Framley Parsonage

position. He had not well left Mr Sowerby's room before he felt certain that at the end of three months he would again be troubled about that 400L. As he went along the passage, all t

t least of that heavy payment. Why had he come to this horrid place? Had he not everything at home at Framley at which the heart of man could desire? No; the heart of man can desire deaneries - the heart, that is, of the man vicar; and the heart of the man dean can desire bishoprics; and before the eyes of the man bishop does there not loom the tra

all go thi

we shan't meet till the spring. As to my going to Framley, that's out of the question. He

he had made his bargain - as he had undertaken to pay nearly half a year's income for his dear friend - ought he not to have as much value as possible for his money? If the dear friendship of this flash member of Parliament did not represent that value, what else did so? But then he felt, or fancied that he felt, that Mr Sowerby did not

he 70L- as Lady Lufton had said rather injudiciously; and by keeping Jones in the parish he would be acting charitably to a brother clergyman, and would also place himself in a more independent position. Lady Lufton had wished to see her pet clergyman well-to-do and comfortable; but now, as matters had turned out, she much regretted this affair of the curate. Mr Jones, she said to herself more than once, must be made to depart from Framley. He had given his wife a pony-carriage, and for

thcoming. As to any assistance in the matter from Sowerby - of that he gave himself no promise. But he almost felt himself happy again as his wife came out into the porch to meet him with a silk shawl over her head, and pretending to shiver as she watched him descending from his gig. 'My dear old man,' she said, as she led him into the warm drawing-room with all his wrappings still around him, 'you must be st

ently, old boy,'- Frank was his eldest

wo of them, they are so strong,' said the proud

you se

time to stop the Merediths. They don't go till tomorrow, so you will meet them after all. Sir George

spirit

ufton's horses are coming, and

l Ma

er what has brought it all about?' Mark knew very well what had brought it about; he had been made acquainted, as the reader has also, with the pric

g now,' continued Fanny; 'so you need s

gry when she first h

own room upstairs - Justinia and I. She had heard something else that she did not

manner of th

like the duke; and for the matter of that, nei

not so bad as

n't come here to trouble us, I suppose. And then I left her, not in

said Mark, pressing h

ust closed it, but in came her ladyship - all alone, and - But I can't tell you what she did or said, only she behaved beautifully; just like herself

according to you and Lady Lufton,' said he, re

kedness and dissipation, I believe it's not far wrong. But get off your big coat and make yourself comfortab

rd; they found also Lady Lufton still in high good-humour. Lord Lufton himself was a fine, bright-looking young man; not as tall as Mark Robarts, and with perhaps less intelligence marked on his face; b

case; that he was, in very truth, already 'himself in bonds under Philistian yoke'. Alas, alas, it is very hard to break asunder the bonds of the latter-day Philistines. When a Samso

vicar had been lately staying; but she said no word that was personal to him himself, or that could be taken as a reproach. The little episode of Mrs Proudie's address in the lecture-room had already reached Framley, and it was only to be expected that Lady Lufton should enjoy the joke.

ve-pound note to have he

s Mr Robarts now tells it, one can hardly help laughing. But it would me great pain to see th

ton. 'It must have been good fun. As it did happen, you know,- as t

ld have been sh

a bull-fight, I suppose - horrible to see, no doubt, but extremely

very long, you kn

Lady Meredith; 'how did he

was asleep

rough it all?'

d then he jumped up

out lou

ne word

s in the diocese before him, it is perfectly shocking. He confirmed you, Ludovic, and you ou

he old man particularly called my attention to them, and seemed remarkably pleased that I concu

to do her best for you if you wi

of Mark's visitings. As Sir George Meredith was there, Robarts could say nothing then to Lord Lufton about M

diths will be off at twelve, and then we can have an hour together.'

said Fanny, as soon as they w

But did you ever know anything so bitter as she is to

f the bishop's wife. And you know, Mark, it was so unladylike, her ge

see, the people of

everything was so pleasant. How all of this would have been changed had she known of that little bill! At twelve the next morning the lord and the vicar were walking through the Framley stables together. Quite a commotion had been made there, for the larger portion of those buildings had been of late years seldom been used. But now all was crowding and activity. Seven or eight precious animals had followed Lord Lufton from Leicestershire, and all of them required dimensions that were thought to be rather excessive

with old Sowerby,' Ro

; yes, but do you

ou have paid five

in which I did not really owe one shilling. Whateve

think he was u

er has paid the money to save the property, and of course I must pay her back. But I think I may promise that I wi

tell you that I have put my name to a

u're joking; a man in your posit

.' Lord Lufton gave

making a great favour of it, and declaring t

pocket-books of the Jews are stuffed full of his dishonoured paper

e cert

hat d

e mon

ght where you are

time. The bankers must renew it for me, and I must pay it

en told him about the projected marriage with Miss Dunstable, giving

h as you, will not get a shilling.' Poor Mark! He had an inkling of this before; but it had hardly presented itself to him in such certain terms. It was then, a positive fact, that in punishment for his weakness in having signed the bill he would have to pay, not only four hundred pounds, but four hundred poun

was he to t