England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Short stories, English
"That fine place out yonder?" he cried, stopping to point to a large
stone house half-a-mile off the road, partly hidden amidst its beautiful
grounds. "I ought to know whose it is. Let me see!"
"It is Sir Robert Tenby's seat--Bellwood. Your landlord, sir."
"Ay, to be sure--Bellwood. In my time it was Sir George's, though."
"Sir George died five or six years ago."
"Has Sir Robert any family? He must be middle-aged now."
"I think he is forty-five, or so. He is not married."
"Does he chiefly live here?"
"About half his time; the rest he spends at his house in London, He
lives very quietly. We all like Sir Robert."
We sat in the Rector's pew, having it to ourselves. Herbert Tanerton
did the duty, and gave a good sermon. Nobody was yet appointed to the
vacant living, which was in Sir Hubert Tenby's gift. Herbert, meanwhile,
took charge of the parish, and many people thought he would get it--as
he did, later.
The Bellwood pew faced the Rector's, and Sir Robert sat in it alone. A
fine-looking man, with greyish hair, and a homely face that you took to
at once. He seemed to pay the greatest attention to Herbert Tanerton's
sermon; possibly was deliberating whether he was worthy of the living,
or not. In the pew behind him sat Mrs. Macbean, an old lady who had
been housekeeper at Bellwood during two generations; and the Bellwood
servants sat further down.
We were talking to Herbert Tanerton outside the church after service,
when Sir Robert came up and spoke to the parson. He, Herbert, introduced
Dr. Lewis to him as the late Rector's brother. Sir Robert shook hands
with him at once, smiled pleasantly at Anne, and nodded to me as he
continued his way.
"Do you like your house?" asked Herbert.
"I shall like it by-and-by, no doubt," was the doctor's answer. "I
should like it now, but for the paint. The smell is dreadful."
"Oh, that will soon go off," cried Herbert.
"Yes, I hope so: or I fear it will make me ill."
In going back we took Crabb Ravine, and were at home in no time. They
asked me to stay dinner, and I did so. We had a loin of lamb, and a
raspberry tart, if any one is curious to know. Dr. Lewis had taken
a fancy to me: I don't know why, unless it was that he had liked my
father; and I'm sure I had taken one to them. But the paint did smell
badly, and that's the truth.
In all my days I don't think I ever saw a man so incapable as Dr. Lewis;
so helpless in the common affairs of life. What he would have done
without Anne, I know not. He was just fit to sit down and be led like a
child; to have said to him--Come here, go there; do this, do the other.
Therefore, when he asked me to run in in the morning and see if he
wanted anything, I was not surprised. Anne thought he might be glad of
my shoulder to lean upon when he walked about the garden.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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