the way of all flesh-第12章

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was　a　long　time　before　I　could　again　face　a　girl　without　a　strong
desire　to　run　away。

Theobald　felt　at　first　much　as　I　had　myself　done　at　the　girls'
school；　but　the　Miss　Allabys　did　not　tell　him　he　was　a　nasty　bo…o…
oy。　　Their　papa　and　mamma　were　so　cordial　and　they　themselves　lifted
him　so　deftly　over　conversational　stiles　that　before　dinner　was　over
Theobald　thought　the　family　to　be　a　really　very　charming　one；　and
felt　as　though　he　were　being　appreciated　in　a　way　to　which　he　had
not　hitherto　been　accustomed。

With　dinner　his　shyness　wore　off。　　He　was　by　no　means　plain；　his
academic　prestige　was　very　fair。　　There　was　nothing　about　him　to　lay
hold　of　as　unconventional　or　ridiculous；　the　impression　he　created
upon　the　young　ladies　was　quite　as　favourable　as　that　which　they　had
created　upon　himself；　for　they　knew　not　much　more　about　men　than　he
about　women。

As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　the　harmony　of　the　establishment　was　broken
by　a　storm　which　arose　upon　the　question　which　of　them　it　should　be
who　should　become　Mrs　Pontifex。　　〃My　dears；〃　said　their　father；　when
he　saw　that　they　did　not　seem　likely　to　settle　the　matter　among
themselves；　〃Wait　till　to…morrow；　and　then　play　at　cards　for　him。〃
Having　said　which　he　retired　to　his　study；　where　he　took　a　nightly
glass　of　whisky　and　a　pipe　of　tobacco。



CHAPTER　XI



The　next　morning　saw　Theobald　in　his　rooms　coaching　a　pupil；　and　the
Miss　Allabys　in　the　eldest　Miss　Allaby's　bedroom　playing　at　cards
with　Theobald　for　the　stakes。

The　winner　was　Christina；　the　second　unmarried　daughter；　then　just
twenty…seven　years　old　and　therefore　four　years　older　than　Theobald。
The　younger　sisters　complained　that　it　was　throwing　a　husband　away
to　let　Christina　try　and　catch　him；　for　she　was　so　much　older　that
she　had　no　chance；　but　Christina　showed　fight　in　a　way　not　usual
with　her；　for　she　was　by　nature　yielding　and　good　tempered。　　Her
mother　thought　it　better　to　back　her　up；　so　the　two　dangerous　ones
were　packed　off　then　and　there　on　visits　to　friends　some　way　off；
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　judgemen