andhappyTheobaldinhisChristina。SomehoworotherChristinawasalwaysalittleshyofcardswhenhersisterswerestayingwithher，thoughatothertimessheenjoyedagameofcribbageorarubberofwhistheartilyenough，buthersistersknewtheywouldneverbeaskedtoBattersbyagainiftheyweretorefertothatlittlematter，andonthewholeitwasworththeirwhiletobeaskedtoBattersby。IfTheobald’stemperwasratherirritablehedidnotventituponthem。
Bynaturereserved，ifhecouldhavefoundsomeonetocookhisdinnerforhim，hewouldratherhavelivedinadesertislandthannot。InhisheartofheartsheheldwithPopethat“thegreatestnuisancetomankindisman“orwordstothateffect——onlythatwomen，withtheexceptionperhapsofChristina，wereworse。Yetforallthiswhenvisitorscalledheputabetterfaceonitthananyonewhowasbehindthesceneswouldhaveexpected。
Hewasquicktooatintroducingthenamesofanyliterarycelebritieswhomhehadmetathisfather’shouse，andsoonestablishedanall-roundreputationwhichsatisfiedevenChristinaherself。
Whosointegervitaescelerisquepurus，itwasasked，asMrPontifexofBattersby？Whosofittobeconsultedifanydifficultyaboutparishmanagementshouldarise？WhosuchahappymixtureofthesincereuninquiringChristianandofthemanoftheworld？Forsopeopleactuallycalledhim。Theysaidhewassuchanadmirablemanofbusiness。Certainlyifhehadsaidhewouldpayasumofmoneyatacertaintime，themoneywouldbeforthcomingontheappointedday，andthisissayingagooddealforanyman。Hisconstitutionaltimidityrenderedhimincapableofanattempttooverreachwhentherewastheremotestchanceofoppositionorpublicity，andhiscorrectbearingandsomewhatsternexpressionwereagreatprotectiontohimagainstbeingoverreached。Henevertalkedofmoney，andinvariablychangedthesubjectwhenevermoneywasintroduced。Hisexpressionofunutterablehorroratallkindsofmeannesswasasufficientguaranteethathewasnotmeanhimself。
Besideshehadnobusinesstransactionssaveofthemostordinarybutcher’sbookandbaker’sbookdescription。Histastes——ifhehadany——were，aswehaveseen，simple；hehad900poundsayearandahouse；theneighbourhoodwascheap，andforsometimehehadnochildrentobeadraguponhim。Whowasnottobeenvied，andifenviedwhythenrespected，ifTheobaldwasnotenviable？