Springhaven | Page 8

words condemn for neglecting their duty, because you are
unable to resist the pleasure of a stray shot at a celebrated man when he
comes down here for hospitality."
"My dear, you have put the matter in a new light," said the Rev. Joshua
Twemlow; "I would be the last man in the world to cast a slur upon any
brother clergyman. But it is a sad denial to me, because I had put it so
neatly, and a line of Latin at the end of it."
"Never mind, dear. That will do for some one else who deserves it, and
has got no influence. And if you could only put instead of it one of your
beautifully turned expressions about our debt of gratitude to the noble
defender of our country--"
"No, no, Maria!" said her husband, with a smile; "be content without
pushing your victory further than Nelson himself would push it. It may
be my duty to spare him, but I will not fall down and worship him."
Joshua Twemlow, Bachelor of Divinity, was not very likely to worship
anybody, nor even to admire, without due cause shown. He did not
pretend to be a learned man, any more than he made any other pretense
which he could not justify. But he loved a bit of Latin, whenever he
could find anybody to share it with him, and even in lack of intelligent
partners he indulged sometimes in that utterance. This was a grievance
to the Squire of the parish, because he was expected to enjoy at ear-shot
that which had passed out of the other ear in boyhood, with a painful
echo behind it. But the Admiral had his revenge by passing the Rector's
bits of Latin on--when he could remember them--to some one entitled
to an explanation, which he, with a pleasant smile, vouchsafed. This is
one of the many benefits of a classical education.
But what are such little tags, compared with the pith and marrow of the

man himself? Parson Twemlow was no prig, no pedant, and no
popinjay, but a sensible, upright, honorable man, whose chief defect
was a quick temper. In parish affairs he loved to show his independence
of the Hall, and having a stronger will than Admiral Darling, he mostly
conquered him. But he knew very well how far to go, and never pressed
the supremacy of the Church beyond endurance.
His wife, who was one of the Carnes of Carne Castle, some few miles
to the westward, encouraged him strongly in holding his own when the
Admiral strove to override him. That was her manner of putting the
case; while Admiral Darling would rather have a score of nightmares
than override any one. But the Carnes were a falling as much as the
Darlings were a rising family, and offense comes down the hill like
stones dislodged by the upward traveller. Mrs. Twemlow knew nothing
she disliked so much as any form of haughtiness; it was so small, so
petty, so opposed to all true Christianity. And this made her think that
the Darlings were always endeavoring to patronize her--a thing she
would much rather die than put up with.
This excellent couple had allowed, however, their only son Erle, a very
fine young man, to give his heart entirely to Faith Darling, the
Admiral's eldest daughter, and to win hers to an equal extent; and
instead of displaying any haughtiness, her father had simply said: "Let
them wait two years; they are both very young, and may change their
minds. If they keep of the same mind for two years, they are welcome
to one another."
For a kinder-hearted man than Admiral Darling never saw the sun.
There was nothing about him wonderful in the way of genius, heroism,
large-mindedness, or unselfishness. But people liked him much better
than if he combined all those vast rarities; because he was lively, genial,
simple, easily moved to wrath or grief, free- handed, a little fond,
perhaps, of quiet and confidential brag, and very fond of gossip.
"I tell you," he said to Lord Nelson now, as they walked down the hill
to the church together that lovely Sunday morning, "you will not have
seen a finer sight than our fishermen in church--I dare say never. Of
course they don't all go. Nobody could expect it. But as many as a

reasonable man could desire come there, because they know I like it.
Twemlow thinks that they come to please him; but he finds a mighty
difference in his congregation when I and my daughters are out of the
parish. But if he goes away, there they are all the same, or perhaps even
more, to get a change from him. That will show which of us they care
about pleasing."
"And