按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the canine members of the family； which tells that the visitor is on
the best terms with the visited。 The young gentleman was Arthur
Donnithorne； known in Hayslope； variously； as “the young
squire；” “the heir；” and “the captain。” He was only a captain in the
Loamshire Militia； but to the Hayslope tenants he was more
intensely a captain than all the young gentlemen of the same rank
in his Majesty’s regulars—he outshone them as the planet Jupiter
outshines the Milky Way。 If you want to know more particularly
how he looked； call to your remembrance some tawny…whiskered；
brown…locked； clear…complexioned young Englishman whom you
have met with in a foreign town； and been proud of as a fellow…
countryman—well…washed； high…bred； white…handed； yet looking
as if he could deliver well from ’the left shoulder and floor his
man： I will not be so much of a tailor as to trouble your
imagination with the difference of costume； and insist on the
striped waistcoat； long…tailed coat； and low top…boots。
Turning round to take a chair； Captain Donnithorne said； “But
don’t let me interrupt Joshua’s business—he has something to
say。”
“Humbly begging your honour’s pardon；” said Joshua； bowing
low； “there was one thing I had to say to his reverence as other
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 82…
Adam Bede 82
things had drove out o’ my head。”
“Out with it； Joshua； quickly！” said Mr。 Irwine。
“Belike； sir； you havena heared as Thias Bede’s dead—
drownded this morning； or more like overnight； i’ the Willow
Brook； again’ the bridge right i’ front o’ the house。”
“Ah！” exclaimed both the gentlemen at once； as if they were a
good deal interested in the information。
“An’ Seth Bede’s been to me this morning to say he wished me
to tell Your Reverence as his brother Adam begged of you
particular t’ allow his father’s grave to be dug by the White Thorn；
because his mother’s set her heart on it； on account of a dream as
she had； an’ they’d ha’ come theirselves to ask you； but they’ve so
much to see after with the crowner； an’ that； an’ their mother’s
took on so； an’ wants ’em to make sure o’ the spot for fear
somebody else should take it。 An’ if Your Reverence sees well and
good； I’ll send my boy to tell ’em as soon as I get home； an’ that’s
why I make bold to trouble you wi’ it； His Honour being present。”
“To be sure； Joshua； to be sure； they shall have it。 I’ll ride round
to Adam myself； and see him。 Send your boy； however； to say they
shall have the grave； lest anything should happen to detain me。
And now； good morning； Joshua； go into the kitchen and have
some ale。”
“Poor old Thias！” said Mr。 Irwine； when Joshua was gone。 “I’m
afraid the drink helped the brook to drown him。 I should have
been glad for the load to have been taken off my friend Adam’s
shoulders in a less painful way。 That fine fellow has been propping
up his father from ruin for the last five or six years。”
“He’s a regular trump； is Adam；” said Captain Donnithorne。
“When I was a little fellow； and Adam was a strapping lad of
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 83…
Adam Bede 83
fifteen； and taught me carpentering； I used to think if ever I was a
rich sultan； I would make Adam my grand…vizier。 And I believe
now he would bear the exaltation as well as any poor wise man in
an Eastern story。 If ever I live to be a large…acred man instead of a
poor devil with a mortgaged allowance of pocket…money； I’ll have
Adam for my right hand。 He shall manage my woods for me； for he
seems to have a better notion of those things than any man I ever
met with； and I know he would make twice the money of them that
my grandfather does； with that miserable old Satchell to manage；
who understands no more about timber than an old carp。 I’ve
mentioned the subject to my grandfather once or twice； but for
some reason or other he has a dislike to Adam； and I can do
nothing。 But come； Your Reverence； are you for a ride with me？
It’s splendid out of doors now。 We can go to Adam’s together； if
you like； but I want to call at the Hall Farm on my way； to look at
the whelps Poyser is keeping for me。”
“You must stay and have lunch first； Arthur；” said Mrs。 Irwine。
“It’s nearly two。 Carroll will bring it in directly。”
“I want to go to the Hall Farm too；” said Mr。 Irwine； “to have
another look at the little Methodist who is staying there。 Joshua
tells me she was preaching on the Green last night。”
“Oh； by Jove！” said Captain Donnithorne； laughing。 “Why； she
looks as quiet as a mouse。 There’s something rather striking about
her； though。 I positively felt quite bashful the first time I saw her—
she was sitting stooping over her sewing in the sunshine outside
the house； when I rode up and called out； without noticing that she
was a stranger； ‘Is Martin Poyser at home？’ I declare； when she
got up and looked at me and just said； ‘He’s in the house； I believe：
I’ll go and call him；’ I felt quite ashamed of having spoken so
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 84…
Adam Bede 84
abruptly to her。 She looked like St。 Catherine in a Quaker dress。
It’s a type of face one rarely sees among our common people。”
“I should like to see the young woman； Dauphin；” said Mrs。
Irwine。 “Make her come here on some pretext or other。”
“I don’t know how I can manage that； Mother； it will hardly do
for me to patronise a Methodist preacher； even if she would
consent to be patronised by an idle shepherd； as Will Maskery
calls me。 You should have come in a little sooner； Arthur； to hear
Joshua’s denunciation of his neighbour Will Maskery。 The old
fellow wants me to excommunicate the wheelwright； and then
deliver him over to the civil arm—that is to say； to your
grandfather—to be turned out of house and yard。 If I chose to
interfere in this business； now； I might get up as pretty a story of
hatred and persecution as the Methodists need desire to publish in
the next number of their magazine。 It wouldn’t take me much
trouble to persuade Chad Cranage and half a dozen other bull…
headed fellows that they would be doing an acceptable service to
the Church by hunting Will Maskery out of the village with rope…
ends and pitchforks； and then； when I had furnished them with
half a sovereign to get gloriously drunk after their exertions； I
should have put the climax to as pretty a farce as any of my
brother clergy have set going in their parishes for the last thirty
years。”
“It is really insolent of the man； though； to call you an ‘idle
shepherd’ and a ‘dumb dog；’” said Mrs。 Irwine。 “I should be
inclined to check him a little there。 You are too easy…tempered；
Dauphin。”
“Why； Mother； you don’t think it would be a good way of
sustaining my dignity to set about vindicating myself from the
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 85…
Adam Bede 85
aspersions of Will Maskery？ Besides； I’m not so sure that they are
aspersions。 I am a lazy fellow； and get terribly heavy in my saddle；
not to mention that I’m always spending more than I can afford in
bricks and mortar； so that I get savag