Ignorant of the plots which were being prepared for his peace of
mind and with no idea beyond that of earning his three guineas, and
perhaps of astonishing the inhabitants of Crampsford by his academic
learning, Theobald walked over to the Rectory one Sunday morning early
in December- a few weeks only after he had been ordained. He had taken
a great deal of pains with his sermon, which was on the subject of
geology- then coming to the fore as a theological bugbear. He showed
that so far as geology was worth anything at all- and he was too
liberal entirely to pooh-pooh it- it confirmed the absolutely
historical character of the Mosaic account of the Creation as given in
Genesis. Any phenomena which at first sight appeared to make against
this view were only partial phenomena and broke down upon
investigation. Nothing could be in more excellent taste, and when
Theobald adjourned to the Rectory, where he was to dine between the
services, Mr. Allaby complimented him warmly upon his debut, while the
ladies of the family could hardly find words with which to express
their admiration.
Theobald knew nothing about women. The only women he had been thrown
in contact with were his sisters, two of whom were always correcting
him, and a few school friends whom these had got their father to ask
to Elmhurst.
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