’Andhislordship，shouldhesodecide，willarmmewithsuchpoweronmynextcomingaswillenablemetocarryouthislordship’swishes。’
’Hislordshipwillabidebythelaw，aswillyoualso。’Inspeakingtheselastwordshestoodwiththedoorinhishand，andMrThumble，notknowinghowtoincreaseorevenmaintainhisfirmness，thoughtitbesttopassout，andmounthisgreyponyandrideaway。
’Thepoormanthoughtthatyouwerelaughingathimwhenyoucalledhimanangelofthechurch，’saidMrsCrawley，cominguptohimandsmilingonhim。
’HadItoldhimhewassimplyamessenger，hewouldhavetakenitworse；——poorfool！Whentheyhaveridthemselvesofmetheymayputhimhere，inmychurch；butnotyet——notyet。WhereisJane？TellherthatI
amreadytocommencetheSevenagainstThebeswithher。’ThenJanewasimmediatelysentforoutoftheschool，andtheSevenagainstThebeswascommencedwithgreatenergy。OftenduringthenexthourandahalfMrsCrawleyfromthekitchenwouldhearhimreadingout，orrathersayingbyrote，withsonorousrollingvoice，greatpassagesfromsomechorus，andshewasverythankfultothebishop，whohadsentovertothemamessageandmessengerwhichhadbeensosalutaryintheireffectuponherhusband。’Intruthanangelofthechurch，’shesaidtoherselfasshechoppeduptheonionsforthemutton—broth；andeverafterwardssheregardedMrThumbleasan’angel’。
CHAPTERXIV
MAJORGRANTLYCONSULTSAFRIEND
GraceCrawleypassedthroughSilverbridgeonherwaytoAllingtonontheMonday，andontheTuesdaymorningMajorGrantlyreceivedaveryshortnotefromMissPrettyman，tellinghimthatshehaddoneso。’DearSir，——IthinkyouwillbeverygladtolearnthatourfriendMissCrawleywentfromusyesterdayonavisittoherfriend，MissDale，atAllington。——Yourstruly，AnnabellaPrettyman。’Thenotesaidnomorethanthat。MajorGrantlywasgladtogetit，obtainingfromitthesatisfactionwhichamanalwaysfeelswhenheispresumedtobeconcernedintheaffairsoftheladywithwhomheisinlove。AndheregardedMissPrettymanwithfavourableeyesasadiscreetandfriendlywoman。Nevertheless，hewasnotaltogetherhappy。TheveryfactthatMissPrettymanshouldwritetohimonsuchasubjectmadehimfeelthathewasboundtoGraceCrawley。Heknewenoughofhimselftobesurethathecouldnotgiveherupwithoutmakinghimselfmiserable。Andyet，asregardedherfather，thingsweregoingfrombadtoworse。EverybodynowsaidthattheevidencewassostrongagainstMrCrawleyastoleavehardlyanydoubtofhisguilt。EventheladiesinSilverbridgewerebeginningtogiveuphiscause，acknowledgingthatthemoneycouldnothavecomerightfullyintohishands，andexcusinghimonthepleaofpartialinsanity。’Hehaspickeditupandputitbyformonths，andthenthoughtthatitwashisown……’TheladiesatSilverbridgecouldfindnothingbettertosayforhimthanthat；andwhenyoungMrWalkerremarkedthatsuchlittlemistakeswerethecustomarycausesofmenbeingtakentoprison，theladiesofSilverbridgedidnotknowhowtoanswerhim。IthadcometobetheiropinionthatMrCrawleywasaffectedwithapartiallunacy，whichoughttobeforgiveninonetowhomtheworldhadbeensocruel；andwhenyoungMrWalkerendeavouredtoexplaintothemthatamanmustbesanealtogetherormadaltogether，andthatMrCrawleymust，ifsane，belockedupasathief，andifmad，lockedupasamadman，theysighed，andwereconvincedthatuntiltheworldshouldhavebeenimprovedbyanewinfusionofromance，andastrongerfeelingofjustice，MrJohnWalkerwasright。
AndtheresultofthisgeneralopinionmadeitswaytoMajorGrantly，andmadeitsway，also，tothearchdeaconatPlumstead。Astothemajor，ingivinghimhisdue，itmustbeexplainedthatthemorecertainhebecameofthefather’sguilt，themorecertainalsohebecameofthedaughter’smerits。Itwasveryhard。Thewholethingwascruellyhard。
Itwascruellyharduponhimthatheshouldbebroughtintothistrouble，andbeforcedtotakeuponhimselfthearmourofaknight—errantfortheredressofthewrongonthepartoftheyounglady。Butwhenaloneinhishouse，orwithhischild，hedeclaredtohimselfthathewoulddoso。ItmightwellbethathecouldnotliveinBarsetshireafterhehadmarriedMrCrawley’sdaughter。Hehadinheritedfromhisfatherenoughofthatlongingforascendancyamongthosearoundhimtomakehimfeelthatinsuchcircumstanceshewouldbewretched。
Buthewouldbemademorewretchedbytheself—knowledgethathehadbehavedbadlytothegirlheloved；andtheworldbeyondBarsetshirewasopentohim。HewouldtakeherwithhimtoCanada，toNewZealand，ortosomeotherfar—awaycountry，andtherebeginhislifeagain。Shouldhisfatherchoosetopunishhimforsodoingbydisinheritinghim，theywouldbepoorenough；but，inhispresentframeofmind，themajorwasabletoregardsuchpovertyashonourableandnotaltogetherdisagreeable。
HehadbeenoutshootingalldayatChaldicotes，withDrThorneandapartywhowerestayinginthehousethere，andhadbeentalkingaboutMrCrawley，firstwithonemanandthenwithanother。LordLuftonhadbeenthere，andyoungGreshamfromGreshambury，andMrRobarts，theclergyman，andnewshadcomeamongthemoftheattemptmadebythebishoptostopMrCrawleyfrompreaching。MrRobartshadbeenoftheopinionthatMrCrawleyshouldhavegivenway；andLordLufton，whosharedhismother’sintensedislikeofeverythingthatcamefromthepalace，hadswornthathewasrighttoresist。ThesympathyofthewholepartyhadbeenwithMrCrawley；buttheyhadallagreedthathehadstolenthemoney。
’Ifearhe’llhavetogivewaytothebishopatlast，’LordLuftonhadsaid。
’Andwhatonearthwillbecomeofhischildren，’saidthedoctor。’Thinkofthefateofthatprettygirl；forsheisaveryprettygirl。Itwillbetheruinofher。Nomanwillallowhimselftofallinlovewithherwhenherfathershallhavebeenfoundguiltyofstealingachequefortwentypounds。’
’Wemustdosomethingforthewholefamily，’saidthelord。’Isay，Thorne，youhaven’thalfthegameherthatthereusedtobeinpooroldSowerby’stime。’
’Haven’tI？’saidthedoctor。’Yousee，Sowerbyhadbeenatitallhisdays，andneverdidanythingelse。Ionlybeganlateinlife。’
ThemajorhadintendedtostayanddineatChaldicotes，butwhenheheardwhatwassaidaboutGrace，hisheartbecamesad，andhemadesomeexcuseastothechild，andreturnedhome。DrThornehaddeclaredthatnomancouldallowhimselftofallinlovewithher。Butwhatifamanhadfalleninlovewithherbeforehand？Whatifamanhadnotonlyfalleninlove，butspokenofhislove？Hadhebeenalonewiththedoctor，hewould，Ithink，havetoldhimthewholeofhistrouble；forinallthecountytherewasnomanwhomhewouldsoonerhavetrustedwithhissecret。ThisDrThornewasknownfarandwideforhissoftheart，hisopenhand，andhiswell—sustainedindifferencetotheworld’sopinionsonmostofthosesocialmatterswithwhichtheworldmeddles；
andthereforethewordswhichhehadspokenhadmoreweightwithMajorGrantlythantheywouldhavehadfromotherlips。AshedrovehomehealmostmadeuphismindthathewouldconsultDrThorneuponthematter。
Thereweremanyyoungermenwithwhomhewasveryintimate——FrankGresham，forinstance，andLordLuftonhimself；butthiswasanaffairwhichhehardlyknewwhotodiscusswithayoungman。ToDrThornehethoughtthathecouldbringhimselftotellthewholestory。
IntheeveningtherecametohimamessagefromPlumstead，withaletterfromhisfatherandsomepresentforthechild。Heknewatoncethatthepresenthadbeenthussentasanexcusefortheletter。Hisfathermighthavewrittenbythepost，orcourse；butthatwouldhavegiventohisletteracertainairandtonewhichhehadnotwishedittobear。Aftersomemessagefromthemajor’smother，andsomeallusiontoEdith，thearchdeaconstruckoffuponthematterthatwasnearhisheart。
’IfearitisallupwiththatunfortunatemanatHogglestock，’hesaid。
’FromwhatIhearoftheevidencewhichcameoutbeforethemagistrates，therecan，Ithink，benodoubtastohisguilt。Haveyouheardthatthebishopsentoveronthefollowingdaytostophimfrompreaching？Hedidso，andsentagainontheSunday。ButCrawleywouldnotgiveway，andsofarIrespecttheman；for，asamatterofcourse，whateverthebishopdid，orattemptedtodo，hewoulddowithanext...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：