the way of all flesh-第14节

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years；　whywhywhy　should　they　not　continue　to　go　on　as　they　were
doing　now　for　the　rest　of　their　lives？　　But　there　was　no　more　chance
of　escape　for　him　than　for　the　sheep　which　is　being　driven　to　the
butcher's　back　premises；　and　like　the　sheep　he　felt　that　there　was
nothing　to　be　gained　by　resistance；　so　he　made　none。　　He　behaved；　in
fact；　with　decency；　and　was　declared　on　all　hands　to　be　one　of　the
happiest　men　imaginable。

Now；　however；　to　change　the　metaphor；　the　drop　had　actually　fallen；
and　the　poor　wretch　was　hanging　in　mid　air　along　with　the　creature
of　his　affections。　　This　creature　was　now　thirty…three　years　old；
and　looked　it：　　she　had　been　weeping；　and　her　eyes　and　nose　were
reddish；　if　〃I　have　done　it　and　I　am　alive；〃　was　written　on　Mr
Allaby's　face　after　he　had　thrown　the　shoe；　〃I　have　done　it；　and　I
do　not　see　how　I　can　possibly　live　much　longer〃　was　upon　the　face　of
Theobald　as　he　was　being　driven　along　by　the　fir　Plantation。　　This；
however；　was　not　apparent　at　the　Rectory。　　All　that　could　be　seen
there　was　the　bobbing　up　and　down　of　the　postilion's　head；　which
just　over…topped　the　hedge　by　the　road…side　as　he　rose　in　his
stirrups；　and　the　black　and　yellow　body　of　the　carriage。

For　some　time　the　pair　said　nothing：　　what　they　must　have　felt
during　their　first　half　hour；　the　reader　must　guess；　for　it　is
beyond　my　power　to　tell　him；　at　the　end　of　that　time；　however；
Theobald　had　rummaged　up　a　conclusion　from　some　odd　corner　of　his
soul　to　the　effect　that　now　he　and　Christina　were　married　the　sooner
they　fell　into　their　future　mutual　relations　the　better。　　If　people
who　are　in　a　difficulty　will　only　do　the　first　little　reasonable
thing　which　they　can　clearly　recognise　as　reasonable；　they　will
always　find　the　next　step　more　easy　both　to　see　and　take。　　What；
then；　thought　Theobald；　was　here　at　this　moment　the　first　and　most
obvious　matter　to　be　considered；　and　what　would　be　an　equitable　view
of　his　and　Christina's　relative　positions　in　respect　to　it？　　Clearly
their　first　dinner　was　their　first　joint　entry　into　the　duties　and
pleasures　of　married　life。　　No　less　clearly　it　was　Christina's　duty
to　order　it；　and　his　own　to　eat　it　and　pay　for　it。

The　arguments　leading　to　this　conclusion；　and　the　conclusion　itself；
flashed　upon　Theobald　about　three　and　a　half　miles　after　he　had　left
Crampsford　on　the　road　to　Newmarket。　　He　had　breakfasted　early；　but
his　usual　appetite　had　failed　him。　　They　had　left　the　vicarage　at
noon　without　staying　for　the　wedding　breakfast。　　Theobald　liked　an
early　dinner；　it　dawned　upon　him　that　he　was　beginning　to　be　hungry；
from　this　to　the　conclusion　stated　in　the　preceding　paragraph　the
steps　had　been　easy。　　After　a　few　minutes'　further　reflection　he
broached　the　matter　to　his　bride；　and　thus　the　ice　was　broken。

Mrs　Theobald　was　not　prepared　for　so　sudden　an　assumption　of
importance。　　Her　nerves；　never　of　the　strongest；　had　been　strung　to
their　highest　tension　by　the　event　of　the　morning。　　She　wanted　to
escape　observation；　she　was　conscious　of　looking　a　little　older　than
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　h