FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148  
149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   >>   >|  
d that the solution of the mystery must in any case be discreditable to all concerned. "I wonder, my dear," the Rector said to his wife, "whether Mr Sharnall has the means to entertain the Bishop properly." "Properly!" said Mrs Parkyn--"properly! I think the whole proceeding entirely improper. Do you mean has Mr Sharnall money enough to purchase a proper repast? I should say certainly not. Or has he proper plates or forks or spoons, or a proper room in which to eat? Of course he has not. Or do you mean can he get things properly cooked? Who is to do it? There is only feckless old Miss Joliffe and her stuck-up niece." The Canon was much perturbed by the vision of discomfort which his wife had called up. "The Bishop ought to be spared as much as _possible_," he said; "we ought to do all we _can_ to save him annoyance. What do you think? Should we not put up with a little inconvenience, and ask Sharnall to bring the Bishop here, and lunch himself? He must know perfectly well that entertaining a Bishop in a lodging-house is an unheard-of thing, and he would do to make up the sixth instead of old Noot. We could easily tell Noot he was not wanted." "Sharnall is such a disreputable creature," Mrs Parkyn answered; "he is quite as likely as not to come tipsy; and, if he does not, he has no _breeding_ or education, and would scarcely understand polite conversation." "You forget, my dear, that the Bishop is already pledged to lunch with Mr Sharnall, so that we should not be held responsible for introducing him. And Sharnall has managed to pick up some sort of an education--I can't imagine where; but I found on one occasion that he could understand a little Latin. It was the Blandamer motto, `_Aut Fynes, aut finis_.' He may have been told what it meant, but he certainly seemed to know. Of course, no real knowledge of Latin can be obtained without a _University_ education"--and the Rector pulled up his tie and collar--"but still chemists and persons of that sort do manage to get a smattering of it." "Well, well, I don't suppose we are going to talk Latin all through lunch," interrupted his wife. "You can do precisely as you please about asking him." The Rector contented himself with the permission, however ungraciously accorded, and found himself a little later in Mr Sharnall's room. "Mrs Parkyn was hoping that she might have prevailed on you to lunch with us on the day of the Confirmation. She
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148  
149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Sharnall
 

Bishop

 

proper

 

education

 

Rector

 
Parkyn
 
properly
 

understand

 
occasion
 

solution


Blandamer

 

introducing

 
responsible
 

pledged

 
managed
 

knowledge

 
imagine
 
discreditable
 

mystery

 

obtained


ungraciously

 

accorded

 

permission

 

contented

 

Confirmation

 

prevailed

 

hoping

 

precisely

 

interrupted

 

chemists


persons

 
collar
 

University

 

pulled

 

manage

 
smattering
 

suppose

 
forget
 

conversation

 
cooked

called
 

purchase

 
spared
 
annoyance
 

inconvenience

 

improper

 
Should
 

discomfort

 
Joliffe
 

feckless