"
"I think it has," said Mr. Crawley, who might perhaps be a little
sore on such a subject.
"Quite so, quite so," continued her ladyship, swallowing down with
a gulp a certain sense of anger. "But that is done now, and is past
cure. That Mr. Robarts will become a credit to his profession, I do
not doubt, for his heart is in the right place and his sentiments are
good; but I fear that at present he is succumbing to temptation."
"I am told that he hunts two or three times a week. Everybody round
us is talking about it."
"No, Mr. Crawley; not two or three times a week; very seldom above
once, I think. And then I do believe he does it more with the view of
being with Lord Lufton than anything else."
"I cannot see that that would make the matter better," said Mr.
Crawley.
"It would show that he was not strongly imbued with a taste which I
cannot but regard as vicious in a clergyman."
"It must be vicious in all men," said Mr. Crawley. "It is in itself
cruel, and leads to idleness and profligacy." Again Lady Lufton made
a gulp. She had called Mr. Crawley thither to her aid, and felt that
it would be inexpedient to quarrel with him. But she did not like to
be told that her son's amusement was idle and profligate. She had
always regarded hunting as a proper pursuit for a country gentleman.
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