巴彻斯特教堂尖塔 - 书虫·牛津英汉双语读物

扉页

alt

版权页

京权图字：01-2013-7835

Published by arrangement with Oxford University Press for sale in the People's Republic of China only and not for export therefrom. This edition is for sale in the mainland of China only, excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan.

Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press

图书在版编目（CIP）数据

巴彻斯特教堂尖塔：英汉对照／（英）特洛勒普（Trollope, A.）著；（英）韦斯特（West, C.）改写；曾真译．—北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2014.5

（书虫·牛津英汉双语读物）

书名原文：Barchester towers

ISBN 978-7-5135-4444-3

Ⅰ．①巴…　Ⅱ．①特…　②韦…　③曾…　Ⅲ．①英语－汉语－对照读物　②长篇小说－英国－近代　Ⅳ．①H319.4：I

中国版本图书馆CIP数据核字（2014）第094402号

出版人　　蔡剑峰

责任编辑　金　辉

执行编辑　刘　姣

封面设计　蔡　颖

出版发行　外语教学与研究出版社

社　　址　北京市西三环北路19号（100089）

网　　址　http://www.fltrp.com

书　　号　ISBN 978-7-5135-4444-3

凡侵权、盗版书籍线索，请联系我社法律事务部

举报电话：（010）88817519

电子邮箱：banquan@fltrp.com

法律顾问：立方律师事务所　刘旭东律师

　　　　　中咨律师事务所　殷　斌律师

内容简介

在英格兰的大教堂城市，教会和政治的关系密不可分。政府任命这些城市教会的首领——主教，主教之下还有执事长、教士长、代牧、堂区牧师以及特遣牧师——级别、重要性、影响力和收入都不尽相同的各类神职人员。

这一切已经够复杂的了，然而，普劳蒂博士被委任为巴彻斯特新主教一事，颠覆了这座宁静城市的既定等级，权力斗争由此而起，反抗对象是新任主教的妻子——令人生畏的普劳蒂太太。再加上新任主教的特遣牧师奥巴代亚·斯洛普，一个油滑的野心家，战争的要素就算齐备了。

除了教会内部的权力斗争，爱情的游戏也因参与者的不同，按照各自迥异的规则进行。埃莉诺·博尔德太太是一位年轻漂亮的寡妇，真诚、实在是她与人交往的信条，但她免不了被男人的欺骗行径迷惑。相反，马德琳·内罗尼太太对男人了如指掌，她的美貌、智慧和魅力让男人为她神魂颠倒，如同飞蝇投网一般……

BARCHESTER TOWERS

In the great cathedral cities of England, the church and politics go hand in hand. The government appoints the bishop, who is the head of the church in that city, and below him come archdeacons, deans, vicars, parsons, chaplains – all kinds of clergymen, of differing degrees of rank, importance, influence, and income.

All this is complicated enough, but the appointment of Dr Proudie as the new Bishop of Barchester overturns the old established order in that peaceful city, and a struggle for power begins against the new bishop's wife, the fearsome Mrs Proudie. And when you also add to the mixture the new bishop's chaplain, the oily and ambitious Obadiah Slope, you have a recipe for war.

And as well as the struggle for power in the church, there is also the game of love, which is played by very different rules, according to the player. Mrs Eleanor Bold, a pretty young widow, believes in honest and truthful ways of dealing with people, but she does not always understand the deceitful ways of men. The Signora Madeline Neroni, on the other hand, understands men only too well, and her beauty and her wit and her charm draw men to her, like flies into a spider's web...

PEOPLE IN THIS STORY

IN BARCHESTER

Dr Proudie, Bishop of Barchester

Mrs Proudie, the bishop's wife

Olivia Proudie, the bishop's eldest daughter

Mr Obadiah Slope, the bishop's chaplain

Dr Trefoil, Dean of Barchester

Mr Septimus Harding, once warden of Hiram's Hospital

Eleanor Bold, Mr Harding's younger daughter and a widow

Johnny Bold, Eleanor's baby son

Mary Bold, Eleanor's sister-in-law

Dr Vesey Stanhope, a clergyman

Bertie Stanhope, Dr Stanhope's son

Charlotte Stanhope, Dr Stanhope's elder daughter

Madeline Stanhope, also called Signora Neroni, Dr Stanhope's younger daughter

AT PLUMSTEAD

Dr Grantly, the archdeacon

Susan Grantly, Mr Harding's elder daughter and the archdeacon's wife

Mr Francis Arabin, an Oxford clergyman

AT PUDDINGDALE

Mr Quiverful, a poor country vicar

Mrs Quiverful, his wife

AT ULLATHORNE

Mr Thorne, the squire of Ullathorne

Miss Thorne, the squire's sister

Lady de Courcy, a titled neighbour of the Thornes

人物表

巴彻斯特

普劳蒂博士——巴彻斯特主教

普劳蒂太太——主教的妻子

奥利维娅·普劳蒂——主教的长女

奥巴代亚·斯洛普先生——主教的特遣牧师

特雷弗尔博士——巴彻斯特教士长

塞普蒂默斯·哈丁先生——曾任海勒姆养老院院长

埃莉诺·博尔德——哈丁先生的次女，寡妇

约翰尼·博尔德——埃莉诺的幼子

玛丽·博尔德——埃莉诺的大姑子

维西·斯坦诺普博士——神职人员

伯蒂·斯坦诺普——斯坦诺普博士的儿子

夏洛特·斯坦诺普——斯坦诺普博士的长女

马德琳·斯坦诺普——也称内罗尼太太，斯坦诺普博士的次女

普拉姆斯特德

格兰特利博士——执事长

苏珊·格兰特利——哈丁先生的长女，执事长的妻子

弗朗西斯·阿拉宾先生——来自牛津的神职人员

帕丁戴尔

奎沃夫先生——贫穷的乡村代牧

奎沃夫太太——奎沃夫先生的妻子

乌拉索恩

索恩先生——乌拉索恩的乡绅

索恩小姐——乡绅索恩的姐姐

德·库西夫人——索恩家的邻居，拥有爵位

Part One: War in Barchester　第一部：巴彻斯特的战争

PART ONE: WAR IN BARCHESTER
第一部：巴彻斯特的战争

1
The new bishop

During the last ten days of July in the year 1852, in the ancient cathedral city of Barchester, a most important question was asked every hour and answered every hour in different ways – 'Who is to be the new bishop?'

Old Dr Grantly, who had for many years occupied the bishop's chair, was dying, just as the government of the country was about to change. The bishop's son, Archdeacon Grantly, had recently taken on many of his father's duties, and it was fairly well understood that the present prime minister would choose him as the new bishop. It was a difficult time for the archdeacon. The prime minister had never promised him the post in so many words, but those who know anything of government will be well aware that encouragement is often given by a whisper from a great man or one of his friends. The archdeacon had heard such a whisper, and allowed himself to hope.

A month ago, the doctors had said the old man would live just four more weeks. Only yesterday they had examined him again, expressed their surprise, and given him another two weeks. Now the son was sitting by his father's bedside, calculating his chances. The government would fall within five days, that much was certain; his father would die within – no, he refused to think that. He tried to keep his mind on other matters, but the race was so very close, and the prize so very great. He looked at the dying man's calm face. As far as he and the doctors could judge, life might yet hang there for weeks to come. The old bishop slept for twenty of the twenty-four hours, but during his waking moments he was able to recognize both his son and his dear old friend, Mr Harding, the archdeacon's father-in-law. Now he lay sleeping like a baby. Nothing could be easier than the old man's passing from this world to the next.

But by no means easy were the emotions of the man who sat there watching. He knew it must be now or never. He was already over fifty, and there was little chance that the next prime minister would think as kindly of him as the present one did. He thought long and sadly, in deep silence, and then at last dared to ask himself whether he really desired his father's death.

The question was answered in a moment. The proud man sank on his knees by the bedside, and, taking the bishop's hand in his own, prayed eagerly that his sins would be forgiven.

Just then the door opened and Mr Harding entered. Dr Grantly rose quickly, and as he did so, Mr Harding took both his hands and pressed them warmly. There was a stronger feeling between them than there had ever been before.

'God bless you, my dears,' said the bishop in a weak voice as he woke. 'God bless you!' and so he died.

alt

'God bless you, my dears,' said the bishop in a weak voice as he woke.

At first neither the archdeacon nor his father-in-law knew that life was gone, but after a little while Mr Harding said gently, 'I believe it's all over. Our dear bishop is no more – dear, good, excellent old man! Well, it's a great relief, archdeacon. May all our last moments be as peaceful as his!'

In his mind Dr Grantly was already travelling from the darkened room of death to the prime minister's study. He had brought himself to pray for his father's life, but now that life was over, every minute counted. However, he did not want to appear unfeeling, so he allowed Mr Harding to lead him downstairs to the sitting room. Then, when a few more moments had passed, he said, 'We should arrange for a telegraph message to be sent to the prime minister immediately.'

'Do you think it necessary?' asked Mr Harding, a little surprised. He did not know how high the archdeacon's hopes of being appointed bishop were.

'I do,' replied Dr Grantly. 'Anything might happen if we delay. Will you send it?'

'I? Oh, certainly. Only I don't know exactly what to say.'

Dr Grantly sat down and wrote out this message:

By electric telegraph, for the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, London. The Bishop of Barchester is dead. Message sent by Mr Septimus Harding.

'There,' he said, 'just take it to the telegraph office. Here's the money,' and he pulled a coin out of his pocket.

Mr Harding felt very much like a messenger, but he accepted the piece of paper and the coin. 'But you've put my name at the bottom, archdeacon,' he said.

Dr Grantly hesitated. How could he sign such a note himself? 'Well, yes,' he said, 'there should be the name of some clergyman, and who is more suitable than an old friend like yourself? But I beg you, my dear Mr Harding, not to lose any time.'

Mr Harding got as far as the door of the room, when he suddenly remembered the news which he had come to tell his son-in-law, and which the bishop's death had driven from his mind. 'But archdeacon,' he said, turning back, 'I forgot to tell you – the government has fallen!'

'Fallen!' repeated the archdeacon, in a voice which clearly expressed his anxiety. After a moment's thought he said, 'We had better send the message anyway. Do it at once, my dear friend – a few minutes' time is of the greatest importance.'

Mr Harding went out and sent the message. Within thirty minutes of leaving Barchester, it arrived on the prime minister's desk in London. The great man read it, then sent it on to the man who was to take his place. In this way our unfortunate friend the archdeacon lost his chance of becoming a bishop.

There was much discussion in the newspapers about who would take old Dr Grantly's place. The Jupiter, that well-regarded daily paper which is known for the accuracy of its information, was silent for a while, but at last spoke out, saying that Dr Proudie would be chosen.

And so it was. Just a month after the old bishop's death, Dr Proudie became Bishop of Barchester.

alt

There was a home for elderly men in Barchester, called Hiram's Hospital. Previously Mr Harding had been warden of the home, and he had greatly enjoyed his duties there. But when there were accusations in the newspapers, including The Jupiter, that the large income he received could more usefully be spent on the old men themselves, he had given up the post, and become vicar of a small church in the city. Modest man that he was, his one desire was to do what was right, and to avoid any publicity.

However, his family and friends were very angry that he had been unjustly accused, and public discussion of the wardenship became so heated that the government had to take action. Consequently a law was passed, stating that the warden's income should be ￡450 a year, and that it was the bishop's duty to appoint the warden; Mr Harding's name was not mentioned.

Mr Harding had two daughters. The elder, Susan, was married to the archdeacon, and Mr Harding spent much of his time with his younger daughter, Eleanor. She had fallen in love with and married a young man called John Bold, but only two years after their marriage, he had become ill and died. For weeks after he was gone, the idea of future happiness in this world was hateful to the young widow; tears and sleep were her only relief. But when she realized she was pregnant, she regained her interest in life, and when her son was born, eight months after his father's death, her joy was inexpressible.

The baby, young Johnny, was all that could be desired. 'Is he not delightful?' Eleanor would say to Mr Harding, looking up from her knees in front of her child, her beautiful eyes wet with soft tears, and naturally he would agree with her.

The baby really was delightful: he took his food eagerly, waved his toes joyfully in the air whenever his legs were uncovered, and did not scream. These are supposed to be the strongest points of baby perfection, and in all these our baby was excellent.

It should not be thought that Eleanor ever forgot her dead husband; she kept his memory fresh in her heart. But yet she was happy with her baby. It was wonderful to feel that a human being existed who owed everything to her, whose needs could all be satisfied by her, whose little heart would first love her and her only, and whose childish tongue would make its first effort in calling her by the sweetest name a woman can hear. And so her feelings became calmer, and she began a mother's duties eagerly and gratefully.

John Bold had left his widow everything that he possessed, and, with an income of a thousand pounds a year, Eleanor felt comparatively rich. John's sister, Mary, came to live with Eleanor, to help take care of baby Johnny. Eleanor had hoped her father, Mr Harding, would also come to live in her house, but he refused, saying that he was quite happy in his modest rooms over a shop in Barchester High Street.

alt

The new bishop, Dr Proudie, was a man who was well aware of his own importance. He considered he was born to move in high circles, and circumstances certainly supported his opinion so far. For some years he had lived in London, where he had been chaplain to the Queen's officers. This high connection and his own natural gifts recommended him to persons in power. Liberal ideas were beginning to take hold of the country as a whole, and as a liberal clergyman, Dr Proudie was involved in various changes in religious matters. His name began to appear in the newspapers, and he became known as a useful and rising churchman. Although he was not a man of great intelligence, and did not even have much business sense, he added a certain weight to the meetings he attended, and his presence at them was generally appreciated.

During this period, he had never doubted his own powers, but always looked forward patiently to the day when he himself would give the orders, while lesser people obeyed. Now his reward and his time had come. He was an ambitious man, and, with his fashionably open-minded views, was not prepared to bury himself at Barchester as the old bishop had done. No! London would still be his ground, for some of the year, at least. How else could he keep himself in the public eye, how else give the government, in all religious matters, the full benefit of his wise advice?

In person Dr Proudie was a good-looking man, smartly dressed, but perhaps a little below medium height. People may have thought him fortunate in becoming Bishop of Barchester, but he still had his cares. He had a large family, of whom the three eldest were grown-up daughters, and he had a wife. No one dared breathe a word against Mrs Proudie, but she did not appear to add much to her husband's happiness. The truth was that in all domestic matters she ruled over her husband. But she was not satisfied with making the decisions at home, and tried to stretch her power over all his movements, even involving herself in spiritual matters. In other words, the bishop was henpecked.

Mrs Grantly, the archdeacon's wife, in her happy home at Plumstead, knew how to give orders, but in a pleasant and lady-like way. She never brought shame to her husband; her voice was never loud or her looks sharp. Doubtless she valued power, but she understood the limits of a woman's influence.

Not so Mrs Proudie. It was this lady's habit to give the sharpest of orders to everybody, including her husband, even in public. Successful as he had been in the eyes of the world, it seemed that in the eyes of his wife he was never right. All hope of defending himself had long passed; indeed, he was aware that instant obedience produced the closest to peace which his home could ever achieve.

Mrs Proudie was in her own way a religious woman, and one of her strongest beliefs was the need to keep Sunday completely separate from the other days of the week. During the week her daughters were permitted to wear low-cut dresses and attend evening parties, always accompanied by their mother. But on Sunday they had to pay for these sins, by going to church three times and listening to lengthy evening prayers read by herself. Unfortunately for those under her roof who had no such weekday pleasures as low-cut dresses and evening parties to pay for, namely her servants and her husband, strict observance of Sunday duties included everybody.

In these religious matters Mrs Proudie allowed herself to be guided by a young clergyman, Mr Slope. So, because Dr Proudie was guided by his wife, Mr Slope had, through Mrs Proudie, gained a good deal of control over Dr Proudie's religious thinking. When Dr Proudie was appointed Bishop of Barchester, Mr Slope was happy to give up his post as vicar in a poor part of London, to become chaplain to the bishop.

Obadiah Slope and Mrs Proudie shared similar religious beliefs; their relationship was close and their conversations confidential. Mr Slope had regularly visited the Proudies' London home and knew the Misses Proudie well. It was no more than natural that his heart should discover some softer feeling than friendship for Mrs Proudie's eldest daughter, Olivia, and he made a declaration of affection to her. However, after finding how little money her father would give her on marrying, he withdrew his offer. As soon as it was known that Dr Proudie would become bishop, Mr Slope regretted his earlier caution, and began to look more kindly on Miss Proudie again. But he had lost his chance; Olivia was too proud to look at him a second time, and, besides, she had another lover showing interest in her. So Mr Slope sighed his lover's sighs without reward, and the two of them soon found it convenient to develop a hatred for each other.

It may seem strange that Mrs Proudie's friendship for the young vicar should remain firm in such circumstances, but to tell the truth, she had known nothing of his relationship with Olivia. Although very fond of him herself, she expected her daughters to make much more impressive marriages.

Mr Slope soon comforted himself with the thought that, as chaplain to the bishop, he might become richer and more powerful than if he had married the bishop's daughter. As he sat in the train, facing Dr and Mrs Proudie as they started their first journey to Barchester, he began to make a plan for his future life. He understood, correctly, that public life would suit the new bishop better than the small details of cathedral business. Therefore, he, Slope, would in effect be Bishop of Barchester. He knew he would have a hard battle to fight, because power would be equally desired by another great mind – Mrs Proudie would also choose to be Bishop of Barchester. He felt confident, however, that he would win in the end.

In appearance he was tall, with large hands and feet, but on the whole his figure was good. His face, however, was the colour of bad-quality beef, and his hair, which was long, straight, and a dull reddish colour, was kept plentifully oiled. His mouth was large, but his lips were thin and bloodless. It was not a pleasant experience to shake his hand, as there was always a cold dampness to his skin. His face usually wore a frown, as if he thought most of the world far too wicked for his care.

A man of courage and above average intelligence, he firmly believed, like Dr Proudie, in simplifying church ceremony, and like Mrs Proudie, in enforcing total respect for Sunday churchgoing. He had excellent powers of self-expression, which were appreciated more by women than by men. A frequent guest in many London homes, he had been admired by the ladies and unwillingly accepted by the men, but he had an oily, unpleasant way with him which did not seem likely to make him popular in Barchester society.

bishop n. a priest who is the head of all the churches and priests in a large area 主教

archdeacon n. a priest of a high rank who works under a bishop 执事长

pray v. to speak to God in order to ask for help or give thanks 祈祷，祷告

relief n. a feeling of comfort when something bad has ended or has not happened 宽心，轻松

telegraph n. an old-fashioned method of sending messages using radio or electrical signals 电报

10 Downing Street the headquarters of the government of Great Britain 唐宁街十号（英国政府所在地）

accusation n. a statement saying that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something wrong 控告；指责

vicar n. a priest in charge of a church in a particular area 代牧

consequently adv. as a result 结果，因此

mention v. to talk about something or someone in a conversation, piece of writing, etc, especially without saying very much or giving details 提及，说起

inexpressible adj. a feeling that is too strong to be expressed in words 难以言传的

owe something to somebody to have something or achieve something because of what someone else has done 因某人的作为而得到某物

possess v. to have or to own something 拥有，持有

comparatively adv. as judged better or worse than something else or a previous state 相对地，比较地

chaplain n. a priest responsible for the religious needs of a club, the army, a hospital, etc （社团、军队、医院等的）特遣牧师

recommend v. to say that something or someone is good, or suggest them for a particular purpose or job 推荐，介绍

liberal adj. allowing people or organizations a lot of political or economic freedom （政治或经济上）开明的，自由的

appreciate v. to understand how good or useful someone or something is 欣赏，赏识

henpecked adj. (a man) who is always being told what to do by his wife, and is afraid to disagree with her （男人）怕老婆的，惧内的

obedience n. the state of doing what they are told to do, or what a law, rule, etc says they should do 顺从，遵从

lengthy adj. continuing for a long time, often too long 长时间的；过长的

low-cut adj. (a dress) shaped to show a woman's neck and the top of her chest（衣裙）低胸的，低领的

confidential adj. spoken or written in secret and intended to be kept secret 机密的

withdraw v. to take back an offer, request, etc so that you no longer will do what you said 收回（请求等）

caution n. the quality of being very careful to avoid danger or risks 小心，谨慎

on the whole used to say that something is generally true 总的来说，总体而言

wicked adj. behaving in a way that is morally wrong 邪恶的

1
新任主教

一八五二年七月下旬，在古老的大教堂城市巴彻斯特，有一个很重要的问题人们时刻都在问，而回答也是五花八门。这个问题就是：“谁将成为新任主教？”

多年来，稳坐主教宝座的一直是老格兰特利博士，如今他大限将至，正是国内政权即将更迭之时。执事长格兰特利是主教的儿子，最近刚刚接手了父亲的不少职责。普遍认为，现任首相会选他为新主教。对于执事长而言，这段日子很难挨。首相从未对他作出太多言语上的承诺。不过，对政府多少有些了解的人都很清楚，大人物或首相的朋友往往吹吹耳风，就能怂恿他做决定。执事长听说有人为他吹了耳风，就抱了希望。

一个月前，医生就说过老主教只能再撑一个月。可就在昨天，他们又给他检查了一遍，在惊讶之余预测他可以再活两个星期。此刻，做儿子的坐在父亲床边，盘算着自己的机会。本届政府会在五天之内垮台，这一点是肯定的；父亲的大限将在——不，他不愿去想这个。他努力去想别的，但这场权力之争甚是激烈，战利品又如此丰厚。他看了看这个垂死老人平静的脸。根据他和医生们的判断，父亲可能还会勉强撑上几个星期。老主教一天要睡二十个小时，但在清醒的时候，他还能认出自己的儿子和亲爱的老朋友哈丁先生——执事长的岳父。此刻，老主教睡得像一个婴儿。看样子，这位老人去往另一个世界的过程将会无比轻松。

但坐在一旁凝望的这个人心里一点儿也不轻松。他明白机不可失，时不再来。他已经年过半百，而下一任首相十之八九不会像现任首相这么器重他。他陷入了深深的沉默之中，哀伤地想了很久，才终于鼓起勇气问自己，是不是巴望着父亲死。

很快，问题就有了答案。这个心高气傲的人跪倒在床边，握住主教的一只手，热切地祈祷自己的罪恶能被原宥。

就在这时，门开了，哈丁先生走了进来。格兰特利博士一骨碌站起身时，哈丁先生紧紧地握住他的双手。此时此刻，两个人之间产生了从未如此深挚的情谊。

“上帝保佑你们，亲爱的。”主教醒了，用虚弱的声音说，“上帝保佑你们！”他就这样咽了气。

执事长和他岳父一开始还不知道主教已经辞世，但过了一小会儿，哈丁先生轻声说：“我想一切都已经结束了。我们亲爱的主教已经不在人世——一位亲切和蔼、品德高尚的老人家！好了，这是极大的解脱，执事长。愿我们所有人都能像他一样，走得如此平静！”

格兰特利博士的思绪已经从这个充满死亡阴影的房间神游到了首相的书房。他曾经为父亲的生命祈祷，但既然生命已逝，就该争分夺秒了。不过，他不想表现出一副没心肝的样子，于是任由哈丁先生把他领进楼下的会客厅。接下来，他又等了一会儿才说：“我们应该立刻派人去给首相发个电报。”

“你觉得有必要吗？”哈丁先生有些诧异地问。他并不知道，执事长有多么希望获得主教的职位。

“有啊。”格兰特利博士回答，“夜长梦多。要不您跑一趟？”

“我？哦，当然可以。只是我不知道究竟该怎么措辞。”

格兰特利博士坐下来，写了这么一张纸条：

发一封电报给首相，地址是伦敦唐宁街十号。内容是：巴彻斯特主教逝世。发信人：塞普蒂默斯·哈丁先生。

“好了，”他说，“把这个送到电报局就行了。给您钱。”说着，他从口袋里掏出一枚硬币。

哈丁先生觉得自己像个送信的，但还是接过了纸条和硬币。“可你在底下落的是我的名字，执事长。”他说。

格兰特利博士犹豫了。这样的电报，他怎么能签自己的名字呢？“哦，是啊，”他说，“是应该落一个神职人员的名字。可除了您这样的老朋友以外，还有更合适的人选吗？我求求您，亲爱的哈丁先生，别再浪费时间了。”

哈丁先生走到房门口，才突然想起自己来是要告诉女婿一个消息，主教的死让他一时忘了这事。“可是，执事长，”他转身说，“我刚才忘记跟你说了——本届政府已经倒台！”

“倒台！”执事长重复道，声音明显透着焦虑。片刻思索之后，他说：“咱们最好还是把消息发过去。赶紧去办吧，我亲爱的朋友——几分钟的时间也至关重要啊。”

哈丁先生出门去发电报。电报从巴彻斯特发出后不到三十分钟，就到了伦敦首相的办公桌上。这位大人物看完就把它转交给自己的继任者。就这样，执事长——我们这位不幸的朋友，失去了成为主教的机会。

关于谁将接替老格兰特利博士成为主教这个问题，报纸上议论纷纷。《朱庇特报》是一份颇受尊重的日报，以信息准确著称。在这件事情上，该报沉默了一阵才发声，认为普劳蒂博士将被选中。

的确如此。老主教过世才一个月，普劳蒂博士就成了巴彻斯特的主教。

******

巴彻斯特有一家老人院，名叫海勒姆养老院。哈丁先生曾经担任这里的院长，也非常乐于承担他应负的职责。但后来包括《朱庇特报》在内的各家报纸发起抨击，说他丰厚的薪水用在养院里的老人身上更有意义。于是他辞去这份工作，成为了市里一座小教堂的代牧。他为人谦逊，一心向善，行事低调不张扬。

然而，媒体对他的不公正指责让他的亲友十分愤慨。公众对院长一职如此热烈地议论，政府不得不有所行动。结果，政府通过了一条法令，规定院长的年薪为四百五十英镑，且该职位由主教任命。哈丁先生的名字未被提及。

哈丁先生有两个女儿。长女苏珊嫁给了执事长，哈丁先生多数时间都跟次女埃莉诺待在一起。埃莉诺曾爱上一个名叫约翰·博尔德的年轻人并嫁给了他。但结婚不过两年，博尔德就病死了。他去世后的几个星期里，这位年轻的寡妇根本不愿去想未来的幸福，泪水和睡眠是她唯一的解脱。然而，发现自己已经怀孕的时候，她重拾了对生活的热情。丈夫过世八个月之后，儿子出生，埃莉诺的喜悦之情无法言表。

婴儿小约翰尼让人无可挑剔。“他太讨人喜欢了，不是吗？”埃莉诺常常对哈丁先生说，同时把目光从膝前的孩子身上移开，抬头望着他，温情的泪水润湿她美丽的双眸。哈丁先生自然点头称是。

那孩子的确讨人喜欢：他吃东西很有胃口，腿没盖住的时候会在空中快乐地晃动脚指头，也从不大声尖叫。这些是一个完美宝宝应该具备的最重要的特质，而我们的宝贝在这些方面都很出色。

我们可不能认为埃莉诺把死去的丈夫忘得一干二净；他永远活在她的心里。只不过，孩子的陪伴让她很幸福。这个孩子一切都得仰赖她，她可以满足他所有的需求，他幼小的心灵爱上的第一个且唯一一个人就是她，他牙牙学语，头一声叫的就是她，用的是女人能听到的最动听的称呼——这种感觉非常美妙。于是，她的情感渐渐趋于平静，开始急切而满怀感激地履行做母亲的职责。

约翰·博尔德把所有财产都留给了自己的遗孀，加上一年一千英镑的收入，埃莉诺觉得经济上比较宽裕。约翰的姐姐玛丽搬来跟她同住，帮忙照顾小约翰尼。埃莉诺原本希望父亲哈丁先生也搬来一起住，但他没答应，说一个人住挺好。他住在巴彻斯特主街一家商铺楼上几间简朴的房子里。

******

新任主教普劳蒂博士自视颇高，认为自己生来就是要活跃于上流社会。到目前为止，境遇显然也证实了他的想法。他在伦敦住了一些年头，担任特遣牧师服务于女王手下的公务员。高层人脉再加上自身的天赋，使他得到了权贵的青睐。那时候自由主义正开始席卷整个国家，作为一名信奉自由主义的神职人员，普劳蒂博士参与了宗教事务的诸多变革。他的名字开始见诸报端，被称作有益社会的教坛新星。他算不上绝顶聪明，甚至没什么生意头脑，但他还是为自己出席的各种会议增添了一定的分量，而他的出席也往往受到欢迎。

在那段时间里，他从未质疑自己的权力，一直在耐心等待有那么一天——他本人可以发号施令，手下人唯命是从。如今，他终于等来回报，时机成熟。他野心勃勃，思想时髦开放，不打算像老主教那样，把自己一辈子都埋葬在巴彻斯特。不！伦敦仍然会是他的阵地，至少这一年有一段时间是如此。要不然，他怎么能够继续留在公众的视野里，又怎么能够在各种宗教事务中让政府充分听取自己的真知灼见呢？

就外表而言，普劳蒂博士是个相貌英俊、衣着光鲜的男人，只是身高可能略低于平均水平。人们也许会觉得他很走运，能当上巴彻斯特的主教，但他也有自己的烦恼。他家里人口不少，最大的三个女儿已经长大成人，他还有个妻子。没人敢说普劳蒂太太的坏话，但她似乎没给自己的丈夫增添多少快乐。事实上，家里所有的事都由她说了算。然而，她并不满足于在家里做主，还想控制丈夫的一举一动，甚至想参与宗教事务。换句话说，主教是个“妻管严”。

在普拉姆斯特德，执事长的妻子格兰特利太太家庭幸福，她知道如何用一种令人愉悦且不失淑女风范的方式来发号施令。她从不让丈夫丧失颜面，也从不大声说话，或是给人脸色看。她无疑很看重权力，却也明白女人的影响力要适可而止。

普劳蒂太太跟她不一样。这位太太习惯对所有的人呼来喝去，对自己的丈夫也不例外，哪怕是在公众场合。普劳蒂先生在世人眼里是个成功人士，然而他在妻子眼里似乎一无是处。他早已死心，不为自己做任何辩解。事实上他很清楚，只有立马就范，才能使家里尽可能地安宁。

普劳蒂太太有她自己的方式表达宗教信仰，她最坚定的信仰，就是必须把星期天跟一周当中的其他几天截然分开。平时，她允许女儿们穿低胸连衣裙参加晚会，自己也往往陪伴在侧。到了星期天，女儿们就得一天跑三趟教堂，还得听她亲自诵读冗长的夜祷，以此偿清平日里积下的罪孽。不幸的是，她家屋檐下的所有人都必须严格履行星期天的职责，尽管其中一些人，即她的仆人和丈夫，不用为穿低胸衣裙和参加晚会赎罪。

在这些宗教问题上，普劳蒂太太心甘情愿地听命于一位年轻的神职人员——斯洛普先生。这样一来，由于普劳蒂博士对妻子唯命是从，斯洛普先生就通过普劳蒂太太，有力地控制了普劳蒂博士的宗教思想。普劳蒂博士被任命为巴彻斯特主教之后，斯洛普先生高高兴兴地放弃了伦敦某个贫民区的代牧一职，当了主教的特遣牧师。

奥巴代亚·斯洛普和普劳蒂太太有相似的宗教信仰，两人关系密切，谈话推心置腹。以前在伦敦时，斯洛普先生就总是定期登门拜访普劳蒂一家，跟几位普劳蒂小姐混得很熟。自然而然，他心里对普劳蒂太太的长女奥利维娅产生了超出友谊的柔情，并且曾向她表白。然而，当他发现奥利维娅的父亲给不了几个钱的嫁妆，就收回了他的话。普劳蒂博士即将当上主教的消息一传开，斯洛普先生立刻对当初的谨慎追悔莫及，开始重新对普劳蒂小姐表示好感。可他已经没机会了。奥利维娅自尊心太强，不愿给他第二次机会，更何况眼下有另一位追求者在向她示爱。于是，斯洛普先生只得为爱情空叹一声，两人也很快发现相互怀恨非常合宜。

在这种情况下，普劳蒂太太竟然还能牢牢维系与这个年轻代牧的友情，看起来也许有点奇怪。但事实上，对于斯洛普先生和奥利维娅之间的关系，她一无所知。她对斯洛普先生很有好感，却还是希望女儿们能嫁得更好。

很快，斯洛普先生就有了聊以自慰的想法：如今他当上了主教的特遣牧师，可能会比娶主教的女儿还有钱有势。等到他跟普劳蒂博士夫妇面对面地坐在火车上，第一次前往巴彻斯特的时候，他已经开始为将来的生活打算了。他有一种合情合理的认识：相对于教堂事务的繁文缛节，公共生活更适合新任主教。这样一来，他斯洛普就成了巴彻斯特事实上的主教。他明白自己还得打一场硬仗，因为另一个有头脑的人也在觊觎权力——普劳蒂太太也想成为巴彻斯特主教。不过他信心十足，认为自己会是最后的赢家。

从外形上看，斯洛普先生个头高，手脚大，但整体来说身材不错。然而，他的脸是劣质牛肉的颜色，暗红色头发又长又直，总是擦着很多的头油。他嘴形宽阔，嘴唇却单薄无血色。跟他握手可不是一件舒服的事，因为他的皮肤总是又冷又潮。他总是眉头紧锁，似乎是觉得世上的大多数事物过于罪恶，他不屑一顾。

他有胆量和过人的智慧，像普劳蒂博士那样坚决拥护教堂礼节的简化，又像普劳蒂太太那样，坚信星期天做礼拜要无条件遵从。他很擅长自我表达，这一点女人比男人更为赞赏。在伦敦，他是不少人家中的常客，受到众女士的青睐，也让男人们被迫接受了他的存在。不过，他有一种令人讨厌的油滑做派，似乎不太可能受到巴彻斯特社交圈的欢迎。

2
Battle begins

It was known that Dr Proudie would have to appoint a warden for Hiram's Hospital, as the new law stated. No one imagined that he had any choice – no one thought for a moment that he could appoint any other man than Mr Harding. Mr Harding himself, without giving the matter much thought, considered it certain that he would return to the warden's pleasant house and garden.

Mr Harding, therefore, had no personal interest in the appointment of Dr Proudie as bishop, and was quite prepared to welcome him to Barchester. After the Proudies' arrival, he and Dr Grantly went to the bishop's palace to introduce themselves.

His lordship was at home, and the visitors were shown into the well-known room, where the good old bishop used to sit. Every piece of furniture was as familiar to them as their own, but they felt like strangers at once. They found Dr Proudie sitting in the old bishop's chair; they found Mr Slope standing where the archdeacon used to stand, but on the sofa they found Mrs Proudie – and to find a lady invading the bishop's study was shocking indeed!

There she was, however, and they could only make the best of it. They greeted his lordship, who introduced them to his lady wife. Then Mr Slope presented himself, offering a damp hand to his new enemy, Dr Grantly, who bowed, looked stiff, and wiped his hand with a pocket handkerchief. Mr Slope then descended to the level of the lower clergy, by speaking a few words to Mr Harding, before rejoining the conversation among the higher powers. There were four people in this group, each of whom considered himself or herself the most important person in Barchester; with such a difference of opinion they were not likely to get on pleasantly together.

'Dr Grantly,' said Mrs Proudie with her sweetest smile, 'you live at Plumstead, I believe, a little way out of Barchester. I do hope the distance is not too great for country visiting. I shall be glad to call on Mrs Grantly, as soon as our horses arrive here. At present they are in London, as the bishop still has meetings to attend there – I fear the government cannot do without him! But when the horses do come down, I shall take the earliest opportunity of visiting Mrs Grantly.'

Dr Grantly bowed, and said nothing. He could have bought everything the Proudies owned and returned it to them as a gift, without much feeling the loss; he had provided a pair of horses for his wife's personal use since the day of his marriage.

'Are there arrangements for Sunday schools in the villages around Barchester, Dr Grantly?' asked Mr Slope.

'Oh!' replied the archdeacon casually. 'Whether there is one or not depends on the local vicar's wife and daughters.'

Mr Slope opened his eyes very wide, but was not prepared to give up his darling project. 'I fear there is a great deal of Sunday travelling here. I see from the timetable that there are three trains in and three out every Sunday. Don't you think, Dr Grantly, that a little energy on your part might get rid of this evil?'

'If you can withdraw the passengers, then I imagine the company will withdraw the trains,' replied the archdeacon.

'But surely, Dr Grantly,' said the lady, 'surely, in our position, we should do all we can to stop such wickedness. Don't you think so, Mr Harding?' And she looked meaningfully at him.

Poor Mr Harding was not sure what he thought, and Dr Grantly, determined not to be told what he should do by a bishop's wife, turned his back on the sofa and asked the bishop if he found the palace comfortable. Dr Proudie himself seemed to have nothing to complain of, but Mr Slope gave a long list of repairs that needed to be done, and Mrs Proudie was not slow to add her voice to his. Finally and with great relief Dr Grantly and Mr Harding were able to bring their visit to an end.

'Good heavens!' cried the archdeacon furiously, once they were in the fresh air. Smoke seemed to be coming from under his hat, like an angry cloud.

'I don't think I shall ever like Mr Slope,' said Mr Harding.

'Like him!' shouted the archdeacon. 'How could any living thing like Mr Slope!'

'Nor Mrs Proudie either,' said Mr Harding.

Then the archdeacon forgot himself, and used some very shocking expressions about the lady.

'The bishop seems a quiet enough man,' suggested Mr Harding mildly.

'He's a fool!' cried Dr Grantly. 'He has no real power or intelligence! No, it's that Mr Slope whom we have to deal with. Did you ever see anyone less like a gentleman? Did you hear him telling us what to think and what to do? How dare he!'

And as the two men walked away from the palace, the archdeacon had war in his heart. He was trying to think how Mr Slope could be driven out of Barchester, before his influence over the bishop could do any lasting damage.

The new residents of the bishop's palace felt as much hatred for Dr Grantly as he did for them, and they were also aware there was a battle to be fought.

Mr Slope, however, was better prepared for the attack than the archdeacon. Dr Proudie had told the Barchester clergy that Mr Slope would give the sermon at the cathedral service the next Sunday. On this occasion the bishop took his seat in the cathedral for the first time, and the good people of Barchester crowded into the great building, eager to see their new bishop and hear his chaplain's words of spiritual guidance. All the clergy attended the service too, even the archdeacon.

The service was very well performed. The prayers were respectfully said, and the music was beautifully sung by the best voices in Barchester, carefully trained by Mr Harding himself. Mr Slope rose to speak to his audience. He was listened to with breathless attention and considerable surprise.

Cleverly giving the impression that he was speaking on behalf of the bishop, Mr Slope made it very clear what would be expected from the Barchester clergy from now on. All the habits and customs which were dear to their hearts were held up to scorn. In particular, he explained how unnecessary church music was, and how much more meaningful the words of the church service were, if spoken rather than sung!

The archdeacon and the rest of the clergy could not believe their ears. All their lives they had conducted services in the way they had considered most excellent, and now this young nobody dared to say they had been wrong! But at last Mr Slope sat down. The bishop, who had been the most surprised of them all, and whose hair almost stood on end with terror, gave the final blessing in a shaking voice, and the service was at an end.

Over the next few days there was heated discussion of Mr Slope and his sermon. Against him were the archdeacon and almost all the clergy, who were so furious they decided he should never be allowed to give a sermon in the cathedral again. Poor Mr Harding began to have doubts about the value of church music; he had always been so proud of the singing in the cathedral, but he wondered if that was another thing he would have to give up, like the wardenship of Hiram's Hospital.

On Mr Slope's side, however, were one or two clergymen who thought it sensible to congratulate the chaplain on his sermon. They included Mr Quiverful, the vicar of Puddingdale, whose wife presented him every year with a fresh proof of her love, increasing his cares and, it is to be hoped, his happiness equally. Who can wonder that a vicar with fourteen living children and only ￡400 a year should wish to be polite to a Mr Slope? There were also a number of Barchester citizens who thought Mr Slope might be right. For too long the clergy had gone on in their old-fashioned ways; perhaps it was time to introduce some of the religious changes which were shaking up the outside world. This group consisted mostly of ladies; no gentleman could possibly be attracted by Mr Slope.

However, Eleanor Bold and her sister-in-law Mary Bold were not to be counted among these ladies. It was natural for Mr Harding's daughter to be proud of the cathedral's musical tradition, and angry with Mr Slope for criticizing it. And in such matters the widow Bold and her sister-in-law were in perfect agreement.

But Mr Slope himself persuaded them to think better of him. To their great surprise and no little fear, he came to call on them two weeks after his sermon. The great enemy of all that was good in Barchester entered their own sitting room, and they had no strong arm at hand for their protection. The widow held her baby tightly in her arms, and Mary Bold stood up ready to die in that baby's defence, if such a sacrifice might become necessary.

This is how Mr Slope was received. But when he left, he was allowed to bless the baby, to take each lady's hand and to depart like a trusted friend. How had he turned dislike into friendship and made his peace with these ladies so quickly?

Mr Slope knew how to flatter and say a soft word in the proper place. If he had understood how to charm men as well as he charmed women, he might have risen to a high position.

The day after this visit Eleanor told her father of it, and expressed an opinion that Mr Slope was not quite as black as he had been painted. Mr Harding said little; he did not approve of the visit, but it was not his custom to speak evil of anyone. Instead he turned the conversation to the wardenship of Hiram's Hospital; he told Eleanor he expected the bishop to offer it to him, although at a reduced salary. It was annoying to have to accept the post as a gift from the bishop, especially if it came from the hands of the hated Slope, but he would certainly accept it. Eleanor was delighted at the thought of seeing her dear father happy in his old place at Hiram's Hospital again.

alt

Three months passed, and several changes were made in Barchester. Among other things, absentee clergymen had been recalled to their duties. One of these was Dr Vesey Stanhope, who was quite a stranger in the city. Twelve years ago he had gone to Italy to cure a sore throat, and that sore throat, although it never developed into anything serious, had enabled him to live there in comfortable idleness, while he paid junior clergymen to do his work at home. But when he received an almost threatening letter from Mr Slope, Dr Stanhope realized he would have to spend the summer months, at least, in his house in Barchester, otherwise his income from the Church might be discontinued.

So he and his charming but heartless family took up residence again in Barchester. His wife was still a handsome woman, even at fifty-five. She never appeared until between three and four in the afternoon, but when she did appear, she appeared at her best. Her dress was always perfect, but she had no other purpose in life than to dress well. Her elder daughter Charlotte, at thirty-five, was a fine young woman, who had taken all the cares of running the house off her mother's shoulders. She and she alone could persuade her father to consider worldly matters. She and she alone could control the foolishness of her brother and sister. She and she alone prevented the whole family from losing their good name and falling into beggary.

Dr Stanhope's younger daughter, Madeline, was a great beauty. She had spent her youth in Italy, where she had destroyed the hearts of many young men without once losing her own, although her reputation had suffered slightly as a result of these adventures. Why she had decided to marry Paulo Neroni, a man of no birth and no fortune, a man of evil temper and oily manners, was a mystery, but perhaps when the moment came, she had no choice. Six months after her marriage, however, she arrived at her father's house in Milan, a cripple and a mother.

She had fallen, she said, and injured her knee, so that she was unable to walk normally. She had therefore made up her mind, once and for ever, that she would never attempt to move herself again. Soon people were saying that she owed her accident to her husband's violence, but she spoke little of Paulo Neroni, except to make it clear he was to be seen and heard of no more. The Stanhopes welcomed the unfortunate beauty and her small daughter into the family home.

Although forced to give up all movement in the world, Signora Neroni had no intention of giving up the world itself. She made arrangements to be carried to the theatres and parties she wished to attend. There, lying on a sofa, she would soon draw every interesting young man to her side by the power of her beauty. Her admirers were too blindly in love to see the cruelty, sharp intelligence and desire for power in her lovely eyes.

Her brother, Bertie, had received an excellent education, but was too idle to take up a profession. He was extremely handsome, with a long silky beard and clear blue eyes, and was continually declaring his love to ladies who pleased him, but, like Madeline, he appeared to have no heart to lose himself.

alt

The Stanhopes made their first public appearance at the Proudies' evening reception. This was an impressive event organized by Mr Slope, who invited all the gentlemen and ladies of Barchester and the surrounding villages. Hundreds of guests were expected at the party, and costly preparations were made, in spite of Mrs Proudie's frequent objections to the expense.

On the evening in question, Mrs Proudie welcomed her guests to the palace's fine rooms, and Mr Slope rushed here and there, giving orders to the servants. The bishop kept tripping over a sofa that had been placed near the top of the stairs. One of his daughters told him it was for a lady with no legs, and he was dying of curiosity to see this strange lady.

Soon Madeline's carriage arrived, and she was carried upstairs to the sofa. There she took up her position, lying on a red silk sheet and wearing a close-fitting white dress, with diamond bracelets on her beautiful arms. She was immediately the centre of attention, as she had intended to be.

Bertie Stanhope, who was talking to the bishop, had the idea of moving Madeline's sofa slightly, to give everyone a little more room – he gave it a push and it rushed halfway across the room. Mrs Proudie was standing with Mr Slope in front of Madeline, trying to be sociable, but she was not in the best of tempers; she found that whenever she spoke to the signora, that lady replied by speaking to Mr Slope. Mrs Proudie was just beginning to feel offended, when one of the sofa legs caught itself in her dress and carried part of the skirt away with an unpleasant tearing sound.

Such destruction to a dress would cause passionate anger in any lady, and Mrs Proudie's expression, as she looked at Bertie Stanhope, was hardly human. Bertie, when he saw what he had done, threw himself on one knee before the lady.

'Forgive me, madam, forgive me!' he cried wildly, trying to separate Mrs Proudie's dress from the sofa leg.

'Unhand it, sir!' said Mrs Proudie scornfully.

'It's not me, it's the sofa,' said Bertie, still on his knees.

'Unhand it, sir!' Mrs Proudie almost screamed.

Just then the signora laughed, just loud enough to be heard. Mrs Proudie turned furiously upon her.

'Madam!' she said, her eyes flashing fire.

Madeline stared her full in the face for a moment, and then said to her brother, 'Bertie, you fool, get up.'

By now Mrs Proudie's daughters had arrived, and very soon they accompanied her out of the room to repair the damage to the dress. Meanwhile, Madeline took the opportunity to fascinate and charm Mr Slope. And when Mrs Proudie returned to the reception, she saw him carrying a selection of the most delicate dishes towards the signora's sofa.

'You are not leaving our guests, Mr Slope,' she said.

'Signora Neroni needs her supper, madam,' answered Mr Slope with a bow and a false smile.

'Let her brother take it to her, Mr Slope,' replied Mrs Proudie. Her anger increased when she realized a few minutes later that he had disobeyed her order. 'Such manners I never saw,' she said furiously to herself. 'I cannot and will not permit it.' And she pushed her way through the crowd, following Mr Slope.

When she reached the sofa, she found the guilty pair alone together. The signora was sitting very comfortably, eating her supper, while Mr Slope was leaning over her, making sure she had everything she wanted. Mrs Proudie walked stiffly up to them, stared at them for a moment, and said, 'Mr Slope, his lordship desires your presence in the dining room; you will join him there, if you please.' She moved away like a ship in full sail.

alt

'Mr Slope, his lordship desires your presence in the dining room; you will join him there, if you please.'

Mr Slope knew the bishop had not asked for him, but he prepared to leave the room, all the same.

'Is she always like this?' the signora asked him.

'Yes, always the same, madam,' said Mrs Proudie, returning. 'Always equally against improper behaviour of any description,' and she marched back through the room again.

The signora could not follow her, but she laughed a long scornful laugh, sending the sound of it ringing after Mrs Proudie. She could not have thought of a better revenge.

Mrs Proudie could not fight back, because she had her guests to attend to. The reception was coming to an end, and the bishop's wife forced a smile as people said their goodbyes, but she was too angry to make it look convincing. And as Madeline Stanhope was carried out by her servants, Mrs Proudie watched her departing figure as if to say, 'If ever you find yourself within these walls again, I'll teach you a lesson you will never forget.'

furniture n. large movable objects like chairs, tables and beds that you use in a room 家具

familiar adj. easy to recognize because you have seen or heard them many times before 熟悉的

stiff adj. unfriendly or very formal, so that people feel uncomfortable 不友好的，生硬的

call on to visit for a short time 短暂拜访

Sunday school a place where children are taught about Christianity on Sundays 主日学校（星期日对儿童进行基督教教育的场所）

furiously adv. extremely angrily 狂怒地，暴怒地

mildly adv. in a gentle way without being angry or using strong words 温和地，婉转地

sermon n. a talk given as part of a church service, usually on a religious or moral subject 布道，讲道

scorn n. the feeling that someone or something is stupid or does not deserve respect 鄙视，蔑视

sensible adj. reasonable, practical and able to judge things well 明智的，理智的

sacrifice n. something valuable that you decide not to have, in order to get something else that is more important 牺牲

proper adj. right, suitable, or correct 正确的；合适的，适当的

reputation n. the opinion that people have about a particular person or thing because of what has happened in the past 名誉，名望

cripple n. someone who is physically unable to use arms or legs properly （手臂或腿脚）伤残者

intention n. a plan or desire to do something 意图，打算

signora n. a title used to address an Italian-speaking woman, especially a married one （对讲意大利语的已婚女士的称呼）太太，夫人

profession n. a job that needs a high level of education and training 职业，行业

reception n. a large formal party to celebrate an event or to welcome someone 招待会；欢迎会

passionate adj. showing or involving very strong feelings 强烈的，充满激情的

fascinate v. to attract and hold attention by a unique power 迷住，吸引

march v. to walk somewhere quickly and with determination, often because you are angry （因生气而毅然地）快步走

attend to to deal with business or personal matters 处理，料理

2
战争打响

众所周知，根据新颁布的法令，普劳蒂博士需要为海勒姆养老院指派一位院长。人人都觉得他别无选择，没人认为除了哈丁先生，他还有别的人选。哈丁先生自己也并未多虑，确信自己会重返养老院怡人的住宅和花园。

因此，对于普劳蒂博士获任主教一事，哈丁先生个人并不关心，也做好了充分的准备，欢迎他来巴彻斯特。普劳蒂一家到了之后，他和格兰特利博士便到主教的宅邸自我引见。

主教大人在家，仆人把两位客人领进一间房——善良的老主教常常在那儿安坐，现在已成名室。他们原是主人，对屋里的每一件家具都了如指掌，这一瞬间却感觉十分陌生。他们看见普劳蒂博士坐在老主教的椅子上，斯洛普先生站在执事长以前站的地方，沙发上还坐着普劳蒂太太——一位女士擅闯主教的书房，真是令人震惊！

但既然她已经在那儿，他们也只能尽力周旋。他们问候主教大人，主教向他们介绍自己的太太。接着，斯洛普先生自报家门，向他的新敌人格兰特利博士伸出一只潮乎乎的手。格兰特利博士不自然地鞠了一躬，用手帕擦了擦手。然后，斯洛普先生纡尊降贵，以低等神职人员的身份，跟哈丁先生说了几句话，才重新加入上层人物的谈话。上层人物共有四位，不论男女，每一位都认为自己是巴彻斯特最重要的人物。由于此种分歧，他们要想愉快相处恐怕不太可能。

“格兰特利博士，”普劳蒂太太说，脸上挂着她最甜美的笑容，“据我所知，您住在普拉姆斯特德，离巴彻斯特还有一段路。但愿这段距离不是太远，还适合乡间拜访。等我们的马一到，我很乐意去拜望一下格兰特利太太。现在，马都还在伦敦呢，因为主教还得在那边开会——要我看，政府离了他可不成！不过，等马到了，我会第一时间去看望格兰特利太太的。”

格兰特利博士鞠了一躬，一言不发。他完全有本事买下普劳蒂夫妇的全部家当，然后再回赠给他们，也不会觉得有多心疼。自从结婚那天起，他就买了两匹马给妻子，供她一人使唤。

“巴彻斯特周边的村子里有没有成立主日学校的安排，格兰特利博士？”斯洛普先生问。

“哦！”执事长漫不经心地回答，“有没有得看当地代牧的女眷。”

斯洛普先生瞪大了双眼，但不打算就此放弃自己的大计。“我只是担心，这儿的人星期天总是来来回回到处跑。我看了时刻表，每个星期天都有三列火车出入巴彻斯特。格兰特利博士，您难道不觉得，您稍微花一点儿力气就有可能除掉这种罪恶吗？”

“如果您拦得住旅客的话，那我觉得铁路公司会取消火车班次。”执事长回答。

“但是不消说，格兰特利博士，”普劳蒂太太说，“不消说，处在我们这个位置上，我们应该尽全力阻止这样的罪恶。您难道不这么认为吗，哈丁先生？”说到这里，她意味深长地看着哈丁先生。

可怜的哈丁先生不知所措，格兰特利博士则打定主意不听主教太太的差遣，于是转身背对沙发，问主教觉得住所是否舒适。普劳蒂博士本人似乎没什么可抱怨的，斯洛普先生倒是列出了一长串需要修缮的地方，普劳蒂太太也不失时机地在一旁插话。最后，格兰特利博士和哈丁先生终于结束了这次造访，总算是松了一口气。

“天哪！”刚一呼吸到新鲜空气，执事长就怒气冲冲地嚷道。他帽子底下似乎在冒烟，有如一朵愤怒的云。

“我想我永远都不会喜欢斯洛普先生。”哈丁先生说。

“喜欢他！”执事长喊道，“世间哪个活物都不会喜欢斯洛普先生！”

“也不会喜欢普劳蒂太太。”哈丁先生说。

执事长愤怒忘形，就这位女士发表了一些令人咋舌的言辞。

“主教似乎寡言少语。”哈丁先生委婉地说。

“他就是个蠢货！”格兰特利博士喊道，“既没有实权也没有脑子！没错，我们要对付的是那个斯洛普先生。您见过比他还没有绅士风度的人吗？您刚才听见了吗，他还教我们怎么想、怎么做呢！竟敢如此放肆！”

两人离开主教宅邸时，执事长心中腾起了开战的欲望。他开始盘算如何尽早把斯洛普先生逐出巴彻斯特，以免这家伙利用自己对主教的影响力造成永久性的破坏。

同样，主教宅邸的新住户同样厌恶格兰特利博士，也已经意识到战争在即。

对于这场战争，斯洛普先生的准备倒是比执事长充分。此前，普劳蒂博士已经通知巴彻斯特的神职人员，下个星期天的教堂礼拜将由斯洛普先生布道。到了那一天，主教第一次在大教堂里坐上了自己的宝座，巴彻斯特的善男信女也纷纷涌进了这座宏伟的建筑，迫不及待地想看看新任主教，听听他那个特遣牧师的精神指引。全体神职人员都出席了这场仪式，连执事长也不例外。

礼拜仪式进行得非常不错。祷告诵读得十分庄重，曲子也唱得曼妙悦耳，歌者们拥有巴彻斯特最好的嗓子，全都经过哈丁先生本人的悉心栽培。这之后，斯洛普先生站起来，开始向教众讲话。众人凝神屏息，脸上露出十分惊讶的表情。

斯洛普先生通过巧妙的方式让教众觉得，他是在代表主教发言，还明确指出，巴彻斯特的神职人员今后该如何如何。他们原本珍视的种种习俗，全部都遭到了嘲笑。他还特地说明，教堂音乐是如何没有必要，教堂礼拜的语言又是多么富含深意，只要这样的语言是用来布道而不是歌唱！

执事长和其他神职人员简直不敢相信自己的耳朵。他们这一辈子都在以自认为最合乎理想的方式做礼拜，眼前这个无名毛头小子真是大胆，居然敢说他们一直以来的做法是错的！不过，斯洛普先生最终还是坐了下来。所有人之中，主教最为惊恐，几乎是毛发直立。他声音颤抖着念完最后一段祝祷，礼拜仪式就此结束。

接下来几天，人们就斯洛普先生和他的布道展开了激烈的争论。反方包括执事长和几乎所有神职人员，他们怒火冲天，决定再也不允许他在大教堂里布道。可怜的哈丁先生则开始质疑教堂音乐的价值。一直以来，大教堂里的歌声都让他引以为豪，如今他却觉得，这又是他不得不放弃的，就像当初放弃海勒姆养老院院长职位一样。

不过，也有那么一两名神职人员站在了斯洛普先生那边，他们认为明智的做法是祝贺特遣牧师很好地完成了布道，这当中包括帕丁戴尔的代牧奎沃夫先生。他的妻子每年都向他呈献一个爱的结晶，增添了他的烦恼，但愿也能让他更快乐。这位代牧要抚养十四名子女，年薪却只有区区四百英镑，他想向斯洛普先生这样的人示好，又有谁会觉得奇怪呢？此外，有一些巴彻斯特的居民也觉得，斯洛普先生也许说得对。长久以来，这里的神职人员因循守旧，而宗教改革正在颠覆外面的世界，说不定，引入此类变革的时候已经到了。有这样想法的居民大多是女士，绅士是不可能对斯洛普先生感兴趣的。

然而，埃莉诺·博尔德和她的大姑子玛丽·博尔德并不那么认为。身为哈丁先生的女儿，埃莉诺自然会以教堂的音乐传统为荣，为斯洛普先生的抨击感到愤怒。而在这样的事情上，寡妇博尔德和她的大姑子意见绝对一致。

不过，斯洛普先生说服她们改善了对自己的印象。那次布道的两个星期之后，他来拜访她们，让她们大为惊恐。巴彻斯特一切美好事物的死敌走进了她们的会客厅，她们身边却没有保护她们的强壮臂膀。寡妇把她的婴儿紧紧抱在怀里，玛丽·博尔德则站起身来，准备在必要时牺牲自己拼死保护孩子。

这就是斯洛普先生上门时受到的礼遇。然而，等到出门的时候，他竟然获准为婴儿祈福，还握了握两位女士的手，告别时宛如一位值得信任的朋友。这么短的时间，他是如何化干戈为玉帛，跟两位女士言归于好的呢？

斯洛普先生懂得如何恰到好处地曲意奉承，说几句温言软语。他要是知道如何像获得女人芳心那样去迷住男人，也许早已经升官进爵。

他来访后的第二天，埃莉诺就把这件事告诉了父亲，并且表示，自己并不觉得斯洛普先生像大家说的那么不堪。哈丁先生没说什么。他不满斯洛普先生踏入他家，但也不习惯说人长短。于是，他岔开话题，说起了海勒姆养老院院长一职。他对埃莉诺说，希望主教能让他担任这个职务，工资比以前少也无所谓。像接受馈赠一样从主教手里得到这个职位的确叫人生气，更何况，可能会由可恶的斯洛普授予他这一职位。但他肯定还是会接受。想到自己可以看到亲爱的父亲重返海勒姆养老院，在老地方开开心心地生活，埃莉诺很高兴。

******

三个月过去了，巴彻斯特发生了一些变化。其中一个变化就是，那些在外的神职人员被重新召回了岗位。维西·斯坦诺普博士就在此列，城中认识他的人寥寥无几。十二年前，他前往意大利治疗喉咙痛的毛病，尽管这个毛病并没有恶化，他却借此在那里过上了悠闲自在的日子，自己在家乡的工作则是花钱雇了一些年轻的神职人员替他做。但当斯坦诺普博士收到一封来自斯洛普先生的信，几乎是威胁他回去时，他意识到自己不得不回巴彻斯特的老家，至少要在那里过完夏天这几个月，否则教堂支付的薪水有可能就此中断。

于是，他和他那些魅力十足却不近人情的家人一起，又住回了巴彻斯特。他的妻子已经五十五岁，却依然健康美丽。不到下午三点到四点之间，她是绝对不会露面的。不过，只要一露面，她总会以最佳状态示人。她向来穿得无可挑剔，可是除了穿着考究，她对生活别无追求。她的长女夏洛特三十五岁，是个不错的年轻姑娘，已经从母亲那里接过了操持家务的担子。只有她能够说服父亲考虑世间俗事，只有她能够管住弟弟妹妹的愚蠢行为，也只有她能够保住全家人的名声，以免他们沦为乞丐。

斯坦诺普博士的次女马德琳是个大美人。她年轻时在意大利生活，让很多小伙子肝肠寸断，自己却不曾伤过心，尽管这些经历最终让她的名声多少有些受损。马德琳当初嫁的是保罗·内罗尼，这个人出身卑微，不名一文，脾气暴躁，油头滑脑。马德琳为什么嫁给他真让人猜不透。不过，这很有可能是因为当时她别无选择。然而，结婚不过六个月，她就回到了父亲在米兰的家，成了个跛子，还做了母亲。

她说自己摔了一跤，伤了膝盖，所以没法正常走路。因此她下定了决心，从此再也不下地走动。很快，人们就风传她这次意外是丈夫施暴所致，但她绝口不提保罗·内罗尼，除了向人表明，自己再也不想看见他，再也不想听到他的消息。斯坦诺普一家把这位不幸的美人和她年幼的女儿迎进了家门。

尽管被迫全盘放弃在世间走动，内罗尼太太却无意与世隔绝。但凡想去的剧院和晚会，她都会安排人带她去。到了那些地方，她躺在沙发上，很快就能靠美貌把自己感兴趣的年轻小伙全都吸引到身边来。倾慕她的人都被爱情蒙蔽了眼睛，看不到那双动人的眼睛里隐藏着的残忍和精明，还有对权力的渴求。

她的弟弟伯蒂接受过一流的教育，但因为太懒散而不去工作。他相貌十分英俊，蓄着光滑的长须，一双蓝眼睛清澈明亮，总是不停地向那些看上眼的女士表达爱意。不过，跟马德琳一样，他似乎也没心没肺，不会受伤。

******

在普劳蒂夫妇举办的招待晚宴上，斯坦诺普一家首次公开亮相。这场盛大的宴会由斯洛普先生操办，他邀请了巴彻斯特和周边村落的所有绅士淑女。宴会预计有好几百人出席，尽管普劳蒂太太几次三番反对庞大的开销，所费不赀的筹备工作照常进行。

宴会当晚，普劳蒂太太把客人迎进了宅邸里一个个精美的房间，斯洛普先生则东跑西颠地给仆人们下达各种指令。靠近楼梯顶部放了一张沙发，主教在那儿绊倒了好几次。他的一个女儿告诉他，那是给一位断了腿的女士准备的。他十分好奇，想亲眼见见这位古怪的女士。

没过多久，马德琳的马车就到了，她被人抬到了楼梯顶部的沙发上。她身穿一条紧身白裙，漂亮的胳膊上戴着钻石手链，躺在一块红色绸布上，摆好姿势。不一会儿，她便如愿以偿成为了众人关注的焦点。

伯蒂·斯坦诺普正在跟主教说话，想把马德琳的沙发稍微挪动一下，好给每个人多点走动的空间。于是他推了一把，沙发一下子冲向了房子中间。普劳蒂太太正跟斯洛普先生一起站在马德琳面前，努力想表现出擅长交际的样子，可她当时心情欠佳。她发现自己无论什么时候跟这位太太说话，对方的反应都是转而跟斯洛普先生说话。普劳蒂太太的火气刚上来，一条沙发腿就绞进了她的裙子。伴随着一阵难听的撕裂声，普劳蒂太太裙子下摆的一角给扯下来了。

裙子被毁成这样，任何一位女士都会大发雷霆。普劳蒂太太瞪着伯蒂·斯坦诺普，脸上简直是非人的狰狞表情。看到自己闯下的祸，伯蒂立刻单膝跪在了普劳蒂太太面前。

“请原谅我，太太，请原谅我！”他一边发疯似地喊，一边试着把普劳蒂太太的裙子从沙发腿上解下来。

“把手拿开，先生！”普劳蒂太太轻蔑地说。

“不怪我，都怪那张沙发。”伯蒂说，依旧跪在地上。

“把手拿开，先生！”普劳蒂太太几乎是在尖叫了。

就在这时，内罗尼太太笑了起来，声音不大不小，刚够让人听见。普劳蒂太太怒冲冲地转向她。

“太太！”她说，眼中燃着怒火。

马德琳直视着普劳蒂太太，过了一会儿才对弟弟说：“伯蒂，你这个傻瓜，站起来吧。”

普劳蒂太太的女儿们已经赶了过来，赶紧陪母亲走出房间，缝补裙子去了。趁此机会，马德琳大展魅力，要迷住斯洛普先生。普劳蒂太太回来的时候，看见斯洛普挑了一些最为精致的菜品，正端着朝内罗尼太太的沙发走去。

“你可不能扔下咱们的客人不管，斯洛普先生。”她说。

“内罗尼太太得吃晚饭了，太太。”斯洛普先生鞠了一躬，脸上挂着假惺惺的笑容。

“让她弟弟给她拿，斯洛普先生。”普劳蒂太太回答。几分钟后，她发现他违背了自己的指令，不由得火冒三丈。“这样子的礼数我还没见过呢。”她忿忿地自言自语道，“我忍不了，也不会忍。”于是她从人群里挤开一条道，跟着斯洛普先生走了过去。

走到沙发跟前的时候，她发现那两个罪人单独待在一起。内罗尼太太舒舒服服地坐在那儿吃晚餐，斯洛普先生则斜倚在一旁，确保她的一切要求都能得到满足。普劳蒂太太身体绷直着，朝他们走去，盯着他们看了一会儿，然后才说：“斯洛普先生，主教大人想让你去一下餐厅。麻烦你去那儿找他吧。”说完之后，她像张满风帆的船一样飞快地走开了。

斯洛普先生知道主教并没有找他，但还是打算离开这个房间。

“她一向都是这副德性吗？”内罗尼太太问斯洛普先生。

“是的，一贯如此，太太。”普劳蒂太太又走回来说了这么一句，“任何不得体的行为，我全都一样反对。”说完再次快步穿过了房间。

内罗尼太太没法跟过去，却发出了一长串轻蔑的笑声，在普劳蒂太太身后余音不绝。在她看来，这是最好的报复方法。

普劳蒂太太没法还击，因为她还得招呼客人。招待会即将结束的时候，主教太太对着纷纷告辞的人们强颜欢笑，熊熊怒火却让她的笑容显得有些虚伪。仆人们把马德琳抬出门的时候，普劳蒂太太注视着她离去的身影，仿佛是在说：“你要是再敢踏进我家大门一步，我就好好教训你一顿，让你永生永世都忘不了。”

3
A rich widow

Two days later Mr Harding was called to the palace to discuss the wardenship of Hiram's Hospital with Mr Slope. The chaplain kept the old man waiting for half an hour, and when he did arrive, he behaved just as if he were an important man of business and Mr Harding a young man applying for a job.

'Now, concerning this post of warden,' he began, 'of course you know the income would be very much reduced. In addition, you would be expected to have the house painted inside every seven years and outside every three years. And the duties – well, I believe, if I am correctly informed, there were hardly any duties to speak of in the past.' He gave a scornful laugh. 'Things are a great deal changed, not only in Barchester, Mr Harding, but also in the wider world. Work is now required from every man who receives wages, and new men are needed in the Church, as in other professions. For example, the bishop is anxious to have a Sunday school attached to the Hospital, for the children of the poor, and the teachers would be under your control and care.'

Mr Harding was now getting very angry, which was what Mr Slope wanted. 'And if I disagree with his lordship's views?' the old man asked, as calmly as he could.

'I hope you do not, but if you do, I assume you would feel unable to accept the post.' Mr Slope intended Mr Harding to refuse the appointment, which would then be vacant for a person of his own choosing.

'I shall consult my friends, but you may tell the bishop, Mr Slope, that I shall not accept the wardenship if I find the conditions that you mention are attached to it,' and Mr Harding left the room.

Mr Slope was delighted. He considered he could take Mr Harding's last speech as an absolute refusal of the appointment, and that is what he told the bishop and Mrs Proudie.

The bishop was sorry to hear it, but Mrs Proudie said firmly, 'There is no cause for sorrow. Mr Quiverful is more in need of it, and, as warden, will be much more useful to us.'

'I suppose I had better see Quiverful?' said the chaplain.

'I suppose you had,' said the bishop.

Meanwhile poor Mr Harding was feeling very miserable. He had lost the wardenship a second time, and been insulted by a man young enough to be his son, but that he could put up with. What really made him unhappy was the thought that he belonged to the past, that his efforts were no longer needed or appreciated, that everything he had done might be worthless.

He went first to Eleanor's house, to tell her his troubles, but found that Mr Slope had visited her the day before. The chaplain had made a very different speech to her from the one he had made to her father, full of flattery and heartfelt hopes that Mr Harding would take the wardenship. So she was surprised and disappointed to see her father looking so unhappy, and could not really sympathize with or understand his dislike of Mr Slope.

Mr Harding's next move was to discuss the matter with the archdeacon, so he drove to Plumstead in a hired carriage. Dr Grantly was out, so, while waiting for him, Mr Harding took the opportunity to discuss recent events with his daughter Susan.

'How can Eleanor bear that Mr Slope?' she asked.

'He's a very clever man,' said her father. 'He has made her think he is a good and honest clergyman.'

'Good and honest indeed!' said Susan scornfully. 'I only hope he won't be clever enough to make her forget her position.'

'Good heavens! Do you mean marry him?'

'What is so improbable about it? Of course that would be his plan if he thought he had any chance of success. Eleanor has a thousand pounds a year of her own.'

'But you can't think she likes him, Susan?'

'Why not? She has no one to look after her.'

'But don't we look after her?'

'Oh father, how innocent you are! It is to be expected that she will marry again, but she should wait the proper time, and then at least marry a gentleman.'

Now Mr Harding had something else to worry about. To have as a son-in-law, the husband of his favourite child, the only man in the world whom he really disliked, would be a misfortune he felt he could not bear. In fact, if the truth were known, Eleanor had no more idea of marrying Mr Slope than of marrying the bishop. But it was true she had forgiven him his sermon, his pride, and even his shiny face and oily manners, so in time might she not accept him as an admirer? Strangely enough, Mr Slope was innocent of the crime he was being accused of. This man whose eyes were generally so wide open to everything around him had not yet discovered that the young widow was rich as well as beautiful. It was an error which he was soon to correct.

Dr Grantly did not arrive until dinnertime. He was in an excellent mood and explained why, as they sat down to eat.

'It's all agreed,' he said, rubbing his hands joyfully. 'Arabin has accepted! If anyone can get rid of Slope, Arabin can.'

Francis Arabin was an old Oxford friend of Dr Grantly's, a clergyman of the highest reputation, and also a gentleman. He and Mr Slope had been carrying on a long battle on spiritual matters in the letters pages of The Jupiter for some months now, and Dr Grantly thought his friend's intelligence and deep religious knowledge would be extremely useful in the fight against the Proudies. Mr Arabin had therefore been offered, and had accepted, the post of vicar of a small church near Plumstead. Dr Grantly was delighted that Arabin would be so near at hand, for advice and support, and amused that Mr Slope would come face to face with his spiritual enemy very soon.

At the end of the meal Mr Harding finally managed to speak of what was worrying him. The archdeacon's response was firm.

'The bishop has no power to appoint a new man as warden, or indeed to make the warden a Sunday school teacher! All of Barchester expects you to return to Hiram's Hospital, and that's what you will do. I tell you what, my friend, I shall see the bishop when he has neither his wife nor his chaplain beside him, and I think you'll find the matter will end with you becoming warden without any conditions whatever. Leave it to me.'

And so the matter was arranged between them. Dr Grantly's good humour continued till bedtime, when, in the privacy of their room, Mrs Grantly gave him her opinion of what Eleanor might do. His face looked stern, and he said, 'If she does, I'll never speak to her again. I won't be connected to such dirt as that,' and he gave a shudder which shook the whole room.

Mr Slope lost no time in visiting Mr Quiverful to ask if he would like to be warden of the Hospital. Mr Quiverful, in giving his enthusiastic reply, happened to mention that Mr Harding might not need the post because his daughter Eleanor had an income of a thousand a year. This unexpected information caused Mr Slope to cut short his visit, and he rode home, thinking hard. Why should he not marry the widow, and make the thousand pounds a year his own? And then it struck him that perhaps it would be easier to gain her approval, if he did all in his power to help her father become warden, instead of Quiverful.

He was confident he could manage this, although it would involve a complete change of direction, but he knew he must step cautiously. If he quarrelled with the Proudies and was then refused by the widow, he would have lost all his influence and power. He also remembered that Mrs Bold's brother-in-law was his enemy, the archdeacon, and swore he would never bow the knee to that man, not even for a thousand pounds a year.

Another circumstance influenced him. The vision of the signora was continually before his eyes. It would be too much to say Mr Slope was lost in love, but yet he thought he had never seen so beautiful a woman. He had never been so tempted before, and now it was difficult to resist the temptation – it was hard to consider any plan which would require him to give up his special friendship with this lady.

He decided he urgently needed to find out the truth about Mrs Bold's fortune, so he started making enquiries at once. He was not a man who ever let much grass grow under his feet.

alt

About the time that Mr Slope was visiting Mr Quiverful, a discussion took place at Dr Stanhope's house between Charlotte and Bertie about his unwillingness to earn any kind of income. Finally Charlotte said, in her sensible way, 'Well, Bertie, if you won't work, will you marry a wife with money?'

'I won't marry one without any,' he replied. 'But wives with money aren't easy to find nowadays – the vicars pick them all up.'

'And a vicar will pick up Mrs Bold too, if you don't hurry.'

'Whew!' whistled Bertie. 'A widow! With a son!'

'A baby that will very likely die. The lady is very beautiful, and she has a thousand pounds a year.'

'Well, no one can call me unreasonable, and if you'll arrange it all for me, I'll marry the widow.'

Charlotte was just explaining to him that he must court the lady himself, and was praising her beauty, when Madeline was carried into the room by her servants.

'Madeline, I'm going to be married,' Bertie began as soon as the servants had left.

'There's no other foolish thing left that you haven't done,' said Madeline, 'so you are quite right to try that.'

'Well, that's Charlotte's advice to me. But your opinion ought to be the best; you have experience to guide you.'

'Yes, I have,' said Madeline in a hard voice. But she looked very sad, and Bertie was sorry that his words had hurt her.

'Charlotte wants me to marry Mrs Bold,' he said. 'She has a thousand a year and a fine baby son.'

'If it's true she has a thousand a year and has ladylike manners, I advise you to marry her,' said Madeline. 'Even you aren't fool enough to marry for love. Marriage is a poor bargain for husband or wife. A man should not sacrifice his freedom unless he gets something in return, but a woman generally has no choice – she has no other way of living.'

'But Bertie has no other way of living!' said Charlotte.

'Then for heaven's sake let him marry Mrs Bold,' said Madeline, and so it was decided.

alt

Mr Slope's enquiries about the widow's income had determined him to try his hand at courting her. He had therefore attempted to persuade the bishop that the post of warden should be offered to Mr Harding, but matters were more complicated than he had imagined. Mrs Proudie, anxious for her power to be as visible as possible, had already made it clear to Mrs Quiverful that her husband would be appointed warden.

'Ah, my lord,' said Mr Slope, half laughing, 'we shall all be in trouble if the ladies interfere. I only speak, my lord, in your own best interests. As far as personal feelings go, Mrs Proudie is the best friend I have. But still, in my present position, my first duty is to your lordship.' He smiled his most flattering smile.

'I am quite sure of that, Mr Slope,' said the bishop gratefully. 'Do you really think Mr Harding should be the warden?'

'I do, my lord. What has passed between Mrs Proudie and Mrs Quiverful may be a little inconvenient, but I really do not think that should count in a matter of so much importance.'

He left the poor bishop dreadfully undecided, but on the whole almost determined to oppose Mrs Proudie's wishes, which was exactly what Mr Slope was hoping for.

The chaplain then went on to call on Eleanor Bold, who was playing with baby Johnny in her sitting room. When Mr Slope was announced, Eleanor quickly pushed back her long dark hair, which the baby had pulled down from her widow's cap. Mr Slope stopped for a moment in the doorway, realizing at once how lovely she was, and thinking that, even if she had no fortune at all, she would bring comfort and joy to any man's home.

alt

When Mr Slope was announced, Eleanor quickly pushed back her long dark hair, which the baby had pulled down from her widow's cap.

He sat down close to Eleanor and said confidentially, 'May I ask you a simple question, Mrs Bold?'

'Certainly,' she smiled, 'and I shall give you an honest answer.'

'My question is this: is your father really anxious to go back to Hiram's Hospital as warden?'

'Why do you ask me? Why not ask him yourself?'

'My dear Mrs Bold, there are wheels within wheels, which I fear I have little time to explain to you. No one respects your father more than I do, but I doubt if he respects me.' (He certainly did not.) 'I am afraid there is a feeling in Barchester, I will not call it a prejudice, which runs against me, and your father shares this feeling. Can you deny it?'

Eleanor made no answer, and Mr Slope, in the eagerness of his speech, moved his chair a little nearer to hers. 'That is why I cannot ask him this question as I can ask it of you. But you, my dear Mrs Bold, since I came to Barchester, you have allowed me to regard you as a friend.' Eleanor moved her head slightly; it looked more like a shake than a nod, but Mr Slope took no notice of it. 'To you I can speak openly, and express the feelings of my heart. When I spoke to your father about the post of warden, he gave me the impression he would refuse it, and so the bishop, perhaps mistakenly, has offered it to Mr Quiverful.'

'Then, Mr Slope, there is an end of it!' and tears came to Eleanor's lovely eyes and rolled down her face.

Mr Slope would have given much to be allowed to dry those tears, but he knew his moment had not yet come. Instead he promised to do all he could to persuade the bishop to change his mind, his stated purpose being to protect the interests of Mr Harding, whom he so sincerely admired, and to bring greater happiness to Mrs Bold, whom he dared to call his friend. It was indeed a clever and convincing performance.

alt

At the bishop's palace, revolution was stirring. Since his recent conversation with Mr Slope, the bishop knew it was time to be firm with his wife. If he could only defeat her once, he would be a man indeed! So with great daring he went to her private sitting room to speak to her. He found her at her desk, adding up the bills and frowning over all the expense of a bishop's family.

'Excuse me, my dear,' he began. 'If you are free, I wish to speak to you.' Mrs Proudie looked sourly up at him, and his courage failed him. 'But I see you are busy – another time –'

'What is it, bishop?' asked the lady reluctantly.

'It is about the Quiverfuls, my dear. But as you are busy –'

'What about the Quiverfuls? It is perfectly understood that they are to have the hospital. There is no doubt, is there?'

This was the moment when the bishop needed to show his bravery, in order to win the battle. He said, very gently, 'Well, my dear, I just wanted to mention that Mr Slope seems to think Mr Harding should have the post.'

'Mr Slope seems to think!' she said scornfully. 'I hope, my lord, you will not allow yourself to be governed by a chaplain.'

'Certainly not, my dear. Nothing is less probable. But –'

'Nonsense,' said Mrs Proudie rudely. 'Mr Quiverful will be the warden, not Mr Harding. And that's the end of it.'

'I believe you are right, my dear,' said the bishop, creeping back to the safety of his study.

That evening Mr Slope heard from the bishop that Mrs Proudie's orders concerning the wardenship were to be obeyed. He also received a visit, in his room, from the lady of the house herself. She had something very particular to say to him.

'Mr Slope, I must tell you, I did not at all approve of your behaviour with that Italian woman at my reception. Anyone would have thought you were her lover.'

'Good heavens, my dear madam,' said Mr Slope with a look of horror. 'Why, she is a married woman!'

'That is what she calls herself, certainly. Since then you have visited her and sat with her alone. I consider it my duty to warn you, Mr Slope, that that woman is not a suitable companion for an unmarried young clergyman like you.' How Mr Slope hated her at this moment! But she had not finished. 'There is another thing, Mr Slope. You are far too ready to interfere. Kindly do not give the bishop any more guidance at all. If his lordship wants advice, he knows where to look for it.' And she sailed out.

Mr Slope now knew there certainly was not room in Barchester for the energies of both himself and Mrs Proudie; victory over her had become a matter of urgency.

alt

Meanwhile Eleanor had been made aware of her family's concerns about her apparent liking for Mr Slope. When she had innocently mentioned Mr Slope's offer to help her father, Dr Grantly had accused her of betraying the family's interests in making such an unreliable friend, and Eleanor had felt angry that her brother-in-law, and even her dear father, did not respect her judgement. She was all the more annoyed, because she was not quite sure how far she herself trusted Mr Slope.

Perhaps this disagreement with Dr Grantly made her feel a little isolated, and perhaps that feeling of isolation made her more eager than she would normally have been to accept Charlotte's invitation to spend the evening at the Stanhopes' house.

Indeed, when she arrived there, and discovered Mr Slope was also one of the guests, she almost decided to leave at once. But clever Charlotte made her feel at home immediately; Eleanor was introduced to kind old Dr Stanhope, and was smiled on by Madeline. She had no suspicion that Mr Slope was planning to court her; nor did she notice how much time he spent at the signora's side, or even the guilty looks he sent in her direction. For most of the evening she was left alone with Bertie, and the time simply flew by. Bertie did not flatter her, or sigh like a lover, but he was amusing and friendly, yet at the same time respectful. And when he left Eleanor at her own door at one o'clock in the morning, after a delightful walk in the moonlight, she thought he was one of the most charming men she had ever met.

apply v. to make a formal, usually written request for something such as a job, or permission to do something 申请

assume v. to think that something is true, although you have no proof of it 假定，假设

vacant adj. not being occupied at present and available for someone to start doing 空缺的

refusal n. an act of saying or showing that you will not do something that someone has asked you to do 拒绝

put up with to accept an unpleasant situation or person without complaining 忍受，忍耐

innocent adj. not having much experience of the bad things in the world, so that you are easily deceived 天真的，阅世不深的

privacy n. the state of being free from public attention 隐私

stern adj. severe, serious or strict 严厉的

shudder n. a shaking movement 战栗，发抖

strike v. to suddenly come into your mind 突然意识到，突然想到

tempt v. to make someone want to have or do something, even though they know they really should not 诱惑，引诱

enquiry n. a question you ask in order to get information 询问，打听

whew interj. used when you are surprised, very hot, or feeling glad that something bad does not happen 哟，哎呀（表示惊讶、感到炎热或因坏事没发生而感到高兴）

court v. (old-fashioned) to have a romantic relationship and may get married with [旧用法]追求（女子）

for someone's sake in order to help, improve, or please someone 为了某人的缘故

complicated adj. difficult to understand or deal with, because many parts or details are involved 难懂的；难处理的

interfere v. to deliberately get involved in a situation that does not concern you, and try to influence what happens in a way that annoys people 介入，干涉

dreadfully adv. extremely or very much 非常，极其

doorway n. the space where a door opens into a room or building 门口，门道，出入口

wheels within wheels used to say that a situation is complicated and difficult to understand because it involves things that you know nothing about 复杂的形势

deny v. to say that something is not true, or that you do not believe something 否认，否定

prejudice n. an unreasonable dislike and distrust of people who are different from you in some way 偏见，歧视

daring n. courage that makes you willing to take risks 勇气，胆量

sourly adv. in an unfriendly or bad-tempered way 不快地

why interj. used to show that you are surprised or annoyed 哎呀，嗨（表示惊讶或生气）

companion n. someone you spend a lot of time with, especially a friend 伴侣，同伴

sail v. to move forward gracefully and confidently 优雅而自信地走

innocently adv. done or said without intending to harm or offend someone 不带恶意地

betray v. to be disloyal to someone who trusts you so that they are harmed or upset 背叛，出卖

unreliable adj. unable to be trusted or depended on 不可信赖的，不可靠的

amusing adj. funny and entertaining 好笑的，有趣的

3
富孀

两天后，哈丁先生奉命来到主教宅邸，跟斯洛普先生协商海勒姆养老院院长人选。特遣牧师让老人干等了半个钟头才到，到了以后又表现得像一个有头有脸的商人，把哈丁先生当成了一个前来求职的年轻小伙。

“好了，说到院长这个职位嘛，”他开口道，“当然你也知道，薪水会降低很多。另外，您得每七年粉刷一次内墙，每三年粉刷一次外墙。至于职责嘛——其实，据我看，如果我得到的消息没错的话，过去也几乎谈不上有什么职责。”他轻蔑地笑了一声，“世道已经变啦，不仅仅在巴彻斯特是如此，哈丁先生，外面的世界也一样。如今，但凡领薪水的人都得干活，教会也需要补充新人，跟其他行当一样。比如说，主教很想赶紧给医院建一所主日学校，用来教导穷人的孩子们，学校的老师将由您来管理和操心。”

哈丁先生此时已经十分气恼，这正是斯洛普先生想要的效果。“要是我跟主教大人意见相左呢？”老人尽可能平静地问。

“我希望您别那样，不过，您要是真那样的话，我想您会觉得自己无法接受这个职位。”斯洛普先生的打算是迫使哈丁先生拒绝这一职位，那样的话他就可以自己找人来填补空缺。

“我得跟朋友们商量一下。不过，斯洛普先生，您可以转告主教，要是我发现当院长要附带您说的那些条件，那么我是不会接受的。”哈丁先生说完走出了房间。

斯洛普先生心中窃喜。在他看来，哈丁先生最后说的那段话可以理解为彻底拒绝了这个职位，于是就这么转告了主教和普劳蒂太太。

听到这样的结果，主教深表遗憾，普劳蒂太太却坚决地说：“没必要难过。奎沃夫先生更需要这个职位，还有，他当院长对我们来说更有利。”

“那我最好跟奎沃夫见个面？”特遣牧师问。

“要我说，确实如此。”主教说。

此时此刻，可怜的哈丁先生陷入了痛苦之中。他再次失去了院长一职，还被一个年龄足以当他儿子的家伙羞辱了一番，不过，这些也不是不能忍受。真正让他难过的是，他觉得自己属于过去，如今的社会不再需要他卖力，也不再欣赏他的贡献，他所做的一切也许都没有什么价值。

他先去了埃莉诺的家，想跟她倒苦水，结果却发现，斯洛普先生前一天刚刚来过。特遣牧师对埃莉诺说的那一套，跟对她父亲说的不一样，不光是满嘴奉承，还说自己真心希望哈丁先生能够担任院长。因此，看到父亲一脸不高兴，埃莉诺又是惊讶又是失望，无法真正感受和理解父亲对斯洛普先生的憎恶。

下一步，哈丁先生想跟执事长聊聊这件事，于是乘着雇来的马车前往普拉姆斯特德。格兰特利博士出门去了，哈丁先生一边等他，一边趁这个机会跟女儿苏珊聊了聊近况。

“埃莉诺怎么受得了那个斯洛普先生呢？”她问。

“他很精明，”她的父亲回答，“已经给她留下了一个善良诚实的神职人员形象。”

“他可真是既善良又诚实！”苏珊轻蔑地说，“我只是希望，他不会精明得让她忘记了自己的身份。”

“天哪！你是说嫁给他吗？”

“这有什么不可能的呢？只要觉得自己有一线成功的机会，他肯定会这么打算。埃莉诺自己就有每年一千镑的收入。”

“可是，你该不会认为她喜欢他吧，苏珊？”

“为什么不？她身边又没人照顾。”

“不是我们在照顾她吗？”

“哦，父亲，您可太天真了！可想而知，她还会再婚，可她应该等待合适的时机，怎么也得嫁个绅士才行。”

这下子，哈丁先生又添了一桩烦心事。世上唯一一个讨他嫌的人居然会成为他的女婿，成为他最心爱的孩子的丈夫，他觉得这样的不幸根本无法忍受。而事实上，埃莉诺根本没想过要嫁给斯洛普先生，就跟没想过要嫁给主教一样。不过，她的确原谅了他布道时说的那些话，他目中无人的态度，甚至还有他那张油腻得发光的脸和他油腔滑调的作风。这样一来，假以时日，她不是也有可能接受他这个追求者吗？奇怪的是，对于扣在自己头上的这项罪名，斯洛普先生的确很无辜。这个通常是眼观六路的人暂时还没发现，这位年轻的寡妇不仅貌美如花，而且身家富厚。这个失误很快就会被他纠正过来。

直到晚饭时间，格兰特利博士才回到家里，一副兴高采烈的模样。大家坐下来吃饭的时候，他解释了这当中的缘故。

“已经达成协议了，”他一边说，一边高兴地搓着双手，“阿拉宾同意了！要说这世上有人能除掉斯洛普的话，那就只能是阿拉宾了。”

弗朗西斯·阿拉宾是格兰特利博士在牛津的老朋友——一位德高望重的神职人员，也是一位绅士。他和斯洛普先生就宗教问题展开了拉锯战，到现在两人已经在《朱庇特报》的读者来信专栏斗了好几个月。格兰特利博士觉得，对付普劳蒂夫妇，自己这个朋友的智慧和渊博的宗教知识能助他一臂之力。所以，他请阿拉宾先生来担任普拉姆斯特德附近一座小教堂的代牧，对方也答应了他。格兰特利博士很高兴，因为阿拉宾如今近在咫尺，可以给他提供建议和支持。一想到要不了多久，斯洛普先生就会跟他的宗教敌人当面对抗，他就忍不住发笑。

晚饭快吃完的时候，哈丁先生终于说出了心中的困扰。执事长的回答十分坚决。

“主教没有权力另行指派院长，更没有权力让院长去当主日学校的老师！巴彻斯特所有的人都等着您重返海勒姆养老院，您也确实应该回去。我跟您说，我的朋友，等主教的妻子和特遣牧师都不在他身边的时候，我就去见他。依我看，您会发现结果就是您当上了院长，没有任何附加条件。这事儿就交给我吧。”

这件事就这样说定了。格兰特利博士一直保持着好心情，直到该上床睡觉的时候，到了没有外人的卧室里，格兰特利太太告诉他，她认为埃莉诺可能会有什么样的打算。博士沉下脸说：“她要是真那样，我就再也不跟她说话了。我可不会跟那种卑鄙小人结亲。”他打了个颤抖，整个房间似乎都跟着晃了一晃。

斯洛普先生一刻也没耽搁，就去拜访了奎沃夫先生，问他愿不愿意担任养老院院长。奎沃夫先生给出了热情的回答，还顺口提了一句，哈丁先生可能不需要这个职位，因为他女儿埃莉诺每年有一千英镑的收入。这始料未及的信息让斯洛普先生提早告辞。骑马回家的路上，他冥思苦想。自己干吗不娶了这个寡妇，把那一千英镑的年收入据为己有呢？他突然想到，如果自己竭尽所能帮助她父亲而不是奎沃夫当上院长，可能会更容易赢得她的芳心。

尽管需要彻底扭转事态的发展方向，他还是相信自己能把这件事情办妥，但他清楚自己必须谨慎行事。要是这边跟普劳蒂夫妇起了争执，那边又遭到寡妇拒绝，他的影响力和权势会荡然无存。他还想了起来，博尔德太太那个当执事长的姐夫是他的敌人，于是暗自发誓，哪怕是为了一千英镑的年收入也绝不向此人屈膝。

左右他的还有一个因素。内罗尼太太的身影一刻不停地在他眼前晃。要说斯洛普先生已经坠入爱河，未免太过夸张，可他觉得，自己还从没见过如此美貌的女子。他从未受过如此诱惑，也很难抵挡这种诱惑——如果要他放弃跟这位女士的特殊友情，什么样的计划他都很难予以考虑。

他认为当务之急是核实博尔德太太的财产，于是立刻开始着手调查。他从来都不是那种干等着脚下长草的人。

******

大概就在斯洛普先生拜访奎沃夫先生的时候，在斯坦诺普博士的家里，夏洛特和伯蒂在讨论伯蒂不愿挣钱的事。最后，夏洛特用一副洞达世情的派头说：“好吧，伯蒂，你要是不愿意工作，那你愿不愿意娶一个有钱的妻子呢？”

“没钱的我可不愿意娶。”他回答，“可是，有钱的妻子眼下可不好找啊——都让代牧们给挑走啦。”

“你要是不抓紧的话，博尔德太太也要让代牧给挑走啦。”

“哟！”伯蒂打了个呼哨，“一个寡妇！还带着个儿子！”

“一个很可能会夭折的孩子。那位女士很漂亮，每年还有一千镑的收入。”

“好吧，让谁来说，我也不是一个不明理的人。如果你能为我打点好一切，那么我就娶那个寡妇好了。”

夏洛特正在解释为什么他必须自己去追求那位女士，正对她的美貌赞不绝口时，仆人们把马德琳抬进了房间。

“马德琳，我要结婚啦。”仆人一走，伯蒂就说。

“这世上就没有你没干过的蠢事，”马德琳说，“所以啊，你去结婚试试看也没什么错。”

“哦，这是夏洛特给我出的主意。不过，你的意见应该是最好的，毕竟你是凭经验行事。”

“没错，我确实是过来人。”马德琳说，口气非常生硬。可她看起来很难过，伯蒂也觉得过意不去，因为自己的话伤到了她。

“夏洛特想让我娶博尔德太太。”他说，“她年收入有一千镑，还有个可爱的小男孩。”

“如果她真的一年有一千镑收入，举止又像个淑女，那我建议你娶她。”马德琳说，“就算是你，也不会蠢到为爱情结婚的地步。无论男女，婚姻都是一桩赔本买卖。男人不该为此牺牲自由，除非另有回报。女人呢，一般都是别无选择——因为她们没有别的活法。”

“可伯蒂没有别的活法！”夏洛特说。

“那就看在上帝的份上，让他去娶博尔德太太吧。”马德琳说。事情就这么说定了。

******

斯洛普先生查明寡妇的收入后，下定了决心要去追她。于是他努力说服主教将院长一职委任给哈丁先生。然而，事情比他想象的复杂。普劳蒂太太急着彰显自己的势力，已经向奎沃夫太太明确表示，她丈夫将会被任命为院长。

“哦，我的大人，”斯洛普先生似笑非笑地说，“如果女士们插手，我们会有麻烦的。我的大人，我这都是在为您着想。就个人感情而言，普劳蒂太太是我最好的朋友。尽管如此，就我目前的身份而言，我的首要职责是为您效力。”说到这里，他露出了自己最谄媚的笑容。

“这一点我完全相信，斯洛普先生。”主教满怀感激地说，“你真觉得应该让哈丁先生来当院长吗？”

“是的，大人。普劳蒂太太跟奎沃夫太太说过了那些话，可能会有点儿麻烦。可我觉得，在这么要紧的一件事情上，那么点儿麻烦并不是什么大事。”

他这番话使可怜的主教犹疑不决。不过，总体上讲，主教几乎已经决心要跟自己的太太唱反调了，这正是斯洛普先生想达成的目的。

接下来，特遣牧师去拜访埃莉诺·博尔德，她正在会客厅里陪小约翰尼玩。仆人通报斯洛普先生来访时，埃莉诺赶紧把乌黑的长发塞回了寡妇帽里，那是孩子给拽出来的。斯洛普先生在门口站了一小会儿，立刻意识到她是多么可爱，并且觉得，就算她不名一文，也能给任何一个男人的家带来抚慰和欢乐。

他坐到埃莉诺身边，神神秘秘地说：“我可以问您一个简单的问题吗，博尔德太太？”

“当然可以，”她微笑着说，“我会诚实地回答你。”

“我的问题就是，您父亲真的很想回海勒姆养老院去当院长吗？”

“您干吗问我呢？干吗不自己问他呢？”

“亲爱的博尔德太太，情况错综复杂，我怕是没时间跟您一一解释了。没有人比我更尊重您的父亲，但我觉得他不一定瞧得起我。”（他当然瞧不起斯洛普先生。）“我担心的是，巴彻斯特目前存在一种针对我的态度，我不会称之为歧视，而您父亲也有这种态度。这一点您不否认吧？”

埃莉诺未置可否。斯洛普先生说得激动不已，于是把椅子朝她那边挪了挪。“就是因为这个，这个问题我可以问您，却不可以问他。但是您，我亲爱的博尔德太太，自从我来到巴彻斯特，您一直都允许我把您当朋友对待。”埃莉诺的脑袋轻轻动了一下，看上去更像是摇头而不是点头，斯洛普先生却没有留意。“在您面前，我可以开诚布公，倾诉衷肠。之前我跟您父亲聊的时候，他给我的印象是他打算拒绝这个职位，所以主教做了个兴许错误的决定，把这个位子给了奎沃夫先生。”

“既然如此，斯洛普先生，这事情就没希望了！”泪水涌进埃莉诺美丽的双眸，从她脸上滑落下来。

如能为埃莉诺擦泪，再大的代价斯洛普先生也在所不惜，不过他很清楚，时机尚未成熟。因此他只是信誓旦旦地说，自己会尽力说服主教改变想法，说这么做是为了维护哈丁先生的利益，同时让博尔德太太过得更开心，因为哈丁先生是他真心景仰的人，博尔德太太则是他冒昧称为朋友的人。千真万确，这是一番高明而有说服力的表演。

******

在主教的宅邸里，造反的情绪正在酝酿。最近跟斯洛普先生聊过以后，主教已经明白，是时候对自己的妻子采取强硬态度了。只要能击败她一次，他就可以成为真正的男人！于是他鼓足勇气去了她的私人会客厅，打算跟她谈谈。进房之后，他看见妻子坐在桌边算账，因为家里大大小小的花销眉头紧锁。

“打扰一下，亲爱的。”他开腔道，“你要是有时间的话，我想跟你聊聊。”普劳蒂太太抬起头，脸色阴沉地看着他，他顿时泄了气。“不过，我看你挺忙的——下次吧——”

“你有什么事，主教？”普劳蒂太太不情不愿地问。

“奎沃夫家的事，亲爱的。不过，既然你还在忙——”

“奎沃夫家的什么事？大家都清楚明白地知道，养老院会归他们管。这一点毫无疑问，对吧？”

需要主教拿出勇气斗赢他妻子的时刻到了。于是他轻声细语地说：“是这样，亲爱的，我只是想说，斯洛普先生似乎觉得，这个职位应该给哈丁先生。”

“斯洛普先生似乎觉得！”她不屑地说，“我希望，我的大人，希望你不会听凭一个特遣牧师的摆布。”

“当然不会，亲爱的。这绝不可能。可是——”

“胡说八道。”普劳蒂太太毫不客气地说，“院长得让奎沃夫先生来当，而不是哈丁先生。这件事到此为止。”

“我看你说得对，亲爱的。”说完之后，主教溜回了书房这安全地带。

当天晚上，斯洛普先生从主教口中得知，关于院长职位一事，他必须听从夫人的命令。斯洛普还在自己的住所接待了一位访客——主教宅邸的女主人。她有一些特别的话要跟斯洛普先生讲。

“斯洛普先生，我不得不告诉你，对于你和那个意大利女人在我家招待会上的行为，我很有意见。谁都会认为你是她的情人。”

“天哪，我亲爱的太太，”斯洛普先生一脸惊恐地说，“嗨，她可是个有夫之妇啊！”

“她自己是这么说的，没错。打那以后，你还去看过她，跟她单独相处。我觉得我有责任警告你，斯洛普先生，对于你这样的未婚青年神职人员来说，那个女人可不是个合适的伴侣。”这一刻，斯洛普先生对普劳蒂太太恨之入骨！可她还没打住。“还有一件事，斯洛普先生，你太喜欢指手画脚了。麻烦你不要再给主教提什么建议。主教大人如果需要建议，自然知道该上哪儿去问。”说完扬长而去。

事到如今，斯洛普先生已经明白，巴彻斯特一山不能容二虎，即他与普劳蒂太太。打败她已经成了当务之急。

******

与此同时，家里人已经让埃莉诺意识到，她对斯洛普先生表现出的好感让他们很担心。在此之前，她无意之中提了一句，斯洛普先生主动要求帮助她的父亲。格兰特利博士指责她不该结交这么一个不可靠的朋友，背叛家庭的利益。看到姐夫乃至亲爱的父亲都不尊重自己的判断，埃莉诺感到十分气恼。更让她生气的是，连她自己都不清楚自己对斯洛普先生有多信任。

或许是因为跟格兰特利博士的分歧让她感觉有些孤立无援，又或许是因为这种孤立感让她比平常乐意接受夏洛特的邀请，这天傍晚去斯坦诺普家做客。

说真的，到那儿以后，发现斯洛普先生也是座上宾，她差点决定转身就走。不过，机敏的夏洛特立刻让她感到很自在。她把埃莉诺介绍给和蔼的老斯坦诺普博士，马德琳也冲她微笑。埃莉诺一点儿都没意识到，斯洛普先生正打算追求自己，也没注意到他在内罗尼太太身边待了多长时间，甚至没注意到他朝自己投过来的歉疚目光。当晚大多数时间，她都被安排跟伯蒂独处，时间过得飞快。伯蒂并没有讨好她，也没有像情人那样叹息，可他风趣友好，又恭敬有礼。他陪着埃莉诺在月光下愉快地散步之后，凌晨一点才在她家门口跟她道别。埃莉诺觉得，这是她平生见过的最具魅力的男士之一。

1．The new bishop