Of Human Bondage Read Online Free Page A

he grows up."
      "I can't make out why she ordered a dozen," said Mr.
Carey. "Two would have done."

VI
      One day was very like another at the vicarage.
      Soon after breakfast Mary Ann brought in The Times.
Mr. Carey shared it with two neighbours. He had it from ten till
one, when the gardener took it over to Mr. Ellis at the Limes, with
whom it remained till seven; then it was taken to Miss Brooks at
the Manor House, who, since she got it late, had the advantage of
keeping it. In summer Mrs. Carey, when she was making jam, often
asked her for a copy to cover the pots with. When the Vicar settled
down to his paper his wife put on her bonnet and went out to do the
shopping. Philip accompanied her. Blackstable was a fishing
village. It consisted of a high street in which were the shops, the
bank, the doctor's house, and the houses of two or three coalship
owners; round the little harbor were shabby streets in which lived
fishermen and poor people; but since they went to chapel they were
of no account. When Mrs. Carey passed the dissenting ministers in
the street she stepped over to the other side to avoid meeting
them, but if there was not time for this fixed her eyes on the
pavement. It was a scandal to which the Vicar had never resigned
himself that there were three chapels in the High Street: he could
not help feeling that the law should have stepped in to prevent
their erection. Shopping in Blackstable was not a simple matter;
for dissent, helped by the fact that the parish church was two
miles from the town, was very common; and it was necessary to deal
only with churchgoers; Mrs. Carey knew perfectly that the vicarage
custom might make all the difference to a tradesman's faith. There
were two butchers who went to church, and they would not understand
that the Vicar could not deal with both of them at once; nor were
they satisfied with his simple plan of going for six months to one
and for six months to the other. The butcher who was not sending
meat to the vicarage constantly threatened not to come to church,
and the Vicar was sometimes obliged to make a threat: it was very
wrong of him not to come to church, but if he carried iniquity
further and actually went to chapel, then of course, excellent as
his meat was, Mr. Carey would be forced to leave him for ever. Mrs.
Carey often stopped at the bank to deliver a message to Josiah
Graves, the manager, who was choir-master, treasurer, and
churchwarden. He was a tall, thin man with a sallow face and a long
nose; his hair was very white, and to Philip he seemed extremely
old. He kept the parish accounts, arranged the treats for the choir
and the schools; though there was no organ in the parish church, it
was generally considered (in Blackstable) that the choir he led was
the best in Kent; and when there was any ceremony, such as a visit
from the Bishop for confirmation or from the Rural Dean to preach
at the Harvest Thanksgiving, he made the necessary preparations.
But he had no hesitation in doing all manner of things without more
than a perfunctory consultation with the Vicar, and the Vicar,
though always ready to be saved trouble, much resented the
churchwarden's managing ways. He really seemed to look upon himself
as the most important person in the parish. Mr. Carey constantly
told his wife that if Josiah Graves did not take care he would give
him a good rap over the knuckles one day; but Mrs. Carey advised
him to bear with Josiah Graves: he meant well, and it was not his
fault if he was not quite a gentleman. The Vicar, finding his
comfort in the practice of a Christian virtue, exercised
forbearance; but he revenged himself by calling the churchwarden
Bismarck behind his back.
      Once there had been a serious quarrel between the
pair, and Mrs. Carey still thought of that anxious time with
dismay. The Conservative candidate had announced his intention of
addressing a meeting at Blackstable; and Josiah Graves, having
arranged that it should take place in the