Read "The Perpetual Curate" by Margaret Oliphant online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
On the afternoon of the same day Mr. Morgan went home late, and frightened his wife out of her propriety by the excitement and trouble in his face. He could do nothing but groan as he sat down in the drawing-room, where she had just been gathering her work together, and putting stray matters in order, before she went upstairs to make herself tidy for dinner. The Rector paid no attention to the fact that the dinner-hour was approaching, and only shook his head and repeated his groan when she asked him anxiously what was the matter. The good man was too much flushed and heated and put out, to be able at first to answer her questions.
"Very bad, very bad," he said, when he had recovered sufficient composure -- "far worse than I feared. My dear, I am afraid the beginning of my work in Carlingford will be forever associated with pain to us both. I am discouraged and distressed beyond measure by what I have heard today. "