"Dear me," said his lordship, and paused. He was a tall, portly, handsome gentleman with sleek7 countenance8, full eye, and well-defined waistcoat. Could human weakness have touched him, he would have felt a pride in those legs which so roundly filled the silk stockings. But that human weakness could ever affect the Bishop of Bath and Wells was a thing that dignitary (and he gave his Maker9 thanks for it) felt to be utterly10 inconceivable.
"Lady Standish," said the Bishop; then he waved his hand to the curious servants. "Leave us, leave us, friends," said he.
Lady Standish reared herself with a sort of desperate heart-sickness into a sitting posture11 and turned her head to look dully upon her visitor.
"You come too late," she said; "my lord. Sir Jasper has gone to this most disastrous12 meeting."
"My dear Lady Standish," said Dr. Thurlow, "my dear child," he took a chair and drew it to the sofa, and then lifted her slight languid hand and held it between his two plump palms. "My dear Lady Standish," pursued he in a purring, soothing13 tone. If he did not know how to deal with an afflicted14 soul (especially if that afflicted soul happened to belong to the aristocracy and in preference inhabited a young female body), who did? "I came upon the very moment I received your letter. I might perhaps have instantly done something to help in this matter, had you been more explicit15, but there was a slight incoherence ... very natural!" Here he patted her hand gently. "A slight incoherence which required explanations. Now tell me—I gather that your worthy16 husband has set forth17 upon an affair of honour, eh? Shall we say a duel18?"
Lady Standish gave a moaning assent19.
"Some trifling20 quarrel. Hot-headed young men! It is very reprehensible21, but we must not be too hard on young blood. Young blood is hot! Well, well, trust in a merciful Providence22, my dear Lady Standish. You know, not a sparrow falls, not a hair of our heads, that is not counted. Was the, ah—quarrel about cards, or some such social trifle?"
"It was about me," said the afflicted wife in a strangled voice.
"About you, my dear lady!" The clasp of the plump hand grew, if possible, a trifle closer, almost tender. Lady Standish was cold and miserable23, this warm touch conveyed somehow a vague feeling of strength and comfort.
"About me," she repeated, and her lip trembled.
"Ah, is it so? And with whom does Sir Jasper fight?"
"With Colonel Villiers," said she, and shot a glance of full misery24 into the benign25 large-featured face bending over her.
"Colonel Villiers," repeated the Bishop in tones of the blankest astonishment26. "Not—eh, not—er, old Colonel Villiers?"
"Oh, my lord," cried Lady Standish, "I am the most miserable and the most innocent of women!"
"My dear madam," cried the Bishop, "I never for an instant doubted the latter." His hold upon her hand relaxed, and she withdrew it to push away the tears that now began to gather thick and fast on her eyelashes. The Bishop wondered how it was he had never noticed before what a very pretty woman Lady Standish was, what charming eyes she had, and what quite unusually long eyelashes. It was something of a revelation to him too, to see so fair and fine a skin in these days of rouge27 and powder.
"And yet," sobbed28 Lady Standish, "'tis my fault too, for I have been very wrong, very foolish! Oh, my lord, if my husband is hurt, I cannot deny 'tis I shall bear the guilt29 of it."
"Come, tell me all about it," said the Bishop, and edged from his chair to her side on the sofa, and re-possessed himself of her hand. She let it lie in his; she was very confiding30. "We are all foolish," said Dr. Thurlow, "we are all, alas31, prone32 to sin." He spoke33 in the plural34 to give her confidence, not that such a remark could apply to any Bishop of Bath and Wells.
"Oh, I have been very foolish," repeated the lady. "I thought, my lord, I fancied that my husband's affection for me was waning35."
"Impossible!" cried his lordship. But he felt slightly bewildered.
"And so, acting36 upon inconsiderate advice, I—I pretended—only pretended indeed, my lord—that I cared for someone else, and Sir Jasper got jealous and so he has been calling everybody out thinking that he has a rival."
"Nevertheless," said the Bishop, "he has no rival. Do I understand you correctly, my dear child? These suspicions of his are unfounded? Colonel Villiers?"
"Colonel Villiers," cried she, "that old stupid red-nosed wretch37! No, my lord, indeed, there is no one. My husband has my whole heart!" She caught her breath and looked up at him with candid38 eyes swimming in the most attractive tears. "Colonel Villiers!" cried she. "Oh, how can you think such a thing of me? But my husband will not believe me; indeed, indeed, indeed I am innocent! He was jealous of Lord Verney too, and last night fought Mr. O'Hara."
The Bishop smiled to himself with the most benign indulgence. His was a soul overflowing39 with charity, but it was chiefly when dealing40 with the foibles of a pretty woman that he appreciated to the full what a truly inspired ordinance41 that of charity is.
"My dear child, if I may call you so, knowing your worthy mother so well, you must not grieve like this. Let me feel that you look upon me as a friend. Let me wipe away these tears. Why, you are trembling! Shall we not have more trust in the ruling of a merciful Heaven? Now I am confident that Sir Jasper will be restored to you uninjured or with but a trifling injury. And if I may so advise, do not seek, my dear Lady Standish, in the future to provoke his jealousy42 in this manner; do not openly do anything which will arouse those evil passions of anger and vengeance43 in him!"
"Oh, indeed, indeed," she cried, and placed her other little hand timidly upon the comforting clasp of the Bishop's, "indeed I never will again!"
"And remember that in me you have a true friend, my dear Lady Standish. Allow me to call myself your friend."
Here there came a sound of flying wheels and frantic44 hoofs45 without, and the door-bell was pealed46 and the knocker plied47 so that the summons echoed and re-echoed through the house.
"Oh, God!" screamed Lady Standish springing to her feet, "they have returned! Oh, heavens, what has happened? If he is hurt I cannot bear it, I cannot—I cannot!" She clasped her head wildly and swayed as if she would have fallen. What could a Christian48 do, a gentleman and a shepherd of souls, but catch her lest she fall? Half mad with terror she turned and clung to him as she would have clung to the nearest support.
"Have courage," he purred into the little ear; "I am with you, dear child, have courage."
So they stood, she clasping the Bishop and the Bishop clasping her, patting her shoulder, whispering in her ear, when Sir Jasper burst in upon them.
It was his voice that drove them apart, yet it was neither loud nor fierce, it was only blightingly sarcastic49.
"So!" said he.
What was it Stafford had said: "There's the Bishop of Bath and Wells. He's red, as red as a lobster50, from top to toe! They have a way, these divines." Oh, Stafford knew doubtless: all Bath knew! Sir Jasper cursed horribly in his heart, but aloud only said: "So!"
Lady Standish flew half across the room to him with a joyful51 cry, but was arrested midway by his attitude, his look. The Bishop said "Ahem," and "ahem" again, and then said he:
"I rejoice, I rejoice, Sir Jasper, to see you return unscathed. Lady Standish has been greatly distressed52."
"And you," said Sir Jasper, drily, "have been consoling her."
"To the best of my poor power," said the Bishop, and felt, he knew not why (if indeed it were possible for him to feel that way!) a shade uncomfortable.
Sir Jasper closed the door and bowed.
"I think," said he, "I ought to crave53 pardon for this intrusion."
"Oh Jasper!" cried my lady.
Her husband turned towards her for a second. She wilted54 beneath his eye and sank into a chair.
"Oh, Sir Jasper," said she, floundering. "The Bishop has been very kind. I have been so unhappy about you."
"I see," said Sir Jasper, "that his lordship has been very kind. His lordship, as I said, has been administering consolation55."
Here all at once his stoniness56 gave way. He walked towards the Bishop and bent57 a ghastly face close to the florid uneasily smiling countenance.
"My Lord," said Sir Jasper, "your cloth will not protect you."
"Sir!" ejaculated the divine.
"Your cloth will not protect you!" repeated Sir Jasper in that voice of strenuous58 composure that seems to tremble on a shriek59. "Oh, shepherd, you!"
"Sir!" cried the Bishop, "do you mean to insinuate60——"
"I insinuate nothing," cried the other and sneered61. "So madam," he turned again to his wife, "this is your choice, eh? You were always a pious62 woman, were you not? You would like to have the approval of the Church upon your acts, would you not?" Indescribable was the sarcasm63 upon his lip.
"Really," said the Bishop, "I am seriously annoyed." He looked reproachfully at Lady Standish. "Madam," said he, "I came to you, as you know, in pure charity, in unsuspecting friendship. I was not prepared for this."
"Ha, ha," said Sir Jasper with a hideous64 laugh. "No, sir, I have no doubt you were not prepared for this. Pure, ha—unsuspecting—this is pleasant! Be silent, madam, these groans65, these crocodile tears have no effect upon me. Come, my Lord Bishop, your sanctimonious66 airs cannot take me in. Have I not read your letter? Oh, you have got a very fine head of hair, but I know ... there is a curl missing! Ha, Julia, you should take better care of your love-tokens."
"I vow," said Dr. Thurlow, majestically67, "that your behaviour, your words are quite beyond my poor comprehension.—Madam, I pity you from my heart!—Sir Jasper, sir," folding his arms fiercely, "your servant. I wish you good-morning." He strode to the door, his fine legs quivering with indignation beneath their purple silk meshes68.
"No!" said Sir Jasper, and seized him roughly by the skirts. "No, you do not escape me thus!"
"How now!" cried the Bishop, the veins69 on his forehead swelling70, and the nostrils71 of his handsome Roman nose dilating72. "Would you lay hands upon the Lord's anointed? Let go my coat, Sir Jasper!"
He struck at Sir Jasper's retaining hand with his own plump fist clenched73 in a fashion suggestive of pulpit eloquence74.
"Ha! you would, would you?" exclaimed Sir Jasper, and leaped at the Episcopal throat.
The next instant, to his intense astonishment, Sir Jasper found himself in an iron grip; lifted into the air with an ease against which all his resistance was as that of a puppet; shaken till his teeth rattled75, and deposited on the flat of his back upon the floor.
"Oh, help, help, help!" screamed Lady Standish.
"Really," said the Bishop, "I don't know when I have been so insulted in my life. 'Tis the whole Church, sir, the Church of England, the State itself, that you have assaulted in my person!"
He stood glaring down on the prostrate foe76, breathing heavy rebuke77 through his high dignified78 nose.
"You have committed blasphemy79, simony, sacrilege, rank sacrilege," thundered Dr. Thurlow.
Sir Jasper gathered himself together like a panther, and sprang to his feet; like a panther, too, he took two or three stealthy steps and, half crouching80, measured the muscular Bishop with bloodshot eyes, selecting the most vulnerable portion of anatomy81. He panted and foamed82. The air was thick with flying powder.
Lady Standish flung herself between them.
"In mercy, my lord," she cried, "leave us—leave us!"
Here the door opened and butler and delighted footmen burst into the room.
The Bishop turned slowly. The grace of his vocation83 prevailed over the mere84 man.
"May heaven pardon you," he said. "May Heaven pardon you, sir, and help you to chasten this gross violence of temper. And you, madam," said he, turning witheringly upon the unfortunate and long-suffering lady, "may you learn womanly decorum and circumspection85!"
"You shall hear from me again," growled86 Sir Jasper, murderously—"Toombs," cried he to the butler with a snarl87, "show the Bishop the door!"
The Bishop smiled. He wheeled upon them all a stately back, and with short deliberate steps withdrew, taking his cane88 from the footman with a glassy look that petrified89 Thomas, and refusing Mr. Toombs' proffered90 ministrations as he might have waved aside a cup of poison. "Vade retro Satanas," he seemed to say; and so departed, leaving his pastoral curse voicelessly behind him.
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1
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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2
prop
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| vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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4
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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7
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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8
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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9
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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10
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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12
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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13
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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14
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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16
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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17
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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19
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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20
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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21
reprehensible
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| adj.该受责备的 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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23
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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benign
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| adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的 | |
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26
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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27
rouge
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| n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红 | |
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28
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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29
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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30
confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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31
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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32
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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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
plural
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| n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的 | |
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35
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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36
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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37
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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38
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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39
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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40
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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41
ordinance
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| n.法令；条令；条例 | |
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42
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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43
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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44
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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45
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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46
pealed
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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48
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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49
sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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50
lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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51
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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52
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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53
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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54
wilted
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| （使）凋谢，枯萎( wilt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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56
stoniness
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| 冷漠，一文不名 | |
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57
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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58
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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59
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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60
insinuate
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| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
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61
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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63
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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64
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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65
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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66
sanctimonious
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| adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的 | |
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67
majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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68
meshes
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| 网孔( mesh的名词复数 )； 网状物； 陷阱； 困境 | |
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69
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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70
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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71
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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72
dilating
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| v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的现在分词 ) | |
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73
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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75
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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80
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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82
foamed
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| 泡沫的 | |
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vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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85
circumspection
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| n.细心，慎重 | |
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86
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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87
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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88
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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