christie johnstone-第31节

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for　him。

He　wanted　a　beautiful　wife　to　embellish　his　canvas；　disfigured　hitherto
by　an　injudicious　selection　of　models；　a　virtuous　wife　to　be　his　crown；　a
prudent　wife　to　save　him　from　ruin；　a　cheerful　wife　to　sustain　his
spirits；　drooping　at　times　by　virtue　of　his　artist's　temperament；　an
intellectual　wife　to　preserve　his　children　from　being　born　dolts　and　bred
dunces；　and　to　keep　his　own　mind　from　sharpening　to　one　point；　and　so
contracting　and　becoming　monomaniacal。　And　he　found　all　these　qualities；
together　with　the　sun　and　moon　of　human　existencetrue　love　and　true
religionin　Christie　Johnstone。

In　similar　cases；　foolish　men　have　set　to　work　to　make；　in　six　months；
their　diamond　of　nature；　the　exact　cut　and　gloss　of　other　men's　pastes；
and；　nervously　watching　the　process；　have　suffered　torture；　luckily
Charles　Gatty　was　not　wise　enough　for　this；　he　saw　nature　had
distinguished　her　he　loved　beyond　her　fellows；　here；　as　elsewhere；　he　had
faith　in　naturehe　believed　that　Christie　would　charm　everybody　of　eye；
and　ear；　and　mind；　and　heart；　that　approached　her；　he　admired　her　as　she
was；　and　left　her　to　polish　herself；　if　she　chose。　He　did　well；　she　came
to　London　with　a　fine　mind；　a　broad　brogue；　a　delicate　ear；　she　observed
how　her　husband's　friends　spoke；　and　in　a　very　few　months　she　had　toned
down　her　Scotch　to　a　rich　Ionic　coloring；　which　her　womanly　instinct　will
never　let　her　exchange　for　the　thin；　vinegar　accents　that　are　too
prevalent　in　English　and　French　society；　and　in　other　respects　she
caught；　by　easy　gradation；　the　tone　of　the　new　society　to　which　her
marriage　introduced　her；　without；　however；　losing　her　charming　self。

The　wise　dowager　lodges　hard　by；　having　resisted　an　invitation　to　be　in
the　same　house；　she　comes　to　that　house　to　assist　the　young　wife　with　her
experience；　and　to　be　welcomenot　to　interfere　every　minute；　and　tease
her；　she　loves　her　daughter…in…law　almost　as　much　as　she　does　her　son；
and　she　is　happy　because　he　bids　fair　to　be　an　immortal　painter；　and；
above　all；　a　gentleman；　and　she；　a　wifely　wife；　a　motherly　mother；　and；
above　all；　a　lady。

This；　then；　is　a　happy　couple。　Their　life　is　full　of　purpose　and
industry；　yet　lightened　by　gayety；　they　go　to　operas；　theaters　and　balls；
for　they　are　young。　They　have　plenty　of　society；　real　society；　not　the
ill…assorted　collection　of　a　predetermined　number　of　bodies；　that　blindly
assumes　that　name；　but　the　rich　communication　of　various　and　fertile
minds；　they　very；　very　seldom　consent　to　squat　four　mortal　hours　on　one
chair　（like　old　hares　stiffening　in　their　hot　forms）；　and　nibbling；
sipping　and　twaddling　in　four　mortal　hours　what　could　have　been　eaten；
drunken　and　said　in　thirty…five　minutes。　They　are　both　artists　at　heart；
and　it　shocks　their　natures　to　see　folks　mix　so　very　largely　the
_inutile_　with　the　_insipidum；_　and　waste；　at　one　huge　but　barren
incubation；　the　soul；　and　the　stomach；　and　the　irrevocable　hours；　things
with　which　so　much　is　to　be　done。　But　they　have　many　desirable
acquaintances；　and　not　a　few　friends；　the　latter　are　mostly　lovers　of
truth　in　their　several　departments；　and　in　all　things。　Among　them　are
painters；　sculptors；　engineers；　writers；　conversers；　thinkers；　these
acknowledging；　even　in　England；　other　gods　besides　the　intestines；　meet
often　_chez_　Gatty；　chiefly　for　mental　intercourse；　a　cup　of　tea　with
such　is　found；　by　experience；　to　be　better　than　a　stalled　elk　where
chit…chat　reigns　over　the　prostrate　hours。

This；　then；　is　a　happy　couple；　the　very　pigeons　and　the　crows　need　not
blush　for　the　nest　at　Kensington　Gravel…pits。　There　the　divine
institution　Marriage　takes　its　natural　colors；　and　it　is　at　once　pleasant
and　good　to　catch　such　glimpses　of　Heaven's　design；　and　sad　to　think　how
often　this　great　boon；　accorded　by　God　to　man　and　woman；　must　have　been
abused　and　perverted；　ere　it　could　have　sunk　to　be　the　standing　butt　of
farce…writers；　and　the　theme　of　weekly　punsters。

In　this　pair　we　see　the　wonders　a　male　and　female　can　do　for　each　other
in　the　sweet　bond　of　holy　wedlock。　In　that　blessed　relation　alone　two
interests　are　really　one；　and　two　hearts　lie　safe　at　anchor　side　by　side。

Christie　and　Charles　are　friendsfor　they　are　man　and　wife。

Christie　and　Charles　are　lovers　stillfor　they　are　man　and　wife。

Christie　and　Charles　are　one　foreverfor　they　are　man　and　wife。

This　wife　brightens　the　house；　from　kitchen　to　garret；　for　her　husband；
this　husband　works　like　a　king　for　his　wife's　comfort；　and　for　his　own
fameand　that　fame　is　his　wife's　glory。　When　one　of　these　expresses　or
hints　a　wish；　the　other's　first　impulse　is　to　find　the　means；　not　the
objections。

They　share　all　troubles；　and；　by　sharing；　halve　them。

They　share　all　pleasures；　and；　by　sharing；　double　them。

They　climb　the　hill　together　now；　and　many　a　canty　day　they　shall　have
with　one　another；　and　when；　by　the　inevitable　law；　they　begin　to　descend
toward　the　dark　valley；　they　will　still　go　hand　in　hand；　smiling　so
tenderly；　and　supporting　each　other　with　a　care　more　lovely　than　when　the
arm　was　strong　and　the　foot　firm。

On　these　two　temperate　lives　old　age　will　descend　lightly；　gradually；
gently；　and　lateand　late　upon　these　evergreen　hearts；　because　they　are
not　tuned　to　some　selfish；　isolated　key；　these　hearts　beat　and　ring　with
the　young　hearts　of　their　dear　children；　and　years　hence　papa　and　mamma
will　begin　life　hopefully；　wishfully；　warmly　again　with　each　loved　novice
in　turn。

And　when　old　age　does　come；　it　will　be　no　calamity　to　these；　as　it　is　to
you；　poor　battered　beau；　laughed　at　by　the　fair　ninnies　who　erst　laughed
with　you；　to　you；　poor　follower　of　salmon；　fox；　and　pheasant；　whose
joints　are　stiffening；　whose　nerve　is　gonewhose　Golgotha　remains；　to
you；　poor　faded　beauty；　who　have　staked　all　upon　man's　appetite；　and　not
accumulated　goodness　or　sense　for　your　second　course；　to　you；　poor
drawing…room　wit；　whose　sarcasm　has　turned　to　venom　and　is　turning　to
drivel。

What　terrors　has　old　age　for　this　happy　pair？　it　cannot　make　them　ugly；
for；　though　the　purple　light　of　youth　recedes；　a　new　kind　of　tranquil
beauty；　the　aloe…blossom　of　many　years　of　innocence；　comes　to；　and　sits
like　a　dove　upon；　the　aged　faces；　where　goodness；　sympathy　and
intelligence　have　harbored　together　so　long；　and　where　evil　passions　have
flitted　（for　we　are　all　human）；　but　found　no　resting…place。

Old　age　is　no　calamity　to　them。　It　cannot　terrify　them；　for　ere　they　had
been　married　a　week　the　woman　taught　the　man；　lover　of　truth；　to　search
for　the　highest　and　greatest　truths　in　a　book　written　for　men's　souls　by
the　Author　of　the　world；　the　sea；　the　stars；　the　sun；　the　soul；　and　this
book；　_Dei　gratia；_　will；　as　the　good　bishop　sings；

〃Teach　them　to　live　that　they　may　dread　The　grave　as　little　as　their
bed。〃

It　cannot　make　them　sad；　for；　ere　it　comes　loved　souls　will　have　gone
from　earth　and　from　their　tender　bosom；　but　not　from　their　memories；　and
will　seem　to　beckon　them　now　across　the　cold　valley　to　the　golden　land。

It　cannot　make　them　sad；　for　on　earth　the　happiest　must　drink　a　sorrowful
cup　more　than　once　in　a　long　life；　and　so　their　brightest　hopes　will　have
come　to　dwell　habitually　on　things　beyond　the　grave；　and　the　great
painter；　_jam　Senex；_　will　chiefly　meditate　upon　a　richer　landscape　and
brighter　figures　than　human　hand　has　ever　painted；　a　scene　whose　glories
he　can　see　from　hence　but　by　glimpses　and　through　a　glass　darkly；　the
great　meadows　on　the　other　side　of　Jordan；　which　are　bright　with　the
spirits　of　the　just　that　walk　there；　and　are　warmed　with　an　eternal　sun；
and　ring　with　the　triumph　of　the　humble　and　the　true；　and　the　praises　of
God　forever。







End