Part 5: Middling

At his most cynical, Henry took Christ's description of "nowhere to lay his head" personally. Absurd, considering the many rooms in his father's house; but though Woodston was ostensibly his home, the parsonage remained bare and the parish often left to his curate.

Henry preached regularly—monthly—certainly more than many. The longer he remained the more he wished to; visits to his sister inevitably lengthened to relieve her solitude.

His was an unsettled existence, not unhappy or poor: more anticipatory than repressive. Any maudlin sensibility was truly laughable.

After all, paternal authority could compel far worse than a trip to Bath.

Quote from Matthew Chapter 8: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."