第14章

Itwassoonknown，bothathome，wherehelived，andwithinsomemilesofBarchesterCathedral，andalsoatWestminster，wherehewasatschool，thatyoungHenrycouldboxwellandwouldneverownhimselfbeat；otherboyswouldfightwhiletheyhadalegtostandon，buthewouldfightwithnolegatall。Thosebackinghimwouldsometimesthinkhimcrushedbytheweightofblowsandfaintwithlossofblood，andhisfriendswouldendeavourtowithdrawhimfromthecontest；butno，Henrynevergavein，wasneverwearyofthebattle。Theringwastheonlyelementinwhichheseemedtoenjoyhimself；andwhileotherboyswerehappyinthenumberoftheirfriends，herejoicedmostinthemultitudeofhisfoes。 Hisrelationscouldnotbutadmirehispluck，buttheysometimeswereforcedtoregretthathewasinclinedtobeabully；andthosenotsopartialtohimashisfatherwas，observedwithpainthat，thoughhecouldfawntothemastersandthearchdeacon’sfriends，hewasimperiousandmasterfultotheservantsandthepoor。 ButperhapsSamuelwasthegeneralfavourite；anddearlittleSoapy，ashewasfamiliarlycalled，wasasengagingachildaseverfondmotherpetted。Hewassoftandgentleinhismanners，andattractiveinhisspeech；thetoneofhisvoicewasmelody，andeveryactionwasagrace；unlikehisbrothers，hewascourteoustoall，hewasaffabletothelowly，andmeekeventotheveryscullery-maid。Hewasaboyofgreatpromise，mindinghisbooksanddelightingtheheartsofhismasters。 Hisbrothers，however，werenotparticularlyfondofhim；theywouldcomplaintotheirmotherthatSoapy’scivilityallmeantsomething；theythoughtthathisvoicewastoooftenlistenedtoatPlumsteadEpiscopi，andevidentlyfearedthat，ashegrewup，hewouldhavemoreweightinthehousethaneitherofthem；therewas，therefore，asortofagreementamongthemtoputyoungSoapydown。This，however，wasnotsoeasytobedone；Samuel，thoughyoung，wassharp；hecouldnotassumethestiffdecorumofCharlesJames，norcouldhefightlikeHenry；buthewasaperfectmasterofhisownweapons，andcontrived，intheteethofbothofthem，toholdtheplacewhichhehadassumed。Henrydeclaredthathewasafalse，cunningcreature；andCharlesJames，thoughhealwaysspokeofhimashisdearbrotherSamuel，wasnotslowtosayawordagainsthimwhenopportunityoffered。Tospeakthetruth，Samuelwasacunningboy，andthoseevenwholovedhimbestcouldnotbutownthatforonesoyounghewastooadroitinchoosinghiswords，andtooskilledinmodulatinghisvoice。 ThetwolittlegirlsFlorindaandGrizzelwerenicelittlegirlsenough，buttheydidnotpossessthestrongsterlingqualitiesoftheirbrothers；theirvoiceswerenotoftenheardatPlumsteadEpiscopi；theywerebashfulandtimidbynature，slowtospeakbeforecompanyevenwhenaskedtodoso；andthoughtheylookedveryniceintheircleanwhitemuslinfrocksandpinksashes，theywerebutlittlenoticedbythearchdeacon’svisitors。 Whateverofsubmissivehumilitymayhaveappearedinthegaitandvisageofthearchdeaconduringhiscolloquywithhiswifeinthesanctumoftheirdressing-roomswasdispelledasheenteredhisbreakfast-parlourwitherectheadandpowerfulstep。Inthepresenceofathirdpersonheassumedthelordandmaster；andthatwiseandtalentedladytoowellknewthemantowhomherlotforlifewasbound，tostretchherauthoritybeyondthepointatwhichitwouldbeborne。 StrangersatPlumsteadEpiscopi，whentheysawtheimperiousbrowwithwhichhecommandedsilencefromthelargecircleofvisitors，children，andservantswhocametogetherinthemorningtohearhimreadthewordofGod，andwatchedhowmeeklythatwifeseatedherselfbehindherbasketofkeyswithalittlegirloneachside，asshecaughtthatcommandingglance；strangers，Isay，seeingthis，couldlittleguessthatsomefifteenminutessinceshehadstoutlyheldhergroundagainsthim，hardlyallowinghimtoopenhismouthinhisowndefence。 Butsuchisthetactandtalentofwomen！ Andnowletusobservethewell-furnishedbreakfast-parlouratPlumsteadEpiscopi，andthecomfortableairofallthebelongingsoftherectory。Comfortabletheycertainlywere，butneithergorgeousnorevengrand；indeed，consideringthemoneythathadbeenspentthere，theeyeandtastemighthavebeenbetterserved；therewasanairofheavinessabouttheroomswhichmighthavebeenavoidedwithoutanysacrificeofpropriety；coloursmighthavebeenbetterchosenandlightsmoreperfectlydiffused；butperhapsindoingsothethoroughclericalaspectofthewholemighthavebeensomewhatmarred；atanyrate，itwasnotwithoutampleconsiderationthatthosethick，dark，costlycarpetswereputdown；thoseembossed，butsombrepapershungup；thoseheavycurtainsdrapedsoastohalfexcludethelightofthesun:norweretheseold-fashionedchairs，boughtatapricefarexceedingthatnowgivenformoremoderngoods，withoutapurpose。Thebreakfast-serviceonthetablewasequallycostlyandequallyplain；theapparentobjecthadbeentospendmoneywithoutobtainingbrilliancyorsplendour。 Theurnwasofthickandsolidsilver，aswerealsothetea-pot，coffee-pot，cream-ewer，andsugar-bowl；thecupswereold，dimdragonchina，worthaboutapoundapiece，butverydespicableintheeyesoftheuninitiated。Thesilverforksweresoheavyastobedisagreeabletothehand，andthebread-basketwasofaweightreallyformidabletoanybutrobustpersons。Theteaconsumedwastheverybest，thecoffeetheveryblackest，thecreamtheverythickest；therewasdrytoastandbutteredtoast，muffinsandcrumpets；hotbreadandcoldbread，whitebreadandbrownbread，home-madebreadandbakers’ bread，wheatenbreadandoatenbread；andiftherebeotherbreadsthanthese，theywerethere；therewereeggsinnapkins，andcrispybitsofbaconundersilvercovers；andtherewerelittlefishesinalittlebox，anddevilledkidneysfrizzlingonahot-waterdish；which，bythebye，wereplacedcloselycontiguoustotheplateoftheworthyarchdeaconhimself。 Overandabovethis，onasnow-whitenapkin，spreaduponthesideboard，wasahugehamandahugesirloin；thelatterhavingladenthedinnertableonthepreviousevening。SuchwastheordinaryfareatPlumsteadEpiscopi。 AndyetIhaveneverfoundtherectoryapleasanthouse。 Thefactthatmanshallnotlivebybreadaloneseemedtobesomewhatforgotten；andnobleaswastheappearanceofthehost，andsweetandgood-naturedaswasthefaceofthehostess，talentedaswerethechildren，andexcellentasweretheviandsandthewines，inspiteoftheseattractions，Igenerallyfoundtherectorysomewhatdull。Afterbreakfastthearchdeaconwouldretire，ofcoursetohisclericalpursuits。MrsGrantly，Ipresume，inspectedherkitchen，thoughshehadafirst-ratehousekeeper，withsixtypoundsayear；andattendedtothelessonsofFlorindaandGrizzel，thoughshehadanexcellentgovernesswiththirtypoundsayear:butatanyrateshedisappeared:andInevercouldmakecompanionsoftheboys。CharlesJames，thoughhealwayslookedasthoughtherewassomethinginhim，neverseemedtohavemuchtosay；andwhathedidsayhewouldalwaysunsaythenextminute。Hetoldmeoncethatheconsideredcricket，onthewhole，tobeagentlemanlikegameforboys，providedtheywouldplaywithoutrunningabout；andthatfives，also，wasaseemlygame，sothatthosewhoplayeditneverheatedthemselves。 HenryoncequarrelledwithmefortakinghissisterGrizzel’spartinacontestbetweenthemastothebestmodeofusingawatering-potforthegardenflowers；andfromthatdaytothishehasnotspokentome，thoughhespeaksatmeoftenenough。ForhalfanhourorsoIcertainlydidlikeSammy’sgentlespeeches；butonegetstiredofhoney，andI foundthathepreferredthemoreadmiringlistenerswhomhemetinthekitchen-gardenandbackprecinctsoftheestablishment； besides，IthinkIoncecaughtSammyfibbing。 Onthewhole，therefore，Ifoundtherectoryadullhouse，thoughitmustbeadmittedthateverythingtherewasoftheverybest。 Afterbreakfast，onthemorningofwhichwearewriting，thearchdeacon，asusual，retiredtohisstudy，intimatingthathewasgoingtobeverybusy，butthathewouldseeMrChadwickifhecalled。Onenteringthissacredroomhecarefullyopenedthepapercaseonwhichhewaswonttocomposehisfavouritesermons，andspreadonitafairsheetofpaperandonepartlywrittenon；hethenplacedhisinkstand，lookedathispen，andfoldedhisblottingpaper；havingdoneso，hegotupagainfromhisseat，stoodwithhisbacktothefire-place，andyawnedcomfortably，stretchingoutvastlyhishugearmsandopeninghisburlychest。Hethenwalkedacrosstheroomandlockedthedoor；andhavingsopreparedhimself，hethrewhimselfintohiseasy-chair，tookfromasecretdrawerbeneathhistableavolumeofRabelais，andbegantoamusehimselfwiththewittymischiefofPanurge；andsopassedthearchdeacon’smorningonthatday。 Hewasleftundisturbedathisstudiesforanhourortwo，whenaknockcametothedoor，andMrChadwickwasannounced。 Rabelaisretiredintothesecretdrawer，theeasy-chairseemedknowinglytobetakeitselfoff，andwhenthearchdeaconquicklyundidhisbolt，hewasdiscoveredbythestewardworking，asusual，forthatchurchofwhichhewassousefulapillar。 MrChadwickhadjustcomefromLondon，andwas，therefore，knowntobethebearerofimportantnews。 ’We’vegotSirAbraham’sopinionatlast，’saidMrChadwick，asheseatedhimself。 ’Well，well，well！’exclaimedthearchdeaconimpatiently。 ’Oh，it’saslongasmyarm，’saidtheother；’itcan’tbetoldinaword，butyoucanreadit’；andhehandedhimacopy，inheavenknowshowmanyspun-outfolios，oftheopinionwhichtheattorney-generalhadmanagedtocramonthebackandsidesofthecaseasoriginallysubmittedtohim。 ’Theupshotis，’saidChadwick，’thatthere’sascrewlooseintheircase，andwehadbetterdonothing。TheyareproceedingagainstMrHardingandmyself，andSirAbrahamholdsthat，underthewordingofthewill，andsubsequentarrangementslegallysanctioned，MrHardingandIareonlypaidservants。 ThedefendantsshouldhavebeeneithertheCorporationofBarchester，orpossiblythechapterofyourfather。’ ’W-hoo！’saidthearchdeacon；’soMasterBoldisonthewrongscent，ishe？’ ’That’sSirAbraham’sopinion；butanyscentalmostwouldbeawrongscent。SirAbrahamthinksthatifthey’dtakenthecorporation，orthechapter，wecouldhavebaffledthem。Thebishop，hethinks，wouldbethesurestshot；buteventherewecouldpleadthatthebishopisonlyavisitor，andthathehasnevermadehimselfaconsentingpartytotheperformanceofotherduties。’ ’That’squiteclear，’saidthearchdeacon。