Proudie; just enough to do the
work, make things comfortable, and look after the children."
"It is a very fine living," said she; "very fine. I don't remember
that we have anything so good ourselves,--except it is Plumstead, the
archdeacon's place. He has managed to butter his bread pretty well."
"His father was Bishop of Barchester."
"Oh, yes, I know all about him. Only for that he would barely have
risen to be an archdeacon, I suspect. Let me see; yours is L800, is
it not, Mr. Robarts? And you such a young man! I suppose you have
insured your life highly."
"Pretty well, Mrs. Proudie."
"And then, too, your wife had some little fortune, had she not? We
cannot all fall on our feet like that; can we, Mr. White?" and Mrs.
Proudie in her playful way appealed to the chaplain. Mrs. Proudie
was an imperious woman; but then so also was Lady Lufton; and it may
therefore he said that Mr. Robarts ought to have been accustomed to
feminine domination; but as he sat there munching his toast he could
not but make a comparison between the two. Lady Lufton in her little
attempts sometimes angered him; but he certainly thought, comparing
the lay lady and the clerical together, that the rule of the former
was the lighter and the pleasanter.
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