第18章

“Verywell，Ernest。”saidhisfather，catchinghimangrilybytheshoulder。“Ihavedonemybesttosaveyou，butifyouwillhaveitso，youwill。”andheluggedthelittlewretch，cryingbyanticipation，outoftheroom。Afewminutesmoreandwecouldhearscreamscomingfromthedining-room，acrossthehallwhichseparatedthedrawing-roomfromthedining-room，andknewthatpoorErnestwasbeingbeaten。

“Ihavesenthimuptobed。”saidTheobald，ashereturnedtothedrawing-room，“andnow，Christina，Ithinkwewillhavetheservantsintoprayers。”andherangthebellforthem，red-handedashewas。

Theman-servantWilliamcameandsetthechairsforthemaids，andpresentlytheyfiledin。FirstChristina’smaid，thenthecook，thenthehousemaid，thenWilliam，andthenthecoachman。Isatoppositethem，andwatchedtheirfacesasTheobaldreadachapterfromtheBible。Theywerenicepeople，butmoreabsolutevacancyI

neversawuponthecountenancesofhumanbeings。

TheobaldbeganbyreadingafewversesfromtheOldTestament，accordingtosomesystemofhisown。OnthisoccasionthepassagecamefromthefifteenthchapterofNumbers：ithadnoparticularbearingthatIcouldseeuponanythingwhichwasgoingonjustthen，butthespiritwhichbreathedthroughoutthewholeseemedtometobesolikethatofTheobaldhimself，thatIcouldunderstandbetterafterhearingit，howhecametothinkashethought，andactasheacted。

Theversesareasfollows-

“Butthesoulthatdoethaughtpresumptuously，whetherhebeborninthelandorastranger，thesamereproacheththeLord；andthatsoulshallbecutofffromamonghispeople。

“BecausehehathdespisedthewordoftheLord，andhathbrokenHiscommandments，thatsoulshallbeutterlycutoff；hisiniquityshallbeuponhim。

“AndwhilethechildrenofIsraelwereinthewildernesstheyfoundamanthatgatheredsticksupontheSabbathday。

“AndtheythatfoundhimgatheringsticksbroughthimuntoMosesandAaron，anduntoallthecongregation。

“Andtheyputhiminwardbecauseitwasnotdeclaredwhatshouldbedonetohim。

“AndtheLordsaiduntoMoses，themanshallbesurelyputtodeath；

allthecongregationshallstonehimwithstoneswithoutthecamp。

“Andallthecongregationbroughthimwithoutthecamp，andstonedhimwithstones，andhedied；astheLordcommandedMoses。

“AndtheLordspakeuntoMoses，saying，“SpeakuntothechildrenofIsrael，andbidthemthattheymakethemfringesinthebordersoftheirgarmentsthroughouttheirgenerations，andthattheyputuponthefringeofthebordersaribbandofblue。

“Anditshallbeuntoyouforafringe，thatyemaylookuponitandrememberallthecommandmentsoftheLord，anddothem，andthatyeseeknotafteryourownheartandyourowneyes。

“ThatyemayrememberanddoallmycommandmentsandbeholyuntoyourGod。

“IamtheLordyourGodwhichbroughtyououtofthelandofEgypt，tobeyourGod：IamtheLordyourGod。”

MythoughtswanderedwhileTheobaldwasreadingtheabove，andrevertedtoalittlematterwhichIhadobservedinthecourseoftheafternoon。

Ithappenedthatsomeyearspreviously，aswarmofbeeshadtakenuptheirabodeintheroofofthehouseundertheslates，andhadmultipliedsothatthedrawing-roomwasagooddealfrequentedbythesebeesduringthesummer，whenthewindowswereopen。Thedrawing-roompaperwasofapatternwhichconsistedofbunchesofredandwhiteroses，andIsawseveralbeesatdifferenttimesflyuptothesebunchesandtrythem，undertheimpressionthattheywererealflowers；havingtriedonebunch，theytriedthenext，andthenext，andthenext，tilltheyreachedtheonethatwasnearesttheceiling，thentheywentdownbunchbybunchastheyhadascended，tilltheywerestoppedbythebackofthesofa；onthistheyascendedbunchbybunchtotheceilingagain；andsoon，andsoontillIwastiredofwatchingthem。AsIthoughtofthefamilyprayersbeingrepeatednightandmorning，weekbyweek，monthbymonth，andyearbyyear，Icouldnorhelpthinkinghowlikeitwastothewayinwhichthebeeswentupthewallanddownthewall，bunchbybunch，withouteversuspectingthatsomanyoftheassociatedideascouldbepresent，andyetthemainideabewantinghopelessly，andforever。

WhenTheobaldhadfinishedreadingweallkneltdownandtheCarloDolciandtheSassoferratolookeddownuponaseaofupturnedbacks，asweburiedourfacesinourchairs。InotedthatTheobaldprayedthatwemightbemade“trulyhonestandconscientious“inallourdealings，andsmiledattheintroductionofthe“truly。”ThenmythoughtsranbacktothebeesandIreflectedthatafterallitwasperhapsaswellatanyrateforTheobaldthatourprayerswereseldommarkedbyanyveryencouragingdegreeofresponse，forifI

hadthoughttherewastheslightestchanceofmybeingheardI

shouldhaveprayedthatsomeonemighterelongtreathimashehadtreatedErnest。

Thenmythoughtswanderedontothosecalculationswhichpeoplemakeaboutwasteoftimeandhowmuchonecangetdoneifonegivestenminutesadaytoit，andIwasthinkingwhatimpropersuggestionI

couldmakeinconnectionwiththisandthetimespentonfamilyprayerswhichshouldatthesametimebejusttolerable，whenI

heardTheobaldbeginning“ThegraceofourLordJesusChrist“andinafewsecondstheceremonywasover，andtheservantsfiledoutagainastheyhadfiledin。

Assoonastheyhadleftthedrawing-room，Christina，whowasalittleashamedofthetransactiontowhichIhadbeenawitness，imprudentlyreturnedtoit，andbegantojustifyit，sayingthatitcuthertotheheart，andthatitcutTheobaldtotheheartandagooddealmore，butthat“itwastheonlythingtobedone。”

IreceivedthisascoldlyasIdecentlycould，andbymysilenceduringtherestoftheeveningshowedthatIdisapprovedofwhatI

hadseen。

NextdayIwastogobacktoLondon，butbeforeIwentIsaidI

shouldliketotakesomenew-laideggsbackwithme，soTheobaldtookmetothehouseofalabourerinthevillagewholivedastone’sthrowfromtheRectoryasbeinglikelytosupplymewiththem。Ernest，forsomereasonorother，wasallowedtocometoo。I

thinkthehenshadbeguntosit，butatanyrateeggswerescarce，andthecottager’swifecouldnotfindmemorethansevenoreight，whichweproceededtowrapupinseparatepiecesofpapersothatI

mighttakethemtotownsafely。

Thisoperationwascarriedonuponthegroundinfrontofthecottagedoor，andwhilewewereinthemidstofitthecottager’slittleboy，aladmuchaboutErnest’sage，trodupononeoftheeggsthatwaswrappedupinpaperandbrokeit。

“Therenow，Jack。”saidhismother，“seewhatyou’vedone，you’vebrokenaniceeggandcostmeapenny——Here，Emma。”sheadded，callingherdaughter，“takethechildaway，there’sadear。”

Emmacameatonce，andwalkedoffwiththeyoungster，takinghimoutofharm’sway。

“Papa。”saidErnest，afterwehadleftthehouse，“Whydidn’tMrsHeatonwhipJackwhenhetrodontheegg？”

IwasspitefulenoughtogiveTheobaldagrimsmilewhichsaidasplainlyaswordscouldhavedonethatIthoughtErnesthadhithimratherhard。

Theobaldcolouredandlookedangry。“Idaresay。”hesaidquickly，“thathismotherwillwhiphimnowthatwearegone。”

IwasnotgoingtohavethisandsaidIdidnotbelieveit，andsothematterdropped，butTheobalddidnotforgetitandmyvisitstoBattersbywerehenceforthlessfrequent。

OnourreturntothehousewefoundthepostmanhadarrivedandhadbroughtaletterappointingTheobaldtoaruraldeanerywhichhadlatelyfallenvacantbythedeathofoneoftheneighbouringclergywhohadheldtheofficeformanyyears。ThebishopwrotetoTheobaldmostwarmly，andassuredhimthathevaluedhimasamongthemosthard-workinganddevotedofhisparochialclergy。

Christinaofcoursewasdelighted，andgavemetounderstandthatitwasonlyaninstalmentofthemuchhigherdignitieswhichwereinstoreforTheobaldwhenhismeritsweremorewidelyknown。

Ididnotthenforeseehowcloselymygodson’slifeandminewereinafteryearstobebounduptogether；ifIhad，IshoulddoubtlesshavelookeduponhimwithdifferenteyesandnotedmuchtowhichI

paidnoattentionatthetime。Asitwas，Iwasgladtogetawayfromhim，forIcoulddonothingforhim，orchosetosaythatI

couldnot，andthesightofsomuchsufferingwaspainfultome。A