Тесс з роду д’Ербервілей

Chapter 1

           Don’tyoureallyknow,Durbeyfield,thatyouarethelinealrepresentativeoftheancientandknightlyfamilyofthed’Urbervilles,whoderivetheirdescentfromSirPagand’Urberville,thatrenownedknightwhocamefromNormandywithWilliamtheConqueror,asappearsbyBattleAbbeyRoll?”

           “Neverhearditbefore,sir!”

           “Wellit’strue.Throwupyourchinamoment,sothatImaycatchtheprofileofyourfacebetter.Yes,that’sthed’Urbervillenoseandchinalittledebased.YourancestorwasoneofthetwelveknightswhoassistedtheLordofEstremavillainNormandyinhisconquestofGlamorganshire.BranchesofyourfamilyheldmanorsoverallthispartofEngland;theirnamesappearinthePipeRollsinthetimeofKingStephen.InthereignofKingJohnoneofthemwasrichenoughtogiveamanortotheKnightsHospitallers;andinEdwardtheSecond’stimeyourforefatherBrianwassummonedtoWestminstertoattendthegreatCouncilthere.YoudeclinedalittleinOliverCromwell’stime,buttonoseriousextent,andinCharlestheSecond’sreignyouweremadeKnightsoftheRoyalOakforyourloyalty.Aye,therehavebeengenerationsofSirJohnsamongyou,andifknighthoodwerehereditary,likeabaronetcy,asitpracticallywasinoldtimes,whenmenwereknightedfromfathertoson,youwouldbeSirJohnnow.”

           “Yedon’tsayso!”

           “Inshort,”concludedtheparson,decisivelysmackinghislegwithhisswitch,“there’shardlysuchanotherfamilyinEngland.”

           “Dazemyeyes,andisn’tthere?”saidDurbeyfield.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 2 з 583