the queen of hearts-第62章

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Jessie's　attentive　face。

〃I　need　not　trouble　you　with　much　in　the　way　of　preface；〃　he
said。　〃This　is　the　story　of　a　very　remarkable　event　in　the　life
of　one　of　my　brother　clergymen。　He　and　I　became　acquainted
through　being　associated　with　each　other　in　the　management　of　a
Missionary　Society。　I　saw　him　for　the　last　time　in　London　when　he
was　about　to　leave　his　country　and　his　friends　forever；　and　was
then　informed　of　the　circumstances　which　have　afforded　the
material　for　this　narrative。〃


BROTHER　OWEN'S　STORY

of

THE　PARSON'S　SCRUPLE。


CHAPTER　I。


IF　you　had　been　in　the　far　West　of　England　about　thirteen　years
since；　and　if　you　had　happened　to　take　up　one　of　the　Cornish
newspapers　on　a　certain　day　of　the　month；　which　need　not　be
specially　mentioned；　you　would　have　seen　this　notice　of　a
marriage　at　the　top　of　a　column：


On　the　third　instant；　at　the　parish　church；　the　Reverend　Alfred
Carling；　Rector　of　Penliddy；　to　Emily　Harriet；　relict　of　the　late
Fergus　Duncan；　Esq。；　of　Glendarn；　N。　B。


The　rector's　marriage　did　not　produce　a　very　favorable　impression
in　the　town；　solely　in　consequence　of　the　unaccountable　private
and　unpretending　manner　in　which　the　ceremony　had　been　performed。
The　middle…aged　bride　and　bridegroom　had　walked　quietly　to　church
one　morning；　had　been　married　by　the　curate　before　any　one　was
aware　of　it；　and　had　embarked　immediately　afterward　in　the
steamer　for　Tenby；　where　they　proposed　to　pass　their　honeymoon。
The　bride　being　a　stranger　at　Penliddy；　all　inquiries　about　her
previous　history　were　fruitless；　and　the　townspeople　had　no
alternative　but　to　trust　to　their　own　investigations　for
enlightenment　when　the　rector　and　his　wife　came　home　to　settle
among　their　friends。

After　six　weeks'　absence　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Carling　returned；　and　the
simple　story　of　the　rector's　courtship　and　marriage　was　gathered
together　in　fragments；　by　inquisitive　friends；　from　his　own　lips
and　from　the　lips　of　his　wife。

Mr。　Carling　and　Mrs。　Duncan　had　met　at　Torquay。　The　rector；　who
had　exchanged　houses　and　duties　for　the　season　with　a　brother
clergyman　settled　at　Torquay；　had　called　on　Mrs。　Duncan　in　his
clerical　capacity；　and　had　come　away　from　the　interview　deeply
impressed　and　interested　by　the　widow's　manners　and　conversation。
The　visits　were　repeated；　the　acquaintance　grew　into　friendship；
and　the　friendship　into　loveardent；　devoted　love　on　both　sides。

Middle…aged　man　though　he　was；　this　was　Mr。　Carling's　first
attachment；　and　it　was　met　by　the　same　freshness　of　feeling　on
the　lady's　part。　Her　life　with　her　first　husband　had　not　been　a
happy　one。　She　had　made　the　fatal　mistake　of　marrying　to　please
her　parents　rather　than　herself；　and　had　repented　it　ever
afterward。　On　her　husband's　death　his　family　had　not　behaved　well
to　her；　and　she　had　passed　her　widowhood；　with　her　only　child；　a
daughter；　in　the　retirement　of　a　small　Scotch　town　many　miles
away　from　the　home　of　her　married　life。　After　a　time　the　little
girl's　health　had　begun　to　fail；　and；　by　the　doctor's　advice；　she
had　migrated　southward　to　the　mild　climate　of　Torquay。　The　change
had　proved　to　be　of　no　avail；　and；　rather　more　than　a　year　since；
the　child　had　died。　The　place　where　her　darling　was　buried　was　a
sacred　place　to　her　and　she　remained　a　resident　at　Torquay。　Her
position　in　the　world　was　now　a　lonely　one。　She　was　herself　an
only　child；　her　father　and　mother　were　both　dead；　and；　excepting
cousins；　her　one　near　relation　left　alive　was　a　maternal　uncle
living　in　London。

These　particulars　were　all　related　simply　and　unaffectedly　before
Mr。　Carling　ventured　on　the　confession　of　his　attachment。　When　he
made　his　proposal　of　marriage；　Mrs。　Duncan　received　it　with　an
excess　of　agitation　which　astonished　and　almost　alarmed　the
inexperienced　clergyman。　As　soon　as　she　could　speak；　she　begged
with　extraordinary　earnestness　and　anxiety　for　a　week　to　consider
her　answer；　and　requested　Mr。　Carling　not　to　visit　her　on　any
account　until　the　week　had　expired。

The　next　morning　she　and　her　maid　departed　for　London。　They　did
not　return　until　the　week　for　consideration　had　expired。　On　the
eighth　day　Mr。　Carling　called　again　and　was　accepted。

The　proposal　to　make　the　marriage　as　private　as　possible　came
from　the　lady。　She　had　been　to　London　to　consult　her　uncle　（whose
health；　she　regretted　to　say；　would　not　allow　him　to　travel　to
Cornwall　to　give　his　niece　away　at　the　altar）；　and　he　agreed　with
Mrs。　Duncan　that　the　wedding　could　not　be　too　private　and
unpretending。　If　it　was　made　public；　the　family　of　her　first
husband　would　expect　cards　to　be　sent　to　them；　and　a　renewal　of
intercourse；　which　would　be　painful　on　both　sides；　might　be　the
consequence。　Other　friends　in　Scotland；　again；　would　resent　her
marrying　a　second　time　at　her　age；　and　would　distress　her　and
annoy　her　future　husband　in　many　ways。　She　was　anxious　to　break
altogether　with　her　past　existence；　and　to　begin　a　new　and
happier　life　untrammeled　by　any　connection　with　former　times　and
troubles。　She　urged　these　points；　as　she　had　received　the　offer
of　marriage；　with　an　agitation　which　was　almost　painful　to　see。
This　peculiarity　in　her　conduct；　however；　which　might　have
irritated　some　men；　and　rendered　others　distrustful；　had　no
unfavorable　effect　on　Mr。　Carling。　He　set　it　down　to　an　excess　of
sensitiveness　and　delicacy　which　charmed　him。　He　was
himselfthough　he　never　would　confess　ita　shy；　nervous　man　by
nature。　Ostentation　of　any　sort　was　something　which　he　shrank
from　instinctively；　even　in　the　simplest　affairs　of　daily　life；
and　his　future　wife's　proposal　to　avoid　all　the　usual　ceremony
and　publicity　of　a　wedding　was　therefore　more　than　agreeable　to
himit　was　a　positive　relief。

The　courtship　was　kept　secret　at　Torquay；　and　the　marriage　was
celebrated　privately　at　Penliddy。　It　found　its　way　into　the　local
newspapers　as　a　matter　of　course；　but　it　was　not；　as　usual　in
such　cases；　also　advertised　in　the　_Times_。　Both　husband　and　wife
were　equally　happy　in　the　enjoyment　of　their　new　life；　and
equally　unsocial　in　taking　no　measures　whatever　to　publish　it　to
others。

Such　was　the　story　of　the　rector's　marriage。　Socially；　Mr。
Carling's　position　was　but　little　affected　either　way　by　the
change　in　his　life。　As　a　bachelor；　his　circle　of　friends　had　been
a　small　one；　and　when　he　married　he　made　no　attempt　to　enlarge
it。　He　had　never　been　popular　with　the　inhabitants　of　his　parish
generally。　Essentially　a　weak　man；　he　was；　like　other　weak　men；
only　capable　of　asserting　himself　positively　in　serious　matters
by　running　into　extremes。　As　a　consequence　of　this　moral　defect；
he　presented　some　singular　anomalies　in　character。　In　the
ordinary　affairs　of　life　he　was　the　gentlest　and　most　yielding　of
men；　but　in　all　that　related　to　strictness　of　religious　principle
he　was　the　sternest　and　the　most　aggressive　of　fanatics。　In　the
pulpit　he　was　a　preacher　of　merciless　sermonsan　interpreter　of
the　Bible　by　the　letter　rather　than　by　the　spirit；　as　pitiless
and　gloomy　as　one　of　the　Puritans　of　old；　while；　on　the　other
hand；　by　his　own　fireside　he　was　considerate；　forbearing；　and
humble　almost　to　a　fault。　As　a　necessary　result　of　this　singular
inconsistency　of　character；　he　was　feared；　and　sometimes　even
disliked；　by　the　members　of　his　congregation　who　only　knew　him　as
their　pastor；　and　he　was　prized　and　loved　by　the　small　circle　of
friends　who　also　knew　him　as　a　man。

Those　friends　gathered　round　him　more　closely　and　more
affectionately　than　ever　after　his　marriage；　not　on　his　own
account　only；　but　influenced　also　by　the　attractions　that　they
found　in　the　society　of　his　wife。　Her　refinement　and　gentleness
of　manner；　her　extraordinary　accomplishments　as　a　musician；　her
unvarying　sweetness　of　temper；　and　her　quick；　winning；　womanly
intelligence　in　conversation；　charmed　every　one　who　approached
her。　She　was　quoted　as　a　model　wife　and　woman　by　all　her
husband's　friends；　and　she　amply　deserved　the　character　that　they
gave　her。　Although　no　children　came　to　cheer　it；　a　happier　and　a
more　admirable　married　life　has　seldom　been　witnessed　in　this
world　than　the　life　which　was　once　to　be　seen　in　the　rectory