the way of all flesh-第22部分

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Pontifexes　would　see　no　miracle　in　this　matter　of　the　water　from　the
Jordan。　　The　essence　of　a　miracle　lay　not　in　the　fact　that　means　had
been　dispensed　with；　but　in　the　adoption　of　means　to　a　great　end
that　had　not　been　available　without　interference；　and　no　one　would
suppose　that　Dr　Jones　would　have　brought　the　water　unless　he　had
been　directed。　　She　would　tell　this　to　Theobald；　and　get　him　to　see
it　in　the　。　。　。　and　yet　perhaps　it　would　be　better　not。　　The　insight
of　women　upon　matters　of　this　sort　was　deeper　and　more　unerring　than
that　of　men。　　It　was　a　woman　and　not　a　man　who　had　been　filled　most
completely　with　the　whole　fulness　of　the　Deity。　　But　why　had　they
not　treasured　up　the　water　after　it　was　used？　　It　ought　never；　never
to　have　been　thrown　away；　but　it　had　been。　　Perhaps；　however；　this
was　for　the　best　toothey　might　have　been　tempted　to　set　too　much
store　by　it；　and　it　might　have　become　a　source　of　spiritual　danger
to　themperhaps　even　of　spiritual　pride；　the　very　sin　of　all　others
which　she　most　abhorred。　　As　for　the　channel　through　which　the
Jordan　had　flowed　to　Battersby；　that　mattered　not　more　than　the
earth　through　which　the　river　ran　in　Palestine　itself。　　Dr　Jones　was
certainly　worldlyvery　worldly；　so；　she　regretted　to　feel；　had　been
her　father…in…law；　though　in　a　less　degree；　spiritual；　at　heart；
doubtless；　and　becoming　more　and　more　spiritual　continually　as　he
grew　older；　still　he　was　tainted　with　the　world；　till　a　very　few
hours；　probably；　before　his　death；　whereas　she　and　Theobald　had
given　up　all　for　Christ's　sake。　　THEY　were　not　worldly。　　At　least
Theobald　was　not。　　She　had　been；　but　she　was　sure　she　had　grown　in
grace　since　she　had　left　off　eating　things　strangled　and　bloodthis
was　as　the　washing　in　Jordan　as　against　Abana　and　Pharpar；　rivers　of
Damascus。　　Her　boy　should　never　touch　a　strangled　fowl　nor　a　black
puddingthat；　at　any　rate；　she　could　see　to。　　He　should　have　a
coral　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Joppathere　were　coral　insects　on
those　coasts；　so　that　the　thing　could　easily　be　done　with　a　little
energy；　she　would　write　to　Dr　Jones　about　it；　etc。　　And　so　on　for
hours　together　day　after　day　for　years。　　Truly；　Mrs　Theobald　loved
her　child　according　to　her　lights　with　an　exceeding　great　fondness；
but　the　dreams　she　had　dreamed　in　sleep　were　sober　realities　in
comparison　with　those　she　indulged　in　while　awake。

When　Ernest　was　in　his　second　year；　Theobald；　as　I　have　already
said；　began　to　teach　him　to　read。　　He　began　to　whip　him　two　days
after　he　had　begun　to　teach　him。

〃It　was　painful；〃　as　he　said　to　Christina；　but　it　was　the　only　thing
to　do　and　it　was　done。　　The　child　was　puny；　white　and　sickly；　so
they　sent　continually　for　the　doctor　who　dosed　him　with　calomel　and
James's　powder。　　All　was　done　in　love；　anxiety；　timidity；　stupidity；
and　impatience。　　They　were　stupid　in　little　things；　and　he　that　is
stupid　in　little　will　be　stupid　also　in　much。

Presently　old　Mr　Pontifex　died；　and　then　came　the　revelation　of　the
little　alteration　he　had　made　in　his　will　simultaneously　with　his
bequest　to　Ernest。　　It　was　rather　hard　to　bear；　especially　as　there
was　no　way　of　conveying　a　bit　of　their　minds　to　the　testator　now
that　he　could　no　longer　hurt　them。　　As　regards　the　boy　himself
anyone　must　see　that　the　bequest　would　be　an　unmitigated　misfortune
to　him。　　To　leave　him　a　small　independence　was　perhaps　the　greatest
injury　which　one　could　inflict　upon　a　young　man。　　It　would　cripple
his　energies；　and　deaden　his　desire　for　active　employment。　　Many　a
youth　was　led　into　evil　courses　by　the　knowledge　that　on　arriving　at
majority　he　would　come　into　a　few　thousands。　　They　might　surely　have
been　trusted　to　have　their　boy's　interests　at　heart；　and　must　be
better　judges　of　those　interests　than　he；　at　twenty…one；　could　be
expected　to　be：　　besides　if　Jonadab；　the　son　of　Rechab's　fatheror
perhaps　it　might　be　simpler　under　the　circumstances　to　say　Rechab　at
onceif　Rechab；　then；　had　left　handsome　legacies　to　his
grandchildrenwhy　Jonadab　might　not　have　found　those　children　so
easy　to　deal　with；　etc。　　〃My　dear；〃　said　Theobald；　after　having
discussed　the　matter　with　Christina　for　the　twentieth　time；　〃my
dear；　the　only　thing　to　guide　and　console　us　under　misfortunes　of
this　kind　is　to　take　refuge　in　practical　work。　　I　will　go　and　pay　a
visit　to　Mrs　Thompson。〃

On　those　days　Mrs　Thompson　would　be　told　that　her　sins　were　all
washed　white；　etc。；　a　little　sooner　and　a　little　more　peremptorily
than　on　others。



CHAPTER　XXII



I　used　to　stay　at　Battersby　for　a　day　or　two　sometimes；　while　my
godson　and　his　brother　and　sister　were　children。　　I　hardly　know　why
I　went；　for　Theobald　and　I　grew　more　and　more　apart；　but　one　gets
into　grooves　sometimes；　and　the　supposed　friendship　between　myself
and　the　Pontifexes　continued　to　exist；　though　it　was　now　little　more
than　rudimentary。　　My　godson　pleased　me　more　than　either　of　the
other　children；　but　he　had　not　much　of　the　buoyancy　of　childhood；
and　was　more　like　a　puny；　sallow　little　old　man　than　I　liked。　　The
young　people；　however；　were　very　ready　to　be　friendly。

I　remember　Ernest　and　his　brother　hovered　round　me　on　the　first　day
of　one　of　these　visits　with　their　hands　full　of　fading　flowers；
which　they　at　length　proffered　me。　　On　this　I　did　what　I　suppose　was
expected：　　I　inquired　if　there　was　a　shop　near　where　they　could　buy
sweeties。　　They　said　there　was；　so　I　felt　in　my　pockets；　but　only
succeeded　in　finding　two　pence　halfpenny　in　small　money。　　This　I
gave　them；　and　the　youngsters；　aged　four　and　three；　toddled　off
alone。　　Ere　long　they　returned；　and　Ernest　said；　〃We　can't　get
sweeties　for　all　this　money〃　（I　felt　rebuked；　but　no　rebuke　was
intended）；　〃we　can　get　sweeties　for　this〃　（showing　a　penny）；　〃and
for　this〃　（showing　another　penny）；　〃but　we　cannot　get　them　for　all
this；〃　and　he　added　the　halfpenny　to　the　two　pence。　　I　suppose　they
had　wanted　a　twopenny　cake；　or　something　like　that。　　I　was　amused；
and　left　them　to　solve　the　difficulty　their　own　way；　being　anxious
to　see　what　they　would　do。

Presently　Ernest　said；　〃May　we　give　you　back　this〃　（showing　the
halfpenny）　〃and　not　give　you　back　this　and　this？〃　（showing　the
pence）。　　I　assented；　and　they　gave　a　sigh　of　relief　and　went　on
their　way　rejoicing。　　A　few　more　presents　of　pence　and　small　toys
completed　the　conquest；　and　they　began　to　take　me　into　their
confidence。

They　told　me　a　good　deal　which　I　am　afraid　I　ought　not　to　have
listened　to。　　They　said　that　if　grandpapa　had　lived　longer　he　would
most　likely　have　been　made　a　Lord；　and　that　then　papa　would　have
been　the　Honourable　and　Reverend；　but　that　grandpapa　was　now　in
heaven　singing　beautiful　hymns　with　grandmamma　Allaby　to　Jesus
Christ；　who　was　very　fond　of　them；　and　that　when　Ernest　was　ill；　his
mamma　had　told　him　he　need　not　be　afraid　of　dying　for　he　would　go
straight　to　heaven；　if　he　would　only　be　sorry　for　having　done　his
lessons　so　badly　and　vexed　his　dear　papa；　and　if　he　would　promise
never；　never　to　vex　him　any　more；　and　that　when　he　got　to　heaven
grandpapa　and　grandmamma　Allaby　would　meet　him；　and　he　would　be
always　with　them；　and　they　would　be　very　good　to　him　and　teach　him
to　sing　ever　such　beautiful　hymns；　more　beautiful　by　far　than　those
which　he　was　now　so　fond　of；　etc。；　etc。；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　die；
and　was　glad　when　he　got　better；　for　there　were　no　kittens　in
heaven；　and　he　did　not　think　there　were　cowslips　to　make　cowslip　tea
with。

Their　mother　was　plainly　disappointed　in　them。　　〃My　children　are
none　of　them　geniuses；　Mr　Overton；〃　she　said　to　me　at　breakfast　one
morning。　　〃They　have　fair　abilities；　and；　thanks　to　Theobald's
tuition；　they　are　forward　for　their　years；　but　they　have　nothing
like　genius：　　genius　is　a　thing　apart　from　this；　is　it　not？〃

Of　course　I　said　it　was　〃a　thing　quite　apart　from　this；〃　but　if　my
thoughts　had　been　laid　bare；　they　would　have　appeared　as　〃Give　me　my
coffee　immediately；　ma'am；　and　don't　talk　nonsense。〃　　I　have　no　idea
what　genius　is；　but　so　far　as　I　can　form　any　conception　about　it；　I
should　say　it　was　a　stupid　word　which　cannot　be　too　soon　abandoned
to　scientific　and　literary　claqueurs。

I　do　not　know　exactly　what　Christina　expected；　but　I　should　imagine
it　was　something　like　this：　　〃My　children　ought　to　be　all　geniuses；
because　they　are　mine　and　Theobald's；　and　it　is　naughty　of　them　not
to　be；　but；　of　course；　they　cannot　be　so　good　and　clever　as　Theobald
and　I　were；　and　if　they　show　signs　of　being　so　it　will　be　naughty　of
them。　　Happily；　however；　they　are　not　this；　and　yet　it　is　very
dreadful　that　they　are　not。　　As　for　geniushoity…toity；　indeed
why；　a　genius　should　turn　intellectual　summersaults　as　soon　as　it　is
born；　and　none　of　my　children　have　yet　been　able　to　get　into　the
newspapers。　　I　will　not　have　children　of　mine　give　themselves　airs
it　is　enough　for　them　that　Theobald　and　I　should　do　so。〃

She　did　not　know；　poor　woman；　that　the　true　greatness　wears　an
invisible　cloak；　under　cover　of　which　it　goes　in　and　out　among　men
without　being　suspected；　if　its　cloak　does　not　conceal　it　from
itself　always；　and　from　all　others　for　many　years；　its　greatness
will　ere　long　shrink　to　very　or