第10章

ThiswastheaverageattitudeoffairlyeducatedyoungmenandwomentowardstheMosaiccosmogonyfifty，forty，oreventwentyyearsago。

Thecombatingofinfidelity，therefore，offeredlittlescopeforenterprisingyoungclergymen，norhadtheChurchawakenedtotheactivitywhichshehassincedisplayedamongthepoorinourlargetowns。Thesewerethenleftalmostwithoutaneffortatresistanceorco-operationtothelaboursofthosewhohadsucceededWesley。

Missionaryworkindeedinheathencountrieswasbeingcarriedonwithsomeenergy，butTheobalddidnotfeelanycalltobeamissionary。Christinasuggestedthistohimmorethanonce，andassuredhimoftheunspeakablehappinessitwouldbetohertobethewifeofamissionary，andtosharehisdangers；sheandTheobaldmightevenbemartyred；ofcoursetheywouldbemartyredsimultaneously，andmartyrdommanyyearshenceasregardedfromthearbourintheRectorygardenwasnotpainful，itwouldensurethemagloriousfutureinthenextworld，andatanyrateposthumousrenowninthis——eveniftheywerenotmiraculouslyrestoredtolifeagain——

andsuchthingshadhappenederenowinthecaseofmartyrs。

Theobald，however，hadnotbeenkindledbyChristina’senthusiasm，soshefellbackupontheChurchofRome——anenemymoredangerous，ifpossible，thanpaganismitself。AcombatwithRomanismmightevenyetwinforherandTheobaldthecrownofmartyrdom。True，theChurchofRomewastolerablyquietjustthen，butitwasthecalmbeforethestorm，ofthisshewasassured，withaconvictiondeeperthanshecouldhaveattainedbyanyargumentfoundeduponmerereason。

“We，dearestTheobald。”sheexclaimed，“willbeeverfaithful。Wewillstandfirmandsupportoneanothereveninthehourofdeathitself。Godinhismercymayspareusfrombeingburntalive。Hemayormaynotdoso。OhLord“(andsheturnedhereyesprayerfullytoHeaven)，“sparemyTheobald，orgrantthathemaybebeheaded。”

“Mydearest。”saidTheobaldgravely，“donotletusagitateourselvesunduly。Ifthehouroftrialcomesweshallbebestpreparedtomeetitbyhavingledaquietunobtrusivelifeofself-

denialanddevotiontoGod’sglory。SuchalifeletusprayGodthatitmaypleaseHimtoenableustopraythatwemaylead。”

“DearestTheobald。”exclaimedChristina，dryingthetearsthathadgatheredinhereyes，“youarealways，alwaysright。Letusbeself-denying，pure，upright，truthfulinwordanddeed。”SheclaspedherhandsandlookeduptoHeavenasshespoke。

“Dearest。”rejoinedherlover，“wehaveeverhithertoendeavouredtobeallofthesethings；wehavenotbeenworldlypeople；letuswatchandpraythatwemaysocontinuetotheend。”

Themoonhadrisenandthearbourwasgettingdamp，sotheyadjournedfurtheraspirationsforamoreconvenientseason。AtothertimesChristinapicturedherselfandTheobaldasbravingthescornofalmosteveryhumanbeingintheachievementofsomemightytaskwhichshouldredoundtothehonourofherRedeemer。Shecouldfaceanythingforthis。ButalwaystowardstheendofhervisiontherecamealittlecoronationscenehighupinthegoldenregionsoftheHeavens，andadiademwassetuponherheadbytheSonofManHimself，amidahostofangelsandarchangelswholookedonwithenvyandadmiration——andhereevenTheobaldhimselfwasoutofit。

IftherecouldbesuchathingastheMammonofRighteousnessChristinawouldhaveassuredlymadefriendswithit。HerpapaandmammawereveryestimablepeopleandwouldinthecourseoftimereceiveHeavenlyMansionsinwhichtheywouldbeexceedinglycomfortable；sodoubtlesswouldhersisters；soperhaps，evenmightherbrothers；butforherselfshefeltthatahigherdestinywaspreparing，whichitwasherdutynevertolosesightof。ThefirststeptowardsitwouldbehermarriagewithTheobald。Inspite，however，oftheseflightsofreligiousromanticism，Christinawasagood-temperedkindly-naturedgirlenough，who，ifshehadmarriedasensiblelayman——wewillsayahotel-keeper——wouldhavedevelopedintoagoodlandladyandbeendeservedlypopularwithherguests。

SuchwasTheobald’sengagedlife。Manyalittlepresentpassedbetweenthepair，andmanyasmallsurprisedidtheypreparepleasantlyforoneanother。Theyneverquarrelled，andneitherofthemeverflirtedwithanyoneelse。MrsAllabyandhisfuturesisters-in-lawidolisedTheobaldinspiteofitsbeingimpossibletogetanotherdeacontocomeandbeplayedforaslongasTheobaldwasabletohelpMrAllaby，whichnowofcoursehedidfreegratisandfornothing；twoofthesisters，however，didmanagetofindhusbandsbeforeChristinawasactuallymarried，andoneachoccasionTheobaldplayedthepartofdecoyelephant。Intheendonlytwooutofthesevendaughtersremainedsingle。

Afterthreeorfouryears，oldMrPontifexbecameaccustomedtohisson’sengagementandlookeduponitasamongthethingswhichhadnowaprescriptiverighttotoleration。Inthespringof1831，morethanfiveyearsafterTheobaldhadfirstwalkedovertoCrampsford，oneofthebestlivingsinthegiftoftheCollegeunexpectedlyfellvacant，andwasforvariousreasonsdeclinedbythetwofellowsseniortoTheobald，whomighteachhavebeenexpectedtotakeit。

ThelivingwasthenofferedtoandofcourseacceptedbyTheobald，beinginvaluenotlessthan500poundsayearwithasuitablehouseandgarden。OldMrPontifexthencamedownmorehandsomelythanwasexpectedandsettled10，000poundsonhissonanddaughter-in-lawforlifewithremaindertosuchoftheirissueastheymightappoint。InthemonthofJuly，1831TheobaldandChristinabecamemanandwife。

AduenumberofoldshoeshadbeenthrownatthecarriageinwhichthehappypairdepartedfromtheRectory，andithadturnedthecorneratthebottomofthevillage。Itcouldthenbeseenfortwoorthreehundredyardscreepingpastafircoppice，andafterthiswaslosttoview。

“John。”saidMrAllabytohisman-servant，“shutthegate；“andhewentindoorswithasighofreliefwhichseemedtosay：“Ihavedoneit，andIamalive。”Thiswasthereactionafteraburstofenthusiasticmerrimentduringwhichtheoldgentlemanhadruntwentyyardsafterthecarriagetoflingaslipperatit——whichhehaddulyflung。

ButwhatwerethefeelingsofTheobaldandChristinawhenthevillagewaspassedandtheywererollingquietlybythefirplantation？Itisatthispointthateventhestoutestheartmustfail，unlessitbeatinthebreastofonewhoisoverheadandearsinlove。Ifayoungmanisinasmallboatonachoppysea，alongwithhisaffiancedbrideandbotharesea-sick，andifthesickswaincanforgethisownanguishinthehappinessofholdingthefairone’sheadwhensheisatherworst——thenheisinlove，andhisheartwillbeinnodangeroffailinghimashepasseshisfirplantation。Otherpeople，andunfortunatelybyfarthegreaternumberofthosewhogetmarriedmustbeclassedamongthe“otherpeople。”willinevitablygothroughaquarterorhalfanhourofgreaterorlessbadnessasthecasemaybe。Takingnumbersintoaccount，IshouldthinkmorementalsufferinghadbeenundergoneinthestreetsleadingfromStGeorge’s，HanoverSquare，thaninthecondemnedcellsofNewgate。ThereisnotimeatwhichwhattheItalianscalllafigliadellaMortelayshercoldhanduponamanmoreawfullythanduringthefirsthalfhourthatheisalonewithawomanwhomhehasmarriedbutnevergenuinelyloved。

Death’sdaughterdidnotspareTheobald。Hehadbehavedverywellhitherto。WhenChristinahadofferedtolethimgo，hehadstucktohispostwithamagnanimityonwhichhehadplumedhimselfeversince。Fromthattimeforwardhehadsaidtohimself：“I，atanyrate，amtheverysoulofhonour；Iamnot。”etc。，etc。True，atthemomentofmagnanimitytheactualcashpayment，sotospeak，wasstilldistant；whenhisfathergaveformalconsenttohismarriagethingsbegantolookmoreserious；whenthecollegelivinghadfallenvacantandbeenacceptedtheylookedmoreseriousstill；butwhenChristinaactuallynamedtheday，thenTheobald’sheartfaintedwithinhim。

Theengagementhadgoneonsolongthathehadgotintoagroove，andtheprospectofchangewasdisconcerting。Christinaandhehadgoton，hethoughttohimself，verynicelyforagreatnumberofyears；why——why——whyshouldtheynotcontinuetogoonastheyweredoingnowfortherestoftheirlives？Buttherewasnomorechanceofescapeforhimthanforthesheepwhichisbeingdriventothebutcher’sbackpremises，andlikethesheephefeltthattherewasnothingtobegainedbyresistance，sohemadenone。Hebehaved，infact，withdecency，andwasdeclaredonallhandstobeoneofthehappiestmenimaginable。

Now，however，tochangethemetaphor，thedrophadactuallyfallen，andthepoorwretchwashanginginmidairalongwiththecreatureofhisaffections。Thiscreaturewasnowthirty-threeyearsold，andlookedit：shehadbeenweeping，andhereyesandnosewerereddish；if“IhavedoneitandIamalive。”waswrittenonMrAllaby’sfaceafterhehadthrowntheshoe，“Ihavedoneit，andI

donotseehowIcanpossiblylivemuchlonger“wasuponthefaceofTheobaldashewasbeingdrivenalongbythefirPlantation。This，however，wasnotapparentattheRectory。Allthatcouldbeseentherewasthebobbingupanddownofthepostilion’shead，whichjustover-toppedthehedgebytheroad-sideasheroseinhisstirrups，andtheblackandyellowbodyofthecarriage。

Forsometimethepairsaidnothing：whattheymusthavefeltduringtheirfirsthalfhour，thereadermustguess，foritisbeyondmypowertotellhim；attheendofthattime，however，TheobaldhadrummagedupaconclusionfromsomeoddcornerofhissoultotheeffectthatnowheandChristinaweremarriedthesoonertheyfellintotheirfuturemutualrelationsthebetter。Ifpeoplewhoareinadifficultywillonlydothefirstlittlereasonablethingwhichtheycanclearlyrecogniseasreasonable，theywillalwaysfindthenextstepmoreeasybothtoseeandtake。What，then，thoughtTheobald，washereatthismomentthefirstandmostobviousmattertobeconsidered，andwhatwouldbeanequitableviewofhisandChristina’srelativepositionsinrespecttoit？Clearlytheirfirstdinnerwastheirfirstjointentryintothedutiesandpleasuresofmarriedlife。NolessclearlyitwasChristina’sdutytoorderit，andhisowntoeatitandpayforit。

Theargumentsleadingtothisconclusion，andtheconclusionitself，flasheduponTheobaldaboutthreeandahalfmilesafterhehadleftCrampsfordontheroadtoNewmarket。Hehadbreakfastedearly，buthisusualappetitehadfailedhim。Theyhadleftthevicarageatnoonwithoutstayingfortheweddingbreakfast。Theobaldlikedanearlydinner；itdawneduponhimthathewasbeginningtobehungry；

fromthistotheconclusionstatedintheprecedingparagraphthestepshadbeeneasy。Afterafewminutes’furtherreflectionhebroachedthemattertohisbride，andthustheicewasbroken。

MrsTheobaldwasnotpreparedforsosuddenanassumptionofimportance。Hernerves，neverofthestrongest，hadbeenstrungtotheirhighesttensionbytheeventofthemorning。Shewantedtoescapeobservation；shewasconsciousoflookingalittleolderthanshequitelikedtolookasabridewhohadbeenmarriedthatmorning；shefearedthelandlady，thechamber-maid，thewaiter——

everybodyandeverything；herheartbeatsofastthatshecouldhardlyspeak，muchlessgothroughtheordealoforderingdinnerinastrangehotelwithastrangelandlady。Shebeggedandprayedtobeletoff。IfTheobaldwouldonlyorderdinnerthisonce，shewouldorderitanydayandeverydayinfuture。