CHAPTER VII
關燈
小
中
大
hewouldhavebeenwilling,andindeedfounditperfectlynatural,tokneeldownwithhermotherandJudiththenandthereandsayprayerstogetheroutloud.ShewouldhavebeenwillingonthecrestofherwaveofgratefulnessquitereadilytogiveupHerrDremmelinreturnforthefamily'simmensekindnessinnotaskinghertogivehimup.Shehadfeltnothinglikethisexaltationbeforeinherlife,thiscompletebeinginharmonywiththeinfinite,thisconfidenceintheinherentgoodnessofthings,exceptontheafternoonhertoothwaspulledout.
"Oh,"sheexclaimed,layinghercheekonhermother'shand,"oh,Idohopeyou'lllikeRobert!"
"Robert?"saidMrs.Bullivantandatthetea-tabletherewasasuddensilenceamongthecups,asthoughtheywereholdingtheirbreath.
"Hisname'sRobert,"saidIngeborg,stillwithhercheekonhermother'shand,hereyesshut,herfaceavisionofsnuggest,safestcontentment.
"WhatRobert,Ingeborg?"inquiredMrs.Bullivant,shiftingherpositiontostaredownmoreconvenientlyatherdaughter.
"HerrDremmel.It'shisChristianname.He'sgottohaveone,youknow,"saidIngeborg,stillwithhereyesshutintheblissfulnessofperfectconfidence.
"Herrwho?"saidMrs.Bullivant,asharpernoteoflifeinhervoicethantherehadbeenforyears."Here'syourfather,"sheaddedquickly,hastilycomposingherselfintothelinesoftheunassailableinvalidagainasthedooropenedandtheBishopcamein.
Ingeborgjumpedup."Oh,father,"shecried,runningtohimwiththeentirewantofshynessonemayconceiveinthenewlywashedandforgivensoulwhenitfirstarrivesinheavenandmeetsitsMakerandknowstherearegoingtobenomoremisunderstandingsforever,"howgoodyou'vebeen!"
Andshekissedhimsoferventlyinaroomgonesosilentthatthekisssoundedquiteloud.
TheBishopwasnettled.
Washethenatanytimenotgood?Hisdaughter'sexcessivegratitude,reallyalmostnoisygratitude,forwhatafterallhadbeeninevitable,thepermissiontogouptoLondonandplaceherselfinthehandsofadentist,suggestedthathumanenessonhispartcametoherasasurprise.Hedidfeelhehadbeengoodtolethergo,buthealsofelthewouldhavebeennotgoodifhehadnotlethergo.CertainlyRedchesteropinionwouldhavecondemnedhimascruelevenifhehimself,whoknewallthecircumstances,wasnotabletothinkso.Whathadreallybeencruelwastheterriblemuddlehispapersandlettershadgotintoowingtoherprolongedabsence.Gravedislocationshadtakenplaceinthejointsofhisengagements,severalwithfar-reachingresultsandallbecause,hecouldnothelpfeeling,Ingeborg,inspiteofpreceptandexample,didnotinherearlieryearsusehertoothbrushwithregularityandconscientiousness.Manifestlyshedidnot,orhowcouldshehaveneedednineenormousdaystobesetinrepair?Hehimself,whoregardedhisbodyasaholytemple,whichwastheonesolutionofthebodyquestionthatatallapproachedsatisfactoriness,andhadaccordinglybrushedhisteeth,fromthepointofviewoftheirbeingpillarsofasacrededifice,aftereverymealforfortyyears,hadneverhadatoothacheinhislife.
"Letushopenow,Ingeborg,"hesaid,reflectingontheinstanceshehadprovidedofthemoderninversionoftheMosaiclawwhichvisitedthesinsofthefathersonthechildren,theoriginalarrangement,theBishopfelt,beingconsiderablyhealthier,andgentlyputtingherawayinordertogoovertothetea-tablewherehestoodholdingouthishandforthecupJudithhastenedtoplaceinit,"letusnowhope,nowyouhavehadyourlesson,thatinfutureyouwillremembercleanlinessisnexttogodliness."
AndthisseemedtoIngeborgananswersosurprisingthatshecouldonlystareathimwithhermouthfallenalittleopen,therewherehehadleftherinthemiddleofthecarpet.
ButtheBishophadnotdone.Hewentontosayanotherthingthatsurprisedherstillmorenay,smotehercold,shookhertoherfoundations.Hesaid,afterapauseduringwhichthesilenceintheroomwasremarkable,hisbackturnedtoherwhileatthetea-tablehecarefullyselectedtheparticularpieceofbreadandbutterheintendedtoeat,"Andpray,Ingeborg,whydidyounotwritethemomentyouheardfromus,andcongratulateyoursisteronherengagement?"