Wewentinside。Anoldwomanwithverywhitehairwasinchargeoftheplaceandcringedratherobviouslytothenewmaster。Sheevidentlyfoundhimaverystrangeandfrightfulapparitionindeed，andwasdreadfullyafraidofhim。Butifthesurvivingpresentboweddowntous，thepastdidnot。Westooduptothedark，longportraitsoftheextinguishedrace——onewasaHolbein——andlookedthemintheirsidelongeyes。Theylookedbackatus。Weall，Iknow，felttheenigmaticalqualityinthem。Evenmyunclewasmomentarilyembarrassed，Ithink，bythatinvinciblyself-complacentexpression。Itwasjustasthough，afterall，hehadnotboughtthemupandreplacedthemaltogether；asthoughthat，secretly，theyknewbetterandcouldsmileathim。
　　ThespiritoftheplacewasakintoBladesover，buttouchedwithsomethingolderandremoter。Thatarmourthatstoodabouthadonceservedintilt-yards，ifindeedithadnotservedinbattle，andthisfamilyhadsentitsbloodandtreasure，timeaftertime，uponthemostromanticquestinhistory，toPalestine。Dreams，loyalties，placeandhonour，howutterlyhaditallevaporated，leaving，atlast，thefinalexpressionofitsspirit，thesequaintpaintedsmiles，thesesmilesoftriumphantcompletion！Ithadevaporated，indeed，longbeforetheultimateDurganhaddied，andinhisoldagehehadcumberedtheplacewithEarlyVictoriancushionsandcarpetsandtapestrytable-clothsandinvalidappliancesofatypeevenmoreextinct，itseemedtous，thanthecrusades。Yes，itwasdifferentfromBladesover。
　　“Bitstuffy，George。”saidmyuncle。“Theyhadn’tmuchideaofventilationwhenthiswasbuilt。”
　　Oneofthepanelledroomswashalf-filledwithpressesandafour-posterbed。“Mightbetheghostroom。”saidmyuncle；butitdidnotseemtomethatsoretiringafamilyastheDurgans，sooldandcompletelyexhaustedafamilyastheDurgans，waslikelytohauntanybody。Whatlivingthingnowhadanyconcernwiththeirhonourandjudgmentsandgoodandevildeeds？Ghostsandwitchcraftwerealaterinnovation——thatfashioncamefromScotlandwiththeStuarts。
　　Afterwards，pryingforepitaphs，wefoundamarblecrusaderwithabrokennose，underabatteredcanopyoffrettedstone，outsidetherestrictedlimitsofthepresentDuffieldchurch，andhalfburiedinnettles。“Ichabod。”saidmyuncle。“Eh？Weshallbelikethat，Susan，someday。I’mgoingtocleanhimupabitandputarailingtokeepoffthechildren。”
　　“Oldsavedattheeleventhhour。”saidmyaunt，quotingoneofthelesssuccessfuladvertisementsofTono-Bungay。
　　ButIdon’tthinkmyuncleheardher。
　　Itwasbyourcapturedcrusaderthatthevicarfoundus。Hecameroundthecorneratusbriskly，alittleoutofbreath。Hehadanairofhavingbeenrunningafterussincethefirsttootofourhornhadwarnedthevillageofourpresence。HewasanOxfordman，clean-shaven，withacadaverouscomplexionandaguardedlyrespectfulmanner，acultivatedintonation，andageneralairofaccommodationtotheneworderofthings。TheseOxfordmenaretheGreeksofourplutocraticempire。HewasaToryinspirit，andwhatonemaycallanadaptedTorybystressofcircumstances；thatistosay，hewasnolongeralegitimist；
　　hewaspreparedforthesubstitutionofnewlordsforold。Wewerepillvendorsheknew，andnodoubthorriblyvulgarinsoul；
　　butthenitmighthavebeensomepolygamousIndianrajah，agreatstrainonagoodman’stact，orsomeJewwithaninheritedexpressionofcontempt。Anyhow，wewereEnglish，andneitherDissentersnorSocialists，andhewascheerfullypreparedtodowhathecouldtomakegentlemenofbothofus。HemighthavepreferredAmericansforsomereasons；theyarenotsoobviouslytakenfromonepartofthesocialsystemanddumpeddowninanother，andtheyaremoreteachable；butinthisworldwecannotalwaysbechoosers。Sohewasverybrightandpleasantwithus，showedusthechurch，gossipedinforminglyaboutourneighboursonthecountryside——Tux，thebanker；LordBoom，themagazineandnewspaperproprietor；LordCarnaby，thatgreatsportsman，andoldLadyOsprey。Andfinallyhetookusbywayofavillagelane——threechildrenbobbedconvulsivelywitheyesofterrorformyuncle——throughameticulousgardentoabig，slovenlyVicaragewithfadedVictorianfurnitureandafadedVictorianwife，whogaveusteaandintroducedustoaconfusingfamilydispersedamongalotofdisintegratingbasketchairsupontheedgeofawell-usedtennislawn。
　　Thesepeopleinterestedme。Theywereacommontype，nodoubt，buttheywerenewtome。Thereweretwolanksonswhohadbeenplayingsinglesattennis，red-earedyouthsgrowingblackmoustaches，anddressedinconscientiouslyuntidytweedsandunbuttonedandungirtNorfolkjackets。Therewereanumberofill-nourished-lookingdaughters，sensibleandeconomicalintheircostume，theyoungerstillwithlong，brown-stockingedlegs，andtheeldestpresent——therewere，wediscovered，oneortwohiddenaway——displayingalargegoldcrossandotheraggressiveecclesiasticalsymbols；thereweretwoorthreefox-terriers，aretrieverishmongrel，andanold，bloody-eyedandveryevil-smellingSt。Bernard。Therewasajackdaw。Therewas，moreover，anambiguous，silentladythatmyauntsubsequentlydecidedmustbeaverydeafpayingguest。Twoorthreeotherpeoplehadconcealedthemselvesatourcomingandleftunfinishedteasbehindthem。Rugsandcushionslayamongthechairs，andtwoofthelatterwere，Inoted，coveredwithUnionJacks。
　　Thevicarintroducedussketchily，andthefadedVictorianwiferegardedmyauntwithamixtureofconventionalscornandabjectrespect，andtalkedtoherinalanguid，persistentvoiceaboutpeopleintheneighbourhoodwhommyauntcouldnotpossiblyknow。
　　Myauntreceivedthesepersonaliacheerfully，withherblueeyesflittingfrompointtopoint，andcomingbackagainandagaintothepinchedfacesofthedaughtersandthecrossupontheeldest’sbreast。Encouragedbymyaunt’smanner，thevicar’swifegrewpatronisingandkindly，andmadeitevidentthatshecoulddomuchtobridgethesocialgulfbetweenourselvesandthepeopleoffamilyaboutus。
　　Ihadjustsnatchesofthatconversation。“Mrs。Merridewbroughthimquitealotofmoney。Herfather，Ibelieve，hadbeenintheSpanishwinetrade——quitealadythough。Andafterthathefelloffhishorseandcrackedhisbrainpanandtooktofishingandfarming。I’msureyou’llliketoknowthem。He’smostamusing。ThedaughterhadadisappointmentandwenttoChinaasamissionaryandgotmixedupinamassacre。”。
　　“Themostbeautifulsilksandthingsshebroughtback，you’dhardlybelieve！”
　　“Yes，theygavethemtopropitiateher。Yousee，theydidn’tunderstandthedifference，andtheythoughtthatasthey’dbeenmassacringpeople，THEY’Dbemassacred。Theydidn’tunderstandthedifferenceChristianitymakes。”。
　　“Sevenbishopsthey’vehadinthefamily！”
　　“MarriedaPapistandwasquitelosttothem。”。
　　“Hefailedsomedreadfulexaminationandhadtogointothemilitia。”。
　　“Soshebithislegashardasevershecouldandheletgo。”。
　　“Hadfourofhisribsamputated。”。
　　“Caughtmeningitisandwascarriedoffinaweek。”
　　“Hadtohavealargepieceofsilvertubeletintohisthroat，andifhewantstotalkheputshisfingeronit。Itmakeshimsointeresting，Ithink。Youfeelhe’ssinceresomehow。Amostcharmingmanineveryway。”
　　“Preservedthembothinspiritsveryluckily，andtheretheyareinhisstudy，thoughofcoursehedoesn’tshowthemtoeverybody。”
　　Thesilentlady，unperturbedbytheseapparentlyexcitingtopics，scrutinisedmyaunt’scostumewithasingularintensity，andwasvisiblymovedwhensheunbuttonedherdustcloakandflungitwide。Meanwhilewemenconversed，oneofthemorespiriteddaughterslistenedbrightly，andtheyouthslayonthegrassatourfeet。Myuncleofferedthemcigars，buttheybothdeclined，——outofbashfulness，itseemedtome，whereasthevicar，Ithink，acceptedoutoftact。Whenwewerenotlookingatthemdirectly，theseyoungmenwouldkickeachotherfurtively。
　　Undertheinfluenceofmyuncle’scigar，thevicar’smindhadsoaredbeyondthelimitsofthedistrict。“ThisSocialism。”hesaid，“seemsmakinggreatheadway。”
　　Myuncleshookhishead。“We’retooindividualisticinthiscountryforthatsortofnonsense。”hesaid“Everybody’sbusinessisnobody’sbusiness。That’swheretheygowrong。”
　　“Theyhavesomeintelligentpeopleintheirranks，Iamtold。”
　　saidthevicar，“writersandsoforth。Quiteadistinguishedplaywright，myeldestdaughterwastellingme——Iforgethisname。
　　Milly，dear！Oh！she’snothere。Painters，too，theyhave。
　　ThisSocialist，itseemstome，ispartoftheUnrestoftheAge。But，asyousay，thespiritofthepeopleisagainstit。
　　Inthecountry，atanyrate。Thepeopledownherearetoosturdilyindependentintheirsmallway——andtoosensiblealtogether。”。
　　“It’sagreatthingforDuffieldtohaveLadyGroveoccupiedagain。”hewassayingwhenmywanderingattentioncamebackfromsomeattractivecasualtyinhiswife’sdiscourse。“Peoplehavealwayslookeduptothehouseandconsideringallthings，oldMr。
　　Durganreallywasextraordinarilygood——extraordinarilygood。
　　Youintendtogiveusagooddealofyourtimehere，Ihope。”
　　“ImeantodomydutybytheParish。”saidmyuncle。
　　“I’msincerelygladtohearit——sincerely。We’vemissed——thehouseinfluence。AnEnglishvillageisn’tcomplete——Peoplegetoutofhand。Lifegrowsdull。TheyoungpeopledriftawaytoLondon。”
　　Heenjoyedhiscigargingerlyforamoment。
　　“Weshalllooktoyoutoliventhingsup。”hesaid，poorman！
　　Myunclecockedhiscigarandremoveditfromhismouth。
　　“Whatyouthinktheplacewants？”heasked。
　　Hedidnotwaitforananswer。“Ibeenthinkingwhileyoubeentalking——thingsonemightdo。Cricket——agoodEnglishgame——sports。Buildthechapsapavilionperhaps。Theneveryvillageoughttohaveaminiatureriflerange。”
　　“Ye-ees。”saidthevicar。“Provided，ofcourse，thereisn’taconstantpopping。”。
　　“Managethatallright。”saidmyuncle。“Thing’dbeasortoflongshed。Paintitred。Britishcolour。Thenthere’saUnionJackforthechurchandthevillageschool。Painttheschoolred，too，p’raps。Notenoughcolouraboutnow。Toogrey。Thenamaypole。”