第23章

andashemust，eitherinthenavyorarmy，havehadagreatmanymorepeopleunderhiscommandthanhehasnow，Ithinkmorewouldhavebeenmadeunhappybyhimasasailororsoldierthanasaclergyman。Besides，IcannotbutsupposethatwhatevertheremaybetowishotherwiseinDr。Grantwouldhavebeeninagreaterdangerofbecomingworseinamoreactiveandworldlyprofession，wherehewouldhavehadlesstimeandobligation——

wherehemighthaveescapedthatknowledgeofhimself，the_frequency_，atleast，ofthatknowledgewhichitisimpossibleheshouldescapeasheisnow。Aman——

asensiblemanlikeDr。Grant，cannotbeinthehabitofteachingotherstheirdutyeveryweek，cannotgotochurchtwiceeverySunday，andpreachsuchverygoodsermonsinsogoodamannerashedoes，withoutbeingthebetterforithimself。Itmustmakehimthink；

andIhavenodoubtthatheoftenerendeavourstorestrainhimselfthanhewouldifhehadbeenanythingbutaclergyman。“

“Wecannotprovetothecontrary，tobesure；butIwishyouabetterfate，MissPrice，thantobethewifeofamanwhoseamiablenessdependsuponhisownsermons；forthoughhemaypreachhimselfintoagood-humoureverySunday，itwillbebadenoughtohavehimquarrellingaboutgreengeesefromMondaymorningtillSaturdaynight。“

“IthinkthemanwhocouldoftenquarrelwithFanny，“

saidEdmundaffectionately，“mustbebeyondthereachofanysermons。“

Fannyturnedfartherintothewindow；andMissCrawfordhadonlytimetosay，inapleasantmanner，“IfancyMissPricehasbeenmoreusedtodeservepraisethantohearit“；when，beingearnestlyinvitedbytheMissBertramstojoininaglee，shetrippedofftotheinstrument，leavingEdmundlookingafterherinanecstasyofadmirationofallhermanyvirtues，fromherobligingmannersdowntoherlightandgracefultread。

“Theregoesgood-humour，Iamsure，“saidhepresently。

“Theregoesatemperwhichwouldnevergivepain!

Howwellshewalks!andhowreadilyshefallsinwiththeinclinationofothers!joiningthemthemomentsheisasked。

Whatapity，“headded，afteraninstant’sreflection，“thatsheshouldhavebeeninsuchhands!“

Fannyagreedtoit，andhadthepleasureofseeinghimcontinueatthewindowwithher，inspiteoftheexpectedglee；

andofhavinghiseyessoonturned，likehers，towardsthescenewithout，whereallthatwassolemn，andsoothing，andlovely，appearedinthebrilliancyofanuncloudednight，andthecontrastofthedeepshadeofthewoods。Fannyspokeherfeelings。“Here’sharmony!“saidshe；“here’srepose!

Here’swhatmayleaveallpaintingandallmusicbehind，andwhatpoetryonlycanattempttodescribe!Here’swhatmaytranquilliseeverycare，andliftthehearttorapture!

WhenIlookoutonsuchanightasthis，Ifeelasiftherecouldbeneitherwickednessnorsorrowintheworld；

andtherecertainlywouldbelessofbothifthesublimityofNatureweremoreattendedto，andpeoplewerecarriedmoreoutofthemselvesbycontemplatingsu

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节