—how these things are done in transatlantic cities.
"The weather kept the people away I suppose," said Morton.
"Does that gentleman generally draw large congregations?" asked the persistent11 Senator.
"We don't go in for drawing congregations here." Under the cross-examination of his guest the Secretary of Legation almost lost his diplomatic good temper. "We have a church in every parish for those who choose to attend it."
"And very few do choose," said the Senator. "I can't say that they're wrong." There seemed at the moment to be no necessity to carry the disagreeable conversation any further as they had now reached the house. Mrs. Morton immediately went up-stairs, and the two gentlemen took themselves to the fire in the so-called library, which room was being used as more commodious12 than the big drawing-room. Mr. Gotobed placed himself on the rug with his back to the fire and immediately reverted14 to the Church. "That gentleman is paid by tithes15 I suppose."
"He's not the rector. He's a curate."
"Ah;—just so. He looked like a curate. Doesn't the rector do anything?" Then Morton, who was by this time heartily16 sick of explaining, explained the unfortunate state of Mr. Puttock's health, and the conversation was carried on till gradually the Senator learned that Mr. Puttock received ￡800 a year and a house for doing nothing, and that he paid his deputy ￡100 a year with the use of a pony. "And how long will that be allowed to go on, Mr. Morton?" asked the Senator.
To all these inquiries17 Morton found himself compelled not only to answer, but to answer the truth. Any prevarication18 or attempt at mystification fell to the ground at once under the Senator's tremendous powers of inquiry19. It had been going on for four years, and would probably go on now till Mr. Puttock died. "A man of his age with the asthma20 may live for twenty years," said the Senator who had already learned that Mr. Puttock was only fifty. Then he ascertained21 that Mr. Puttock had not been presented to, or selected for the living on account of any peculiar22 fitness;—but that he had been a fellow of Rufford at Oxford23 till he was forty-five, when he had thought it well to marry and take a living. "But he must have been asthmatic then?" said the Senator.
"He may have had all the ailments24 endured by the human race for anything I know," said the unhappy host.
"And for anything the bishop25 cared as far as I can see," said the Senator. "Well now, I guess, that couldn't occur in our country. A minister may turn out badly with us as well as with you. But we don't appoint a man without inquiry as to his fitness,—and if a man can't do his duty he has to give way to some one who can. If the sick gentleman took the small portion of the stipend26 and the working man the larger, would not better justice be done, and the people better served?"
"Mr. Puttock has a freehold in the parish."
"A freehold possession of men's souls! The fact is, Mr. Morton, that the spirit of conservatism in this country is so strong that you cannot bear to part with a shred27 of the barbarism of the middle ages. And when a rag is sent to the winds you shriek28 with agony at the disruption, and think that the wound will be mortal." As Mr. Gotobed said this he extended his right hand and laid his left on his breast as though he were addressing the Senate from his own chair. Morton, who had offered to entertain the gentleman for ten days, sincerely wished that he were doing so.
On the Monday afternoon the Trefoils arrived. Mr. Morton, with his grandmother and both the carriages, went down to receive them,—with a cart also for the luggage, which was fortunate, as Arabella Trefoil's big box was very big indeed, and Lady Augustus, though she was economical in most things, had brought a comfortable amount of clothes. Each of them had her own lady's maid, so that the two carriages were necessary. How it was that these ladies lived so luxuriously29 was a mystery to their friends, as for some time past they had enjoyed no particular income of their own. Lord Augustus had spent everything that came to his hand, and the family owned no house at all. Nevertheless Arabella Trefoil was to be seen at all parties magnificently dressed, and never stirred anywhere without her own maid. It would have been as grievous to her to be called on to live without food as to go without this necessary appendage30. She was a big, fair girl whose copious31 hair was managed after such a fashion that no one could guess what was her own and what was purchased. She certainly had fine eyes, though I could never imagine how any one could look at them and think it possible that she should be in love. They were very large, beautifully blue, but never bright; and the eyebrows32 over them were perfect. Her cheeks were somewhat too long and the distance from her well-formed nose to her upper lip too great. Her mouth was small and her teeth excellent. But the charm of which men spoke33 the most was the brilliance34 of her complexion35. If, as the ladies said, it was all paint, she, or her maid, must have been a great artist. It never betrayed itself to be paint. But the beauty on which she prided herself was the grace of her motion. Though she was tall and big she never allowed an awkward movement to escape from her. She certainly did it very well. No young woman could walk across an archery ground with a finer step, or manage a train with more perfect ease, or sit upon her horse with a more complete look of being at home there. No doubt she was slow, but though slow she never seemed to drag. Now she was, after a certain fashion, engaged to marry John Morton and perhaps she was one of the most unhappy young persons in England.
She had long known that it was her duty to marry, and especially her duty to marry well. Between her and her mother there had been no reticence36 on this subject. With worldly people in general, though the worldliness is manifest enough and is taught by plain lessons from parents to their children, yet there is generally some thin veil even among themselves, some transparent37 tissue of lies, which, though they never quite hope to deceive each other, does produce among them something of the comfort of deceit. But between Lady Augustus and her daughter there had for many years been nothing of the kind. The daughter herself had been too honest for it. "As for caring about him, mamma," she had once said, speaking of a suitor, "of course I don't. He is nasty, and odious13 in every way. But I have got to do the best I can, and what is the use of talking about such trash as that?" Then there had been no more trash between them.
It was not John Morton whom Arabella Trefoil had called nasty and odious. She had had many lovers, and had been engaged to not a few, and perhaps she liked John Morton as well as any of them,—except one. He was quiet, and looked like a gentleman, and was reputed for no vices4. Nor did she quarrel with her fate in that he himself was not addicted38 to any pleasures. She herself did not care much for pleasure. But she did care to be a great lady,—one who would be allowed to swim out of rooms before others, one who could snub others, one who could show real diamonds when others wore paste, one who might be sure to be asked everywhere even by the people who hated her. She rather liked being hated by women and did not want any man to be in love with her,—except as far as might be sufficient for the purpose of marriage. The real diamonds and the high rank would not be hers with John Morton. She would have to be content with such rank as is accorded to Ministers at the Courts at which they are employed. The fall would be great from what she had once expected,—and therefore she was miserable39. There had been a young man, of immense wealth, of great rank, whom at one time she really had fancied that she had loved;—but just as she was landing her prey40, the prey had been rescued from her by powerful friends, and she had been all but broken-hearted. Mr. Morton's fortune was in her eyes small, and she was beginning to learn that he knew how to take care of his own money. Already there had been difficulties as to settlements, difficulties as to pin-money, difficulties as to residence, Lady Augustus having been very urgent. John Morton, who had really been captivated by the beauty of Arabella, was quite in earnest; but there were subjects on which he would not give way. He was anxious to put his best leg foremost so that the beauty might be satisfied and might become his own, but there was a limit beyond which he would not go. Lady Augustus had more than once said to her daughter that it would not do;—and then there would be all the weary work to do again!
Nobody seeing the meeting on the platform would have imagined that Mr. Morton and Miss Trefoil were lovers,—and as for Lady Augustus it would have been thought that she was in some special degree offended with the gentleman who had come to meet her. She just gave him the tip of her fingers and then turned away to her maid and called for the porters and made herself particular and disagreeable. Arabella vouchsafed41 a cold smile, but then her smiles were always cold. After that she stood still and shivered. "Are you cold?" asked Morton. She shook her head and shivered again. "Perhaps you are tired?" Then she nodded her head. When her maid came to her in some trouble about the luggage, she begged that she might not be "bothered;" saying that no doubt her mother knew all about it. "Can I do anything?" asked Morton. "Nothing at all I should think," said Miss Trefoil. In the meantime old Mrs. Morton was standing42 by as black as thunder—for the Trefoil ladies had hardly noticed her.
The luggage turned up all right at last,—as luggage always does, and was stowed away in the cart. Then came the carriage arrangement. Morton had intended that the two elder ladies should go together with one of the maids, and that he should put his love into the other, which having a seat behind, could accommodate the second girl without disturbing them in the carriage. But Lady Augustus had made some exception to this and had begged that her daughter might be seated with herself. It was a point which Morton could not contest out there among the porters and drivers, so that at last he and his grandmother had the phaeton together with the two maids in the rumble43. "I never saw such manners in all my life," said the Honourable44 Mrs. Morton, almost bursting with passion.
"They are cold and tired, ma'am."
"No lady should be too cold or too tired to conduct herself with propriety45. No real lady is ever so."
"The place is strange to them, you know."
"I hope with all my heart that it may never be otherwise than strange to them."
When they arrived at the house the strangers were carried into the library and tea was of course brought to them. The American Senator was there, but the greetings were very cold. Mrs. Morton took her place and offered her hospitality in the most frigid46 manner. There had not been the smallest spark of love's flame shown as yet, nor did the girl as she sat sipping47 her tea seem to think that any such spark was wanted. Morton did get a seat beside her and managed to take away her muff and one of her shawls, but she gave them to him almost as she might have done to a servant. She smiled indeed,—but she smiled as some women smile at everybody who has any intercourse48 with them. "I think perhaps Mrs. Morton will let us go up-stairs," said Lady Augustus. Mrs. Morton immediately rang the bell and prepared to precede the ladies to their chambers49. Let them be as insolent50 as they would she would do what she conceived to be her duty. Then Lady Augustus stalked out of the room and her daughter swum after her. "They don't seem to be quite the same as they were in Washington," said the Senator.
John Morton got up and left the room without making any reply. He was thoroughly51 unhappy. What was he to do for a week with such a houseful of people? And then, what was he to do for all his life if the presiding spirit of the house was to be such a one as this? She was very beautiful,—certainly. So he told himself; and yet as he walked round the park he almost repented52 of what he had done. But after twenty minutes' fast walking he was able to convince himself that all the fault on this occasion lay with the mother. Lady Augustus had been fatigued53 with her journey and had therefore made everybody near her miserable.
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1
invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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7
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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8
rustics
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| n.有农村或村民特色的( rustic的名词复数 )；粗野的；不雅的；用粗糙的木材或树枝制作的 | |
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hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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paragon
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| n.模范，典型 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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commodious
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| adj.宽敞的；使用方便的 | |
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odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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14
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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15
tithes
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| n.（宗教捐税）什一税，什一的教区税，小部分( tithe的名词复数 ) | |
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16
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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18
prevarication
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| n.支吾；搪塞；说谎；有枝有叶 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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asthma
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| n.气喘病，哮喘病 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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24
ailments
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| 疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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stipend
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| n.薪贴；奖学金；养老金 | |
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shred
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| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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luxuriously
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| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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appendage
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| n.附加物 | |
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copious
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| adj.丰富的，大量的 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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reticence
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| n.沉默，含蓄 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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40
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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41
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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42
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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43
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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44
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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45
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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46
frigid
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| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
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47
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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48
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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49
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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50
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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51
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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52
repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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