the way of all flesh-第29节

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be　introduced　to　his　young　companions　until　the　following　morning。
His　father　and　mother　now　bade　him　an　affectionate　farewell；　and　the
lad　was　handed　over　to　Mrs　Jay。

O　schoolmastersif　any　of　you　read　this　bookbear　in　mind　when　any
particularly　timid　drivelling　urchin　is　brought　by　his　papa　into
your　study；　and　you　treat　him　with　the　contempt　which　he　deserves；
and　afterwards　make　his　life　a　burden　to　him　for　yearsbear　in　mind
that　it　is　exactly　in　the　disguise　of　such　a　boy　as　this　that　your
future　chronicler　will　appear。　　Never　see　a　wretched　little　heavy…
eyed　mite　sitting　on　the　edge　of　a　chair　against　your　study　wall
without　saying　to　yourselves；　〃perhaps　this　boy　is　he　who；　if　I　am
not　careful；　will　one　day　tell　the　world　what　manner　of　man　I　was。〃
If　even　two　or　three　schoolmasters　learn　this　lesson　and　remember
it；　the　preceding　chapters　will　not　have　been　written　in　vain。



CHAPTER　XXIX



Soon　after　his　father　and　mother　had　left　him　Ernest　dropped　asleep
over　a　book　which　Mrs　Jay　had　given　him；　and　he　did　not　awake　till
dusk。　　Then　he　sat　down　on　a　stool　in　front　of　the　fire；　which
showed　pleasantly　in　the　late　January　twilight；　and　began　to　muse。
He　felt　weak；　feeble；　ill　at　ease　and　unable　to　see　his　way　out　of
the　innumerable　troubles　that　were　before　him。　　Perhaps；　he　said　to
himself；　he　might　even　die；　but　this；　far　from　being　an　end　of　his
troubles；　would　prove　the　beginning　of　new　ones；　for　at　the　best　he
would　only　go　to　Grandpapa　Pontifex　and　Grandmamma　Allaby；　and
though　they　would　perhaps　be　more　easy　to　get　on　with　than　Papa　and
Mamma；　yet　they　were　undoubtedly　not　so　really　good；　and　were　more
worldly；　moreover　they　were　grown…up　peopleespecially　Grandpapa
Pontifex；　who　so　far　as　he　could　understand　had　been　very　much
grown…up；　and　he　did　not　know　why；　but　there　was　always　something
that　kept　him　from　loving　any　grown…up　people　very　muchexcept　one
or　two　of　the　servants；　who　had　indeed　been　as　nice　as　anything　that
he　could　imagine。　　Besides　even　if　he　were　to　die　and　go　to　Heaven
he　supposed　he　should　have　to　complete　his　education　somewhere。

In　the　meantime　his　father　and　mother　were　rolling　along　the　muddy
roads；　each　in　his　or　her　own　corner　of　the　carriage；　and　each
revolving　many　things　which　were　and　were　not　to　come　to　pass。
Times　have　changed　since　I　last　showed　them　to　the　reader　as　sitting
together　silently　in　a　carriage；　but　except　as　regards　their　mutual
relations；　they　have　altered　singularly　little。　　When　I　was　younger
I　used　to　think　the　Prayer　Book　was　wrong　in　requiring　us　to　say　the
General　Confession　twice　a　week　from　childhood　to　old　age；　without
making　provision　for　our　not　being　quite　such　great　sinners　at
seventy　as　we　had　been　at　seven；　granted　that　we　should　go　to　the
wash　like　table…cloths　at　least　once　a　week；　still　I　used　to　think　a
day　ought　to　come　when　we　should　want　rather　less　rubbing　and
scrubbing　at。　　Now　that　I　have　grown　older　myself　I　have　seen　that
the　Church　has　estimated　probabilities　better　than　I　had　done。

The　pair　said　not　a　word　to　one　another；　but　watched　the　fading
light　and　naked　trees；　the　brown　fields　with　here　and　there　a
melancholy　cottage　by　the　road　side；　and　the　rain　that　fell　fast
upon　the　carriage　windows。　　It　was　a　kind　of　afternoon　on　which　nice
people　for　the　most　part　like　to　be　snug　at　home；　and　Theobald　was　a
little　snappish　at　reflecting　how　many　miles　he　had　to　post　before
he　could　be　at　his　own　fireside　again。　　However　there　was　nothing
for　it；　so　the　pair　sat　quietly　and　watched　the　roadside　objects
flit　by　them；　and　get　greyer　and　grimmer　as　the　light　faded。

Though　they　spoke　not　to　one　another；　there　was　one　nearer　to　each
of　them　with　whom　they　could　converse　freely。　　〃I　hope；〃　said
Theobald　to　himself；　〃I　hope　he'll　workor　else　that　Skinner　will
make　him。　　I　don't　like　Skinner；　I　never　did　like　him；　but　he　is
unquestionably　a　man　of　genius；　and　no　one　turns　out　so　many　pupils
who　succeed　at　Oxford　and　Cambridge；　and　that　is　the　best　test。　　I
have　done　my　share　towards　starting　him　well。　　Skinner　said　he　had
been　well　grounded　and　was　very　forward。　　I　suppose　he　will　presume
upon　it　now　and　do　nothing；　for　his　nature　is　an　idle　one。　　He　is
not　fond　of　me；　I'm　sure　he　is　not。　　He　ought　to　be　after　all　the
trouble　I　have　taken　with　him；　but　he　is　ungrateful　and　selfish。　　It
is　an　unnatural　thing　for　a　boy　not　to　be　fond　of　his　own　father。
If　he　was　fond　of　me　I　should　be　fond　of　him；　but　I　cannot　like　a
son　who；　I　am　sure；　dislikes　me。　　He　shrinks　out　of　my　way　whenever
he　sees　me　coming　near　him。　　He　will　not　stay　five　minutes　in　the
same　room　with　me　if　he　can　help　it。　　He　is　deceitful。　　He　would　not
want　to　hide　himself　away　so　much　if　he　were　not　deceitful。　　That　is
a　bad　sign　and　one　which　makes　me　fear　he　will　grow　up　extravagant。
I　am　sure　he　will　grow　up　extravagant。　　I　should　have　given　him　more
pocket…money　if　I　had　not　known　thisbut　what　is　the　good　of　giving
him　pocket…money？　　It　is　all　gone　directly。　　If　he　doesn't　buy
something　with　it　he　gives　it　away　to　the　first　little　boy　or　girl
he　sees　who　takes　his　fancy。　　He　forgets　that　it's　my　money　he　is
giving　away。　　I　give　him　money　that　he　may　have　money　and　learn　to
know　its　uses；　not　that　he　may　go　and　squander　it　immediately。　　I
wish　he　was　not　so　fond　of　music；　it　will　interfere　with　his　Latin
and　Greek。　　I　will　stop　it　as　much　as　I　can。　　Why；　when　he　was
translating　Livy　the　other　day　he　slipped　out　Handel's　name　in
mistake　for　Hannibal's；　and　his　mother　tells　me　he　knows　half　the
tunes　in　the　'Messiah'　by　heart。　　What　should　a　boy　of　his　age　know
about　the　'Messiah'？　　If　I　had　shown　half　as　many　dangerous
tendencies　when　I　was　a　boy；　my　father　would　have　apprenticed　me　to
a　greengrocer；　of　that　I'm　very　sure；〃　etc。；　etc。

Then　his　thoughts　turned　to　Egypt　and　the　tenth　plague。　　It　seemed
to　him　that　if　the　little　Egyptians　had　been　anything　like　Ernest；
the　plague　must　have　been　something　very　like　a　blessing　in
disguise。　　If　the　Israelites　were　to　come　to　England　now　he　should
be　greatly　tempted　not　to　let　them　go。

Mrs　Theobald's　thoughts　ran　in　a　different　current。　　〃Lord
Lonsford's　grandsonit's　a　pity　his　name　is　Figgins；　however；　blood
is　blood　as　much　through　the　female　line　as　the　male；　indeed；
perhaps　even　more　so　if　the　truth　were　known。　　I　wonder　who　Mr
Figgins　was。　　I　think　Mrs　Skinner　said　he　was　dead；　however；　I　must
find　out　all　about　him。　　It　would　be　delightful　if　young　Figgins
were　to　ask　Ernest　home　for　the　holidays。　　Who　knows　but　he　might
meet　Lord　Lonsford　himself；　or　at　any　rate　some　of　Lord　Lonsford's
other　descendants？〃

Meanwhile　the　boy　himself　was　still　sitting　moodily　before　the　fire
in　Mrs　Jay's　room。　　〃Papa　and　Mamma；〃　he　was　saying　to　himself；　〃are
much　better　and　cleverer　than　anyone　else；　but；　I；　alas！　shall　never
be　either　good　or　clever。〃

Mrs　Pontifex　continued　…

〃Perhaps　it　would　be　best　to　get　young　Figgins　on　a　visit　to
ourselves　first。　　That　would　be　charming。　　Theobald　would　not　like
it；　for　he　does　not　like　children；　I　must　see　how　I　can　manage　it；
for　it　would　be　so　nice　to　have　young　Figginsor　stay！　　Ernest
shall　go　and　stay　with　Figgins　and　meet　the　future　Lord　Lonsford；
who　I　should　think　must　be　about　Ernest's　age；　and　then　if　he　and
Ernest　were　to　become　friends　Ernest　might　ask　him　to　Battersby；　and
he　might　fall　in　love　with　Charlotte。　　I　think　we　have　done　MOST
WISELY　in　sending　Ernest　to　Dr　Skinner's。　　Dr　Skinner's　piety　is　no
less　remarkable　than　his　genius。　　One　can　tell　these　things　at　a
glance；　and　he　must　have　felt　it　about　me　no　less　strongly　than　I
about　him。　　I　think　he　seemed　much　struck　with　Theobald　and　myself
indeed；　Theobald's　intellectual　power　must　impress　any　one；　and　I
was　showing；　I　do　believe；　to　my　best　advantage。　　When　I　smiled　at
him　and　said　I　left　my　boy　in　his　hands　with　the　most　entire
confidence　that　he　would　be　as　well　cared　for　as　if　he　were　at　my
own　house；　I　am　sure　he　was　greatly　pleased。　　I　should　not　think
many　of　the　mothers　who　bring　him　boys　can　impress　him　so
favourably；　or　say　such　nice　things　to　him　as　I　did。　　My　smile　is
sweet　when　I　desire　to　make　it　so。　　I　never　was　perhaps　exactly
pretty；　but　I　was　always　admitted　to　be　fascinating。　　Dr　Skinner　is
a　very　handsome　mantoo　good　on　the　whole　I　should　say　for　Mrs
Skinner。　　Theobald　says　he　is　not　handsome；　but　men　are　no　judges；
and　he　has　such　a　pleasant　bright　face。　　I　think　my　bonnet　became
me。　　As　soon　as　I　get　home　I　will　tell　Chambers　to　trim　my　blue　and
yellow　merino　with〃　etc。；　etc。

All　this　time　the　letter　which　has　been　given　above　was　lying　in
Christina's　private　little　Japanese　cabinet；　read　and　re…read　and
approved　of　many　times　over；　not　to　say；　if　the　truth　were　known；
rewritten　more　than　once；　though　dated　as　in　the　first　instanceand
this；　too；　though　Christina　was　fond　enough　of　a　joke　in　a　small
way。

Ernest；　still　in　Mrs　Jay's　room　mused　onward。　　〃Grown…up　people；〃　he
said　to　himself；　〃when　they　were　ladies　and　gentlemen；　never　did
naughty　things；　but　he　was　always　doing　them。　　He　had　heard　that
some　grown…up　people　were　worldly；　which　of　course　was　wrong；　s