They said he was such an admirable
man of business. Certainly if he had said he would pay a sum of
money at a certain time, the money would be forthcoming on the
appointed day, and this is saying a good deal for any man. His
constitutional timidity rendered him incapable of an attempt to
overreach when there was the remotest chance of opposition or
publicity, and his correct bearing and somewhat stern expression
were a great protection to him against being overreached. He never
talked of money, and invariably changed the subject whenever money was
introduced. His expression of unutterable horror at all kinds of
meanness was a sufficient guarantee that he was not mean himself.
Besides, he had no business transactions save of the most ordinary
butcher's book and baker's book description. His tastes- if he had
any- were, as we have seen, simple; he had L900 a year and a house;
the neighbourhood was cheap, and for some time he had no children to
be a drag upon drag upon him. Who was not to be envied, and if
envied why then respected, if Theobald was not enviable?
Yet I imagine that Christina was on the whole happier than her
husband. She had not to go and visit sick parishioners, and the
management of her house and the keeping of her accounts afforded as
much occupation as she desired.
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