the way of all flesh-第13部分

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she　quite　liked　to　look　as　a　bride　who　had　been　married　that
morning；　she　feared　the　landlady；　the　chamber…maid；　the　waiter
everybody　and　everything；　her　heart　beat　so　fast　that　she　could
hardly　speak；　much　less　go　through　the　ordeal　of　ordering　dinner　in
a　strange　hotel　with　a　strange　landlady。　　She　begged　and　prayed　to
be　let　off。　　If　Theobald　would　only　order　dinner　this　once；　she
would　order　it　any　day　and　every　day　in　future。

But　the　inexorable　Theobald　was　not　to　be　put　off　with　such　absurd
excuses。　　He　was　master　now。　　Had　not　Christina　less　than　two　hours
ago　promised　solemnly　to　honour　and　obey　him；　and　was　she　turning
restive　over　such　a　trifle　as　this？　　The　loving　smile　departed　from
his　face；　and　was　succeeded　by　a　scowl　which　that　old　Turk；　his
father；　might　have　envied。　　〃Stuff　and　nonsense；　my　dearest
Christina；〃　he　exclaimed　mildly；　and　stamped　his　foot　upon　the　floor
of　the　carriage。　　〃It　is　a　wife's　duty　to　order　her　husband's
dinner；　you　are　my　wife；　and　I　shall　expect　you　to　order　mine。〃　　For
Theobald　was　nothing　if　he　was　not　logical。

The　bride　began　to　cry；　and　said　he　was　unkind；　whereon　he　said
nothing；　but　revolved　unutterable　things　in　his　heart。　　Was　this；
then；　the　end　of　his　six　years　of　unflagging　devotion？　　Was　it　for
this　that　when　Christina　had　offered　to　let　him　off；　he　had　stuck　to
his　engagement？　　Was　this　the　outcome　of　her　talks　about　duty　and
spiritual　mindednessthat　now　upon　the　very　day　of　her　marriage　she
should　fail　to　see　that　the　first　step　in　obedience　to　God　lay　in
obedience　to　himself？　　He　would　drive　back　to　Crampsford；　he　would
complain　to　Mr　and　Mrs　Allaby；　he　didn't　mean　to　have　married
Christina；　he　hadn't　married　her；　it　was　all　a　hideous　dream；　he
would　But　a　voice　kept　ringing　in　his　ears　which　said：　　〃YOU
CAN'T；　CAN'T；　CAN'T。〃

〃CAN'T　I？〃　screamed　the　unhappy　creature　to　himself。

〃No；〃　said　the　remorseless　voice；　〃YOU　CAN'T。　　YOU　ARE　A　MARRIED
MAN。〃

He　rolled　back　in　his　corner　of　the　carriage　and　for　the　first　time
felt　how　iniquitous　were　the　marriage　laws　of　England。　　But　he　would
buy　Milton's　prose　works　and　read　his　pamphlet　on　divorce。　　He　might
perhaps　be　able　to　get　them　at　Newmarket。

So　the　bride　sat　crying　in　one　corner　of　the　carriage；　and　the
bridegroom　sulked　in　the　other；　and　he　feared　her　as　only　a
bridegroom　can　fear。

Presently；　however；　a　feeble　voice　was　heard　from　the　bride's　corner
saying：

〃Dearest　Theobalddearest　Theobald；　forgive　me；　I　have　been　very；
very　wrong。　　Please　do　not　be　angry　with　me。　　I　will　order　thethe…
…〃　but　the　word　〃dinner〃　was　checked　by　rising　sobs。

When　Theobald　heard　these　words　a　load　began　to　be　lifted　from　his
heart；　but　he　only　looked　towards　her；　and　that　not　too　pleasantly。

〃Please　tell　me；〃　continued　the　voice；　〃what　you　think　you　would
like；　and　I　will　tell　the　landlady　when　we　get　to　Newmar〃　but
another　burst　of　sobs　checked　the　completion　of　the　word。

The　load　on　Theobald's　heart　grew　lighter　and　lighter。　　Was　it
possible　that　she　might　not　be　going　to　henpeck　him　after　all？
Besides；　had　she　not　diverted　his　attention　from　herself　to　his
approaching　dinner？

He　swallowed　down　more　of　his　apprehensions　and　said；　but　still
gloomily；　〃I　think　we　might　have　a　roast　fowl　with　bread　sauce；　new
potatoes　and　green　peas；　and　then　we　will　see　if　they　could　let　us
have　a　cherry　tart　and　some　cream。〃

After　a　few　minutes　more　he　drew　her　towards　him；　kissed　away　her
tears；　and　assured　her　that　he　knew　she　would　be　a　good　wife　to　him。

〃Dearest　Theobald；〃　she　exclaimed　in　answer；　〃you　are　an　angel。〃

Theobald　believed　her；　and　in　ten　minutes　more　the　happy　couple
alighted　at　the　inn　at　Newmarket。

Bravely　did　Christina　go　through　her　arduous　task。　　Eagerly　did　she
beseech　the　landlady；　in　secret；　not　to　keep　her　Theobald　waiting
longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary。

〃If　you　have　any　soup　ready；　you　know；　Mrs　Barber；　it　might　save　ten
minutes；　for　we　might　have　it　while　the　fowl　was　browning。〃

See　how　necessity　had　nerved　her！　　But　in　truth　she　had　a　splitting
headache；　and　would　have　given　anything　to　have　been　alone。

The　dinner　was　a　success。　　A　pint　of　sherry　had　warmed　Theobald's
heart；　and　he　began　to　hope　that；　after　all；　matters　might　still　go
well　with　him。　　He　had　conquered　in　the　first　battle；　and　this　gives
great　prestige。　　How　easy　it　had　been　too！　　Why　had　he　never　treated
his　sisters　in　this　way？　　He　would　do　so　next　time　he　saw　them；　he
might　in　time　be　able　to　stand　up　to　his　brother　John；　or　even　his
father。　　Thus　do　we　build　castles　in　air　when　flushed　with　wine　and
conquest。

The　end　of　the　honeymoon　saw　Mrs　Theobald　the　most　devotedly
obsequious　wife　in　all　England。　　According　to　the　old　saying；
Theobald　had　killed　the　cat　at　the　beginning。　　It　had　been　a　very
little　cat；　a　mere　kitten　in　fact；　or　he　might　have　been　afraid　to
face　it；　but　such　as　it　had　been　he　had　challenged　it　to　mortal
combat；　and　had　held　up　its　dripping　head　defiantly　before　his
wife's　face。　　The　rest　had　been　easy。

Strange　that　one　whom　I　have　described　hitherto　as　so　timid　and
easily　put　upon　should　prove　such　a　Tartar　all　of　a　sudden　on　the
day　of　his　marriage。　　Perhaps　I　have　passed　over　his　years　of
courtship　too　rapidly。　　During　these　he　had　become　a　tutor　of　his
college；　and　had　at　last　been　Junior　Dean。　　I　never　yet　knew　a　man
whose　sense　of　his　own　importance　did　not　become　adequately
developed　after　he　had　held　a　resident　fellowship　for　five　or　six
years。　　Trueimmediately　on　arriving　within　a　ten　mile　radius　of
his　father's　house；　an　enchantment　fell　upon　him；　so　that　his　knees
waxed　weak；　his　greatness　departed；　and　he　again　felt　himself　like
an　overgrown　baby　under　a　perpetual　cloud；　but　then　he　was　not　often
at　Elmhurst；　and　as　soon　as　he　left　it　the　spell　was　taken　off
again；　once　more　he　became　the　fellow　and　tutor　of　his　college；　the
Junior　Dean；　the　betrothed　of　Christina；　the　idol　of　the　Allaby
womankind。　　From　all　which　it　may　be　gathered　that　if　Christina　had
been　a　Barbary　hen；　and　had　ruffled　her　feathers　in　any　show　of
resistance　Theobald　would　not　have　ventured　to　swagger　with　her；　but
she　was　not　a　Barbary　hen；　she　was　only　a　common　hen；　and　that　too
with　rather　a　smaller　share　of　personal　bravery　than　hens　generally
have。



CHAPTER　XIV



Battersby…On…The…Hill　was　the　name　of　the　village　of　which　Theobald
was　now　Rector。　　It　contained　400　or　500　inhabitants；　scattered　over
a　rather　large　area；　and　consisting　entirely　of　farmers　and
agricultural　labourers。　　The　Rectory　was　commodious；　and　placed　on
the　brow　of　a　hill　which　gave　it　a　delightful　prospect。　　There　was　a
fair　sprinkling　of　neighbours　within　visiting　range；　but　with　one　or
two　exceptions　they　were　the　clergymen　and　clergymen's　families　of
the　surrounding　villages。

By　these　the　Pontifexes　were　welcomed　as　great　acquisitions　to　the
neighbourhood。　　Mr　Pontifex；　they　said　was　so　clever；　he　had　been
senior　classic　and　senior　wrangler；　a　perfect　genius　in　fact；　and
yet　with　so　much　sound　practical　common　sense　as　well。　　As　son　of
such　a　distinguished　man　as　the　great　Mr　Pontifex　the　publisher　he
would　come　into　a　large　property　by…and…by。　　Was　there　not　an　elder
brother？　　Yes；　but　there　would　be　so　much　that　Theobald　would
probably　get　something　very　considerable。　　Of　course　they　would　give
dinner　parties。　　And　Mrs　Pontifex；　what　a　charming　woman　she　was；
she　was　certainly　not　exactly　pretty　perhaps；　but　then　she　had　such
a　sweet　smile　and　her　manner　was　so　bright　and　winning。　　She　was　so
devoted　too　to　her　husband　and　her　husband　to　her；　they　really　did
come　up　to　one's　ideas　of　what　lovers　used　to　be　in　days　of　old；　it
was　rare　to　meet　with　such　a　pair　in　these　degenerate　times；　it　was
quite　beautiful；　etc。；　etc。　　Such　were　the　comments　of　the
neighbours　on　the　new　arrivals。

As　for　Theobald's　own　parishioners；　the　farmers　were　civil　and　the
labourers　and　their　wives　obsequious。　　There　was　a　little　dissent；
the　legacy　of　a　careless　predecessor；　but　as　Mrs　Theobald　said
proudly；　〃I　think　Theobald　may　be　trusted　to　deal　with　THAT。〃　　The
church　was　then　an　interesting　specimen　of　late　Norman；　with　some
early　English　additions。　　It　was　what　in　these　days　would　be　called
in　a　very　bad　state　of　repair；　but　forty　or　fifty　years　ago　few
churches　were　in　good　repair。　　If　there　is　one　feature　more
characteristic　of　the　present　generation　than　another　it　is　that　it
has　been　a　great　restorer　of　churches。

Horace　preached　church　restoration　in　his　ode：…


Delicta　majorum　immeritus　lues；
Romane；　donec　templa　refeceris
Aedesque　labentes　deorum　et
Foeda　nigro　simulacra　fumo。


Nothing　went　right　with　Rome　for　long　together　after　the　Augustan
age；　but　whether　it　was　because　she　did　restore　the　temples　or
because　she　did　not　restore　them　I　know　not。　　They　certainly　went
all　wrong　after　Constantine's　time　and　yet　Rome　is　still　a　city　of
some　importance。

I　may　say　here　that　before　Theobald　had　been　many　years　at　Battersby
he　found　scope　for　useful　work　in　the　rebuilding　of　Battersby
church；　which　he　carried　out　at　considerable　cost；　towards　which　he
subscribed　liberally　himself。　　He　was　his　own　architect；　and　this
saved　expense；　but　architecture　was　not　very　well　understood　about
the　year　1834；　when　Theobald　commenced　operations；　and　the　result　is
not　as　satisfactory　as　it　would　have　been　if　he　had　waited　a　few
years　longer。

Every　man's　work；　whether　it　be　literature　or　music　or　pictures　or
architecture　or　anything　else；　is　always　a　portrait　of　himself；　and
the　more　he　tries　to　conceal　himself　the　more　clearly　will　his
character　appear　in　spite　of　him。　　I　may　very　likely　be　condemning
myself；　all　the　time　that　I　am　writing　this　book；　for　I　know　that
whether　I　like　it　or　no　I　am　portraying　myself　more　surely　than　I　am
portraying　any　of　the　characters　whom　I　set　before　the　reader。　　I　am
sorry　that　it　is　so；　but　I　cannot　help　itafter　which　sop　to
Nemesis　I　will　say　that　Battersby　church　in　its　amended　form　has
always　struck　me　as　a　better　portrait　of　Theobald　than　any　sculptor
or　painter　short　of　a　great　master　would　be　able　to　produce。

I　remember　staying　with　Theobald　some　six