下载辰思小说免费APP
ButthesightoftheHighStreetsoonrestoredhisequanimity。Onotheroccasionshehadbeenpushedthroughit，eitherbytheJampotorMissJones，sorapidlythathecouldgatheronlythemostfleetingimpressions。To-dayhecouldlingerandlinger；hedid。ThetwonicestshopswereMannings’thehairdressersandPonting’sthebook-shop，butRosethegrocer’s，andCoulter’stheconfectioner’swereverygood。Mr。Manningwasanartist。Hedidnotsimplyputasimperingbustwithanelaborateheadofhairinhiswindowandleaveitatthat——hedid，indeed，placethereasmilingladywithawonderfuljewelledcombandaradiantrowofteeth，butaroundthishebuiltupamagnificentworldofsilverbrushes，tortoise-shellcombs，essencesandperfumesandpowders，jarsandbottlesandboxes。Manningwasthefinestartistinthetown。Ponting，atthetopofthestreetjustatthecorneroftheClose，wasanartisttoo，butinquiteanotherfashion。Pontingwasthebestestablished，mostsacredandseriousbooksellerinthecounty。Inthedayswhenthenew“Waverley“wasthesensationofthemomentMr。Ponting，grandfatherofthepresentMr。Ponting，hadbeeninquiteconstantcorrespondencewithMr。Southey，andMr。Coleridge，andhadonce，whenonavisittoLondon，spokentothegreatLordByronhimself。
Thistraditionofaristocracyremained，andthepresentMr。PoutingalwaysadvisedtheBishopwhattoreadandwasconsultedbyMrs。
Lamb，ouronlyauthoress，onquestionsofpublishersandeditionsandsuchtechnicalpoints。ForallthisJeremy，athispresentstageofinterest，wouldhavecarednothingevenhadheknownit，butwhathedidcareforweretherowsofcalf-boundbookswithlittleridgesofgold，thatmadeafinewallacrossthewindowwithanoldprintoftheCathedralandtheCloseinthemiddleofthem。InsidePontingstherewasahushasofthestudyandthechurchcombined。
Itwasaratherdarkshopwithrowsandrowsofbooksdisappearingintotheceiling，andonegraveandunnaturallyoldyoungmanbehindthecounter。JeremydidnotknowwhatheshoulddoaboutHamlet，sohebroughthiminside，onlytodiscovertohishorrorthatthefiercestofalltheCanons，CanonWaterbury，heldtheflooroftheshop。CanonWaterburyhadablackbeardandabitingtongue。HehadoncewarnedJeremyofftheCathedralgrassinavoiceofthunder，andJeremyhadneverforgottenit。Heglarednowandpulledhisbeard，butHamletfortunatelybehavedwell，andtheoldyoungmandiscoveredJeremy’snotepaperwithinaveryshortperiod。
ThensuddenlytheCanonspoke。
“Dogsshouldnotbeinsideshops，“Hesaid，asthoughhewerecondemningsomeonetodeath。
“Iknow，“saidJeremyfrankly。“Iwantedtotiehimuptosomethingandtherewasnothingtotiehimupto。“
“Whatdidyoubringhimoutforatall？“saidtheCanon。
“Becausehe’sgottohaveexercise，“saidJeremy，discovering，tohisowndelightedsurprise，thathewasnotfrightenedintheleast。
“Oh，hashe？Idon’tknowwhatpeoplekeepdogsfor。“
Andthenhestampedoutoftheshop。
Jeremyregardedthisinthelightofavictoryandmarchedaway，hisheadmoreintheairthanever。Heshouldnowhavehurriedhome。ThemiddaychimeshadrungoutandJeremy’sdutieswereperformed。Buthelingered，listeningtothelastnotesofthechimes，hearingthecriesoftheCathedralchoir-boysastheymovedacrossthegreentothechoir-school，watchingallthepeoplehurryupanddownthestreet。Ah，therewastheCastlecarriage！PerhapstheoldCountesswasinsideit。Hehadonlyseenheronce，atsomeserviceintheCathedraltowhichhismotherhadtakenhim，butshehadmadeagreatimpressiononhimwithhersnow-whitehair。Hehadheardpeoplespeakofheras“awickedoldwoman。“Perhapsshewasinsidethecarriage……butheonlysawtheCastlecoachmanandfootmanandthecoronetonthedoor。Itrolledslowlyupthehillwithitsfineairofcommandingthewholeworld——thenitdisappearedaroundthecorneroftheClose。
Jeremydecidedthenthathewouldgohomeac
