WhenshewasaloneshesatdowninherhabitanddeclaredtoherselfthatshecertainlywouldneverbecomethewifeofMrCrosbie。Idonotknowwhysheshouldmakesuchadeclaration。ShehadpromisedhermotherandJohnEamesthatshewouldnotdoso，andthatpromisewouldcertainlyhaveboundherwithoutanyfurtherresolutionsonherpart。
But，totellthetruth，thevisionofthemanhaddisenchantedher。Whenlastshehadseenhimhehadbeenasitwereagodtoher；andthough，sincethatday，hisconducttoherhadbeenasungodlikeasitwellmightbe，stillthememoryoftheoutwardsignsofhisdivinityhadremainedwithher。Itisdifficulttoexplainhowithadcometopassthattheglimpsewhichshehadhadofhimshouldhavealteredsomuchwithinhermind；——whysheshouldsosuddenlyhavecometoregardhiminanalteredlight。Itwasnotsimplythathelookedtobeolder，andbecausehisfacewascareworn。ItwasnotonlythathehadlostthatlookofanApollowhichLilyhadonceinhermirthattributedtohim。I
thinkitwaschieflythatsheherselfwasolder，andcouldnolongerseeagodinsuchaman。ShehadneverregardedJohnEamesasbeinggiftedwithdivinity，andhadthereforealwaysbeenmakingcomparisonstohisdiscredit。Anysuchcomparisonnowwouldtendquitetheotherway。
Neverthelessshewouldadheretothetwolettersinherbook。SinceshehadseenMrCrosbieshewasaltogetheroutoflovewiththeprospectofmatrimony。
ShewasintheroomwhenMrPrattwasannounced，andsheatoncerecognisedhimasthemanwhohadbeenwithCrosbie。Andwhen，someminutesafterwards，SiphDunncameintotheroom，shecouldseethatintheirgreetingallusionwasmadetothesceneinthePark。Butstillitwasprobablethatthismanwouldnotrecogniseher，and，ifhedidso，whatwoulditmatter？Thereweretwentypeopletositdowntodinner，andthechanceswerethatshewouldnotbecalledupontoexchangeawordwithMrPratt。Shehadnowrecoveredherself，andcouldspeakfreelytoherfriendSiph，andwhenSiphcameandstoodnearhershethankedhimgraciouslyforhisescortinthePark。’Ifitwasn’tforyou，MrDunn，IreallythinkIshouldnotgetanyridingatall。BernardandMissDunstablehaveonlyonethingtothinkabout，andcertainlyI
amnottheonething。’ShethoughtitprobablethatifshecouldkeepSiphclosetoher，MrsThorne，whoalwaysmanagedthingsherself，mightapportionherouttobeledtodinnerbyhergood—naturedfriend。Butthefateswereaverse。Thetimehadnowcome，andLilywaswaitingherturn。’MrFowlerPratt，letmeintroducetoMissLilyDale，’saidMrsThorne。LilycouldperceivethatMrPrattwasstartled。Thesignhegavewastheleastpossiblesignintheworld；butstillitsufficedforLilytoperceiveit。Sheputherhanduponhisarm，andwalkeddownwithhimtothedining—roomwithoutgivinghimtheslightestcausetosupposethatsheknewwhohewas。
’IthinkIsawyouintheparkriding？’hesaid。
’Yes，Iwasthere；wegonearlyeveryday。’
’Ineverride；Iwaswalking。’
’Itseemstomethatthepeoplewhodon’tgotheretowalk，buttostandstill，’saidLily。’Icannotunderstandhowsomanypeoplecanbeartoloiteraboutinthatway——leaningontherailsanddoingnothing。’
’Itisaboutasgoodasriding，andcostslessmoney。Thatisallthatcanbesaidforit。Doyoulivechieflyintown？’
’Oh，dearno；Ilivealtogetherinthecountry。I’monlyupherebecauseacousinisgoingtobemarried。’
’CaptainDale，youmean——toMissDunstable？’saidFowlerPratt。
’Whentheyhavebeenjoinedtogetherinholymatrimony，Ishallgodowntothecountry，andnever，Isuppose，comeuptoLondonagain。’
’YoudonotlikeLondon？’
’Notasaresidence，Ithink，’saidLily。’Butofcourseone’slikingsanddislikingsonsuchamatterdependoncircumstances。Ilivewithmymother，andallmyrelativeslivenearus。OfcourseIlikethecountrybest，becausetheyarethere。’
’Youngladiessooftenhaveadifferentwayoflookingatthissubject。
Ishouldn’twonderifMissDunstable’sviewsaboutitwerealtogetherofanothersort。Youngladiesgenerallyexpecttobetakenawayfromtheirfatherandmothers，andunclesandaunts。’
’ButyouseeIexpecttobeleftwithmine，’saidLily。AfterthatsheturnedasmuchawayfromMrFowlerPrattasshecould，havingtakenanaversiontohim。Whatbusinesshadhetotalktoheraboutbeingtakenawayfromunclesandaunts？ShehadseenhimwithMrCrosbie，anditmightbepossiblethattheywereintimatefriends。ItmightbethatMrPrattwasaskingquestionsinMrCrosbie’sinterests。Letthatbeasitmight，shewouldanswernomorequestionsfromhimfurtherthanordinarygoodbreedingshouldrequireofher。
’Sheisanicegirl，certainly，’saidFowlerPratttohimself，ashewalkedhome，’andIhavenodoubtwouldmakeagood，ordinary，everydaywife。Butsheisnotsuchaparagonthatamanshouldcondescendtogrovelinthedirtforher。’
ThatnightLilytoldEmilyDunstablethewholeofMrCrosbie’shistoryasfarassheknewit，andalsoexplainedhernewaversiontoMrFowlerPratt。’Theyareverygreatfriends，’saidEmily。’Bernardhastoldmeso；andyoumaybesurethatMrPrattknewthewholehistorybeforehecamehere。Iamsosorrythatmyauntaskedhim。’
’Itdoesnotsignifyintheleast，’saidLily。’EvenifIweretomeetMrCrosbieIdon’tthinkIshouldmakesuchafoolofmyselfagain。Asitis，Icanonlyhopethathedidnotseeit。’
’Iamsurehedidnot。’
Thentherewasapause，duringwhichLilysatwithherfacerestingonbothherhands。’Itiswonderfulhowmuchhehasaltered，’shesaidatlast。
’Thinkhowmuchhehassuffered。’
’IsupposeIamalteredasmuch，onlyIdonotseeitmyself。’
’Idon’tknowwhatyouwere，butIdon’tthinkyoucanhavechangedmuch。Younodoubthavesufferedtoo，butnotashehasdone。’
’Oh，asforthat，Ihavedoneverywell。IthinkI’llgotobednow。
Theridingmakesmesosleepy。’
CHAPTERLIV
THECLERICALCOMMISSION
ItwasatlastarrangedthatthefiveclergymenselectedshouldmeetatDrTempest’shouseatSilverbridgetomakeinquiryandreporttothebishopwhetherthecircumstancesconnectedwiththechequefortwentypoundswereofsuchanatureastomakeitincumbentonhimtoinstituteproceedingsagainstMrCrawleyintheCourtofArches。DrTempesthadactedupontheletterwhichhehadreceivedfromthebishop，exactlyasthoughtherehadbeennomeetingatthepalace，noquarreltothedeathbetweenhimandMrsProudie。Hewasaprudentman，giftedwiththegreatpowerofholdinghistongue，andhadnotspokenaword，eventohiswife，ofwhathadoccurred。Aftersuchavictoryouroldfriendthearchdeaconwouldhaveblownhisowntrumpetloudlyamonghisfriends。
Plumsteadwouldhaveheardofitinstantly，andthepaeanwouldhavebeensungoutintheneighbouringparishesofEiderdown，Stogpingum，andStEwolds。TheHighStreetofBarchesterwouldhaveknownofit，andtheverybedesmeninHiram’sHospitalwouldhavetoldamongthemselvestheterriblediscomfitureofthebishopandhislady。ButDrTempestspokenowordofittoanybody。Hewroteletterstothetwoclergymennamedbythebishop，andhimselfselectedtwoothersoutofhisownruraldeanery，andsuggestedtothemalladayatwhichapreliminarymeetingshouldbeheldathisownhouse。ThetwowhowereinvitedbyhimwereMrOriel，therectorofGreshamsbury，andMrRobarts，thevicarofFramley。
Theyallassentedtotheproposition，andonthedaynamedassembledthemselvesatSilverbridge。
ItwasnowApril，andthejudgesweretocomeintoBarchesterbeforetheendofthemonth。Whatthencouldbetheuseofthisecclesiasticalinquiryexactlyatthesametime？Menandwomendeclaredthatitwasadoubleprosecution，andthatadoubleprosecutionforthesameoffencewasacourseofactionopposedtothefeelingsandthetraditionsofthecountry。MissAnnePrettymanwentsofarastosaythatitwasunconstitutional，andMaryWalkerdeclaredthatnohumanbeingexceptMrsProudiewouldeverhavebeenguiltyofsuchcruelty。’Don’ttellmeaboutthebishop，John，’shesaid，’thebishopisacypher。’’YoumaybesureDrTempestwouldnothaveahandinitifitwerenotright，’saidJohnWalker。’MydearMrJohn，’saidMissAnnePrettyman，’DrTempestisashardasabarofiron，andalwayswas。ButIamsurprisedthatMrRobartsshouldtakeapartinit。’
Inthemeantime，atthepalace，MrsProudiehadbeenreducedtolearnwhatwasgoingonfromMrThumble。ThebishophadneverspokeawordtoherrespectingMrCrawleysincethatterribledayonwhichDrTempesthadwitnessedhisimbecility——havingabsolutelydeclinedtoanswerwhenhiswifehadmentionedthesubject。’Youwon’tspeakto...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：