Hornblower's place," he answered, with
apologetic simplicity.
"What a pity Durham has been reduced!" said Mr. Bindon, dryly. "It
would have been the right preferment for Bowater. The Bishop was
obliged by statute to keep a pack of hounds."
"But, sir," expostulated the deacon, turning to the Rector,
colouring all over his honest rosy face, "you don't object! You
know, of course, I've given up sport," he added ruefully; "but only
just as companions!--Ain't you, Rollo?" he added, almost with tears
in his eyes, and a hand on the smooth black head, belonging to such
a wise benignant face, that Rosamond was tempted to pronounce the
dog the more clerical looking of the two.
"You are very welcome," said Julius, laughing, "provided you can
manage with the old women's cats. I should find such companions
rather awkward in pastoral visits."
"I'll teach them, sir! You may depend on it! We did have a little
flare-up yesterday, but I showed them the sense of it. You might
teach those dogs anything!--Ha! what then, Tartar! Halloo, Mungo!
Rats, rats, rats!"
A prodigious scratching and snorting was audible in what had been a
cellar of the quondam Rectory; and Rollo, becoming excited, dashed
up to the scene of action, with a deep bass war-cry, while, to
Rosamond's great amusement, "rats" was no less a peal to Rector and
senior; and for the next quarter of an hour the three clergymen
moved bricks, poked with their sticks, and cheered on the chase till
the church clock struck one, the masons began to return from dinner,
and the sounds of the bell at the Hall recalled the party to order.
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