第262章

'You probably do not remember me, Mr Crawley?' said the major. 'I am Major Grantly.' Mrs Crawley, who heard these words inside the room, sprang up from her chair, and could hardly resist the temptation to rush into the passage. She too had barely seen Major Grantly; and now the only bright gleam which appeared on her horizon depended on his constancy under circumstances which would have justified his inconstancy. But had he meant to be inconstant, surely he would never have come to Hogglestock!'

'I remember you well, sir,' said Mr Crawley. 'I am under no common obligation to you. You are at present one of my bailsmen.'

'There's nothing in that,' said the major.

Mr Thumble had caught the name of Grantly, took off his hat, which he had put on his head. He had not been particular in keeping off his hat before Mr Crawley. But he knew well that Archdeacon Grantly was a big man in the diocese; and though the Grantlys and the Proudies were opposed to each other, still it might be well to take off his hat before anyone who had to do with the big ones of the diocese. 'I hope your respected father is well, sir?' said Mr Thumble.

'Pretty well, I thank you.' The major stood close up against the wall of the passage, so as to allow room for Mr Thumble to pass out. His business was one on which he could hardly begin to speak until the visitor had gone. Mr Crawley was standing with the door wide open in his hand. He also was anxious to be rid of Mr Thumble--and was perhaps not so solicitous as a brother clergyman should have touching the future fate of Mr Thumble in the matter of the bishop's old cob.

'Really, I don't know what to do as to getting upon him again,' said Mr Thumble.

'If you will allow him to progress slowly,' said Mr Crawley, 'he will probably travel with greater safety.'

'I don't know what you call slow, Mr Crawley. I was ever so much over two hours coming here from Barchester. He stumbled almost at every step.'

'Did he fall while you were on him?' asked the major.

'Indeed he did, sir. You never saw such a thing, Major Grantly. Look here.' Then Mr Thumble, turning round, showed that the rear portion of his clothes had not escaped without injury.

'It was well that he was not going fast, or you would have come on to your head,' said Grantly.

'It was a mercy,' said Thumble. 'But, sir, as it was, I came to the ground with much violence. It was on Spigglewick Hill, where the road is covered with loose stones. I see, sir, you have a gig and horse here, with a servant. Perhaps, as the circumstances are so very peculiar--'

Then Mr Thumble stopped, and looked up into the major's face with imploring eyes. But the major had no tenderness for such sufferings.

'I'm sorry to say that I am going quite the other way,' he said. 'I am returning to Silverbridge.'

Mr Thumble hesitated, and then made a renewed request. 'If you would not mind taking me to Silverbridge, I could get home from thence by railway; and perhaps you would allow your servant to take the horse to Barchester.'

Major Grantly was for a moment dumbfounded. 'The request is most unreasonable, sir.' said Mr Crawley.

'That is as Major Grantly pleases to look at it,' said Mr Thumble.

'I am sorry to say that it is quite out of my power,' said the major.

'You can surely walk, leading the beast, if you fear to mount him,' said Mr Crawley.

'I shall do as I please about that,' said Mr Thumble. 'And, Mr Crawley, if you will have the kindness to leave things in the parish just as they are--just as they are, I will be obliged to you. It is the bishop's wish that you should touch nothing.' Mr Thumble was by this time on the step, and Mr Crawley instantly slammed the door. 'The gentleman is a clergyman from Barchester,' said Mr Crawley, modestly folding his hands upon his breast, 'whom the bishop has sent over here to take upon himself temporarily the services of the church, and it appears, the duties also of the parish. I refrain from animadverting upon his lordship's choice.'

'And you are leaving Hogglestock?'

'When I have found a shelter for my wife and children I shall do so;nay, peradventure, I must do so before any such shelter can be found. Ishall proceed in that matter as I am bid. I am one who can regard myself as no longer possessing the privilege of free action in anything. But while I have a room at your service, permit me to ask you to enter it.'

Then Mr Crawley motioned him in with his hand, and Major Grantly found himself in the presence of Mrs Crawley and her younger daughter.

He looked at them both for a moment, and could trace much of the lines of that face which he loved so well. But the troubles of life had almost robbed the elder lady of her beauty; and with the younger, the awkward thinness of the last years of feminine childhood had not yet given place to the fulfilment of feminine grace. But the likeness in each was quite enough to make him feel that he ought to be at home in that room. He thought that he could love the woman as his mother, and the girl as his sister. He found it very difficult to begin any conversation in their presence, and yet it seemed to be his duty to begin. Mr Crawley had marshalled him into the room, and having done so, stood aside near the door. Mrs Crawley had received him very graciously, and having done so, seemed to be ashamed of her own hospitality. Poor Jane had shrunk back into a distant corner, near the open standing desk at which she was accustomed to read Greek to her father, and, of course, could not be expected to speak. If Major Grantly could have found himself alone with any one of the three--nay, if he could have been there with any two, he could have opened his budget at once; but, before all the family, he felt the difficulty of his situation. 'Mrs Crawley,' said he, 'I have been most anxious to make your acquaintance, and I trust you will excuse the liberty I have taken in calling.'