"
"Fie, fie, Sir Vavasour," said Egremont very seriously,
"remember principle: no expediency, no compromise."
"You are right," said the baronet, colouring a little; "and do
you know, Mr Egremont, you are the only individual I have yet
met out of the Order, who has taken a sensible view of this
great question, which, after all, is the question of the day."
Book 2 Chapter 3
The situation of the rural town of Marney was one of the most
delightful easily to be imagined. In a spreading dale,
contiguous to the margin of a clear and lively stream,
surrounded by meadows and gardens, and backed by lofty hills,
undulating and richly wooded, the traveller on the opposite
heights of the dale would often stop to admire the merry
prospect, that recalled to him the traditional epithet of his
country.
Beautiful illusion! For behind that laughing landscape,
penury and disease fed upon the vitals of a miserable
population!
The contrast between the interior of the town and its external
aspect, was as striking as it was full of pain. With the
exception of the dull high street, which had the usual
characteristics of a small agricultural market town, some
sombre mansions, a dingy inn, and a petty bourse, Marney
mainly consisted of a variety of narrow and crowded lanes
formed by cottages built of rubble, or unhewn stones without
cement, and from age, or badness of the material, looking as
if they could scarcely hold together.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107