Thedinnerwasratherlongandponderous，andoccasionally，mostdull。
Thearchdeacontalkedagooddeal，butabystanderwithanacuteearmighthaveunderstoodfromthetoneofhisvoicethathewasnottalkingashewouldhavetalkedamongfriends。MrsProudiefeltthis，andunderstoodit，andwasangry。Shecouldneverfindherselfinthepresenceofthearchdeaconwithoutbecomingangry。Heraccurateearwouldalwaysappreciatethedefianceofepiscopalauthority，asnowexistinginBarchester，whichwasconcealed，oronlyhalfconcealed，byallthearchdeacon’swords。Butthebishopwasnotsokeen，norsoeasilyroused，towrath；andthoughthepresenceoftheenemydidtoacertaindegreecowhim，hestrovetofightagainstthefeelingwithrenewedgood—humour。
’Youhaveimprovedsoupontheolddays，’saidthearchdeacon，speakingofsomesmallmatterwithreferencetothecathedral，’thatonehardlyknowstheoldplace。’
’Ihopewehavenotfallenoff，’saidthebishop，withasmile。
’Wehaveimproved，DrGrantly，’saidMrsProudie，withgreatemphasisonherwords。’Whatyousayistrue。Wehaveimproved。’
’Notadoubtaboutthat，’saidthearchdeacon。ThenMrsGrantlyinterposed，strovetochangethesubject，andthrewoiluponthewaters。
’Talkingofimprovements，’saidMrsGrantly，’whatanexcellentrowofhousestheyhavebuiltatthebottomofHighStreet。’Iwonderwhoistoliveinthem？’
’Irememberwhenthatwastheveryworstpartoftown，’saidDrThorne。
’Andnowthey’reaskingseventypoundsapieceforhouseswhichdidnotcostabovesixhundredeachtobuild，’saidMrThorneofUllathorne，withthatseemingdislikeofmodernsuccesswhichisevincedbymostoftheeldersoftheworld。
’Andwhoistoliveinthem，’askedMrsGrantly。
’Twohavethemhavebeenalreadytakenbyclergymen，’saidthebishop，inatoneoftriumph。
’Yes，’saidthearchdeacon，’andthehousesintheClosewhichusedtobetheresidencesoftheprebendarieshavebeenleasedouttotallow—chandlersandretiredbrewers。ThatcomesoftheworkingoftheEcclesiasticalCommission。’
’Andwhynot？’demandedMrsProudie。
’Whynot，indeed，ifyouliketohavetallow—chandlersnextdoortoyou？’saidthearchdeacon。’Intheolddays，wewouldsoonerhavehadourbrethrenneartous。’
’Thereisnothing，DrGrantly，soobjectionableinacathedraltownasalotofidleclergymen，’saidMrsProudie。
’Itisbeginningtobeaquestiontome，’saidthearchdeacon，’whetherthereisanyuseinclergymenatallforthepresentgeneration。’
’DrGrantly，thosecannotbeyourrealsentiments，’saidMrsProudie。
ThenMrsGrantly，workinghardinhervocationasapeacemaker，changedtheconversationagainandbegantotalkoftheAmericanwar。Buteventhatwasmadeamatterofdiscordonchurchmatters——thearchdeaconprofessinganopinionthattheSouthernerswereChristiangentlemen，andtheNorthernersidlesnobs；whereasMrsProudiehadanideathattheGospelwaspreachedwithgenuinezealintheNorthernStates。Andateachsuchoutbreakthepoorbishopwouldlaughuneasily，andsayawordortwotowhichnoonepaidmuchattention。Andsothedinnerwenton，notalwaysinthemostpleasantmannerforthosewhopreferredcontinuedgood—humourtotheoccasionalexcitementofahalf—suppressedbattle。
NotawordwassaidaboutMrCrawley。WhenMrsProudieandtheladiesleftthedining—room，thebishopstrovetogetupalittlelayconversation。HespoketoMrThorneabouthisgame，andtoDrThorneabouthistimber，andeventoMrGreshamabouthishounds。’Itisnotsoverymanyyears，MrGresham，’saidhe，’sincetheBishopofBarchesterwasexpectedtokeephoundshimself，’andthebishoplaughedathisownjoke。
’Yourlordshipshallhavethembackatthepalacenextseason，’saidyoungFrankGresham，’ifyouwillpromisetodothecountyjustice。’
’Ha，ha，ha！’laughedthebishop。’Whatdoyousay，MrTozer？’MrTozerwasthechaplainonduty。
’Ihavenotleastobjectionintheworld，mylord，’saidMrTozer，’toactassecondwhip。’
’I’mafraidyou’llfindthemanexpensiveadjuncttotheepiscopate，’
saidthearchdeacon。Andthenthejokewasover；fortherehadbeenarumour，nowforsomeyearsprevalentinBarchester，thatBishopProudiewasnotliberalinhisexpenditure。AsMrThornesaidafterwardstohiscousinthedoctor，thearchdeaconmighthavesparedthatsneer。’Thearchdeaconwillneversparethemanwhositsinhisfather’sseat，’saidthedoctor。’Thepityofitisthatmenwhoaresothoroughlydifferentinalltheirsympathiesshouldeverbebroughtintocontact。’’Dear，dear，’saidthearchdeacon，ashestoodafterwardsontherugbeforethedrawing—roomfire，’howmanyofrubbersofwhistIhaveseenplayedinthisroom。’’Isincerelyhopethatyouwillneverseeanotherplayedhere，’saidMrsProudie。’I’mquitesurethatIshallnot，’saidthearchdeacon。Forthislastsallyhiswifescoldedhimbitterlyonthewayhome。’Youknowverywell，’shesaid，’thatthetimesarechanged，andthatifyouwereBishopofBarchesteryourself，youwouldnothavewhistplayedinthepalace。’’Ionlyknow，’saidhe，’thatwhenwehadthewhistwehadthetruereligionalongwithit，andsomegoodsenseandgoodfeelingalso。’’Youcannotberighttosneeratothersfordoingwhatyouwoulddoyourself，’saidhiswife。Thenthearchdeaconthrewhimselfsulkilyintothecornerofhiscarriage，andnothingmorewassaidbetweenhimandhiswifeaboutthebishop’sdinner—party。
NotawordwasspokenthatnightaboutMrCrawley；andwhenthatobnoxiousguestfromPlumsteadwasgone，MrsProudieresumedhergood—humourtowardsDrTempest。Sointentwassheonconciliatinghimthatsherefrainedevenfromabusingthearchdeacon，whomsheknewtohavebeenintimateforverymanyyearswiththerectorofSilverbridge。
Inheraccustomedmoodsshewouldhavebrokenforthinloudanger，caringnothingforoldfriendships；butatpresentshewasthoughtfulofthemorrow，anddesirousthatDrTempestshould，ifpossible，meetherinafriendlyhumourwhenthegreatdiscussionastoHogglestockshouldbeopenedbetweenthem。ButDrTempestunderstoodherbearing，andashepulledonhisnightcapmadecertainresolutionsofhisownastothemorrow’sproceedings。’Idon’tsupposeshewilldaretointerfere，’hehadsaidtohiswife；’butifshedoesIshallcertainlytellthebishopthatIcannotspeakonthesubjectinherpresence。’
Atbreakfastonthefollowingmorningtherewasnoonepresentbutthebishop，MrsProudie，andDrTempest。Verylittlewassaidatthemeal。
MrCrawley’snamewasnotmentioned，butthereseemedtobeageneralfeelingamongthemthattherewasataskhangingoverthemwhichpreventedanygeneralconversation。Theeggswereeatenandthecoffeewasdrunk，buttheeggsandthecoffeedisappearedalmostinsilence。
Whentheseceremonieshadbeenaltogethercompleted，anditwasclearlynecessarythatsomethingfurthershouldbedone，thebishopspoke：’DrTempest，’hesaid，’perhapsyouwilljoinmeinmystudyateleven。WecanthensayafewwordstoeachotherabouttheunfortunatematteronwhichIshallhavetotroubleyou。’DrTempestsaidhewouldbepunctualtohisappointment，andthenthebishopwithdrew，mutteringsomethingastothenecessityoflookingathisletters。DrTempesttookanewspaperinhishand，whichhadbeenbroughtinbyaservant，butMrsProudiedidnotallowhimtoreadit。’DrTempest，’shesaid，’thisisamatterofmostvitalimportance。Iamquitesurethatyoufeelthatitisso。’
’Whatmatter，madam？’saidthedoctor。
’ThisterribleaffairofMrCrawley’s。Ifsomethingisnotdonethewholediocesewillbedisgraced。’Thensheturnedforananswer，butreceivingnoneshewasobligedtocontinue。’Ofthepoorman’sguilttherecan，Ifear，benodoubt。’Thentherewasanotherpause，butstillthedoctormadenoanswer。’Andifhebeguilty，’saidMrsProudie，resolvingthatshewouldaskaquestionthatmustbringforthsomereply，’cananyexperiencedclergymanthinkthathecanbefittopreachfromthepulpitofaparishchurch？Iamsurethatyoumustagreewithme，DrTempest？Considerthesoulsofthepeople！’
’MrsProudie，’saidhe，’Ithinkthatwehadbetternotdiscussthematter。’
’Notdiscussit？’
’Ithinkthatwehadbetternotdoso。IfIunderstandthebish...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：