the way of all flesh-第15部分

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eternity　of　torture　with　more　indifference。　　He　does　not　feel　that
he　is　in　his　element。　　The　farmers　look　as　if　they　were　in　their
element。　　They　are　full…bodied；　healthy　and　contented；　but　between
him　and　them　there　is　a　great　gulf　fixed。　　A　hard　and　drawn　look
begins　to　settle　about　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　so　that　even　if　he
were　not　in　a　black　coat　and　white　tie　a　child　might　know　him　for　a
parson。

He　knows　that　he　is　doing　his　duty。　　Every　day　convinces　him　of　this
more　firmly；　but　then　there　is　not　much　duty　for　him　to　do。　　He　is
sadly　in　want　of　occupation。　　He　has　no　taste　for　any　of　those　field
sports　which　were　not　considered　unbecoming　for　a　clergyman　forty
years　ago。　　He　does　not　ride；　nor　shoot；　nor　fish；　nor　course；　nor
play　cricket。　　Study；　to　do　him　justice；　he　had　never　really　liked；
and　what　inducement　was　there　for　him　to　study　at　Battersby？　　He
reads　neither　old　books　nor　new　ones。　　He　does　not　interest　himself
in　art　or　science　or　politics；　but　he　sets　his　back　up　with　some
promptness　if　any　of　them　show　any　development　unfamiliar　to
himself。　　True；　he　writes　his　own　sermons；　but　even　his　wife
considers　that　his　forte　lies　rather　in　the　example　of　his　life
（which　is　one　long　act　of　self…devotion）　than　in　his　utterances　from
the　pulpit。　　After　breakfast　he　retires　to　his　study；　he　cuts　little
bits　out　of　the　Bible　and　gums　them　with　exquisite　neatness　by　the
side　of　other　little　bits；　this　he　calls　making　a　Harmony　of　the　Old
and　New　Testaments。　　Alongside　the　extracts　he　copies　in　the　very
perfection　of　hand…writing　extracts　from　Mede　（the　only　man；
according　to　Theobald；　who　really　understood　the　Book　of
Revelation）；　Patrick；　and　other　old　divines。　　He　works　steadily　at
this　for　half　an　hour　every　morning　during　many　years；　and　the
result　is　doubtless　valuable。　　After　some　years　have　gone　by　he
hears　his　children　their　lessons；　and　the　daily　oft…repeated　screams
that　issue　from　the　study　during　the　lesson　hours　tell　their　own
horrible　story　over　the　house。　　He　has　also　taken　to　collecting　a
hortus　siccus；　and　through　the　interest　of　his　father　was　once
mentioned　in　the　Saturday　Magazine　as　having　been　the　first　to　find
a　plant；　whose　name　I　have　forgotten；　in　the　neighbourhood　of
Battersby。　　This　number　of　the　Saturday　Magazine　has　been　bound　in
red　morocco；　and　is　kept　upon　the　drawing…room　table。　　He　potters
about　his　garden；　if　he　hears　a　hen　cackling　he　runs　and　tells
Christina；　and　straightway　goes　hunting　for　the　egg。

When　the　two　Miss　Allabys　came；　as　they　sometimes　did；　to　stay　with
Christina；　they　said　the　life　led　by　their　sister　and　brother…in…law
was　an　idyll。　　Happy　indeed　was　Christina　in　her　choice；　for　that
she　had　had　a　choice　was　a　fiction　which　soon　took　root　among　them
and　happy　Theobald　in　his　Christina。　　Somehow　or　other　Christina　was
always　a　little　shy　of　cards　when　her　sisters　were　staying　with　her；
though　at　other　times　she　enjoyed　a　game　of　cribbage　or　a　rubber　of
whist　heartily　enough；　but　her　sisters　knew　they　would　never　be
asked　to　Battersby　again　if　they　were　to　refer　to　that　little
matter；　and　on　the　whole　it　was　worth　their　while　to　be　asked　to
Battersby。　　If　Theobald's　temper　was　rather　irritable　he　did　not
vent　it　upon　them。

By　nature　reserved；　if　he　could　have　found　someone　to　cook　his
dinner　for　him；　he　would　rather　have　lived　in　a　desert　island　than
not。　　In　his　heart　of　hearts　he　held　with　Pope　that　〃the　greatest
nuisance　to　mankind　is　man〃　or　words　to　that　effectonly　that
women；　with　the　exception　perhaps　of　Christina；　were　worse。　　Yet　for
all　this　when　visitors　called　he　put　a　better　face　on　it　than　anyone
who　was　behind　the　scenes　would　have　expected。

He　was　quick　too　at　introducing　the　names　of　any　literary
celebrities　whom　he　had　met　at　his　father's　house；　and　soon
established　an　all…round　reputation　which　satisfied　even　Christina
herself。

Who　so　integer　vitae　scelerisque　purus；　it　was　asked；　as　Mr　Pontifex
of　Battersby？　　Who　so　fit　to　be　consulted　if　any　difficulty　about
parish　management　should　arise？　　Who　such　a　happy　mixture　of　the
sincere　uninquiring　Christian　and　of　the　man　of　the　world？　　For　so
people　actually　called　him。　　They　said　he　was　such　an　admirable　man
of　business。　　Certainly　if　he　had　said　he　would　pay　a　sum　of　money
at　a　certain　time；　the　money　would　be　forthcoming　on　the　appointed
day；　and　this　is　saying　a　good　deal　for　any　man。　　His　constitutional
timidity　rendered　him　incapable　of　an　attempt　to　overreach　when
there　was　the　remotest　chance　of　opposition　or　publicity；　and　his
correct　bearing　and　somewhat　stern　expression　were　a　great
protection　to　him　against　being　overreached。　　He　never　talked　of
money；　and　invariably　changed　the　subject　whenever　money　was
introduced。　　His　expression　of　unutterable　horror　at　all　kinds　of
meanness　was　a　sufficient　guarantee　that　he　was　not　mean　himself。
Besides　he　had　no　business　transactions　save　of　the　most　ordinary
butcher's　book　and　baker's　book　description。　　His　tastesif　he　had
anywere；　as　we　have　seen；　simple；　he　had　900　pounds　a　year　and　a
house；　the　neighbourhood　was　cheap；　and　for　some　time　he　had　no
children　to　be　a　drag　upon　him。　　Who　was　not　to　be　envied；　and　if
envied　why　then　respected；　if　Theobald　was　not　enviable？

Yet　I　imagine　that　Christina　was　on　the　whole　happier　than　her
husband。　　She　had　not　to　go　and　visit　sick　parishioners；　and　the
management　of　her　house　and　the　keeping　of　her　accounts　afforded　as
much　occupation　as　she　desired。　　Her　principal　duty　was；　as　she　well
said；　to　her　husbandto　love　him；　honour　him；　and　keep　him　in　a
good　temper。　　To　do　her　justice　she　fulfilled　this　duty　to　the
uttermost　of　her　power。　　It　would　have　been　better　perhaps　if　she
had　not　so　frequently　assured　her　husband　that　he　was　the　best　and
wisest　of　mankind；　for　no　one　in　his　little　world　ever　dreamed　of
telling　him　anything　else；　and　it　was　not　long　before　he　ceased　to
have　any　doubt　upon　the　matter。　　As　for　his　temper；　which　had　become
very　violent　at　times；　she　took　care　to　humour　it　on　the　slightest
sign　of　an　approaching　outbreak。　　She　had　early　found　that　this　was
much　the　easiest　plan。　　The　thunder　was　seldom　for　herself。　　Long
before　her　marriage　even　she　had　studied　his　little　ways；　and　knew
how　to　add　fuel　to　the　fire　as　long　as　the　fire　seemed　to　want　it；
and　then　to　damp　it　judiciously　down；　making　as　little　smoke　as
possible。

In　money　matters　she　was　scrupulousness　itself。　　Theobald　made　her　a
quarterly　allowance　for　her　dress；　pocket　money　and　little　charities
and　presents。　　In　these　last　items　she　was　liberal　in　proportion　to
her　income；　indeed　she　dressed　with　great　economy　and　gave　away
whatever　was　over　in　presents　or　charity。　　Oh；　what　a　comfort　it　was
to　Theobald　to　reflect　that　he　had　a　wife　on　whom　he　could　rely
never　to　cost　him　a　sixpence　of　unauthorised　expenditure！　　Letting
alone　her　absolute　submission；　the　perfect　coincidence　of　her
opinion　with　his　own　upon　every　subject　and　her　constant　assurances
to　him　that　he　was　right　in　everything　which　he　took　it　into　his
head　to　say　or　do；　what　a　tower　of　strength　to　him　was　her　exactness
in　money　matters！　　As　years　went　by　he　became　as　fond　of　his　wife　as
it　was　in　his　nature　to　be　of　any　living　thing；　and　applauded
himself　for　having　stuck　to　his　engagementa　piece　of　virtue　of
which　he　was　now　reaping　the　reward。　　Even　when　Christina　did　outrun
her　quarterly　stipend　by　some　thirty　shillings　or　a　couple　of
pounds；　it　was　always　made　perfectly　clear　to　Theobald　how　the
deficiency　had　arisenthere　had　been　an　unusually　costly　evening
dress　bought　which　was　to　last　a　long　time；　or　somebody's　unexpected
wedding　had　necessitated　a　more　handsome　present　than　the　quarter's
balance　would　quite　allow：　　the　excess　of　expenditure　was　always
repaid　in　the　following　quarter　or　quarters　even　though　it　were　only
ten　shillings　at　a　time。

I　believe；　however；　that　after　they　had　been　married　some　twenty
years；　Christina　had　somewhat　fallen　from　her　original　perfection　as
regards　money。　　She　had　got　gradually　in　arrear　during　many
successive　quarters；　till　she　had　contracted　a　chronic　loan　a　sort
of　domestic　national　debt；　amounting　to　between　seven　and　eight
pounds。　　Theobald　at　length　felt　that　a　remonstrance　had　become
imperative；　and　took　advantage　of　his　silver　wedding　day　to　inform
Christina　that　her　indebtedness　was　cancelled；　and　at　the　same　time
to　beg　that　she　would　endeavour　henceforth　to　equalise　her
expenditure　and　her　income。　　She　burst　into　tears　of　love　and
gratitude；　assured　him　that　he　was　the　best　and　most　generous　of
men；　and　never　during　the　remainder　of　her　married　life　was　she　a
single　shilling　behind　hand。

Christina　hated　change　of　all　sorts　no　less　cordially　than　her
husband。　　She　and　Theobald　had　nearly　everything　in　this　world　that
they　could　wish　for；　why；　then；　should　people　desire　to　introduce
all　sorts　of　changes　of　which　no　one　could　foresee　the　end？
Religion；　she　was　deeply　convinced；　had　long　since　attained　its
final　development；　nor　could　it　enter　into　the　heart　of　reasonable
man　to　conceive　any　faith　more　perfect　than　was　inculcated　by　the
Church　of　England。　　She　could　imagine　no　position　more　honourable
than　that　of　a　clergyman's　wife　unless　indeed　it　were　a　bishop's。
Considering　his　father's　influence　it　was　not　at　all　impossible　that
Theobald　might　be　a　bishop　some　dayand　thenthen　would　occur　to
her　that　one　little　flaw　in　the　practice　of　the　Church　of　Englanda
flaw　not　indeed　in　its　doctrine；　but　in　its　policy；　which　she
believed　on　the　whole　to　be　a　mistaken　one　in　this　respect。　　I　mean
the　fact　that　a　bishop's　wife　does　not　take　the　rank　of　her　husband。

This　had　been　the　doing　of　Elizabeth；　who　had　been　a　bad　woman；　of
exceeding　doubtful　moral　character；　and　at　heart　a　Papist　to　the
last。　　Perhaps　people　ought　to　have　been　above　mere　considerations
of　worldly　dignity；　but　the　world　was　as　it　was；　and　such　things
carried　weight　with　them；　whether　they　ought　to　do　so　or　no。　　Her
influence　as　plain　Mrs　Pontifex；　wife；　we　will　say；　of　the　Bishop　of
Winchester；　would　no　doubt　be　considerable。　　Such　a　character　as
hers　could　not　fail　to　carry　weight　if　she