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 shewed that so far as geology was worthy 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 début, 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. These young
ladies had either been so shy that they and Theobald had never amalgamated, or
they had been supposed to be clever and had said smart things to him. He did not
say smart things himself and did not want other people to say them. Besides they
talked about music, and he hated music, or pictures, and he hated pictures, or
books, and except the classics he hated books; and then sometimes he was wanted
to dance with them, and he did not know how to dance, and did not want to know.
    At Mrs. Cowey's parties again he had seen some young ladies and been
introduced to them. He had tried to make himself agreeable, but was always left
with the impression that he had not been very successful. The young ladies of
Mrs. Cowey's set were by no means the most attractive that might have been found
in the university, and Theobald may be excused for not losing his heart to the
greater number of them, while if for a minute or two he was thrown in with one
of the prettier and more agreeable girls, he was almost immediately cut out by
someone less bashful than himself, and sneaked off feeling as far as the fair
sex was concerned like the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda.
    What a really nice girl might have done with him I cannot tell, but fate had
thrown none such in his way except his youngest sister Alethæa, whom he might
perhaps