Leatrim; but the matter was one of small
importance to the rector, provided he was left in peace to pursue his
studies.
'Amiable and gentle as George was, he could not force himself to feel
any affection for Ralph Wilson. He treated him with respect for his
father's sake, more than from any personal regard, though the old man
was servile in his protestations of love and devotion. Some minds are
surrounded by a moral and intellectual atmosphere, into which other
minds cannot enter without feeling a certain degree of repulsion. Such
an insensible but powerfully acknowledged antagonism existed between
the faithful old servant and his young master. They did not hate one
another--that would have been too strong a term--but Doctor Leatrim
often remarked with pain that there was no love lost between them, and
often blamed George for the indifference he manifested towards his
humble friend.
'You remember the beautiful old church at Westcliff, surrounded by its
venerable screen of oaks and elms, and the pretty white parsonage on
the other side of the road, facing the principal entrance to the
church? The house occupies an elevation some feet above the churchyard.
The front windows command a fine view of the sacred edifice,
particularly of the carved porch within the iron gates at the entrance,
and the massive oak door through which you enter into the body of the
building. A person standing at one of these windows at sunset, and
looking towards the porch, can see everything there as distinctly as if
he were in it.
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