the way of all flesh-第14章

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his　father's　death；　there　was　an　eloquence　in　the　preservation　of
the　letters　and　in　their　endorsement　〃Letters　from　my　father；〃　which
seemed　to　have　with　it　some　faint　odour　of　health　and　nature。

Theobald　did　not　show　his　father's　letter　to　Christina；　nor；　indeed；
I　believe　to　anyone。　　He　was　by　nature　secretive；　and　had　been
repressed　too　much　and　too　early　to　be　capable　of　railing　or　blowing
off　steam　where　his　father　was　concerned。　　His　sense　of　wrong　was
still　inarticulate；　felt　as　a　dull　dead　weight　ever　present　day　by
day；　and　if　he　woke　at　night…time　still　continually　present；　but　he
hardly　knew　what　it　was。　　I　was　about　the　closest　friend　he　had；　and
I　saw　but　little　of　him；　for　I　could　not　get　on　with　him　for　long
together。　　He　said　I　had　no　reverence；　whereas　I　thought　that　I　had
plenty　of　reverence　for　what　deserved　to　be　revered；　but　that　the
gods　which　he　deemed　golden　were　in　reality　made　of　baser　metal。　　He
never；　as　I　have　said；　complained　of　his　father　to　me；　and　his　only
other　friends　were；　like　himself；　staid　and　prim；　of　evangelical
tendencies；　and　deeply　imbued　with　a　sense　of　the　sinfulness　of　any
act　of　insubordination　to　parentsgood　young　men；　in　factand　one
cannot　blow　off　steam　to　a　good　young　man。

When　Christina　was　informed　by　her　lover　of　his　father's　opposition；
and　of　the　time　which　must　probably　elapse　before　they　could　be
married；　she　offeredwith　how　much　sincerity　I　know　notto　set　him
free　from　his　engagement；　but　Theobald　declined　to　be　released〃not
at　least；〃　as　he　said；　〃at　present。〃　　Christina　and　Mrs　Allaby　knew
they　could　manage　him；　and　on　this　not　very　satisfactory　footing　the
engagement　was　continued。

His　engagement　and　his　refusal　to　be　released　at　once　raised
Theobald　in　his　own　good　opinion。　　Dull　as　he　was；　he　had　no　small
share　of　quiet　self…approbation。　　He　admired　himself　for　his
University　distinction；　for　the　purity　of　his　life　（I　said　of　him
once　that　if　he　had　only　a　better　temper　he　would　be　as　innocent　as
a　new…laid　egg）　and　for　his　unimpeachable　integrity　in　money
matters。　　He　did　not　despair　of　advancement　in　the　Church　when　he
had　once　got　a　living；　and　of　course　it　was　within　the　bounds　of
possibility　that　he　might　one　day　become　a　Bishop；　and　Christina
said　she　felt　convinced　that　this　would　ultimately　be　the　case。

As　was　natural　for　the　daughter　and　intended　wife　of　a　clergyman；
Christina's　thoughts　ran　much　upon　religion；　and　she　was　resolved
that　even　though　an　exalted　position　in　this　world　were　denied　to
her　and　Theobald；　their　virtues　should　be　fully　appreciated　in　the
next。　　Her　religious　opinions　coincided　absolutely　with　Theobald's
own；　and　many　a　conversation　did　she　have　with　him　about　the　glory
of　God；　and　the　completeness　with　which　they　would　devote　themselves
to　it；　as　soon　as　Theobald　had　got　his　living　and　they　were　married。
So　certain　was　she　of　the　great　results　which　would　then　ensue　that
she　wondered　at　times　at　the　blindness　shown　by　Providence　towards
its　own　truest　interests　in　not　killing　off　the　rectors　who　stood
between　Theobald　and　his　living　a　little　faster。

In　those　days　people　believed　with　a　simple　downrightness　which　I　do
not　observe　among　educated　men　and　women　now。　　It　had　never　so　much
as　crossed　Theobald's　mind　to　doubt　the　literal　accuracy　of　any
syllable　in　the　Bible。　　He　had　never　seen　any　book　in　which　this　was
disputed；　nor　met　with　anyone　who　doubted　it。　　True；　there　was　just
a　little　scare　about　geology；　but　there　was　nothing　in　it。　　If　it
was　said　that　God　made　the　world　in　six　days；　why　He　did　make　it　in
six　days；　neither　in　more　nor　less；　if　it　was　said　that　He　put　Adam
to　sleep；　took　out　one　of　his　ribs　and　made　a　woman　of　it；　why　it
was　so　as　a　matter　of　course。　　He；　Adam；　went　to　sleep　as　it　might
be　himself；　Theobald　Pontifex；　in　a　garden；　as　it　might　be　the
garden　at　Crampsford　Rectory　during　the　summer　months　when　it　was　so
pretty；　only　that　it　was　larger；　and　had　some　tame　wild　animals　in
it。　　Then　God　came　up　to　him；　as　it　might　be　Mr　Allaby　or　his
father；　dexterously　took　out　one　of　his　ribs　without　waking　him；　and
miraculously　healed　the　wound　so　that　no　trace　of　the　operation
remained。　　Finally；　God　had　taken　the　rib　perhaps　into　the
greenhouse；　and　had　turned　it　into　just　such　another　young　woman　as
Christina。　　That　was　how　it　was　done；　there　was　neither　difficulty
nor　shadow　of　difficulty　about　the　matter。　　Could　not　God　do
anything　He　liked；　and　had　He　not　in　His　own　inspired　Book　told　us
that　He　had　done　this？

This　was　the　average　attitude　of　fairly　educated　young　men　and　women
towards　the　Mosaic　cosmogony　fifty；　forty；　or　even　twenty　years　ago。
The　combating　of　infidelity；　therefore；　offered　little　scope　for
enterprising　young　clergymen；　nor　had　the　Church　awakened　to　the
activity　which　she　has　since　displayed　among　the　poor　in　our　large
towns。　　These　were　then　left　almost　without　an　effort　at　resistance
or　co…operation　to　the　labours　of　those　who　had　succeeded　Wesley。
Missionary　work　indeed　in　heathen　countries　was　being　carried　on
with　some　energy；　but　Theobald　did　not　feel　any　call　to　be　a
missionary。　　Christina　suggested　this　to　him　more　than　once；　and
assured　him　of　the　unspeakable　happiness　it　would　be　to　her　to　be
the　wife　of　a　missionary；　and　to　share　his　dangers；　she　and　Theobald
might　even　be　martyred；　of　course　they　would　be　martyred
simultaneously；　and　martyrdom　many　years　hence　as　regarded　from　the
arbour　in　the　Rectory　garden　was　not　painful；　it　would　ensure　them　a
glorious　future　in　the　next　world；　and　at　any　rate　posthumous　renown
in　thiseven　if　they　were　not　miraculously　restored　to　life　again
and　such　things　had　happened　ere　now　in　the　case　of　martyrs。
Theobald；　however；　had　not　been　kindled　by　Christina's　enthusiasm；
so　she　fell　back　upon　the　Church　of　Romean　enemy　more　dangerous；
if　possible；　than　paganism　itself。　　A　combat　with　Romanism　might
even　yet　win　for　her　and　Theobald　the　crown　of　martyrdom。　　True；　the
Church　of　Rome　was　tolerably　quiet　just　then；　but　it　was　the　calm
before　the　storm；　of　this　she　was　assured；　with　a　conviction　deeper
than　she　could　have　attained　by　any　argument　founded　upon　mere
reason。

〃We；　dearest　Theobald；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃will　be　ever　faithful。　　We
will　stand　firm　and　support　one　another　even　in　the　hour　of　death
itself。　　God　in　his　mercy　may　spare　us　from　being　burnt　alive。　　He
may　or　may　not　do　so。　　Oh　Lord〃　（and　she　turned　her　eyes　prayerfully
to　Heaven）；　〃spare　my　Theobald；　or　grant　that　he　may　be　beheaded。〃

〃My　dearest；〃　said　Theobald　gravely；　〃do　not　let　us　agitate
ourselves　unduly。　　If　the　hour　of　trial　comes　we　shall　be　best
prepared　to　meet　it　by　having　led　a　quiet　unobtrusive　life　of　self…
denial　and　devotion　to　God's　glory。　　Such　a　life　let　us　pray　God
that　it　may　please　Him　to　enable　us　to　pray　that　we　may　lead。〃

〃Dearest　Theobald；〃　exclaimed　Christina；　drying　the　tears　that　had
gathered　in　her　eyes；　〃you　are　always；　always　right。　　Let　us　be
self…denying；　pure；　upright；　truthful　in　word　and　deed。〃　　She
clasped　her　hands　and　looked　up　to　Heaven　as　she　spoke。

〃Dearest；〃　rejoined　her　lover；　〃we　have　ever　hitherto　endeavoured　to
be　all　of　these　things；　we　have　not　been　worldly　people；　let　us
watch　and　pray　that　we　may　so　continue　to　the　end。〃

The　moon　had　risen　and　the　arbour　was　getting　damp；　so　they
adjourned　further　aspirations　for　a　more　convenient　season。　　At
other　times　Christina　pictured　herself　and　Theobald　as　braving　the
scorn　of　almost　every　human　being　in　the　achievement　of　some　mighty
task　which　should　redound　to　the　honour　of　her　Redeemer。　　She　could
face　anything　for　this。　　But　always　towards　the　end　of　her　vision
there　came　a　little　coronation　scene　high　up　in　the　golden　regions
of　the　Heavens；　and　a　diadem　was　set　upon　her　head　by　the　Son　of　Man
Himself；　amid　a　host　of　angels　and　archangels　who　looked　on　with
envy　and　admirationand　here　even　Theobald　himself　was　out　of　it。
If　there　could　be　such　a　thing　as　the　Mammon　of　Righteousness
Christina　would　have　assuredly　made　friends　with　it。　　Her　papa　and
mamma　were　very　estimable　people　and　would　in　the　course　of　time
receive　Heavenly　Mansions　in　wh