The married pair
went away to stay with friends, and we only once met the old
gentleman, when I was waiting in the street at Wattlesea in the
donkey chair, while my mother was trying to match netting silk in
the odd little shop that united fancy work, toys, and tracts with
the post office. Old Mr. Fordyce met us as we drew up, handed her
out with a grand seigneur's courtesy, and stood talking to me so
delightfully that I quite forgot it was from Christian duty.
My father corresponded with the old Rector about the state of the
parish, and at last went over to Bath for a personal conference, but
without much satisfaction. The Earlscombe people were pronounced to
be an ungrateful good-for-nothing set, for whom it was of no use to
do anything; and indeed my mother made such discoveries in the
cottages that she durst not let Emily fulfil her cherished scheme of
visiting them. The only resemblance to the favourite heroines of
religious tales that could be permitted was assembling a tiny Sunday
class in Chapman's lodge; and it must be confessed that her brothers
thought she made as much fuss about it as if there had been a
hundred scholars.
However, between remonstrances and offers of undertaking a share of
the expense, my father managed to get Mr. Mears' services dispensed
with from the ensuing Lady Day, and that a resident curate should be
appointed, the choice of whom was to rest with himself.
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