browngeldingwarrantedforsaddleorharness！’——Thearchdeaconhimselfhadgiventhebrowngeldingtohisson，asagreattreasure。——’ThreeAlderneycows，twocow—calves，alowphaeton，agig，tworicksofhay。’
Inthisfashionwereproclaimedinodiousdetailsallthosecomfortableadditionstoagentleman’shouseinthecountry，withwhichthearchdeaconwassowellacquainted。OnlylastNovemberhehadrecommendedhissontobuyacertainclod—crusher，andtheclod—crusherhadofcoursebeenbought。Thebrightbluepaintuponithadasyetnotgivenwaytothestainsofordinaryfarmyardmuckandmire；——andherewastheclod—crusheradvertisedforsale！ThearchdeacondidnotwanthissontoleaveCosbyLodge。HeknewwellenoughthathissonneednotleaveCosbyLodge。Whyhadthefoolishfellowbeeninsuchahurrywithhishideousill—conditionedadvertisements？Gentle！Howwasheinsuchcircumstancestobegentle？Heraisedhisumbrellaandpokedangrilyatthedisgustingnotice。Theironferrulecaughtthepaperatachinkinthepost，andtoreitfromthetoptothebottom。Butwhatwastheuse？
Ahorriduglybilllyingtorninsuchaspotwouldattractonlymoreattentionthanonefixedtoapost。Hecouldnotcondescend，however，togiveitfurtherattention，butpassedontotheparsonage。Gentleindeed！
NeverthelessArchdeaconGrantlywasagentleman，andneveryethaddealtmoreharshlywithanywomanthanwehavesometimesseenhimtodowithhiswife——whenhewouldsaytoheranangrywordortwowithagooddealofmaritalauthority。Hiswife，whoknewwellwhathisangrywordswereworth，neverevensuggestedtoherselfthatshehadthecauseforcomplaintonthathead。Hadsheknownthatthearchdeaconwasabouttoundertakesuchamissionasthiswhichhehadnowinhand，shewouldnothavewarnedhimtobegentle。She，indeed，wouldhavestronglyadvisedhimnottoundertakethemission，cautioninghimthattheyoungladywouldprobablygetthebetterofhim。
’Grace，mydear，’saidMrsRobarts，comingupintothenurseryinwhichMissCrawleywassittingwiththechildren，’comeouthereamoment，willyou？’ThenGraceleftthechildrenandwentoutintothepassage。
’Mydear，thereisagentlemaninthedrawing—roomwhoaskstoseeyou。’
’Agentleman，MrsRobarts！Whatgentleman？’ButGrace，thoughsheaskedthequestions，conceivedthatthegentlemanmustbeHenryGrantly。
Herminddidnotsuggesttoherthepossibilityofanyothergentlemancomingtoseeher。
’Youmustnotbesurprised，orallowyourselftobefrightened。’
’Oh，MrsRobarts，whoisit？’
’ItisMajorGrantly’sfather。’
’Thearchdeacon？’
’Yes，dear；ArchdeaconGrantly。Heisinthedrawing—room。’
’MustIseehim，MrsRobarts？’
’Well，Grace——Ithinkyoumust。Ihardlyknowhowyoucanrefuse。HeisanintimatefriendofeverybodyhereatFramley。’
’Whatwillhesaytome？’
’Nay；thatIcannottell。Isupposeyouknow——’
’Hehascome，nodoubt，tobidmehavingnothingtosaytohisson。Heneednothavetroubledhimself。Buthemaysaywhathelikes。Iamnocoward，andIwillgotohim。’
’Stopamoment，Grace。Comeintomyroomforaninstant。Thechildrenhavepulledyourhairabout。’ButGrace，thoughshefollowedMrsRobartsintothebedroom，wouldhavenothingdonetoherhair。Shewastooproudforthat——andwemaysay，also，toolittleconfidentinanygoodwhichsuchresourcesmighteffectonherbehalf。’Nevermindaboutthat，’shesaid。’WhatamItosaytohim？’MrsRobartspausedbeforeshereplied，feelingthatthematterwasonewhichrequiredsomedeliberation。’TellmewhatImustsaytohim？’saidGrace，repeatingherquestion。
’Ihardlyknowwhatyourownfeelingsare，mydear。’
’Yes，youdo。Youdoknow。IfIhadalltheworldtogive，IwouldgiveitalltoMajorGrantly。’
’Tellhimthat，then。’
’No，Iwillnottellhimthat。Nevermindaboutmyfrock，MrsRobarts。
Idonotcareforthat。IwilltellhimthatIlovehissonandhisgranddaughtertoowelltoinjurethem。Iwilltellhimnothingelse。I
mightaswellgonow。’MrsRobarts，asshelookedatGrace，wasastonishedattheserenityofherface。Andyetwhenherhandwasinthedrawing—roomdoorGracehesitated，lookedback，andtrembled。MrsRobartsblewakisstoherfromthestairs；andthenthedoorwasopened，andthegirlfoundherselfinthepresenceofthearchdeacon。Hewasstandingontherug，withhisbacktothefire，andhisheavyecclesiasticalhatwasplacedonthemiddleoftheroundtable。ThehatcaughtGrace’seyesatthemomentofherentrance，andshefeltthatallthethundersoftheChurchwerecontainedwithinit。Andthenthearchdeaconhimselfwassobigandsoclerical，andsoimposing。Herfather’saspectwassevere，buttheseverityofherfather’sfacewasessentiallydifferentfromthatexpressedbythearchdeacon。Whateverimpressioncamefromherfathercamefromthemanhimself。Therewasnooutwardadornmentthere；therewas，sotosay，nowigaboutMrCrawley。
Nowthearchdeaconwasnotexactlyadorned；buthewassothoroughlyimbuedwithhighclericalbelongingsandsacerdotalfitnessesastoappearalwaysasawalking，sitting，orstandingimpersonationofparsondom。TopoorGrace，assheenteredtheroom，heappearedtobeapersonationofparsondominitsseverestaspect。
’MissCrawley，Ibelieve？’saidhe。
’Yes，sir，’saidshe，curtseyingeversoslightly，asshestoodbeforehimatsomeconsiderabledistance。
HisfirstideawasthathissonmustbeindeedafoolifhewasgoingtogiveupCosbyLodgeandallBarsetshire，andretiretoPau，forsoslightandunattractiveacreatureashenowsawbeforehim。Butthisideastayedwithhimonlyforamoment。Ashecontinuedtogazeatherduringtheinterviewhecametoperceivethattherewasverymuchmorethanhehadperceivedatthefirstglance，andthathisson，afterall，hadhadeyestosee，thoughperhapsnotahearttounderstand。
’Willyoutakeachair？’hesaid。ThenGracesatdown，stillatadistancefromthearchdeacon，andhekepthisplaceupontherug。Hefeltthattherewouldbeadifficultyinmakingherfeelthefullforceofhiseloquenceallacrosstheroom；andyethedidnotknowhowtobringhimselfnearertoher。Shebecamesuddenlyveryimportantinhiseyes，andhewastosomeextentafraidofher。Shewassoslight，someek，soyoung；andyettherewasabouthersomethingsobeautifullyfeminine——and，withal，solikealady——thathefeltinstinctivelythathecouldnotattackherwithharshwords。Hadherlipsbeenfull，andhercolourhigh，andhadhereyesrolled，hadsheputforthagainsthimanyofthatordinaryartillerywithwhichyouthfulfemininebatteriesarecharged，hewouldhavebeenreadytorushtocombat。Butthisgirl，aboutwhomhissonhadgonemad，satthereaspassivelyasthoughshewereconsciousofthepossessionofnoartillery。Therewasnotasinglegunfiredfrombeneathhereyelids。Heknewnotwhy，butherespectedhissonnowmorethanhehadrespectedhimforthelasttwomonths；——more，perhaps，thanhehadeverrespectedhimbefore。Hewasaneageraseveragainstthemarriage；——butinthinkingofhissoninwhathesaidanddidafterthesefewmomentsoftheinterview，heceasedtothinkofhimwithcontempt。Thecreaturebeforehimwasawomanwhogrewinhisopiniontillhebegantofeelthatshewasintruthfittobethewifeofhisson——ifonlyshewerenotapauper，andthedaughterofamadcurate，andalas！tooprobably，ofathief。Thoughhisfeelingtowardsthegirlhadchanged，hisdutytohimself，hisfamily，andhisson，wasthesameasever，andthereforehebeganhistask。
’Perhapsyouhadnotexpectedtoseeme？’hesaid。
’No，indeed，sir。’
’NorhadIintendedwhenIcameoverhertocallonmyoldfriend，LadyLufton，tocomeuptothishouse。ButasIknewthatyouwerehere，MissCrawley，IthoughtthatuponthewholeitwouldbebetterthatIshouldseeyou。’Thenhepausedasthoughheexpectedthat...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：