第2章

TheBarchesterReformerMrHardinghasbeennowprecentorofBarchesterfortenyears；and，alas，themurmursrespectingtheproceedsofHiram’sestateareagainbecomingaudible。ItisnotthatanyonebegrudgestoMrHardingtheincomewhichheenjoys，andthecomfortableplacewhichsowellbecomeshim； butsuchmattershavebeguntobetalkedofinvariouspartsofEngland。EagerpushingpoliticianshaveassertedintheHouseofCommons，withverytellingindignation，thatthegraspingpriestsoftheChurchofEnglandaregorgedwiththewealthwhichthecharityofformertimeshasleftforthesolaceoftheaged，ortheeducationoftheyoung。Thewell-knowncaseoftheHospitalofStCrosshasevencomebeforethelawcourtsofthecountry，andthestrugglesofMrWhiston，atRochester，havemetwithsympathyandsupport。Menarebeginningtosaythatthesethingsmustbelookedinto。 MrHarding，whoseconscienceinthematterisclear，andwhohasneverfeltthathehadreceivedapoundfromHiram’swilltowhichhewasnotentitled，hasnaturallytakenthepartofthechurchintalkingoverthesematterswithhisfriend，thebishop，andhisson-in-law，thearchdeacon。Thearchdeacon，indeed，DrGrantly，hasbeensomewhatloudinthematter。 HeisapersonalfriendofthedignitariesoftheRochesterChapter，andhaswrittenlettersinthepublicpressonthesubjectofthatturbulentDrWhiston，which，hisadmirersthink，mustwellnighsetthequestionatrest。ItisalsoknownatOxfordthatheistheauthorofthepamphletsigned’Sacerdos’onthesubjectoftheEarlofGuildfordandStCross，inwhichitissoclearlyarguedthatthemannersofthepresenttimesdonotadmitofaliteraladhesiontotheverywordsofthefounder’swill，butthattheinterestsofthechurchforwhichthefounderwassodeeplyconcernedarebestconsultedinenablingitsbishopstorewardthoseshininglightswhoseserviceshavebeenmostsignallyserviceabletoChristianity。 Inanswertothis，itisassertedthatHenrydeBlois，founderofStCross，wasnotgreatlyinterestedinthewelfareofthereformedchurch，andthatthemastersofStCross，formanyyearspast，cannotbecalledshininglightsintheserviceofChristianity；itis，however，stoutlymaintained，andnodoubtfelt，byallthearchdeacon’sfriends，thathislogicisconclusive，andhasnot，infact，beenanswered。 Withsuchatowerofstrengthtobackbothhisargumentsandhisconscience，itmaybeimaginedthatMrHardinghasneverfeltanycompunctionastoreceivinghisquarterlysumoftwohundredpounds。Indeed，thesubjecthasneverpresenteditselftohismindinthatshape。Hehastalkednotunfrequently，andheardverymuchaboutthewillsofoldfoundersandtheincomesarisingfromtheirestates，duringthelastyearortwo；hedideven，atonemoment，feeladoubt(sinceexpelledbyhisson-in-law’slogic)astowhetherLordGuildfordwasclearlyentitledtoreceivesoenormousanincomeashedoesfromtherevenuesofStCross；butthathehimselfwasoverpaidwithhismodesteighthundredpounds——hewho，outofthat，voluntarilygaveupsixty-twopoundselevenshillingsandfourpenceayeartohistwelveoldneighbours——hewho，forthemoney，doeshisprecentor’sworkasnoprecentorhasdoneitbefore，sinceBarchesterCathedralwasbuilt，——suchanideahasneversulliedhisquiet，ordisturbedhisconscience。 Nevertheless，MrHardingisbecominguneasyattherumourwhichheknowstoprevailinBarchesteronthesubject。Heisawarethat，atanyrate，twoofhisoldmenhavebeenheardtosay，thatifeveryonehadhisown，theymighteachhavetheirhundredpoundsayear，andlivelikegentlemen，insteadofabeggarlyoneshillingandsixpenceaday；andthattheyhadslendercausetobethankfulforamiserabledoleoftwopence，whenMrHardingandMrChadwick，betweenthem，ranawaywiththousandsofpoundswhichgoodoldJohnHiramneverintendedforthelikeofthem。ItistheingratitudeofthiswhichstingsMrHarding。Oneofthisdiscontentedpair，AbelHandy，wasputintothehospitalbyhimself；hehadbeenastone-masoninBarchester，andhadbrokenhisthighbyafallfromascaffolding，whileemployedaboutthecathedral； andMrHardinghadgivenhimthefirstvacancyinthehospitalaftertheoccurrence，althoughDrGrantlyhadbeenveryanxioustoputintoitaninsufferableclerkofhisatPlumsteadEpiscopi，whohadlostallhisteeth，andwhomthearchdeaconhardlyknewhowtogetridofbyothermeans。DrGrantlyhasnotforgottentoremindMrHardinghowwellsatisfiedwithhisone-and-sixpenceadayoldJoeMutterswouldhavebeen，andhowinjudiciousitwasonthepartofMrHardingtoallowaradicalfromthetowntogetintotheconcern。 ProbablyDrGrantlyforgotatthemoment，thatthecharitywasintendedforbroken-downjourneymenofBarchester。 ThereislivingatBarchester，ayoungman，asurgeon，namedJohnBold，andbothMrHardingandDrGrantlyarewellawarethattohimisowingthepestilentrebelliousfeelingwhichhasshownitselfinthehospital；yes，andtherenewal，too，ofthatdisagreeabletalkaboutHiram’sestateswhichisnowagainprevalentinBarchester。Nevertheless，MrHardingandMrBoldareacquaintedwitheachother；wemaysay，arefriends，consideringthegreatdisparityintheiryears。DrGrantly，however，hasaholyhorroroftheimpiousdemagogue，asononeoccasionhecalledBold，whenspeakingofhimtotheprecentor；andbeingamoreprudentfar-seeingmanthanMrHarding，andpossessedofastrongerhead，healreadyperceivesthatthisJohnBoldwillworkgreattroubleinBarchester。Heconsidersthatheistoberegardedasanenemy，andthinksthatheshouldnotbeadmittedintothecamponanythinglikefriendlyterms。AsJohnBoldwilloccupymuchofourattentionwemustendeavourtoexplainwhoheis，andwhyhetakesthepartofJohnHiram’sbedesmen。 JohnBoldisayoungsurgeon，whopassedmanyofhisboyishyearsatBarchester。HisfatherwasaphysicianinthecityofLondon，wherehemadeamoderatefortune，whichheinvestedinhousesinthatcity。TheDragonofWantlyinnandposting- housebelongedtohim，alsofourshopsintheHighStreet，andamoietyofthenewrowofgenteelvillas(socalledintheadvertisements)，builtoutsidethetownjustbeyondHiram’sHospital。TooneoftheseDrBoldretiredtospendtheeveningofhislife，andtodie；andherehissonJohnspenthisholidays，andafterwardshisChristmasvacationwhenhewentfromschooltostudysurgeryintheLondonhospitals。 JustasJohnBoldwasentitledtowritehimselfsurgeonandapothecary，oldDrBolddied，leavinghisBarchesterpropertytohisson，andacertainsuminthethreepercents。tohisdaughterMary，whoissomefourorfiveyearsolderthanherbrother。 JohnBolddeterminedtosettlehimselfatBarchester，andlookafterhisownproperty，aswellasthebonesandbodiesofsuchofhisneighboursaswouldcalluponhimforassistanceintheirtroubles。Hethereforeputupalargebrassplatewith’JohnBold，Surgeon’onit，tothegreatdisgustoftheninepractitionerswhowerealreadytryingtogetalivingoutofthebishop，dean，andcanons；andbeganhouse-keepingwiththeaidofhissister。Atthistimehewasnotmorethantwenty- fouryearsold；andthoughhehasnowbeenthreeyearsinBarchester，wehavenotheardthathehasdonemuchharmtothenineworthypractitioners。Indeed，theirdreadofhimhasdiedaway；forinthreeyearshehasnottakenthreefees。 Nevertheless，JohnBoldisacleverman，andwould，withpractice，beacleversurgeon；buthehasgotquiteintoanotherlineoflife。Havingenoughtoliveon，hehasnotbeenforcedtoworkforbread；hehasdeclinedtosubjecthimselftowhathecallsthedrudgeryoftheprofession，bywhich，Ibelieve，hemeansthegeneralworkofapractisingsurgeon；andhasfoundotheremployment。Hefrequentlybindsupthebruisesandsetsthelimbsofsuchofthepoorerclassesasprofesshiswayofthinking——butthishedoesforlove。NowIwillnotsaythatthearchdeaconisstrictlycorrectinstigmatisingJohnBoldasademagogue，forIhardlyknowhowextrememustbeaman’sopinionsbeforehecanbejustlysocalled；butBoldisastrongreformer。Hispassionisthereformofallabuses； stateabuses，churchabuses，corporationabuses(hehasgothimselfelectedatowncouncillorofBarchester，andhassoworriedthreeconsecutivemayors，thatitbecamesomewhatdifficulttofindafourth)，abusesinmedicalpractice，andgeneralabusesintheworldatlarge。Boldisthoroughlysincereinhispatrioticendeavourstomendmankind，andthereissomethingtobeadmiredintheenergywithwhichhedevoteshimselftoremedyingevilandstoppinginjustice；butIfearthatheistoomuchimbuedwiththeideathathehasaspecialmissionforreforming。Itwouldbewellifonesoyounghadalittlemorediffidencehimself，andmoretrustinthehonestpurposesofothers——ifhecouldbebroughttobelievethatoldcustomsneednotnecessarilybeevil，andthatchangesmaypossiblybedangerous；butno，Boldhasalltheardourandalltheself-assuranceofaDanton，andhurlshisanathemasagainsttime-honouredpracticeswiththeviolenceofaFrenchJacobin。 NowonderthatDrGrantlyshouldregardBoldasafirebrand，falling，ashehasdone，almostinthecentreofthequietancientcloseofBarchesterCathedral。DrGrantlywouldhavehimavoidedastheplague；buttheoldDoctorandMrHardingwerefastfriends。YoungJohnnyBoldusedtoplayasaboyonMrHarding’slawn；hehasmanyatimewontheprecentor’sheartbylisteningwithraptattentiontohissacredstrains；andsincethosedays，totellthetruthatonce，hehasnearlywonanotherheartwithinthesamewalls。 EleanorHardinghasnotplightedhertrothtoJohnBold，norhasshe，perhaps，ownedtoherselfhowdeartohertheyoungreformeris；butshecannotendurethatanyoneshouldspeakharshlyofhim。Shedoesnotdaretodefendhimwhenherbrother-in-lawissoloudagainsthim；forshe，likeherfather，issomewhatafraidofDrGrantly；butsheisbeginninggreatlytodislikethearchdeacon。Shepersuadesherfatherthatitwouldbebothunjustandinjudicioustobanishhisyoungfriendbecauseofhispolitics；shecareslittletogotohouseswhereshewillnotmeethim，and，infact，sheisinlove。 NoristhereanygoodreasonwhyEleanorHardingshouldnotloveJohnBold。Hehasallthosequalitieswhicharelikelytotouchagirl’sheart。Heisbrave，eager，andamusing； well-madeandgood-looking；youngandenterprising；hischaracterisinallrespectsgood；hehassufficientincometosupportawife；heisherfather’sfriend；and，aboveall，heisinlovewithher:thenwhyshouldnotEleanorHardingbeattachedtoJohnBold？ DrGrantly，whohasasmanyeyesasArgus，andhaslongseenhowthewindblowsinthatdirection，thinkstherearevariousstrongreasonswhythisshouldnotbeso。Hehasnotthoughtitwiseasyettospeaktohisfather-in-lawonthesubject，forheknowshowfoolishlyindulgentisMrHardingineverythingthatconcernshisdaughter；buthehasdiscussedthematterwithhisall-trustedhelpmate，withinthatsacredrecessformedbytheclericalbed-curtainsatPlumsteadEpiscopi。