第11章

ButtheinexorableTheobaldwasnottobeputoffwithsuchabsurdexcuses。Hewasmasternow。HadnotChristinalessthantwohoursagopromisedsolemnlytohonourandobeyhim，andwassheturningrestiveoversuchatrifleasthis？Thelovingsmiledepartedfromhisface，andwassucceededbyascowlwhichthatoldTurk，hisfather，mighthaveenvied。“Stuffandnonsense，mydearestChristina。”heexclaimedmildly，andstampedhisfootuponthefloorofthecarriage。“Itisawife’sdutytoorderherhusband’sdinner；youaremywife，andIshallexpectyoutoordermine。”ForTheobaldwasnothingifhewasnotlogical。

Thebridebegantocry，andsaidhewasunkind；whereonhesaidnothing，butrevolvedunutterablethingsinhisheart。Wasthis，then，theendofhissixyearsofunflaggingdevotion？WasitforthisthatwhenChristinahadofferedtolethimoff，hehadstucktohisengagement？Wasthistheoutcomeofhertalksaboutdutyandspiritualmindedness——thatnowupontheverydayofhermarriagesheshouldfailtoseethatthefirststepinobediencetoGodlayinobediencetohimself？HewoulddrivebacktoCrampsford；hewouldcomplaintoMrandMrsAllaby；hedidn’tmeantohavemarriedChristina；hehadn’tmarriedher；itwasallahideousdream；hewould——Butavoicekeptringinginhisearswhichsaid：“YOU

CAN’T，CAN’T，CAN’T。”

“CAN’TI？”screamedtheunhappycreaturetohimself。

“No。”saidtheremorselessvoice，“YOUCAN’T。YOUAREAMARRIED

MAN。”

HerolledbackinhiscornerofthecarriageandforthefirsttimefelthowiniquitouswerethemarriagelawsofEngland。ButhewouldbuyMilton’sproseworksandreadhispamphletondivorce。HemightperhapsbeabletogetthematNewmarket。

Sothebridesatcryinginonecornerofthecarriage；andthebridegroomsulkedintheother，andhefearedherasonlyabridegroomcanfear。

Presently，however，afeeblevoicewasheardfromthebride’scornersaying：

“DearestTheobald——dearestTheobald，forgiveme；Ihavebeenvery，verywrong。Pleasedonotbeangrywithme。Iwillorderthe——the——

“buttheword“dinner“wascheckedbyrisingsobs。

WhenTheobaldheardthesewordsaloadbegantobeliftedfromhisheart，butheonlylookedtowardsher，andthatnottoopleasantly。

“Pleasetellme。”continuedthevoice，“whatyouthinkyouwouldlike，andIwilltellthelandladywhenwegettoNewmar——“butanotherburstofsobscheckedthecompletionoftheword。

TheloadonTheobald’sheartgrewlighterandlighter。Wasitpossiblethatshemightnotbegoingtohenpeckhimafterall？

Besides，hadshenotdivertedhisattentionfromherselftohisapproachingdinner？

Heswalloweddownmoreofhisapprehensionsandsaid，butstillgloomily，“Ithinkwemighthavearoastfowlwithbreadsauce，newpotatoesandgreenpeas，andthenwewillseeiftheycouldletushaveacherrytartandsomecream。”

Afterafewminutesmorehedrewhertowardshim，kissedawayhertears，andassuredherthatheknewshewouldbeagoodwifetohim。

“DearestTheobald。”sheexclaimedinanswer，“youareanangel。”

Theobaldbelievedher，andintenminutesmorethehappycouplealightedattheinnatNewmarket。

BravelydidChristinagothroughherarduoustask。Eagerlydidshebeseechthelandlady，insecret，nottokeepherTheobaldwaitinglongerthanwasabsolutelynecessary。

“Ifyouhaveanysoupready，youknow，MrsBarber，itmightsavetenminutes，forwemighthaveitwhilethefowlwasbrowning。”

Seehownecessityhadnervedher！Butintruthshehadasplittingheadache，andwouldhavegivenanythingtohavebeenalone。

Thedinnerwasasuccess。ApintofsherryhadwarmedTheobald’sheart，andhebegantohopethat，afterall，mattersmightstillgowellwithhim。Hehadconqueredinthefirstbattle，andthisgivesgreatprestige。Howeasyithadbeentoo！Whyhadhenevertreatedhissistersinthisway？Hewoulddosonexttimehesawthem；hemightintimebeabletostanduptohisbrotherJohn，orevenhisfather。Thusdowebuildcastlesinairwhenflushedwithwineandconquest。

TheendofthehoneymoonsawMrsTheobaldthemostdevotedlyobsequiouswifeinallEngland。Accordingtotheoldsaying，Theobaldhadkilledthecatatthebeginning。Ithadbeenaverylittlecat，amerekitteninfact，orhemighthavebeenafraidtofaceit，butsuchasithadbeenhehadchallengedittomortalcombat，andhadheldupitsdrippingheaddefiantlybeforehiswife’sface。Theresthadbeeneasy。

StrangethatonewhomIhavedescribedhithertoassotimidandeasilyputuponshouldprovesuchaTartarallofasuddenonthedayofhismarriage。PerhapsIhavepassedoverhisyearsofcourtshiptoorapidly。Duringthesehehadbecomeatutorofhiscollege，andhadatlastbeenJuniorDean。Ineveryetknewamanwhosesenseofhisownimportancedidnotbecomeadequatelydevelopedafterhehadheldaresidentfellowshipforfiveorsixyears。True——immediatelyonarrivingwithinatenmileradiusofhisfather’shouse，anenchantmentfelluponhim，sothathiskneeswaxedweak，hisgreatnessdeparted，andheagainfelthimselflikeanovergrownbabyunderaperpetualcloud；butthenhewasnotoftenatElmhurst，andassoonasheleftitthespellwastakenoffagain；oncemorehebecamethefellowandtutorofhiscollege，theJuniorDean，thebetrothedofChristina，theidoloftheAllabywomankind。FromallwhichitmaybegatheredthatifChristinahadbeenaBarbaryhen，andhadruffledherfeathersinanyshowofresistanceTheobaldwouldnothaveventuredtoswaggerwithher，butshewasnotaBarbaryhen，shewasonlyacommonhen，andthattoowithratherasmallershareofpersonalbraverythanhensgenerallyhave。

Battersby-On-The-HillwasthenameofthevillageofwhichTheobaldwasnowRector。Itcontained400or500inhabitants，scatteredoveraratherlargearea，andconsistingentirelyoffarmersandagriculturallabourers。TheRectorywascommodious，andplacedonthebrowofahillwhichgaveitadelightfulprospect。Therewasafairsprinklingofneighbourswithinvisitingrange，butwithoneortwoexceptionstheyweretheclergymenandclergymen’sfamiliesofthesurroundingvillages。

BythesethePontifexeswerewelcomedasgreatacquisitionstotheneighbourhood。MrPontifex，theysaidwassoclever；hehadbeenseniorclassicandseniorwrangler；aperfectgeniusinfact，andyetwithsomuchsoundpracticalcommonsenseaswell。AssonofsuchadistinguishedmanasthegreatMrPontifexthepublisherhewouldcomeintoalargepropertyby-and-by。Wastherenotanelderbrother？Yes，buttherewouldbesomuchthatTheobaldwouldprobablygetsomethingveryconsiderable。Ofcoursetheywouldgivedinnerparties。AndMrsPontifex，whatacharmingwomanshewas；

shewascertainlynotexactlyprettyperhaps，butthenshehadsuchasweetsmileandhermannerwassobrightandwinning。Shewassodevotedtootoherhusbandandherhusbandtoher；theyreallydidcomeuptoone’sideasofwhatloversusedtobeindaysofold；itwasraretomeetwithsuchapairinthesedegeneratetimes；itwasquitebeautiful，etc。，etc。Suchwerethecommentsoftheneighboursonthenewarrivals。

AsforTheobald’sownparishioners，thefarmerswerecivilandthelabourersandtheirwivesobsequious。Therewasalittledissent，thelegacyofacarelesspredecessor，butasMrsTheobaldsaidproudly，“IthinkTheobaldmaybetrustedtodealwithTHAT。”ThechurchwasthenaninterestingspecimenoflateNorman，withsomeearlyEnglishadditions。Itwaswhatinthesedayswouldbecalledinaverybadstateofrepair，butfortyorfiftyyearsagofewchurcheswereingoodrepair。Ifthereisonefeaturemorecharacteristicofthepresentgenerationthananotheritisthatithasbeenagreatrestorerofchurches。

Horacepreachedchurchrestorationinhisode：-

Delictamajorumimmerituslues，Romane，donectemplarefecerisAedesquelabentesdeorumetFoedanigrosimulacrafumo。

NothingwentrightwithRomeforlongtogetheraftertheAugustanage，butwhetheritwasbecauseshedidrestorethetemplesorbecauseshedidnotrestorethemIknownot。TheycertainlywentallwrongafterConstantine’stimeandyetRomeisstillacityofsomeimportance。

ImaysayherethatbeforeTheobaldhadbeenmanyyearsatBattersbyhefoundscopeforusefulworkintherebuildingofBattersbychurch，whichhecarriedoutatconsiderablecost，towardswhichhesubscribedliberallyhimself。Hewashisownarchitect，andthissavedexpense；butarchitecturewasnotverywellunderstoodabouttheyear1834，whenTheobaldcommencedoperations，andtheresultisnotassatisfactoryasitwouldhavebeenifhehadwaitedafewyearslonger。

Everyman’swork，whetheritbeliteratureormusicorpicturesorarchitectureoranythingelse，isalwaysaportraitofhimself，andthemorehetriestoconcealhimselfthemoreclearlywillhischaracterappearinspiteofhim。Imayverylikelybecondemningmyself，allthetimethatIamwritingthisbook，forIknowthatwhetherIlikeitornoIamportrayingmyselfmoresurelythanIamportrayinganyofthecharacterswhomIsetbeforethereader。Iamsorrythatitisso，butIcannothelpit——afterwhichsoptoNemesisIwillsaythatBattersbychurchinitsamendedformhasalwaysstruckmeasabetterportraitofTheobaldthananysculptororpaintershortofagreatmasterwouldbeabletoproduce。

IrememberstayingwithTheobaldsomesixorsevenmonthsafterhewasmarried，andwhiletheoldchurchwasstillstanding。Iwenttochurch，andfeltasNaamanmusthavefeltoncertainoccasionswhenhehadtoaccompanyhismasteronhisreturnafterhavingbeencuredofhisleprosy。Ihavecarriedawayamorevividrecollectionofthisandofthepeople，thanofTheobald’ssermon。EvennowIcanseethemeninbluesmockfrocksreachingtotheirheels，andmorethanoneoldwomaninascarletcloak；therowofstolid，dull，vacantplough-boys，ungainlyinbuild，uncomelyinface，lifeless，apathetic，araceagooddealmorelikethepre-revolutionFrenchpeasantasdescribedbyCarlylethanispleasanttoreflectupon——aracenowsupplantedbyasmarter，comelierandmorehopefulgeneration，whichhasdiscoveredthatittoohasarighttoasmuchhappinessasitcanget，andwithclearerideasaboutthebestmeansofgettingit。

Theyshambleinoneafteranother，withsteamingbreath，foritiswinter，andloudclatteringofhob-nailedboots；theybeatthesnowfromoffthemastheyenter，andthroughtheopeneddoorIcatchamomentaryglimpseofadrearyleadenskyandsnow-cladtombstones。

SomehoworotherIfindthestrainwhichHandelhasweddedtothewords“Theretheploughmannearathand。”hasgotintomyheadandthereisnogettingitoutagain。HowmarvellouslyoldHandelunderstoodthesepeople！

TheybobtoTheobaldastheypassedthereadingdesk(“Thepeoplehereaboutsaretrulyrespectful。”whisperedChristinatome，“theyknowtheirbetters。”)，andtaketheirseatsinalongrowagainstthewall。Thechoirclamberupintothegallerywiththeirinstruments——avioloncello，aclarinetandatrombone。IseethemandsoonIhearthem，forthereisahymnbeforetheservice，awildstrain，aremnant，ifImistakenot，ofsomepre-Reformationlitany。