the way of all flesh-第11节

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and　those　alone　allowed　to　remain　at　home　whose　loyalty　could　be
depended　upon。　　The　brothers　did　not　even　suspect　what　was　going　on
and　believed　their　father's　getting　assistance　was　because　he　really
wanted　it。

The　sisters　who　remained　at　home　kept　their　words　and　gave　Christina
all　the　help　they　could；　for　over　and　above　their　sense　of　fair　play
they　reflected　that　the　sooner　Theobald　was　landed；　the　sooner
another　deacon　might　be　sent　for　who　might　be　won　by　themselves。　　So
quickly　was　all　managed　that　the　two　unreliable　sisters　were
actually　out　of　the　house　before　Theobald's　next　visitwhich　was　on
the　Sunday　following　his　first。

This　time　Theobald　felt　quite　at　home　in　the　house　of　his　new
friendsfor　so　Mrs　Allaby　insisted　that　he　should　call　them。　　She
took；　she　said；　such　a　motherly　interest　in　young　men；　especially　in
clergymen。　　Theobald　believed　every　word　she　said；　as　he　had
believed　his　father　and　all　his　elders　from　his　youth　up。　　Christina
sat　next　him　at　dinner　and　played　her　cards　no　less　judiciously　than
she　had　played　them　in　her　sister's　bed…room。　　She　smiled　（and　her
smile　was　one　of　her　strong　points）　whenever　he　spoke　to　her；　she
went　through　all　her　little　artlessnesses　and　set　forth　all　her
little　wares　in　what　she　believed　to　be　their　most　taking　aspect。
Who　can　blame　her？　　Theobald　was　not　the　ideal　she　had　dreamed　of
when　reading　Byron　upstairs　with　her　sisters；　but　he　was　an　actual
within　the　bounds　of　possibility；　and　after　all　not　a　bad　actual　as
actuals　went。　　What　else　could　she　do？　　Run　away？　　She　dared　not。
Marry　beneath　her　and　be　considered　a　disgrace　to　her　family？　　She
dared　not。　　Remain　at　home　and　become　an　old　maid　and　be　laughed　at？
Not　if　she　could　help　it。　　She　did　the　only　thing　that　could
reasonably　be　expected。　　She　was　drowning；　Theobald　might　be　only　a
straw；　but　she　could　catch　at　him　and　catch　at　him　she　accordingly
did。

If　the　course　of　true　love　never　runs　smooth；　the　course　of　true
match…making　sometimes　does　so。　　The　only　ground　for　complaint　in
the　present　case　was　that　it　was　rather　slow。　　Theobald　fell　into
the　part　assigned　to　him　more　easily　than　Mrs　Cowey　and　Mrs　Allaby
had　dared　to　hope。　　He　was　softened　by　Christina's　winning　manners：
he　admired　the　high　moral　tone　of　everything　she　said；　her　sweetness
towards　her　sisters　and　her　father　and　mother；　her　readiness　to
undertake　any　small　burden　which　no　one　else　seemed　willing　to
undertake；　her　sprightly　manners；　all　were　fascinating　to　one　who；
though　unused　to　woman's　society；　was　still　a　human　being。　　He　was
flattered　by　her　unobtrusive　but　obviously　sincere　admiration　for
himself；　she　seemed　to　see　him　in　a　more　favourable　light；　and　to
understand　him　better　than　anyone　outside　of　this　charming　family
had　ever　done。　　Instead　of　snubbing　him　as　his　father；　brother　and
sisters　did；　she　drew　him　out；　listened　attentively　to　all　he　chose
to　say；　and　evidently　wanted　him　to　say　still　more。　　He　told　a
college　friend　that　he　knew　he　was　in　love　now；　he　really　was；　for
he　liked　Miss　Allaby's　society　much　better　than　that　of　his　sisters。

Over　and　above　the　recommendations　already　enumerated；　she　had
another　in　the　possession　of　what　was　supposed　to　be　a　very
beautiful　contralto　voice。　　Her　voice　was　certainly　contralto；　for
she　could　not　reach　higher　than　D　in　the　treble；　its　only　defect　was
that　it　did　not　go　correspondingly　low　in　the　bass：　　in　those　days；
however；　a　contralto　voice　was　understood　to　include　even　a　soprano
if　the　soprano　could　not　reach　soprano　notes；　and　it　was　not
necessary　that　it　should　have　the　quality　which　we　now　assign　to
contralto。　　What　her　voice　wanted　in　range　and　power　was　made　up　in
the　feeling　with　which　she　sang。　　She　had　transposed　〃Angels　ever
bright　and　fair〃　into　a　lower　key；　so　as　to　make　it　suit　her　voice；
thus　proving；　as　her　mamma　said；　that　she　had　a　thorough　knowledge
of　the　laws　of　harmony；　not　only　did　she　do　this；　but　at　every　pause
added　an　embellishment　of　arpeggios　from　one　end　to　the　other　of　the
keyboard；　on　a　principle　which　her　governess　had　taught　her；　she
thus　added　life　and　interest　to　an　air　which　everyoneso　she　said
must　feel　to　be　rather　heavy　in　the　form　in　which　Handel　left　it。
As　for　her　governess；　she　indeed　had　been　a　rarely　accomplished
musician：　　she　was　a　pupil　of　the　famous　Dr　Clarke　of　Cambridge；　and
used　to　play　the　overture　to　Atalanta；　arranged　by　Mazzinghi。
Nevertheless；　it　was　some　time　before　Theobald　could　bring　his
courage　to　the　sticking　point　of　actually　proposing。　　He　made　it
quite　clear　that　he　believed　himself　to　be　much　smitten；　but　month
after　month　went　by；　during　which　there　was　still　so　much　hope　in
Theobald　that　Mr　Allaby　dared　not　discover　that　he　was　able　to　do
his　duty　for　himself；　and　was　getting　impatient　at　the　number　of
half…guineas　he　was　disbursingand　yet　there　was　no　proposal。
Christina's　mother　assured　him　that　she　was　the　best　daughter　in　the
whole　world；　and　would　be　a　priceless　treasure　to　the　man　who
married　her。　　Theobald　echoed　Mrs　Allaby's　sentiments　with　warmth；
but　still；　though　he　visited　the　Rectory　two　or　three　times　a　week；
besides　coming　over　on　Sundayshe　did　not　propose。　　〃She　is　heart…
whole　yet；　dear　Mr　Pontifex；〃　said　Mrs　Allaby；　one　day；　〃at　least　I
believe　she　is。　　It　is　not　for　want　of　admirersoh！　noshe　has　had
her　full　share　of　these；　but　she　is　too；　too　difficult　to　please。　　I
think；　however；　she　would　fall　before　a　GREAT　AND　GOOD　man。〃　　And
she　looked　hard　at　Theobald；　who　blushed；　but　the　days　went　by　and
still　he　did　not　propose。

Another　time　Theobald　actually　took　Mrs　Cowey　into　his　confidence；
and　the　reader　may　guess　what　account　of　Christina　he　got　from　her。
Mrs　Cowey　tried　the　jealousy　manoeuvre　and　hinted　at　a　possible
rival。　　Theobald　was；　or　pretended　to　be；　very　much　alarmed；　a
little　rudimentary　pang　of　jealousy　shot　across　his　bosom　and　he
began　to　believe　with　pride　that　he　was　not　only　in　love；　but
desperately　in　love　or　he　would　never　feel　so　jealous。
Nevertheless；　day　after　day　still　went　by　and　he　did　not　propose。

The　Allabys　behaved　with　great　judgement。　　They　humoured　him　till
his　retreat　was　practically　cut　off；　though　he　still　flattered
himself　that　it　was　open。　　One　day　about　six　months　after　Theobald
had　become　an　almost　daily　visitor　at　the　Rectory　the　conversation
happened　to　turn　upon　long　engagements。　　〃I　don't　like　long
engagements；　Mr　Allaby；　do　you？〃　said　Theobald　imprudently。　　〃No；〃
said　Mr　Allaby　in　a　pointed　tone；　〃nor　long　courtships；〃　and　he　gave
Theobald　a　look　which　he　could　not　pretend　to　misunderstand。　　He
went　back　to　Cambridge　as　fast　as　he　could　go；　and　in　dread　of　the
conversation　with　Mr　Allaby　which　he　felt　to　be　impending；　composed
the　following　letter　which　he　despatched　that　same　afternoon　by　a
private　messenger　to　Crampsford。　　The　letter　was　as　follows：…


〃Dearest　Miss　Christina；I　do　not　know　whether　you　have　guessed　the
feelings　that　I　have　long　entertained　for　youfeelings　which　I　have
concealed　as　much　as　I　could　through　fear　of　drawing　you　into　an
engagement　which；　if　you　enter　into　it；　must　be　prolonged　for　a
considerable　time；　but；　however　this　may　be；　it　is　out　of　my　power
to　conceal　them　longer；　I　love　you；　ardently；　devotedly；　and　send
these　few　lines　asking　you　to　be　my　wife；　because　I　dare　not　trust
my　tongue　to　give　adequate　expression　to　the　magnitude　of　my
affection　for　you。

〃I　cannot　pretend　to　offer　you　a　heart　which　has　never　known　either
love　or　disappointment。　　I　have　loved　already；　and　my　heart　was
years　in　recovering　from　the　grief　I　felt　at　seeing　her　become
another's。　　That；　however；　is　over；　and　having　seen　yourself　I
rejoice　over　a　disappointment　which　I　thought　at　one　time　would　have
been　fatal　to　me。　　It　has　left　me　a　less　ardent　lover　than　I　should
perhaps　otherwise　have　been；　but　it　has　increased　tenfold　my　power
of　appreciating　your　many　charms　and　my　desire　that　you　should
become　my　wife。　　Please　let　me　have　a　few　lines　of　answer　by　the
bearer　to　let　me　know　whether　or　not　my　suit　is　accepted。　　If　you
accept　me　I　will　at　once　come　and　talk　the　matter　over　with　Mr　and
Mrs　Allaby；　whom　I　shall　hope　one　day　to　be　allowed　to　call　father
and　mother。

〃I　ought　to　warn　you　that　in　the　event　of　your　consenting　to　be　my
wife　it　may　be　years　before　our　union　can　be　consummated；　for　I
cannot　marry　till　a　college　living　is　offered　me。　　If；　therefore；
you　see　fit　to　reject　me；　I　shall　be　grieved　rather　than　surprised。…
…Ever　most　devotedly　yours；

〃THEOBALD　PONTIFEX。〃


And　this　was　all　that　his　public　school　and　University　education　had
been　able　to　do　for　Theobald！　　Nevertheless　for　his　own　part　he
thought　his　letter　rather　a　good　one；　and　congratulated　himself　in
particular　upon　his　cleverness　in　inventing　the　story　of　a　previous
attachment；　behind　which　he　intended　to　shelter　himself　if　Christina
should　complain　of　any　lack　of　fervour　in　his　behaviour　to　her。

I　need　not　give　Christina's　answer；　which　of　course　was　to　accept。
Much　as　Theobald　feared　old　Mr　Allaby　I　do　not　think　he　would　have
wrought　up　his　courage　to　the　point　of　actually　proposing　but　for
the　fact　of　the　engage