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Adam Bede 83
fifteen； and taught me carpentering； I used to think if ever I was a
rich sultan； I would make Adam my grand…vizier。 And I believe
now he would bear the exaltation as well as any poor wise man in
an Eastern story。 If ever I live to be a large…acred man instead of a
poor devil with a mortgaged allowance of pocket…money； I’ll have
Adam for my right hand。 He shall manage my woods for me； for he
seems to have a better notion of those things than any man I ever
met with； and I know he would make twice the money of them that
my grandfather does； with that miserable old Satchell to manage；
who understands no more about timber than an old carp。 I’ve
mentioned the subject to my grandfather once or twice； but for
some reason or other he has a dislike to Adam； and I can do
nothing。 But come； Your Reverence； are you for a ride with me？
It’s splendid out of doors now。 We can go to Adam’s together； if
you like； but I want to call at the Hall Farm on my way； to look at
the whelps Poyser is keeping for me。”
“You must stay and have lunch first； Arthur；” said Mrs。 Irwine。
“It’s nearly two。 Carroll will bring it in directly。”
“I want to go to the Hall Farm too；” said Mr。 Irwine； “to have
another look at the little Methodist who is staying there。 Joshua
tells me she was preaching on the Green last night。”
“Oh； by Jove！” said Captain Donnithorne； laughing。 “Why； she
looks as quiet as a mouse。 There’s something rather striking about
her； though。 I positively felt quite bashful the first time I saw her—
she was sitting stooping over her sewing in the sunshine outside
the house； when I rode up and called out； without noticing that she
was a stranger； ‘Is Martin Poyser at home？’ I declare； when she
got up and looked at me and just said； ‘He’s in the house； I believe：
I’ll go and call him；’ I felt quite ashamed of having spoken so
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Adam Bede 84
abruptly to her。 She looked like St。 Catherine in a Quaker dress。
It’s a type of face one rarely sees among our common people。”
“I should like to see the young woman； Dauphin；” said Mrs。
Irwine。 “Make her come here on some pretext or other。”
“I don’t know how I can manage that； Mother； it will hardly do
for me to patronise a Methodist preacher； even if she would
consent to be patronised by an idle shepherd； as Will Maskery
calls me。 You should have come in a little sooner； Arthur； to hear
Joshua’s denunciation of his neighbour Will Maskery。 The old
fellow wants me to excommunicate the wheelwright； and then
deliver him over to the civil arm—that is to say； to your
grandfather—to be turned out of house and yard。 If I chose to
interfere in this business； now； I might get up as pretty a story of
hatred and persecution as the Methodists need desire to publish in
the next number of their magazine。 It wouldn’t take me much
trouble to persuade Chad Cranage and half a dozen other bull…
headed fellows that they would be doing an acceptable service to
the Church by hunting Will Maskery out of the village with rope…
ends and pitchforks； and then； when I had furnished them with
half a sovereign to get gloriously drunk after their exertions； I
should have put the climax to as pretty a farce as any of my
brother clergy have set going in their parishes for the last thirty
years。”
“It is really insolent of the man； though； to call you an ‘idle
shepherd’ and a ‘dumb dog；’” said Mrs。 Irwine。 “I should be
inclined to check him a little there。 You are too easy…tempered；
Dauphin。”
“Why； Mother； you don’t think it would be a good way of
sustaining my dignity to set about vindicating myself from the
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Adam Bede 85
aspersions of Will Maskery？ Besides； I’m not so sure that they are
aspersions。 I am a lazy fellow； and get terribly heavy in my saddle；
not to mention that I’m always spending more than I can afford in
bricks and mortar； so that I get savage at a lame beggar when he
asks me for sixpence。 Those poor lean cobblers； who think they
can help to regenerate mankind by setting out to preach in the
morning twilight before they begin their day’s work； may well
have a poor opinion of me。 But come； let us have our luncheon。
Isn’t Kate coming to lunch？”
“Miss Irwine told Bridget to take her lunch upstairs；” said
Carroll； “she can’t leave Miss Anne。”
“Oh； very well。 Tell Bridget to say I’ll go up and see Miss Anne
presently。 You can use your right arm quite well now； Arthur；” Mr。
Irwine continued； observing that Captain Donnithorne had taken
his arm out of the sling。
“Yes； pretty well； but Godwin insists on my keeping it up
constantly for some time to come。 I hope I shall be able to get away
to the regiment； though； in the beginning of August。 It’s a
desperately dull business being shut up at the Chase in the
summer months； when one can neither hunt nor shoot； so as to
make one’s self pleasantly sleepy in the evening。 However； we are
to astonish the echoes on the 30th of July。 My grandfather has
given me carte blanche for once； and I promise you the
entertainment shall be worthy of the occasion。 The world will not
see the grand epoch of my majority twice。 I think I shall have a
lofty throne for you； Godmamma； or rather two； one on the lawn
and another in the ballroom； that you may sit and look down upon
us like an Olympian goddess。”
“I mean to bring out my best brocade； that I wore at your
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