the way of all flesh-第43节

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ring　the　bell。〃

When　the　bell　had　been　answered；　Theobald　desired　that　John　should
be　sent　for；　and　when　John　came　Theobald　calculated　the　wages　due　to
him　and　desired　him　at　once　to　leave　the　house。

John's　manner　was　quiet　and　respectful。　　He　took　his　dismissal　as　a
matter　of　course；　for　Theobald　had　hinted　enough　to　make　him
understand　why　he　was　being　discharged；　but　when　he　saw　Ernest
sitting　pale　and　awe…struck　on　the　edge　of　his　chair　against　the
dining…room　wall；　a　sudden　thought　seemed　to　strike　him；　and　turning
to　Theobald　he　said　in　a　broad　northern　accent　which　I　will　not
attempt　to　reproduce：

〃Look　here；　master；　I　can　guess　what　all　this　is　aboutnow　before　I
goes　I　want　to　have　a　word　with　you。〃

〃Ernest；〃　said　Theobald；　〃leave　the　room。〃

〃No；　Master　Ernest；　you　shan't；〃　said　John；　planting　himself　against
the　door。　　〃Now；　master；〃　he　continued；　〃you　may　do　as　you　please
about　me。　　I've　been　a　good　servant　to　you；　and　I　don't　mean　to　say
as　you've　been　a　bad　master　to　me；　but　I　do　say　that　if　you　bear
hardly　on　Master　Ernest　here　I　have　those　in　the　village　as　'll　hear
on't　and　let　me　know；　and　if　I　do　hear　on't　I'll　come　back　and　break
every　bone　in　your　skin；　so　there！〃

John's　breath　came　and　went　quickly；　as　though　he　would　have　been
well　enough　pleased　to　begin　the　bone…breaking　business　at　once。
Theobald　turned　of　an　ashen　colournot；　as　he　explained　afterwards；
at　the　idle　threats　of　a　detected　and　angry　ruffian；　but　at　such
atrocious　insolence　from　one　of　his　own　servants。

〃I　shall　leave　Master　Ernest；　John；〃　he　rejoined　proudly；　〃to　the
reproaches　of　his　own　conscience。〃　　（〃Thank　God　and　thank　John；〃
thought　Ernest。）　　〃As　for　yourself；　I　admit　that　you　have　been　an
excellent　servant　until　this　unfortunate　business　came　on；　and　I
shall　have　much　pleasure　in　giving　you　a　character　if　you　want　one。
Have　you　anything　more　to　say？〃

〃No　more　nor　what　I　have　said；〃　said　John　sullenly；　〃but　what　I've
said　I　means　and　I'll　stick　tocharacter　or　no　character。〃

〃Oh；　you　need　not　be　afraid　about　your　character；　John；〃　said
Theobald　kindly；　〃and　as　it　is　getting　late；　there　can　be　no
occasion　for　you　to　leave　the　house　before　to…morrow　morning。〃

To　this　there　was　no　reply　from　John；　who　retired；　packed　up　his
things；　and　left　the　house　at　once。

When　Christina　heard　what　had　happened　she　said　she　could　condone
all　except　that　Theobald　should　have　been　subjected　to　such
insolence　from　one　of　his　own　servants　through　the　misconduct　of　his
son。　　Theobald　was　the　bravest　man　in　the　whole　world；　and　could
easily　have　collared　the　wretch　and　turned　him　out　of　the　room；　but
how　far　more　dignified；　how　far　nobler　had　been　his　reply！　　How　it
would　tell　in　a　novel　or　upon　the　stage；　for　though　the　stage　as　a
whole　was　immoral；　yet　there　were　doubtless　some　plays　which　were
improving　spectacles。　　She　could　fancy　the　whole　house　hushed　with
excitement　at　hearing　John's　menace；　and　hardly　breathing　by　reason
of　their　interest　and　expectation　of　the　coming　answer。　　Then　the
actorprobably　the　great　and　good　Mr　Macreadywould　say；　〃I　shall
leave　Master　Ernest；　John；　to　the　reproaches　of　his　own　conscience。〃
Oh；　it　was　sublime！　　What　a　roar　of　applause　must　follow！　　Then　she
should　enter　herself；　and　fling　her　arms　about　her　husband's　neck；
and　call　him　her　lion…hearted　husband。　　When　the　curtain　dropped；　it
would　be　buzzed　about　the　house　that　the　scene　just　witnessed　had
been　drawn　from　real　life；　and　had　actually　occurred　in　the
household　of　the　Rev。　Theobald　Pontifex；　who　had　married　a　Miss
Allaby；　etc。；　etc。

As　regards　Ernest　the　suspicions　which　had　already　crossed　her　mind
were　deepened；　but　she　thought　it　better　to　leave　the　matter　where
it　was。　　At　present　she　was　in　a　very　strong　position。　　Ernest's
official　purity　was　firmly　established；　but　at　the　same　time　he　had
shown　himself　so　susceptible　that　she　was　able　to　fuse　two
contradictory　impressions　concerning　him　into　a　single　idea；　and
consider　him　as　a　kind　of　Joseph　and　Don　Juan　in　one。　　This　was　what
she　had　wanted　all　along；　but　her　vanity　being　gratified　by　the
possession　of　such　a　son；　there　was　an　end　of　it；　the　son　himself
was　naught。

No　doubt　if　John　had　not　interfered；　Ernest　would　have　had　to
expiate　his　offence　with　ache；　penury　and　imprisonment。　　As　it　was
the　boy　was　〃to　consider　himself〃　as　undergoing　these　punishments；
and　as　suffering　pangs　of　unavailing　remorse　inflicted　on　him　by　his
conscience　into　the　bargain；　but　beyond　the　fact　that　Theobald　kept
him　more　closely　to　his　holiday　task；　and　the　continued　coldness　of
his　parents；　no　ostensible　punishment　was　meted　out　to　him。　　Ernest；
however；　tells　me　that　he　looks　back　upon　this　as　the　time　when　he
began　to　know　that　he　had　a　cordial　and　active　dislike　for　both　his
parents；　which　I　suppose　means　that　he　was　now　beginning　to　be　aware
that　he　was　reaching　man's　estate。



CHAPTER　XLII



About　a　week　before　he　went　back　to　school　his　father　again　sent　for
him　into　the　dining…room；　and　told　him　that　he　should　restore　him
his　watch；　but　that　he　should　deduct　the　sum　he　had　paid　for　itfor
he　had　thought　it　better　to　pay　a　few　shillings　rather　than　dispute
the　ownership　of　the　watch；　seeing　that　Ernest　had　undoubtedly　given
it　to　Ellenfrom　his　pocket　money；　in　payments　which　should　extend
over　two　half　years。　　He　would　therefore　have　to　go　back　to
Roughborough　this　half　year　with　only　five　shillings'　pocket　money。
If　he　wanted　more　he　must　earn　more　merit　money。

Ernest　was　not　so　careful　about　money　as　a　pattern　boy　should　be。
He　did　not　say　to　himself；　〃Now　I　have　got　a　sovereign　which　must
last　me　fifteen　weeks；　therefore　I　may　spend　exactly　one　shilling
and　fourpence　in　each　week〃and　spend　exactly　one　and　fourpence　in
each　week　accordingly。　　He　ran　through　his　money　at　about　the　same
rate　as　other　boys　did；　being　pretty　well　cleaned　out　a　few　days
after　he　had　got　back　to　school。　　When　he　had　no　more　money；　he　got
a　little　into　debt；　and　when　as　far　in　debt　as　he　could　see　his　way
to　repaying；　he　went　without　luxuries。　　Immediately　he　got　any　money
he　would　pay　his　debts；　if　there　was　any　over　he　would　spend　it；　if
there　was　notand　there　seldom　washe　would　begin　to　go　on　tick
again。

His　finance　was　always　based　upon　the　supposition　that　he　should　go
back　to　school　with　1　pounds　in　his　pocketof　which　he　owed　say　a
matter　of　fifteen　shillings。　　There　would　be　five　shillings　for
sundry　school　subscriptionsbut　when　these　were　paid　the　weekly
allowance　of　sixpence　given　to　each　boy　in　hall；　his　merit　money
（which　this　half　he　was　resolved　should　come　to　a　good　sum）　and
renewed　credit；　would　carry　him　through　the　half。

The　sudden　failure　of　15/…　was　disastrous　to　my　hero's　scheme　of
finance。　　His　face　betrayed　his　emotions　so　clearly　that　Theobald
said　he　was　determined　〃to　learn　the　truth　at　once；　and　THIS　TIME
without　days　and　days　of　falsehood〃　before　he　reached　it。　　The
melancholy　fact　was　not　long　in　coming　out；　namely；　that　the
wretched　Ernest　added　debt　to　the　vices　of　idleness；　falsehood　and
possiblyfor　it　was　not　impossibleimmorality。

How　had　he　come　to　get　into　debt？　　Did　the　other　boys　do　so？　　Ernest
reluctantly　admitted　that　they　did。

With　what　shops　did　they　get　into　debt？

This　was　asking　too　much；　Ernest　said　he　didn't　know！

〃Oh；　Ernest；　Ernest；〃　exclaimed　his　mother；　who　was　in　the　room；　〃do
not　so　soon　a　second　time　presume　upon　the　forbearance　of　the
tenderest…hearted　father　in　the　world。　　Give　time　for　one　stab　to
heal　before　you　wound　him　with　another。〃

This　was　all　very　fine；　but　what　was　Ernest　to　do？　　How　could　he　get
the　school　shopkeepers　into　trouble　by　owning　that　they　let　some　of
the　boys　go　on　tick　with　them？　　There　was　Mrs　Cross；　a　good　old
soul；　who　used　to　sell　hot　rolls　and　butter　for　breakfast；　or　eggs
and　toast；　or　it　might　be　the　quarter　of　a　fowl　with　bread　sauce　and
mashed　potatoes　for　which　she　would　charge　6d。　　If　she　made　a
farthing　out　of　the　sixpence　it　was　as　much　as　she　did。　　When　the
boys　would　come　trooping　into　her　shop　after　〃the　hounds〃　how　often
had　not　Ernest　heard　her　say　to　her　servant　girls；　〃Now　then；　you
wanches；　git　some　cheers。〃　　All　the　boys　were　fond　of　her；　and　was
he；　Ernest；　to　tell　tales　about　her？　　It　was　horrible。

〃Now　look　here；　Ernest；〃　said　his　father　with　his　blackest　scowl；　〃I
am　going　to　put　a　stop　to　this　nonsense　once　for　all。　　Either　take
me　fully　into　your　confidence；　as　a　son　should　take　a　father；　and
trust　me　to　deal　with　this　matter　as　a　clergyman　and　a　man　of　the
worldor　understand　distinctly　that　I　shall　take　the　whole　story　to
Dr　Skinner；　who；　I　imagine；　will　take　much　sterner　measures　than　I
should。〃

〃Oh；　Ernest；　Ernest；〃　sobbed　Christina；　〃be　wise　in　time；　and　trust
those　who　have　already　shown　you　that　they　know　but　too　well　how　to
be　forbearing。〃

No　genuine　hero　of　romance　should　have　hesitated　for　a　moment。
Nothing　should　have　cajoled　or　frightened　him　into　telling　tales　out
of　school。　　Ernest　thought　of　his　ideal　boys：　　they；　he　well　knew；
would　have　let　their　tongues　be　cut　out　of　them　before　information
could　have　been　wrung　from　any　word　of