the way of all flesh-第61节

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Ernest　thought　that　further　questions　would　look　as　if　he　doubted
Pryer's　word；　and　also　that　he　had　gone　too　far　to　be　able　to　recede
in　decency　or　honour。　　This；　however；　he　felt　was　riding　out　to　meet
trouble　unnecessarily。　　Pryer　had　been　a　little　impatient；　but　he
was　a　gentleman　and　an　admirable　man　of　business；　so　his　money　would
doubtless　come　back　to　him　all　right　some　day。

Ernest　comforted　himself　as　regards　this　last　source　of　anxiety；　but
as　regards　the　other；　he　began　to　feel　as　though；　if　he　was　to　be
saved；　a　good　Samaritan　must　hurry　up　from　somewherehe　knew　not
whence。



CHAPTER　LVIII



Next　day　he　felt　stronger　again。　　He　had　been　listening　to　the　voice
of　the　evil　one　on　the　night　before；　and　would　parley　no　more　with
such　thoughts。　　He　had　chosen　his　profession；　and　his　duty　was　to
persevere　with　it。　　If　he　was　unhappy　it　was　probably　because　he　was
not　giving　up　all　for　Christ。　　Let　him　see　whether　he　could　not　do
more　than　he　was　doing　now；　and　then　perhaps　a　light　would　be　shed
upon　his　path。

It　was　all　very　well　to　have　made　the　discovery　that　he　didn't　very
much　like　poor　people；　but　he　had　got　to　put　up　with　them；　for　it
was　among　them　that　his　work　must　lie。　　Such　men　as　Towneley　were
very　kind　and　considerate；　but　he　knew　well　enough　it　was　only　on
condition　that　he　did　not　preach　to　them。　　He　could　manage　the　poor
better；　and；　let　Pryer　sneer　as　he　liked；　he　was　resolved　to　go　more
among　them；　and　try　the　effect　of　bringing　Christ　to　them　if　they
would　not　come　and　seek　Christ　of　themselves。　　He　would　begin　with
his　own　house。

Who　then　should　he　take　first？　　Surely　he　could　not　do　better　than
begin　with　the　tailor　who　lived　immediately　over　his　head。　　This
would　be　desirable；　not　only　because　he　was　the　one　who　seemed　to
stand　most　in　need　of　conversion；　but　also　because；　if　he　were　once
converted；　he　would　no　longer　beat　his　wife　at　two　o'clock　in　the
morning；　and　the　house　would　be　much　pleasanter　in　consequence。　　He
would　therefore　go　upstairs　at　once；　and　have　a　quiet　talk　with　this
man。

Before　doing　so；　he　thought　it　would　be　well　if　he　were　to　draw　up
something　like　a　plan　of　a　campaign；　he　therefore　reflected　over
some　pretty　conversations　which　would　do　very　nicely　if　Mr　Holt
would　be　kind　enough　to　make　the　answers　proposed　for　him　in　their
proper　places。　　But　the　man　was　a　great　hulking　fellow；　of　a　savage
temper；　and　Ernest　was　forced　to　admit　that　unforeseen　developments
might　arise　to　disconcert　him。　　They　say　it　takes　nine　tailors　to
make　a　man；　but　Ernest　felt　that　it　would　take　at　least　nine　Ernests
to　make　a　Mr　Holt。　　How　if；　as　soon　as　Ernest　came　in；　the　tailor
were　to　become　violent　and　abusive？　　What　could　he　do？　　Mr　Holt　was
in　his　own　lodgings；　and　had　a　right　to　be　undisturbed。　　A　legal
right；　yes；　but　had　he　a　moral　right？　　Ernest　thought　not；
considering　his　mode　of　life。　　But　put　this　on　one　side；　if　the　man
were　to　be　violent；　what　should　he　do？　　Paul　had　fought　with　wild
beasts　at　Ephesusthat　must　indeed　have　been　awfulbut　perhaps
they　were　not　very　wild　wild　beasts；　a　rabbit　and　a　canary　are　wild
beasts；　but；　formidable　or　not　as　wild　beasts　go；　they　would；
nevertheless　stand　no　chance　against　St　Paul；　for　he　was　inspired；
the　miracle　would　have　been　if　the　wild　beasts　escaped；　not　that　St
Paul　should　have　done　so；　but；　however　all　this　might　be；　Ernest
felt　that　he　dared　not　begin　to　convert　Mr　Holt　by　fighting　him。
Why；　when　he　had　heard　Mrs　Holt　screaming　〃murder；〃　he　had　cowered
under　the　bed　clothes　and　waited；　expecting　to　hear　the　blood
dripping　through　the　ceiling　on　to　his　own　floor。　　His　imagination
translated　every　sound　into　a　pat；　pat；　pat；　and　once　or　twice　he
thought　he　had　felt　it　dropping　on　to　his　counterpane；　but　he　had
never　gone　upstairs　to　try　and　rescue　poor　Mrs　Holt。　　Happily　it　had
proved　next　morning　that　Mrs　Holt　was　in　her　usual　health。

Ernest　was　in　despair　about　hitting　on　any　good　way　of　opening　up
spiritual　communication　with　his　neighbour；　when　it　occurred　to　him
that　he　had　better　perhaps　begin　by　going　upstairs；　and　knocking
very　gently　at　Mr　Holt's　door。　　He　would　then　resign　himself　to　the
guidance　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　act　as　the　occasion；　which；　I
suppose；　was　another　name　for　the　Holy　Spirit；　suggested。　　Triply
armed　with　this　reflection；　he　mounted　the　stairs　quite　jauntily；
and　was　about　to　knock　when　he　heard　Holt's　voice　inside　swearing
savagely　at　his　wife。　　This　made　him　pause　to　think　whether　after
all　the　moment　was　an　auspicious　one；　and　while　he　was　thus　pausing；
Mr　Holt；　who　had　heard　that　someone　was　on　the　stairs；　opened　the
door　and　put　his　head　out。　　When　he　saw　Ernest；　he　made　an
unpleasant；　not　to　say　offensive　movement；　which　might　or　might　not
have　been　directed　at　Ernest　and　looked　altogether　so　ugly　that　my
hero　had　an　instantaneous　and　unequivocal　revelation　from　the　Holy
Spirit　to　the　effect　that　he　should　continue　his　journey　upstairs　at
once；　as　though　he　had　never　intended　arresting　it　at　Mr　Holt's
room；　and　begin　by　converting　Mr　and　Mrs　Baxter；　the　Methodists　in
the　top　floor　front。　　So　this　was　what　he　did。

These　good　people　received　him　with　open　arms；　and　were　quite　ready
to　talk。　　He　was　beginning　to　convert　them　from　Methodism　to　the
Church　of　England；　when　all　at　once　he　found　himself　embarrassed　by
discovering　that　he　did　not　know　what　he　was　to　convert　them　from。
He　knew　the　Church　of　England；　or　thought　he　did；　but　he　knew
nothing　of　Methodism　beyond　its　name。　　When　he　found　that；　according
to　Mr　Baxter；　the　Wesleyans　had　a　vigorous　system　of　Church
discipline　（which　worked　admirably　in　practice）　it　appeared　to　him
that　John　Wesley　had　anticipated　the　spiritual　engine　which　he　and
Pryer　were　preparing；　and　when　he　left　the　room　he　was　aware　that　he
had　caught　more　of　a　spiritual　Tartar　than　he　had　expected。　　But　he
must　certainly　explain　to　Pryer　that　the　Wesleyans　had　a　system　of
Church　discipline。　　This　was　very　important。

Mr　Baxter　advised　Ernest　on　no　account　to　meddle　with　Mr　Holt；　and
Ernest　was　much　relieved　at　the　advice。　　If　an　opportunity　arose　of
touching　the　man's　heart；　he　would　take　it；　he　would　pat　the
children　on　the　head　when　he　saw　them　on　the　stairs；　and　ingratiate
himself　with　them　as　far　as　he　dared；　they　were　sturdy　youngsters；
and　Ernest　was　afraid　even　of　them；　for　they　were　ready　with　their
tongues；　and　knew　much　for　their　ages。　　Ernest　felt　that　it　would
indeed　be　almost　better　for　him　that　a　millstone　should　be　hanged
about　his　neck；　and　he　cast　into　the　sea；　than　that　he　should　offend
one　of　the　little　Holts。　　However；　he　would　try　not　to　offend　them；
perhaps　an　occasional　penny　or　two　might　square　them。　　This　was　as
much　as　he　could　do；　for　he　saw　that　the　attempt　to　be　instant　out
of　season；　as　well　as　in　season；　would；　St　Paul's　injunction
notwithstanding；　end　in　failure。

Mrs　Baxter　gave　a　very　bad　account　of　Miss　Emily　Snow；　who　lodged　in
the　second　floor　back　next　to　Mr　Holt。　　Her　story　was　quite
different　from　that　of　Mrs　Jupp　the　landlady。　　She　would　doubtless
be　only　too　glad　to　receive　Ernest's　ministrations　or　those　of　any
other　gentleman；　but　she　was　no　governess；　she　was　in　the　ballet　at
Drury　Lane；　and　besides　this；　she　was　a　very　bad　young　woman；　and　if
Mrs　Baxter　was　landlady　would　not　be　allowed　to　stay　in　the　house　a
single　hour；　not　she　indeed。

Miss　Maitland　in　the　next　room　to　Mrs　Baxter's　own　was　a　quiet　and
respectable　young　woman　to　all　appearance；　Mrs　Baxter　had　never
known　of　any　goings　on　in　that　quarter；　but；　bless　you；　still　waters
run　deep；　and　these　girls　were　all　alike；　one　as　bad　as　the　other。
She　was　out　at　all　kinds　of　hours；　and　when　you　knew　that　you　knew
all。

Ernest　did　not　pay　much　heed　to　these　aspersions　of　Mrs　Baxter's。
Mrs　Jupp　had　got　round　the　greater　number　of　his　many　blind　sides；
and　had　warned　him　not　to　believe　Mrs　Baxter；　whose　lip　she　said　was
something　awful。

Ernest　had　heard　that　women　were　always　jealous　of　one　another；　and
certainly　these　young　women　were　more　attractive　than　Mrs　Baxter
was；　so　jealousy　was　probably　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　If　they　were
maligned　there　could　be　no　objection　to　his　making　their
acquaintance；　if　not　maligned　they　had　all　the　more　need　of　his
ministrations。　　He　would　reclaim　them　at　once。

He　told　Mrs　Jupp　of　his　intention。　　Mrs　Jupp　at　first　tried　to
dissuade　him；　but　seeing　him　resolute；　suggested　that　she　should
herself　see　Miss　Snow　first；　so　as　to　prepare　her　and　prevent　her
from　being　alarmed　by　his　visit。　　She　was　not　at　home　now；　but　in
the　course　of　the　next　day；　it　should　be　arranged。　　In　the　meantime
he　had　better　try　Mr　Shaw；　the　tinker；　in　the　front　kitchen。　　Mrs
Baxter　had　told　Ernest　that　Mr　Shaw　was　from　the　North　Country；　and
an　avowed　freethinker；　he　would　probably；　she　said；　rather　like　a
visit；　but　she　did　not　think　Ernest　would　stand　much　chance　of
making　a　convert　of　him。



CHAPTER　LIX



Before　going　down　into　the　kitchen　to　convert　the　tinker　Ernest　ran
hurriedly　over　his　analysis　of　Paley's　evidences；　and　put　into　his
pocket　a　copy　of　Archbishop　Whateley's　〃Historic　Doubts。〃　　Then　he
descen