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.