eight o'clock in the
morning
The talk of the clergy about their Bishop belongs to the esoteric part of their profession ; so we will at once quit the dining-room at Milby Vicarage , lest we should happen to overhear remarks unsuited to the lay understanding , and perhaps dangerous to our repose of mind . I dare say the long residence of the Countess Czerlaski at Shepperton Vicarage is very puzzling to you also , dear reader , as well as to Mr. Barton 's clerical brethren ; the more so , as I hope you are not in the least inclined to put that very evil interpretation on it which evidently found acceptance with the sallow and dyspeptic Mr. Duke , and with the florid and highly peptic Mr. Fellowes . You have seen enough , I trust , of the Rev. Amos Barton , to be convinced that he was more apt to fall into a blunder than into a sin -- more apt to be deceived than to incur a necessity for being deceitful : and if you have a keen eye for physiognomy , you will have detected that the Countess Czerlaski loved herself far too well to get entangled in an unprofitable vice . How then , you will say , could this fine lady choose to quarter herself on the establishment of a poor curate , where the carpets were probably falling into holes , where the attendance was limited to a maid of all work , and where six children were running loose from eight o'clock in the morning till eight o'clock in the evening ? Surely you must be misrepresenting the facts . Heaven forbid ! For not having a lofty imagination , as you perceive , and being unable to invent thrilling incidents for your amusement , my only merit must lie in the truth with which I represent to you the humble experience of an ordinary fellow-mortal .