The only clerk out
there, whom he knew, would, he thought, be no element of safety, and
would not like the youth the better either for bringing his
recommendation or bearing old Frith's name.
We were considerably softened towards our guest, though the next
time Emily came on him he was standing in the hall, transfixed in
contemplation of her greatest achievement in brass-rubbing, a severe
and sable knight with the most curly of nostrils, the stiffest and
straightest of mouths, hair straight on his brows, pointed toes
joined together below, and fingers touching over his breast. There
he hung in triumph just within the front door, fluttering and
swaying a little on his pins whenever a draught came in; and there
stood Lawrence Frith, freshly aware of him, and unable to repress
the exclamation, 'I say! isn't he a guy?'
'Sir Guy de Warrenne,' began Emily composedly; 'don't you see his
coat of arms? "chequy argent and azure."'
'Does your brother keep him there to scare away the tramps?'
Emily's countenance was a study.
The subject of brasses was unfolded to Lawrence Frith, and before
the end of the week he had spent an entire day on his hands and
knees, scrubbing away with the waxy black compound at a figure in
the Cathedral--the office-work, as we declared, which Clarence gave
him to do. In fact he became so thoroughly infected that it was a
pity that he was going where there would be no exercise in
ecclesiology--rather the reverse.
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