the way of all flesh-第64节

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wanted　not　to　say；　but　Towneley　soon　gave　him　to　understand　that　he
must　do　as　he　was　bid；　and　selected　myself　from　the　few　whom　he　had
named。　　〃Writes　for　the　stage；　does　he？〃　said　Towneley。　　〃Does　he
write　comedy？〃　　Ernest　thought　Towneley　meant　that　I　ought　to　write
tragedy；　and　said　he　was　afraid　I　wrote　burlesque。　　〃Oh；　come；
come；〃　said　Towneley；　〃that　will　do　famously。　　I　will　go　and　see　him
at　once。〃　　But　on　second　thoughts　he　determined　to　stay　with　Ernest
and　go　with　him　to　the　police　court。　　So　he　sent　Mrs　Jupp　for　me。
Mrs　Jupp　hurried　so　fast　to　fetch　me；　that　in　spite　of　the　weather's
being　still　cold　she　was　〃giving　out；〃　as　she　expressed　it；　in
streams。　　The　poor　old　wretch　would　have　taken　a　cab；　but　she　had　no
money　and　did　not　like　to　ask　Towneley　to　give　her　some。　　I　saw　that
something　very　serious　had　happened；　but　was　not　prepared　for
anything　so　deplorable　as　what　Mrs　Jupp　actually　told　me。　　As　for
Mrs　Jupp；　she　said　her　heart　had　been　jumping　out　of　its　socket　and
back　again　ever　since。

I　got　her　into　a　cab　with　me；　and　we　went　off　to　the　police　station。
She　talked　without　ceasing。

〃And　if　the　neighbours　do　say　cruel　things　about　me；　I'm　sure　it
ain't　no　thanks　to　HIM　if　they're　true。　　Mr　Pontifex　never　took　a
bit　o'　notice　of　me　no　more　than　if　I　had　been　his　sister。　　Oh；　it's
enough　to　make　anyone's　back　bone　curdle。　　Then　I　thought　perhaps　my
Rose　might　get　on　better　with　him；　so　I　set　her　to　dust　him　and
clean　him　as　though　I　were　busy；　and　gave　her　such　a　beautiful　clean
new　pinny；　but　he　never　took　no　notice　of　her　no　more　than　he　did　of
me；　and　she　didn't　want　no　compliment　neither；　she　wouldn't　have
taken　not　a　shilling　from　him；　though　he　had　offered　it；　but　he
didn't　seem　to　know　anything　at　all。　　I　can't　make　out　what　the
young　men　are　a…coming　to；　I　wish　the　horn　may　blow　for　me　and　the
worms　take　me　this　very　night；　if　it's　not　enough　to　make　a　woman
stand　before　God　and　strike　the　one　half　on　'em　silly　to　see　the　way
they　goes　on；　and　many　an　honest　girl　has　to　go　home　night　after
night　without　so　much　as　a　fourpenny　bit　and　paying　three　and
sixpence　a　week　rent；　and　not　a　shelf　nor　cupboard　in　the　place　and
a　dead　wall　in　front　of　the　window。

〃It's　not　Mr　Pontifex；〃　she　continued；　〃that's　so　bad；　he's　good　at
heart。　　He　never　says　nothing　unkind。　　And　then　there's　his　dear
eyesbut　when　I　speak　about　that　to　my　Rose　she　calls　me　an　old
fool　and　says　I　ought　to　be　poleaxed。　　It's　that　Pryer　as　I　can't
abide。　　Oh　he！　　He　likes　to　wound　a　woman's　feelings　he　do；　and　to
chuck　anything　in　her　face；　he　dohe　likes　to　wind　a　woman　up　and
to　wound　her　down。〃　　（Mrs　Jupp　pronounced　〃wound〃　as　though　it
rhymed　to　〃sound。〃）　　〃It's　a　gentleman's　place　to　soothe　a　woman；
but　he；　he'd　like　to　tear　her　hair　out　by　handfuls。　　Why；　he　told　me
to　my　face　that　I　was　a…getting　old；　old　indeed！　there's　not　a　woman
in　London　knows　my　age　except　Mrs　Davis　down　in　the　Old　Kent　Road；
and　beyond　a　haricot　vein　in　one　of　my　legs　I'm　as　young　as　ever　I
was。　　Old　indeed！　　There's　many　a　good　tune　played　on　an　old　fiddle。
I　hate　his　nasty　insinuendos。〃

Even　if　I　had　wanted　to　stop　her；　I　could　not　have　done　so。　　She
said　a　great　deal　more　than　I　have　given　above。　　I　have　left　out
much　because　I　could　not　remember　it；　but　still　more　because　it　was
really　impossible　for　me　to　print　it。

When　we　got　to　the　police　station　I　found　Towneley　and　Ernest
already　there。　　The　charge　was　one　of　assault；　but　not　aggravated　by
serious　violence。　　Even　so；　however；　it　was　lamentable　enough；　and
we　both　saw　that　our　young　friend　would　have　to　pay　dearly　for　his
inexperience。　　We　tried　to　bail　him　out　for　the　night；　but　the
Inspector　would　not　accept　bail；　so　we　were　forced　to　leave　him。

Towneley　then　went　back　to　Mrs　Jupp's　to　see　if　he　could　find　Miss
Maitland　and　arrange　matters　with　her。　　She　was　not　there；　but　he
traced　her　to　the　house　of　her　father；　who　lived　at　Camberwell。　　The
father　was　furious　and　would　not　hear　of　any　intercession　on
Towneley's　part。　　He　was　a　Dissenter；　and　glad　to　make　the　most　of
any　scandal　against　a　clergyman；　Towneley；　therefore；　was　obliged　to
return　unsuccessful。

Next　morning；　Towneleywho　regarded　Ernest　as　a　drowning　man；　who
must　be　picked　out　of　the　water　somehow　or　other　if　possible；
irrespective　of　the　way　in　which　he　got　into　itcalled　on　me；　and
we　put　the　matter　into　the　hands　of　one　of　the　best　known　attorneys
of　the　day。　　I　was　greatly　pleased　with　Towneley；　and　thought　it　due
to　him　to　tell　him　what　I　had　told　no　one　else。　　I　mean　that　Ernest
would　come　into　his　aunt's　money　in　a　few　years'　time；　and　would
therefore　then　be　rich。

Towneley　was　doing　all　he　could　before　this；　but　I　knew　that　the
knowledge　I　had　imparted　to　him　would　make　him　feel　as　though　Ernest
was　more　one　of　his　own　class；　and　had　therefore　a　greater　claim
upon　his　good　offices。　　As　for　Ernest　himself；　his　gratitude　was
greater　than　could　be　expressed　in　words。　　I　have　heard　him　say　that
he　can　call　to　mind　many　moments；　each　one　of　which　might　well　pass
for　the　happiest　of　his　life；　but　that　this　night　stands　clearly　out
as　the　most　painful　that　he　ever　passed；　yet　so　kind　and　considerate
was　Towneley　that　it　was　quite　bearable。

But　with　all　the　best　wishes　in　the　world　neither　Towneley　nor　I
could　do　much　to　help　beyond　giving　our　moral　support。　　Our　attorney
told　us　that　the　magistrate　before　whom　Ernest　would　appear　was　very
severe　on　cases　of　this　description；　and　that　the　fact　of　his　being
a　clergyman　would　tell　against　him。　　〃Ask　for　no　remand；〃　he　said；
〃and　make　no　defence。　　We　will　call　Mr　Pontifex's　rector　and　you　two
gentlemen　as　witnesses　for　previous　good　character。　　These　will　be
enough。　　Let　us　then　make　a　profound　apology　and　beg　the　magistrate
to　deal　with　the　case　summarily　instead　of　sending　it　for　trial。　　If
you　can　get　this；　believe　me；　your　young　friend　will　be　better　out
of　it　than　he　has　any　right　to　expect。〃



CHAPTER　LXII



This　advice；　besides　being　obviously　sensible；　would　end　in　saving
Ernest　both　time　and　suspense　of　mind；　so　we　had　no　hesitation　in
adopting　it。　　The　case　was　called　on　about　eleven　o'clock；　but　we
got　it　adjourned　till　three；　so　as　to　give　time　for　Ernest　to　set
his　affairs　as　straight　as　he　could；　and　to　execute　a　power　of
attorney　enabling　me　to　act　for　him　as　I　should　think　fit　while　he
was　in　prison。

Then　all　came　out　about　Pryer　and　the　College　of　Spiritual
Pathology。　　Ernest　had　even　greater　difficulty　in　making　a　clean
breast　of　this　than　he　had　had　in　telling　us　about　Miss　Maitland；
but　he　told　us　all；　and　the　upshot　was　that　he　had　actually　handed
over　to　Pryer　every　halfpenny　that　he　then　possessed　with　no　other
security　than　Pryer's　I。O。U。's　for　the　amount。　　Ernest；　though　still
declining　to　believe　that　Pryer　could　be　guilty　of　dishonourable
conduct；　was　becoming　alive　to　the　folly　of　what　he　had　been　doing；
he　still　made　sure；　however；　of　recovering；　at　any　rate；　the　greater
part　of　his　property　as　soon　as　Pryer　should　have　had　time　to　sell。
Towneley　and　I　were　of　a　different　opinion；　but　we　did　not　say　what
we　thought。

It　was　dreary　work　waiting　all　the　morning　amid　such　unfamiliar　and
depressing　surroundings。　　I　thought　how　the　Psalmist　had　exclaimed
with　quiet　irony；　〃One　day　in　thy　courts　is　better　than　a　thousand；〃
and　I　thought　that　I　could　utter　a　very　similar　sentiment　in　respect
of　the　Courts　in　which　Towneley　and　I　were　compelled　to　loiter。　　At
last；　about　three　o'clock　the　case　was　called　on；　and　we　went　round
to　the　part　of　the　court　which　is　reserved　for　the　general　public；
while　Ernest　was　taken　into　the　prisoner's　dock。　　As　soon　as　he　had
collected　himself　sufficiently　he　recognised　the　magistrate　as　the
old　gentleman　who　had　spoken　to　him　in　the　train　on　the　day　he　was
leaving　school；　and　saw；　or　thought　he　saw；　to　his　great　grief；　that
he　too　was　recognised。

Mr　Ottery；　for　this　was　our　attorney's　name；　took　the　line　he　had
proposed。　　He　called　no　other　witnesses　than　the　rector；　Towneley
and　myself；　and　threw　himself　on　the　mercy　of　the　magistrate。　　When
he　had　concluded；　the　magistrate　spoke　as　follows：　　〃Ernest
Pontifex；　yours　is　one　of　the　most　painful　cases　that　I　have　ever
had　to　deal　with。　　You　have　been　singularly　favoured　in　your
parentage　and　education。　　You　have　had　before　you　the　example　of
blameless　parents；　who　doubtless　instilled　into　you　from　childhood
the　enormity　of　the　offence　which　by　your　own　confession　you　have
committed。　　You　were　sent　to　one　of　the　best　public　schools　in
England。　　It　is　not　likely　that　in　the　healthy　atmosphere　of　such　a
school　as　Roughborough　you　can　have　come　across　contaminating
influences；　you　were　probably；　I　may　say　certainly；　impressed　at
school　with　the　heinousness　of　any　attempt　to　depart　from　the
strictest　chastity　until　such　time　as　you　had　entered　into　a　state
of　matrimony。　　At　Cambridge　you　were　shielded　from　impurity　by　every
obstacle　which　virtuous　and　vigilant　authorities　could　devise；　and
even　had　the　obstacles　been　fewer；　your　parents　probably　took　care
that　your　means　should　not　admit　of　your　throwing　money　away　upon
abandoned　c