下载辰思小说免费APP
NowIamnotwithoutsomeknowledgeoftheworldoutsidethecloseofMarchburyCathedral，andIcouldnotlistentosucha“flatteringtale“withouthavingmysuspicionsaroused。Whoandwhatisthisman？thoughtI。Ilookedathimnarrowly。Atfirstthethoughtflashedacrossmethathemightbea“swellmobsman。“
Butno，hisfacewastoogoodforthat；besides，nomanwiththathugeframe，thatpersonalitysomarkedandsoeasilyrecognizable，couldbeaswindler；hecouldnotescapedetectionasinglehour。
Idismissedtheungenerousthought。Perhapsheisrich，ashesays。Wedohearofmunificentdonationsbybenevolentmillionairesnowandthen。WhatifthisAustralian，attractedbythegloriesoftheoldcathedral，shouldnowappearasadeusexmachinatoreendowthechoir，ortofoundamusicalprofessoriateinconnectionwiththechoir，appointingmethefirstoccupantoftheprofessorialchair？
Thesethoughtsflashedacrossmymindinthemomentarypauseofhisfluenttongue。
“Asforyourself，sir，“hebeganagain，“IhavesomethingtoproposewhichItrustmaynotproveunwelcome。Butthepublicstreetishardlyasuitableplacetodiscussmyproposal。MayI
calluponyouthiseveningatyourhouseintheclose？Iknowwhichitis，forIhappenedtoseeyougointoityesterdayafterthemorningservice。“
“Ishallbeverypleasedtoseeyou，“Ireplied。“Wearegoingouttodinnerthisevening，butIshallbeathomeanddisengagedtillaboutseven。“
“Thankyouverymuch。ThenIshalldomyselfthepleasureofcallinguponyouaboutsixo’clock。Tillthen，farewell！“A
gracefulwaveofthehand，andmyunknownfriendhaddisappearedroundthecornerofthestreet。
Nowatlast，Ithought，somethingisgoingtohappeninmyuneventfullife——somethingtobreakthemonotonyofexistence。Ofcourse，hemusthaveinquiredmyname——hecouldgetthatfromanyofthecathedralvergers——and，ashesaid，hehadobservedwhereaboutsinthecloseIlived。Whatishecomingtoseemefor？
Iwondered。Ispenttherestoftheafternooninmakingthewildestsurmises。Iwascastle-buildinginSpainatafuriousrate。AtonetimeIimaginedthatthisfaithfulsonofthechurch——
asheappearedtome——wasgoingtobuildandendowagrandcathedralinAustraliaonconditionthatIshouldbeappointeddeanatayearlystipendof，say，tenthousandpounds。Orperhaps，I
saidtomyself，hewillbegmetoacceptasumofmoney——Ineverthoughtofitaslessthanathousandpounds——asaslightrecognitionofandtributetomyremarkablevocalability。
Itookalong，lonelywalkintothecountrytocorrecttheseridiculousfanciesandtosteadymymind，andwhenIreachedhomeandhadrefreshedmyselfwithaquietcupofafternoontea，IfeltIwasmorallyandphysicallypreparedformyinterviewwiththeopulentstranger。
Punctuallyasthecathedralclockstrucksixtherewasaringatthevisitor’sbell。Inamomentortwomyunknownfriendwasshownintothedrawing-room，whichheenteredwiththeeasyairofamanoftheworld。Inoticedhewascarryingasmallblackbag。
“Howdoyoudoagain，Mr。Dale？“hesaidasthoughwewereoldacquaintances；“youseeIhavecomesharptomytime。“
“Yes，“Ianswered，“andIampleasedtoseeyou；dositdown。“Hesankintomybestarmchair，andplacedhisbagonthefloorbesidehim。
“Sincewemetintheafternoon，“hesaid，“Ihavewrittenalettertoyourdean，expressingthegreatpleasureIfeltinlisteningtoyourchoir，andatthesametimeIinclosedafive-poundnote，whichIbeggedhimtodivideamongthechoirboysandmen，fromAlexanderPoulter，Esq。，ofPoulter’sPills。Youhaveofcourseheardoftheworld-renownedPoulter’sPills。IamPoulter！“
PoulterofPoulter’sPills！Myheartsankwithinme！Afive-poundnote！Myairycastlesweretottering！
“Ialsosenthimacoupleofhundredofmypamphlets，whichIsaidItrustedhewouldbesokindastodistributeintheclose。“
Iwasaghast！
“Andnow，withregardtothespecialobjectofmycall，Mr。Dale。
Ifyouwillallowmetosayso，youarenotmakingthemostofthatgrandvoiceofyours；youarehiddenunderanecclesiasticalbushelhere——losttotheworld。Youarewastingyourvocalstrengthandsweetnessonthedesertair，sotospeak。Why，ifImayhazardaguess，Idon
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