the way of all flesh-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
she quite liked to look as a bride who had been married that
morning； she feared the landlady； the chamber…maid； the waiter
everybody and everything； her heart beat so fast that she could
hardly speak； much less go through the ordeal of ordering dinner in
a strange hotel with a strange landlady。 She begged and prayed to
be let off。 If Theobald would only order dinner this once； she
would order it any day and every day in future。
But the inexorable Theobald was not to be put off with such absurd
excuses。 He was master now。 Had not Christina less than two hours
ago promised solemnly to honour and obey him； and was she turning
restive over such a trifle as this？ The loving smile departed from
his face； and was succeeded by a scowl which that old Turk； his
father； might have envied。 〃Stuff and nonsense； my dearest
Christina；〃 he exclaimed mildly； and stamped his foot upon the floor
of the carriage。 〃It is a wife's duty to order her husband's
dinner； you are my wife； and I shall expect you to order mine。〃 For
Theobald was nothing if he was not logical。
The bride began to cry； and said he was unkind； whereon he said
nothing； but revolved unutterable things in his heart。 Was this；
then； the end of his six years of unflagging devotion？ Was it for
this that when Christina had offered to let him off； he had stuck to
his engagement？ Was this the outcome of her talks about duty and
spiritual mindednessthat now upon the very day of her marriage she
should fail to see that the first step in obedience to God lay in
obedience to himself？ He would drive back to Crampsford； he would
complain to Mr and Mrs Allaby； he didn't mean to have married
Christina； he hadn't married her； it was all a hideous dream； he
would But a voice kept ringing in his ears which said： 〃YOU
CAN'T； CAN'T； CAN'T。〃
〃CAN'T I？〃 screamed the unhappy creature to himself。
〃No；〃 said the remorseless voice； 〃YOU CAN'T。 YOU ARE A MARRIED
MAN。〃
He rolled back in his corner of the carriage and for the first time
felt how iniquitous were the marriage laws of England。 But he would
buy Milton's prose works and read his pamphlet on divorce。 He might
perhaps be able to get them at Newmarket。
So the bride sat crying in one corner of the carriage； and the
bridegroom sulked in the other； and he feared her as only a
bridegroom can fear。
Presently； however； a feeble voice was heard from the bride's corner
saying：
〃Dearest Theobalddearest Theobald； forgive me； I have been very；
very wrong。 Please do not be angry with me。 I will order thethe…
…〃 but the word 〃dinner〃 was checked by rising sobs。
When Theobald heard these words a load began to be lifted from his
heart； but he only looked towards her； and that not too pleasantly。
〃Please tell me；〃 continued the voice； 〃what you think you would
like； and I will tell the landlady when we get to Newmar〃 but
another burst of sobs checked the completion of the word。
The load on Theobald's heart grew lighter and lighter。 Was it
possible that she might not be going to henpeck him after all？
Besides； had she not diverted his attention from herself to his
approaching dinner？
He swallowed down more of his apprehensions and said； but still
gloomily； 〃I think we might have a roast fowl with bread sauce； new
potatoes and green peas； and then we will see if they could let us
have a cherry tart and some cream。〃
After a few minutes more he drew her towards him； kissed away her
tears； and assured her that he knew she would be a good wife to him。
〃Dearest Theobald；〃 she exclaimed in answer； 〃you are an angel。〃
Theobald believed her； and in ten minutes more the happy couple
alighted at the inn at Newmarket。
Bravely did Christina go through her arduous task。 Eagerly did she
beseech the landlady； in secret； not to keep her Theobald waiting
longer than was absolutely necessary。
〃If you have any soup ready； you know； Mrs Barber； it might save ten
minutes； for we might have it while the fowl was browning。〃
See how necessity had nerved her！ But in truth she had a splitting
headache； and would have given anything to have been alone。
The dinner was a success。 A pint of sherry had warmed Theobald's
heart； and he began to hope that； after all； matters might still go
well with him。 He had conquered in the first battle； and this gives
great prestige。 How easy it had been too！ Why had he never treated
his sisters in this way？ He would do so next time he saw them； he
might in time be able to stand up to his brother John； or even his
father。 Thus do we build castles in air when flushed with wine and
conquest。
The end of the honeymoon saw Mrs Theobald the most devotedly
obsequious wife in all England。 According to the old saying；
Theobald had killed the cat at the beginning。 It had been a very
little cat； a mere kitten in fact； or he might have been afraid to
face it； but such as it had been he had challenged it to mortal
combat； and had held up its dripping head defiantly before his
wife's face。 The rest had been easy。
Strange that one whom I have described hitherto as so timid and
easily put upon should prove such a Tartar all of a sudden on the
day of his marriage。 Perhaps I have passed over his years of
courtship too rapidly。 During these he had become a tutor of his
college； and had at last been Junior Dean。 I never yet knew a man
whose sense of his own importance did not become adequately
developed after he had held a resident fellowship for five or six
years。 Trueimmediately on arriving within a ten mile radius of
his father's house； an enchantment fell upon him； so that his knees
waxed weak； his greatness departed； and he again felt himself like
an overgrown baby under a perpetual cloud； but then he was not often
at Elmhurst； and as soon as he left it the spell was taken off
again； once more he became the fellow and tutor of his college； the
Junior Dean； the betrothed of Christina； the idol of the Allaby
womankind。 From all which it may be gathered that if Christina had
been a Barbary hen； and had ruffled her feathers in any show of
resistance Theobald would not have ventured to swagger with her； but
she was not a Barbary hen； she was only a common hen； and that too
with rather a smaller share of personal bravery than hens generally
have。
CHAPTER XIV
Battersby…On…The…Hill was the name of the village of which Theobald
was now Rector。 It contained 400 or 500 inhabitants； scattered over
a rather large area； and consisting entirely of farmers and
agricultural labourers。 The Rectory was commodious； and placed on
the brow of a hill which gave it a delightful prospect。 There was a
fair sprinkling of neighbours within visiting range； but with one or
two exceptions they were the clergymen and clergymen's families of
the surrounding villages。
By these the Pontifexes were welcomed as great acquisitions to the
neighbourhood。 Mr Pontifex； they said was so clever； he had been
senior classic and senior wrangler； a perfect genius in fact； and
yet with so much sound practical common sense as well。 As son of
such a distinguished man as the great Mr Pontifex the publisher he
would come into a large property by…and…by。 Was there not an elder
brother？ Yes； but there would be so much that Theobald would
probably get something very considerable。 Of course they would give
dinner parties。 And Mrs Pontifex； what a charming woman she was；
she was certainly not exactly pretty perhaps； but then she had such
a sweet smile and her manner was so bright and winning。 She was so
devoted too to her husband and her husband to her； they really did
come up to one's ideas of what lovers used to be in days of old； it
was rare to meet with such a pair in these degenerate times； it was
quite beautiful； etc。； etc。 Such were the comments of the
neighbours on the new arrivals。
As for Theobald's own parishioners； the farmers were civil and the
labourers and their wives obsequious。 There was a little dissent；
the legacy of a careless predecessor； but as Mrs Theobald said
proudly； 〃I think Theobald may be trusted to deal with THAT。〃 The
church was then an interesting specimen of late Norman； wi
