CHAPTERLV
FRAMLEYPARSONAGE
AtthistimeGraceCrawleywasatFramleyParsonage。OldLadyLufton’sstrategyhadbeenquiteintelligible，butsomepeoplesaidthatinpointofetiquetteandjudgmentandmoralconduct，itwasindefensible。Hervicar，MrRobarts，hadbeenselectedtobeoneoftheclergymenwhowastositinecclesiasticaljudgmentuponMrCrawley，andwhilehewassosittingMrCrawley’sdaughterwasstayinginMrRobarts’shouseasvisitorwithhiswife。Itmightbethattherewasnoharminthis。LadyLufton，whentheapparentimproprietywaspointedouttoherbynolessapersonthanArchdeaconGrantly，ridiculedtheidea。’Mydeararchdeacon，’LadyLuftonhadsaid，’weallknowthebishoptobesuchafoolandthebishop’swifetobesuchaknave，thatwecannotallowourselvestobegovernedinthismatterbyordinaryrules。Doyounotthinkthatitisexpedienttoshowhowutterlywedisregardhisjudgmentandhermalice？’ThearchdeaconhadhesitatedmuchbeforehespoketoLadyLufton，whetherheshouldaddresshimselftoherortoMrRobarts——orindeedtoMrsRobarts。ButhehadbecomeawarethatthepropositionastothevisithadoriginatedwithLadyLufton，andhehadthereforedecidedonspeakingtoher。Hehadnotcondescendedtosayawordastohisson，norwouldhesocondescend。NorcouldhegofromLadyLuftontoMrRobarts，havingoncefailedwithherladyship。Indeed，ingivinghimhisdue，wemustacknowledgethathisdisapprobationofLadyLufton’sstrategyaroseratherfromhistrueconvictionastoitsimpropriety，thanfromanyfearlestthisattentionpaidtoMissCrawleyshouldtendtobringabouthermarriagewithhisson。BythistimehehatedtheverynameofCrawley。HehateditthemorebecauseinhatingithehadtoputhimselfforthetimeonthesamesidewithMrsProudie。
Butforallthathewouldnotcondescendtoanyunworthymodeoffighting。HethoughtitwrongthattheyoungladyshouldbeinvitedtoFramleyParsonageatthismoment，andhesaidsotothepersonwhohad，ashethought，intruth，giventheinvitation；buthewouldnotallowhisownpersonalmotivestoinducehimtocarryontheargumentwithLadyLufton。’Thebishopisafool，’hesaid，’andthebishop’swifeisaknave。NeverthelessIwouldnothavehadtheyoungladyovertoFramleyatthismoment。If，however，youthinkitrightandRobartsthinksitright，thereisanendofit。’
’Uponmywordwedo，’saidLadyLufton。
IaminducedtothinkthatMrRobartswasnotquiteconfidentoftheexpediencyofwhathewasdoingbythewayinwhichhementionedtoMrOrielthefactofMissCrawley’spresenceattheparsonageashedrovethatgentlemanhomeinhisgig。TheyhadbeentalkingaboutMrCrawleywhenhesuddenlyturnedhimselfround，sothathecouldlookathiscompanion，andsaid，’MissCrawleyisstayingwithusattheparsonageatthepresentmoment。’
’What！MrCrawley’sdaughter？’saidMrOriel，showingplainlybyhisvoicethatthetidingshadmuchsurprisedhim。
’Yes；MrCrawley’sdaughter。’
’Oh，indeed。Ididnotknowthatyouwereonthosetermswiththefamily。’
’Wehaveknownthemforthelastsevenoreightyears，’saidMark；’andthoughIshouldbegivingafalsenotionifIweretosaythatImyselfhaveknownthemintimately——forCrawleyisamanwhomitisquiteimpossibletoknowintimately——yetthewomankindatFramleyhaveknownthem。MysisterstayedwiththemoveratHogglestockforsometime。’
’What；LadyLufton？’
’Yes；mysisterLucy。Itwasjustbeforehermarriage。Therewasalotoftrouble，andtheCrawleyswereallill，andshewenttonursethem。
Andthentheoldladytookthemup，andaltogethertherecametobeasortoffeelingthattheyweretoberegardedasfriends。Theyarealwaysintrouble，andnowinthisspecialtroublethewomenbetweenthemhavethoughtitbesttohavethegirloveratFramley。OfcourseI
hadakindoffeelingaboutthiscommission；butasIknewthatitwouldmakenodifferencewithmeIdidnotthinkitnecessarytoputmyvetouponthevisit。’MrOrielsaidnothingfurther，butMarkRobartswasawarethatMrOrieldidnotquiteapproveofthevisit。
ThatmorningoldLadyLuftonherselfhadcomeacrosstotheparsonagewiththeexpressviewofbiddingallthepartytocomeacrosstothehalltodine。’YoucantellMrOriel，Fanny，withLucy’scompliments，howdelightedshewillbetoseehim。’OldLadyLuftonalwaysspokeofherdaughter—in—lawasthemistressofthehouse。’Ifyouthinkheisparticular，youknow，wewillsendanoteacross。’MrsRobartssaidthatshesupposedMrOrielwouldnotbeparticular，but，lookingatGrace，madesomefaintexcuse。’Youmustcome，mydear，’saidLadyLufton。
’Lucywishesitparticularly。’MrsRobartsdidnotknowhowtosaythatshewouldnotcome；andsothematterstood——whenMrsRobartswascalledupontoleavetheroomforamoment，andLadyLuftonandGracewereleftalone。
’DearLadyLufton，’saidGrace，gettingupsuddenlyfromherchair；
’willyoudomeafavour——agreatfavour？’Shespokewithanenergywhichquitesurprisedtheoldlady，andcausedheralmosttostartfromherseat。
’Idon’tlikemakingpromises，’saidLadyLufton；’butanythingIcandowithpropriety，Iwill。’
’Youcandothis。Prayletmestayheretoday。Youdon’tunderstandhowIfeelaboutgoingoutwhilepapaisinthisway。Iknowhowkindandhowgoodyouallare；andwhendearMrsRobartsaskedmehere，andmammasaidthatIhadbettercome，Icouldnotrefuse。Butindeed，indeedIhadrathernotgoouttoadinner—party。’
’Itisnotaparty，mydeargirl，’saidLadyLufton，withthekindestvoicewhichsheknewhowtoassume。’Andyoumustrememberthatmydaughter—in—lawregardsyouassoveryoldafriend！Youremember，ofcourse，whenshewasstayingatHogglestock？’
’IndeedIdo。Irememberitwell。’
’Andthereforeyoushouldnotregarditasgoingout。Therewillbenobodytherebutourselvesandthepeoplefromthishouse。’
’Butitwillbegoingout，LadyLufton；andIdohopeyouwillletmestayhere。YoucannotthinkhowIfeelit。OfcourseIcannotgowithoutsomethinglikedressing——and——and——。Inpoorpapa’sstateIfeelthatI
oughtnottodoanythingthatlookslikegaiety。Ioughtnevertoforgetit；——notforamoment。’
TherewasatearinLadyLufton’seyeasshesaid——’Mydear，youshan’tcome。YouandFannyshallstopanddineherebyyourselves。Thegentlemenshallcome。’
’DoletMrsRobartsgo，please，’saidGrace。
’Iwon’tdoanythingofthekind，’saidLadyLufton。Then，whenMrsRobartsreturnedtotheroom，herladyshipexplaineditallintwowords。’Whilstyouhavebeenaway，mydear，Gracehasbeggedoff，andthereforewehavedecidedthatMrOrielandMrRobartsshallcomewithoutyou。’
’Iamsosorry，MrsRobarts，’saidGrace。
’Pooh，pooh，’saidLadyLufton。’FannyandIhaveknowneachotherquitelongenoughnottostandonanycompliments——haven’twe，mydear？
Imustgethomenow，asallthemorninghasgoneby。Fanny，mydear，I
wanttospeaktoyou。’ThensheexpressedheropinionofGraceCrawleyasshewalkedacrosstheparsonagegardenwithMrsRobarts。’Sheisaverynicegirl，andaverygoodgirlIamsure；andsheshowsexcellentfeeling。Whateverhappenswemusttakecareofher。And，Fanny，haveyouobservedhowhandsomesheis？’
’Wethinkherverypretty。’
’Sheismorethanprettywhenshehasalittlefireinhereyes。Sheisdownrighthandsome——orwillbewhenshefillsoutalittle。Itellyouwhat，mydear；she’llmakehavocwithsomebodyyet；youseeifshedoesn’t。Bye—bye。Tellthetwogentlementobeupbysevenpunctually。’
AndthenLadyLuftonwenthome。
GracesocontrivedthatMrOrielcameandwentwithoutseeingher。Therewasaseparatenurserybreakfastattheparsonage，andbyspecialpermissionGracewasallowedtohaveherteaandbread—and——butteronthenextmorningwiththechildren。’IthoughtyoutoldmeMissCrawleywashere，’saidMrOriel，asthetwoclergymenstoodwaitingforthegigthatwastotakethevisitorawaytoBarchester。
’Sosheis，’saidRobarts；’butsheli...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：