Ярмарок марнославства

A Cynical Chapter

           HeandhisScotchwifeandhisScotchchildren,theonlyrespectableinhabitantsofQueen’sCrawley,wereforcedtomigrate,withtheirgoodsandtheirchattels,andleftthestatelycomfortablegardenstogotowaste,andtheflower-bedstoruntoseed.PoorLadyCrawley’srose-gardenbecamethedreariestwilderness.Onlytwoorthreedomesticsshudderedinthebleakoldservants’hall.Thestablesandofficeswerevacant,andshutup,andhalfruined.SirPittlivedinprivate,andboozednightlywithHorrocks,hisbutlerorhouse-steward(ashenowbegantobecalled),andtheabandonedRibbons.ThetimeswereverymuchchangedsincetheperiodwhenshedrovetoMudburyinthespring-cartandcalledthesmalltradesmen"Sir."Itmayhavebeenshame,oritmayhavebeendislikeofhisneighbours,buttheoldCynicofQueen’sCrawleyhardlyissuedfromhispark-gatesatallnow.Hequarrelledwithhisagentsandscrewedhistenantsbyletter.Hisdayswerepassedinconductinghisowncorrespondence;thelawyersandfarm-bailiffswhohadtodobusinesswithhimcouldnotreachhimbutthroughtheRibbons,whoreceivedthematthedoorofthehousekeeper’sroom,whichcommandedthebackentrancebywhichtheywereadmitted;andsotheBaronet’sdailyperplexitiesincreased,andhisembarrassmentsmultipliedroundhim.

           ThehorrorofPittCrawleymaybeimagined,asthesereportsofhisfather’sdotagereachedthemostexemplaryandcorrectofgentlemen.

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