the way of all flesh-第76节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


into　a　great　variety　of　shapes　and　sizes　so　as　to　form　a　tolerable
imitation　of　bread。

Some　are　lucky　enough　to　meet　with　few　obstacles；　some　are　plucky
enough　to　over…ride　them；　but　in　the　greater　number　of　cases；　if
people　are　saved　at　all　they　are　saved　so　as　by　fire。

While　Ernest　was　with　me　Ellen　was　looking　out　for　a　shop　on　the
south　side　of　the　Thames　near　the　〃Elephant　and　Castle；〃　which　was
then　almost　a　new　and　a　very　rising　neighbourhood。　　By　one　o'clock
she　had　found　several　from　which　a　selection　was　to　be　made；　and
before　night　the　pair　had　made　their　choice。

Ernest　brought　Ellen　to　me。　　I　did　not　want　to　see　her；　but　could
not　well　refuse。　　He　had　laid　out　a　few　of　his　shillings　upon　her
wardrobe；　so　that　she　was　neatly　dressed；　and；　indeed；　she　looked
very　pretty　and　so　good　that　I　could　hardly　be　surprised　at　Ernest's
infatuation　when　the　other　circumstances　of　the　case　were　taken　into
consideration。　　Of　course　we　hated　one　another　instinctively　from
the　first　moment　we　set　eyes　on　one　another；　but　we　each　told　Ernest
that　we　had　been　most　favourably　impressed。

Then　I　was　taken　to　see　the　shop。　　An　empty　house　is　like　a　stray
dog　or　a　body　from　which　life　has　departed。　　Decay　sets　in　at　once
in　every　part　of　it；　and　what　mould　and　wind　and　weather　would
spare；　street　boys　commonly　destroy。　　Ernest's　shop　in　its
untenanted　state　was　a　dirty　unsavoury　place　enough。　　The　house　was
not　old；　but　it　had　been　run　up　by　a　jerry…builder　and　its
constitution　had　no　stamina　whatever。　　It　was　only　by　being　kept
warm　and　quiet　that　it　would　remain　in　health　for　many　months
together。　　Now　it　had　been　empty　for　some　weeks　and　the　cats　had　got
in　by　night；　while　the　boys　had　broken　the　windows　by　day。　　The
parlour　floor　was　covered　with　stones　and　dirt；　and　in　the　area　was
a　dead　dog　which　had　been　killed　in　the　street　and　been　thrown　down
into　the　first　unprotected　place　that　could　be　found。　　There　was　a
strong　smell　throughout　the　house；　but　whether　it　was　bugs；　or　rats；
or　cats；　or　drains；　or　a　compound　of　all　four；　I　could　not
determine。　　The　sashes　did　not　fit；　the　flimsy　doors　hung　badly；　the
skirting　was　gone　in　several　places；　and　there　were　not　a　few　holes
in　the　floor；　the　locks　were　loose；　and　paper　was　torn　and　dirty；
the　stairs　were　weak　and　one　felt　the　treads　give　as　one　went　up
them。

Over　and　above　these　drawbacks　the　house　had　an　ill　name；　by　reason
of　the　fact　that　the　wife　of　the　last　occupant　had　hanged　herself　in
it　not　very　many　weeks　previously。　　She　had　set　down　a　bloater
before　the　fire　for　her　husband's　tea；　and　had　made　him　a　round　of
toast。　　She　then　left　the　room　as　though　about　to　return　to　it
shortly；　but　instead　of　doing　so　she　went　into　the　back　kitchen　and
hanged　herself　without　a　word。　　It　was　this　which　had　kept　the　house
empty　so　long　in　spite　of　its　excellent　position　as　a　corner　shop。
The　last　tenant　had　left　immediately　after　the　inquest；　and　if　the
owner　had　had　it　done　up　then　people　would　have　got　over　the　tragedy
that　had　been　enacted　in　it；　but　the　combination　of　bad　condition
and　bad　fame　had　hindered　many　from　taking　it；　who　like　Ellen；　could
see　that　it　had　great　business　capabilities。　　Almost　anything　would
have　sold　there；　but　it　happened　also　that　there　was　no　second…hand
clothes　shop　in　close　proximity　so　that　everything　combined　in　its
favour；　except　its　filthy　state　and　its　reputation。

When　I　saw　it；　I　thought　I　would　rather　die　than　live　in　such　an
awful　placebut　then　I　had　been　living　in　the　Temple　for　the　last
five　and　twenty　years。　　Ernest　was　lodging　in　Laystall　Street　and
had　just　come　out　of　prison；　before　this　he　had　lived　in　Ashpit
Place　so　that　this　house　had　no　terrors　for　him　provided　he　could
get　it　done　up。　　The　difficulty　was　that　the　landlord　was　hard　to
move　in　this　respect。　　It　ended　in　my　finding　the　money　to　do
everything　that　was　wanted；　and　taking　a　lease　of　the　house　for　five
years　at　the　same　rental　as　that　paid　by　the　last　occupant。　　I　then
sublet　it　to　Ernest；　of　course　taking　care　that　it　was　put　more
efficiently　into　repair　than　his　landlord　was　at　all　likely　to　have
put　it。

A　week　later　I　called　and　found　everything　so　completely　transformed
that　I　should　hardly　have　recognised　the　house。　　All　the　ceilings
had　been　whitewashed；　all　the　rooms　papered；　the　broken　glass　hacked
out　and　reinstated；　the　defective　wood…work　renewed；　all　the　sashes；
cupboards　and　doors　had　been　painted。　　The　drains　had　been
thoroughly　overhauled；　everything　in　fact；　that　could　be　done　had
been　done；　and　the　rooms　now　looked　as　cheerful　as　they　had　been
forbidding　when　I　had　last　seen　them。　　The　people　who　had　done　the
repairs　were　supposed　to　have　cleaned　the　house　down　before　leaving；
but　Ellen　had　given　it　another　scrub　from　top　to　bottom　herself
after　they　were　gone；　and　it　was　as　clean　as　a　new　pin。　　I　almost
felt　as　though　I　could　have　lived　in　it　myself；　and　as　for　Ernest；
he　was　in　the　seventh　heaven。　　He　said　it　was　all　my　doing　and
Ellen's。

There　was　already　a　counter　in　the　shop　and　a　few　fittings；　so　that
nothing　now　remained　but　to　get　some　stock　and　set　them　out　for
sale。　　Ernest　said　he　could　not　begin　better　than　by　selling　his
clerical　wardrobe　and　his　books；　for　though　the　shop　was　intended
especially　for　the　sale　of　second…hand　clothes；　yet　Ellen　said　there
was　no　reason　why　they　should　not　sell　a　few　books　too；　so　a
beginning　was　to　be　made　by　selling　the　books　he　had　had　at　school
and　college　at　about　one　shilling　a　volume；　taking　them　all　round；
and　I　have　heard　him　say　that　he　learned　more　that　proved　of
practical　use　to　him　through　stocking　his　books　on　a　bench　in　front
of　his　shop　and　selling　them；　than　he　had　done　from　all　the　years　of
study　which　he　had　bestowed　upon　their　contents。

For　the　enquiries　that　were　made　of　him　whether　he　had　such　and　such
a　book　taught　him　what　he　could　sell　and　what　he　could　not；　how　much
he　could　get　for　this；　and　how　much　for　that。　　Having　made　ever　such
a　little　beginning　with　books；　he　took　to　attending　book　sales　as
well　as　clothes　sales；　and　ere　long　this　branch　of　his　business
became　no　less　important　than　the　tailoring；　and　would；　I　have　no
doubt；　have　been　the　one　which　he　would　have　settled　down　to
exclusively；　if　he　had　been　called　upon　to　remain　a　tradesman；　but
this　is　anticipating。

I　made　a　contribution　and　a　stipulation。　　Ernest　wanted　to　sink　the
gentleman　completely；　until　such　time　as　he　could　work　his　way　up
again。　　If　he　had　been　left　to　himself　he　would　have　lived　with
Ellen　in　the　shop　back　parlour　and　kitchen；　and　have　let　out　both
the　upper　floors　according　to　his　original　programme。　　I　did　not
want　him；　however；　to　cut　himself　adrift　from　music；　letters　and
polite　life；　and　feared　that　unless　he　had　some　kind　of　den　into
which　he　could　retire　he　would　ere　long　become　the　tradesman　and
nothing　else。　　I　therefore　insisted　on　taking　the　first　floor　front
and　back　myself；　and　furnishing　them　with　the　things　which　had　been
left　at　Mrs　Jupp's。　　I　bought　these　things　of　him　for　a　small　sum
and　had　them　moved　into　his　present　abode。

I　went　to　Mrs　Jupp's　to　arrange　all　this；　as　Ernest　did　not　like
going　to　Ashpit　Place。　　I　had　half　expected　to　find　the　furniture
sold　and　Mrs　Jupp　gone；　but　it　was　not　so；　with　all　her　faults　the
poor　old　woman　was　perfectly　honest。

I　told　her　that　Pryer　had　taken　all　Ernest's　money　and　run　away　with
it。　　She　hated　Pryer。　　〃I　never　knew　anyone；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃as
white…livered　in　the　face　as　that　Pryer；　he　hasn't　got　an　upright
vein　in　his　whole　body。　　Why；　all　that　time　when　he　used　to　come
breakfasting　with　Mr　Pontifex　morning　after　morning；　it　took　me　to　a
perfect　shadow　the　way　he　carried　on。　　There　was　no　doing　anything
to　please　him　right。　　First　I　used　to　get　them　eggs　and　bacon；　and
he　didn't　like　that；　and　then　I　got　him　a　bit　of　fish；　and　he　didn't
like　that；　or　else　it　was　too　dear；　and　you　know　fish　is　dearer　than
ever；　and　then　I　got　him　a　bit　of　German；　and　he　said　it　rose　on
him；　then　I　tried　sausages；　and　he　said　they　hit　him　in　the　eye
worse　even　than　German；　oh！　how　I　used　to　wander　my　room　and　fret
about　it　inwardly　and　cry　for　hours；　and　all　about　them　paltry
breakfastsand　it　wasn't　Mr　Pontifex；　he'd　like　anything　that
anyone　chose　to　give　him。

〃And　so　the　piano's　to　go；〃　she　continued。　　〃What　beautiful　tunes　Mr
Pontifex　did　play　upon　it；　to　be　sure；　and　there　was　one　I　liked
better　than　any　I　ever　heard。　　I　was　in　the　room　when　he　played　it
once　and　when　I　said；　'Oh；　Mr　Pontifex；　that's　the　kind　of　woman　I
am；'　he　said；　'No；　Mrs　Jupp；　it　isn't；　for　this　tune　is　old；　but　no
one　can　say　you　are　old。'　　But；　bless　you；　he　meant　nothing　by　it；
it　was　only　his　mucky　flattery。〃

Like　myself；　she　was　vexed　at　his　getting　married。　　She　didn't　like
his　being　married；　and　she　didn't　like　his　not　being　marriedbut；
anyhow；　it　was　Ellen's　fault；　not　his；　and　she　hoped　he　would　be
happy。　　〃But　after　all；〃　she　concluded；　〃it　ain't　you　and　it　ain't
me；　and　it　ain't　him　and　it　ain't　her。　　It's　what　you　must　call　the
fortunes　of　matterimony；　for　there　ain't　no　other　word　for　it。〃

In　the　course　of　the　aft