Clergy -- England -- Fiction; Detective and mystery stories
On Sunday evening she arrayed herself in her best garments, and putting
on this ring, told her mother that she was going to church. At first Mrs
Mosk feebly objected, as her husband was away in Southberry and would
not be back all night; but as Bell declared that she wanted some
amusement after working hard at pulling beer all the week, Mrs Mosk gave
way. She did not approve of Bell's mention of evening service as
amusement, but she did approve of her going to church, so when the young
lady had exhibited herself to the invalid in all her finery, she went
away in the greatest good-humour. As the evening was hot, she had put on
a dress of pale blue muslin adorned with white ribbons, a straw hat with
many flowers and feathers, and to finish off her costume, her gloves and
shoes and sunshade were white. As these cool colours rather toned down
the extreme red of her healthy complexion, she really looked very well;
and when Gabriel saw her seated in a pew near the pulpit, behaving as
demurely as a cat that is after cream, he could not but think how pretty
and pious she was. It was probably the first time that piety had ever
been associated with Bell's character, although she was not a bad girl
on the whole; but that Gabriel should gift her with such a quality
showed how green and innocent he was as regards the sex.
The church in which he preached was an ancient building at the foot of
the hill, crowned by the cathedral. It was built of rough, grey stone,
in the Norman style of architecture, and very little had been done to
adorn it either within or without, as the worshippers were few and poor,
and Low Church in their tendencies. Those who liked pomp and colour and
ritual could find all three in the minster, so there was no necessity to
hold elaborate services in this grey, cold, little chapel. In her heart
Bell preferred the cathedral with its music and choir, its many
celebrants and fashionable congregation, but out of diplomacy she came
to sit under Gabriel and follow him as her spiritual guide.
Nevertheless, she thought less of him in this capacity, than as a future
husband likely to raise her to a position worthy of her beauty and
merits, of both of which she entertained a most excellent opinion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account