Each younger male reader may, perhaps, reply that he has no
thought of becoming a sheriff's officer; but then are there not other
cognate lines of life to which, perhaps, the attention of some such
may be attracted? On the evening of the day on which they went Mark
received a note from Lady Lufton begging him to call early on the
following morning, and immediately after breakfast he went across to
Framley Court. It may be imagined that he was not in a very happy
frame of mind, but he felt the truth of his wife's remark that the
first plunge into cold water was always the worst. Lady Lufton was
not a woman who would continually throw his disgrace into his teeth,
however terribly cold might be the first words with which she spoke
of it. He strove hard as he entered her room to carry his usual look
and bearing, and to put out his hand to greet her with his customary
freedom, but he knew that he failed. And it may be said that no good
man who has broken down in his goodness can carry the disgrace of his
fall without some look of shame. When a man is able to do that, he
ceases to be in any way good.
"This has been a distressing affair," said Lady Lufton, after her
first salutation.
"Yes, indeed," said he. "It has been very sad for poor Fanny.
Pages:
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815