Chapter 4

PhilippartedfromEmmawithtears,butthejourneytoBlackstableamusedhim,and,whentheyarrived,hewasresignedandcheerful.BlackstablewassixtymilesfromLondon.Givingtheirluggagetoaporter,Mr.CareysetouttowalkwithPhiliptothevicarage;ittookthemlittlemorethanfiveminutes,and,whentheyreachedit,Philipsuddenlyrememberedthegate.Itwasredandfive-barred:itswungbothwaysoneasyhinges;anditwaspossible,thoughforbidden,toswingbackwardsandforwardsonit.Theywalkedthroughthegardentothefront-door.ThiswasonlyusedbyvisitorsandonSundays,andonspecialoccasions,aswhentheVicarwentuptoLondonorcameback.Thetrafficofthehousetookplacethroughaside-door,andtherewasabackdooraswellforthegardenerandforbeggarsandtramps.Itwasafairlylargehouseofyellowbrick,witharedroof,builtaboutfiveandtwentyyearsbeforeinanecclesiasticalstyle.Thefront-doorwaslikeachurchporch,andthedrawing-roomwindowsweregothic.

Mrs.Carey,knowingbywhattraintheywerecoming,waitedinthedrawing-roomandlistenedfortheclickofthegate.Whenshehearditshewenttothedoor.

「There』sAuntLouisa,」saidMr.Carey,whenhesawher.「Runandgiveherakiss.」

Philipstartedtorun,awkwardly,trailinghisclub-foot,andthenstopped.Mrs.Careywasalittle,shrivelledwomanofthesameageasherhusband,withafaceextraordinarilyfilledwithdeepwrinkles,andpaleblueeyes.Hergrayhairwasarrangedinringletsaccordingtothefashionofheryouth.Sheworeablackdress,andheronlyornamentwasagoldchain,fromwhichhungacross.Shehadashymannerandagentlevoice.

「Didyouwalk,William?」shesaid,almostreproachfully,asshekissedherhusband.

「Ididn』tthinkofit,」heanswered,withaglanceathisnephew.

「Itdidn』thurtyoutowalk,Philip,didit?」sheaskedthechild.

「No.Ialwayswalk.」

Hewasalittlesurprisedattheirconversation.AuntLouisatoldhimtocomein,andtheyenteredthehall.Itwaspavedwithredandyellowtiles,onwhichalternatelywereaGreekCrossandtheLambofGod.Animposingstaircaseledoutofthehall.Itwasofpolishedpine,withapeculiarsmell,andhadbeenputinbecausefortunately,whenthechurchwasreseated,enoughwoodremainedover.ThebalustersweredecoratedwithemblemsoftheFourEvangelists.

「I』vehadthestovelightedasIthoughtyou』dbecoldafteryourjourney,」saidMrs.Carey.

ItwasalargeblackstovethatstoodinthehallandwasonlylightediftheweatherwasverybadandtheVicarhadacold.ItwasnotlightedifMrs.Careyhadacold.Coalwasexpensive.Besides,MaryAnn,themaid,didn』tlikefiresallovertheplace.Iftheywantedallthemfirestheymustkeepasecondgirl.InthewinterMr.andMrs.Careylivedinthedining-roomsothatonefireshoulddo,andinthesummertheycouldnotgetoutofthehabit,sothedrawing-roomwasusedonlybyMr.CareyonSundayafternoonsforhisnap.ButeverySaturdayhehadafireinthestudysothathecouldwritehissermon.

AuntLouisatookPhilipupstairsandshowedhimintoatinybed-roomthatlookedoutonthedrive.Immediatelyinfrontofthewindowwasalargetree,whichPhiliprememberednowbecausethebranchesweresolowthatitwaspossibletoclimbquitehighupit.

「Asmallroomforasmallboy,」saidMrs.Carey.「Youwon』tbefrightenedatsleepingalone?」

「Oh,no.」

Onhisfirstvisittothevicaragehehadcomewithhisnurse,andMrs.Careyhadhadlittletodowithhim.Shelookedathimnowwithsomeuncertainty.

「Canyouwashyourownhands,orshallIwashthemforyou?」

「Icanwashmyself,」heansweredfirmly.

「Well,Ishalllookatthemwhenyoucomedowntotea,」saidMrs.Carey.

Sheknewnothingaboutchildren.AfteritwassettledthatPhilipshouldcomedowntoBlackstable,Mrs.Careyhadthoughtmuchhowsheshouldtreathim;shewasanxioustodoherduty;butnowhewasthereshefoundherselfjustasshyofhimashewasofher.Shehopedhewouldnotbenoisyandrough,becauseherhusbanddidnotlikeroughandnoisyboys.Mrs.CareymadeanexcusetoleavePhilipalone,butinamomentcamebackandknockedatthedoor;sheaskedhim,withoutcomingin,ifhecouldpouroutthewaterhimself.Thenshewentdownstairsandrangthebellfortea.

Thedining-room,largeandwell-proportioned,hadwindowsontwosidesofit,withheavycurtainsofredrep;therewasabigtableinthemiddle;andatoneendanimposingmahoganysideboardwithalooking-glassinit.Inonecornerstoodaharmonium.Oneachsideofthefireplacewerechairscoveredinstampedleather,eachwithanantimacassar;onehadarmsandwascalledthehusband,andtheotherhadnoneandwascalledthewife.Mrs.Careyneversatinthearm-chair:shesaidshepreferredachairthatwasnottoocomfortable;therewasalwaysalottodo,andifherchairhadhadarmsshemightnotbesoreadytoleaveit.

Mr.CareywasmakingupthefirewhenPhilipcamein,andhepointedouttohisnephewthatthereweretwopokers.Onewaslargeandbrightandpolishedandunused,andwascalledtheVicar;andtheother,whichwasmuchsmallerandhadevidentlypassedthroughmanyfires,wascalledtheCurate.

「Whatarewewaitingfor?」saidMr.Carey.

「ItoldMaryAnntomakeyouanegg.Ithoughtyou』dbehungryafteryourjourney.」

Mrs.CareythoughtthejourneyfromLondontoBlackstableverytiring.Sheseldomtravelledherself,forthelivingwasonlythreehundredayear,and,whenherhusbandwantedaholiday,sincetherewasnotmoneyfortwo,hewentbyhimself.HewasveryfondofChurchCongressesandusuallymanagedtogouptoLondononceayear;andoncehehadbeentoParisfortheexhibition,andtwoorthreetimestoSwitzerland.MaryAnnbroughtintheegg,andtheysatdown.ThechairwasmuchtoolowforPhilip,andforamomentneitherMr.Careynorhiswifeknewwhattodo.

「I』llputsomebooksunderhim,」saidMaryAnn.

ShetookfromthetopoftheharmoniumthelargeBibleandtheprayer-bookfromwhichtheVicarwasaccustomedtoreadprayers,andputthemonPhilip』schair.

「Oh,William,hecan』tsitontheBible,」saidMrs.Carey,inashockedtone.「Couldn』tyougethimsomebooksoutofthestudy?」

Mr.Careyconsideredthequestionforaninstant.

「Idon』tthinkitmattersthisonceifyouputtheprayer-bookonthetop,MaryAnn,」hesaid.「ThebookofCommonPrayeristhecompositionofmenlikeourselves.Ithasnoclaimtodivineauthorship.」

「Ihadn』tthoughtofthat,William,」saidAuntLouisa.

Philipperchedhimselfonthebooks,andtheVicar,havingsaidgrace,cutthetopoffhisegg.

「There,」hesaid,handingittoPhilip,「youcaneatmytopifyoulike.」

Philipwouldhavelikedaneggtohimself,buthewasnotofferedone,sotookwhathecould.

「HowhavethechickensbeenlayingsinceIwentaway?」askedtheVicar.

「Oh,they』vebeendreadful,onlyoneortwoaday.」

「Howdidyoulikethattop,Philip?」askedhisuncle.

「Verymuch,thankyou.」

「YoushallhaveanotheroneonSundayafternoon.」

Mr.CareyalwayshadaboiledeggatteaonSunday,sothathemightbefortifiedfortheeveningservice.