Somehow or other Christina was always a
little shy of cards when her sisters were staying with her, though at
other times she enjoyed a game of cribbage or a rubber of whist heartily
enough, but her sisters knew they would never be asked to Battersby again
if they were to refer to that little matter, and on the whole it was
worth their while to be asked to Battersby. If Theobald's temper was
rather irritable he did not vent it upon them.
By nature reserved, if he could have found someone to cook his dinner for
him, he would rather have lived in a desert island than not. In his
heart of hearts he held with Pope that "the greatest nuisance to mankind
is man" or words to that effect--only that women, with the exception
perhaps of Christina, were worse. Yet for all this when visitors called
he put a better face on it than anyone who was behind the scenes would
have expected.
He was quick too at introducing the names of any literary celebrities
whom he had met at his father's house, and soon established an all-round
reputation which satisfied even Christina herself.
Who so _integer vitae scelerisque purus_, it was asked, as Mr Pontifex of
Battersby? Who so fit to be consulted if any difficulty about parish
management should arise? Who such a happy mixture of the sincere
uninquiring Christian and of the man of the world? For so people
actually called him.
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