The archbishop called at Hurstley House the next day. It was a visit to Mr. Thornberry, but all the family were soon present, and clustered round the visitor. Then they walked together in the gardens, which had become radiant under the taste and unlimited1 expenditure2 of Mrs. Thornberry; beds glowing with colour or rivalling mosaics3, choice conifers with their green or purple fruit, and rare roses with their fanciful and beauteous names; one, by the by, named “Mrs. Penruddock,” and a very gorgeous one, “The Archbishop.”
As they swept along the terraces, restored to their pristine4 comeliness5, and down the green avenues bounded by copper6 beeches7 and ancient yews8, where men were sweeping9 away every leaf and twig10 that had fallen in the night and marred11 the consummate12 order, it must have been difficult for the Archbishop of Tyre not to recall the days gone by, when this brilliant and finished scene, then desolate13 and neglected, the abode14 of beauty and genius, yet almost of penury15, had been to him a world of deep and familiar interest. Yes, he was walking in the same glade16 where he had once pleaded his own cause with an eloquence17 which none of his most celebrated18 sermons had excelled. Did he think of this? If he did, it was only to wrench19 the thought from his memory. Archbishops who are yet young, who are resolved to be cardinals20, and who may be popes, are superior to all human weakness.
“I should like to look at your chapel21,” said his Grace to Mr. Thornberry; “I remember it a lumber22 room, and used to mourn over its desecration23.”
“I never was in it,” said Job, “and cannot understand why my wife is so anxious about it as she seems to be. When we first went to London, she always sate24 under the Reverend Socinus Frost, and seemed very satisfied. I have heard him; a sensible man—but sermons are not much in my way, and I do not belong to his sect25, or indeed any other.”
However, they went to the chapel all the same, for Mrs. Thornberry was resolved on the visit. It was a small chamber26 but beautifully proportioned, like the mansion27 itself—of a blended Italian and Gothic style. The roof was flat, but had been richly gilt28 and painted, and was sustained by corbels of angels, divinely carved. There had been some pews in the building; some had fallen to pieces, and some remained, but these were not in the original design. The sacred table had disappeared, but two saintly statues, sculptured in black oak, seemed still to guard the spot which it had consecrated29.
“I wonder what became of the communion table?” said Job.
“Oh! my dear father, do not call it a communion table,” exclaimed John Hampden pettishly30.
“Why, what should I call it, my boy?”
“The altar.”
“Why, what does it signify what we call it? The thing is the same.”
“Ah!” exclaimed the young gentleman, in a tone of contemptuous enthusiasm, “it is all the difference in the world. There should be a stone altar and a reredos. We have put up a reredos in our chapel at Bradley. All the fellows subscribed31; I gave a sovereign.”
“Well, I must say,” said the archbishop, who had been standing32 in advance with Mrs. Thornberry and the children, while this brief and becoming conversation was taking place between father and son, “I think you could hardly do a better thing than restore this chapel, Mr. Thornberry, but there must be no mistake about it. It must be restored to the letter, and it is a style that is not commonly understood. I have a friend, however, who is a master of it, the most rising man in his profession, as far as church architecture is concerned, and I will get him just to run down and look at this, and if, as I hope, you resolve to restore it, rest assured he will do you justice, and you will be proud of your place of worship.”
“I do not care how much we spend on our gardens,” said Job, “for they are transitory pleasures, and we enjoy what we produce; but why I should restore a chapel in a house which does not belong to myself is not so clear to me.”
“But it should belong to yourself,” rejoined the archbishop. “Hurstley is not in the market, but it is to be purchased. Take it altogether, I have always thought it one of the most enviable possessions in the world. The house, when put in order, would be one of the ornaments33 of the kingdom. The acreage, though considerable, is not overwhelming, and there is a range of wild country of endless charm. I wandered about it in my childhood and my youth, and I have never known anything equal to it. Then as to the soil and all that, you know it. You are a son of the soil. You left it for great objects, and you have attained34 those objects. They have given you fame as well as fortune. There would be something wonderfully dignified35 and graceful36 in returning to the land after you have taken the principal part in solving the difficulties which pertained37 to it, and emancipating38 it from many perils39.”
“I am sure it would be the happiest day of my life, if Job would purchase Hurstley,” said Mrs. Thornberry.
“I should like to go to Oxford40, and my father purchase Hurstley,” said the young gentleman. “If we have not landed property, I would sooner have none. If we have not land, I should like to go into the Church, and if I may not go to Oxford, I would go to Cuddesdon at once. I know it can be done, for I know a fellow who has done it.”
Poor Job Thornberry! He had ruled multitudes, and had conquered and commanded senates. His Sovereign had made him one of her privy41 councillors, and half a million of people had returned him their representative to parliament. And here he stood silent, and a little confused; sapped by his wife, bullied42 by his son, and after having passed a great part of his life in denouncing sacerdotalism, finding his whole future career chalked out, without himself being consulted, by a priest who was so polite, sensible, and so truly friendly, that his manner seemed to deprive its victims of every faculty43 of retort or repartee44. Still he was going to say something when the door opened, and Mrs. Penruddock appeared, exclaiming in a cheerful voice, “I thought I should find you here. I would not have troubled your Grace, but this letter marked ‘private, immediate45, and to be forwarded,’ has been wandering about for some time, and I thought it was better to bring it to you at once.”
The Archbishop of Tyre took the letter, and seemed to start as he read the direction. Then he stood aside, opened it, and read its contents. The letter was from Lady Roehampton, desiring to see him as soon as possible on a matter of the utmost gravity, and entreating46 him not to delay his departure, wherever he might be.
“I am sorry to quit you all,” said his Grace; “but I must go up to town immediately. The business is urgent.”
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1
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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mosaics
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| n.马赛克( mosaic的名词复数 )；镶嵌；镶嵌工艺；镶嵌图案 | |
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pristine
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| adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的 | |
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comeliness
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| n. 清秀, 美丽, 合宜 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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beeches
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| n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材 | |
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yews
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| n.紫杉( yew的名词复数 ) | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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penury
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| n.贫穷，拮据 | |
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glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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cardinals
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| 红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 )； 红衣凤头鸟（见于北美，雄鸟为鲜红色）； 基数 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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desecration
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| n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱 | |
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sate
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| v.使充分满足 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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consecrated
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| adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献 | |
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pettishly
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subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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32
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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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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34
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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pertained
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| 关于( pertain的过去式和过去分词 )； 有关； 存在； 适用 | |
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emancipating
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| v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的现在分词 ) | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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privy
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| adj.私用的；隐密的 | |
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bullied
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| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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repartee
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| n.机敏的应答 | |
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45
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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46
entreating
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的现在分词 ) | |
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