the way of all flesh-第47章

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！


now；〃　it　cried；　〃and　he　is　going　to　tell　mammathis　time　I　am　done
for。〃　　But　there　was　nothing　in　it；　his　father　only　wanted　the　key
of　the　cellaret。　　Then　Ernest　slunk　off　into　a　coppice　or　spinney
behind　the　Rectory　paddock；　and　consoled　himself　with　a　pipe　of
tobacco。　　Here　in　the　wood　with　the　summer　sun　streaming　through　the
trees　and　a　book　and　his　pipe　the　boy　forgot　his　cares　and　had　an
interval　of　that　rest　without　which　I　verily　believe　his　life　would
have　been　insupportable。

Of　course；　Ernest　was　made　to　look　for　his　lost　property；　and　a
reward　was　offered　for　it；　but　it　seemed　he　had　wandered　a　good　deal
off　the　path；　thinking　to　find　a　lark's　nest；　more　than　once；　and
looking　for　a　watch　and　purse　on　Battersby　piewipes　was　very　like
looking　for　a　needle　in　a　bundle　of　hay：　　besides　it　might　have　been
found　and　taken　by　some　tramp；　or　by　a　magpie　of　which　there　were
many　in　the　neighbourhood；　so　that　after　a　week　or　ten　days　the
search　was　discontinued；　and　the　unpleasant　fact　had　to　be　faced
that　Ernest　must　have　another　watch；　another　knife；　and　a　small　sum
of　pocket　money。

It　was　only　right；　however；　that　Ernest　should　pay　half　the　cost　of
the　watch；　this　should　be　made　easy　for　him；　for　it　should　be
deducted　from　his　pocket　money　in　half…yearly　instalments　extending
over　two；　or　even　it　might　be　three　years。　　In　Ernest's　own
interests；　then；　as　well　as　those　of　his　father　and　mother；　it　would
be　well　that　the　watch　should　cost　as　little　as　possible；　so　it　was
resolved　to　buy　a　second…hand　one。　　Nothing　was　to　be　said　to
Ernest；　but　it　was　to　be　bought；　and　laid　upon　his　plate　as　a
surprise　just　before　the　holidays　were　over。　　Theobald　would　have　to
go　to　the　county　town　in　a　few　days；　and　could　then　find　some
second…hand　watch　which　would　answer　sufficiently　well。　　In　the
course　of　time；　therefore；　Theobald　went；　furnished　with　a　long　list
of　household　commissions；　among　which　was　the　purchase　of　a　watch
for　Ernest。

Those；　as　I　have　said；　were　always　happy　times；　when　Theobald　was
away　for　a　whole　day　certain；　the　boy　was　beginning　to　feel　easy　in
his　mind　as　though　God　had　heard　his　prayers；　and　he　was　not　going
to　be　found　out。　　Altogether　the　day　had　proved　an　unusually
tranquil　one；　but；　alas！　it　was　not　to　close　as　it　had　begun；　the
fickle　atmosphere　in　which　he　lived　was　never　more　likely　to　breed　a
storm　than　after　such　an　interval　of　brilliant　calm；　and　when
Theobald　returned　Ernest　had　only　to　look　in　his　face　to　see　that　a
hurricane　was　approaching。

Christina　saw　that　something　had　gone　very　wrong；　and　was　quite
frightened　lest　Theobald　should　have　heard　of　some　serious　money
loss；　he　did　not；　however；　at　once　unbosom　himself；　but　rang　the
bell　and　said　to　the　servant；　〃Tell　Master　Ernest　I　wish　to　speak　to
him　in　the　dining…room。〃



CHAPTER　XLI



Long　before　Ernest　reached　the　dining…room　his　ill…divining　soul　had
told　him　that　his　sin　had　found　him　out。　　What　head　of　a　family　ever
sends　for　any　of　its　members　into　the　dining…room　if　his　intentions
are　honourable？

When　he　reached　it　he　found　it　emptyhis　father　having　been　called
away　for　a　few　minutes　unexpectedly　upon　some　parish　businessand
he　was　left　in　the　same　kind　of　suspense　as　people　are　in　after　they
have　been　ushered　into　their　dentist's　ante…room。

Of　all　the　rooms　in　the　house　he　hated　the　dining…room　worst。　　It
was　here　that　he　had　had　to　do　his　Latin　and　Greek　lessons　with　his
father。　　It　had　a　smell　of　some　particular　kind　of　polish　or　varnish
which　was　used　in　polishing　the　furniture；　and　neither　I　nor　Ernest
can　even　now　come　within　range　of　the　smell　of　this　kind　of　varnish
without　our　hearts　failing　us。

Over　the　chimney…piece　there　was　a　veritable　old　master；　one　of　the
few　original　pictures　which　Mr　George　Pontifex　had　brought　from
Italy。　　It　was　supposed　to　be　a　Salvator　Rosa；　and　had　been　bought
as　a　great　bargain。　　The　subject　was　Elijah　or　Elisha　（whichever　it
was）　being　fed　by　the　ravens　in　the　desert。　　There　were　the　ravens
in　the　upper　right…hand　corner　with　bread　and　meat　in　their　beaks
and　claws；　and　there　was　the　prophet　in　question　in　the　lower　left…
hand　corner　looking　longingly　up　towards　them。　　When　Ernest　was　a
very　small　boy　it　had　been　a　constant　matter　of　regret　to　him　that
the　food　which　the　ravens　carried　never　actually　reached　the
prophet；　he　did　not　understand　the　limitation　of　the　painter's　art；
and　wanted　the　meat　and　the　prophet　to　be　brought　into　direct
contact。　　One　day；　with　the　help　of　some　steps　which　had　been　left
in　the　room；　he　had　clambered　up　to　the　picture　and　with　a　piece　of
bread　and　butter　traced　a　greasy　line　right　across　it　from　the
ravens　to　Elisha's　mouth；　after　which　he　had　felt　more　comfortable。

Ernest's　mind　was　drifting　back　to　this　youthful　escapade　when　he
heard　his　father's　hand　on　the　door；　and　in　another　second　Theobald
entered。

〃Oh；　Ernest；〃　said　he；　in　an　off…hand；　rather　cheery　manner；
〃there's　a　little　matter　which　I　should　like　you　to　explain　to　me；
as　I　have　no　doubt　you　very　easily　can。〃　　Thump；　thump；　thump；　went
Ernest's　heart　against　his　ribs；　but　his　father's　manner　was　so　much
nicer　than　usual　that　he　began　to　think　it　might　be　after　all　only
another　false　alarm。

〃It　had　occurred　to　your　mother　and　myself　that　we　should　like　to
set　you　up　with　a　watch　again　before　you　went　back　to　school〃　（〃Oh；
that's　all；〃　said　Ernest　to　himself　quite　relieved）；　〃and　I　have
been　to…day　to　look　out　for　a　second…hand　one　which　should　answer
every　purpose　so　long　as　you're　at　school。〃

Theobald　spoke　as　if　watches　had　half…a…dozen　purposes　besides　time…
keeping；　but　he　could　hardly　open　his　mouth　without　using　one　or
other　of　his　tags；　and　〃answering　every　purpose〃　was　one　of　them。

Ernest　was　breaking　out　into　the　usual　expressions　of　gratitude；
when　Theobald　continued；　〃You　are　interrupting　me；〃　and　Ernest's
heart　thumped　again。

〃You　are　interrupting　me；　Ernest。　　I　have　not　yet　done。〃　　Ernest　was
instantly　dumb。

〃I　passed　several　shops　with　second…hand　watches　for　sale；　but　I　saw
none　of　a　description　and　price　which　pleased　me；　till　at　last　I　was
shown　one　which　had；　so　the　shopman　said；　been　left　with　him
recently　for　sale；　and　which　I　at　once　recognised　as　the　one　which
had　been　given　you　by　your　Aunt　Alethea。　　Even　if　I　had　failed　to
recognise　it；　as　perhaps　I　might　have　done；　I　should　have　identified
it　directly　it　reached　my　hands；　inasmuch　as　it　had　'E。　P。；　a
present　from　A。　P。'　engraved　upon　the　inside。　　I　need　say　no　more　to
show　that　this　was　the　very　watch　which　you　told　your　mother　and　me
that　you　had　dropped　out　of　your　pocket。〃

Up　to　this　time　Theobald's　manner　had　been　studiously　calm；　and　his
words　had　been　uttered　slowly；　but　here　he　suddenly　quickened　and
flung　off　the　mask　as　he　added　the　words；　〃or　some　such　cock　and
bull　story；　which　your　mother　and　I　were　too　truthful　to　disbelieve。
You　can　guess　what　must　be　our　feelings　now。〃

Ernest　felt　that　this　last　home…thrust　was　just。　　In　his　less
anxious　moments　he　had　thought　his　papa　and　mamma　〃green〃　for　the
readiness　with　which　they　believed　him；　but　he　could　not　deny　that
their　credulity　was　a　proof　of　their　habitual　truthfulness　of　mind。
In　common　justice　he　must　own　that　it　was　very　dreadful　for　two　such
truthful　people　to　have　a　son　as　untruthful　as　he　knew　himself　to
be。

〃Believing　that　a　son　of　your　mother　and　myself　would　be　incapable
of　falsehood　I　at　once　assumed　that　some　tramp　had　picked　the　watch
up　and　was　now　trying　to　dispose　of　it。〃

This　to　the　best　of　my　belief　was　not　accurate。　　Theobald's　first
assumption　had　been　that　it　was　Ernest　who　was　trying　to　sell　the
watch；　and　it　was　an　inspiration　of　the　moment　to　say　that　his
magnanimous　mind　had　at　once　conceived　the　idea　of　a　tramp。

〃You　may　imagine　how　shocked　I　was　when　I　discovered　that　the　watch
had　been　brought　for　sale　by　that　miserable　woman　Ellen〃here
Ernest's　heart　hardened　a　little；　and　he　felt　as　near　an　approach　to
an　instinct　to　turn　as　one　so　defenceless　could　be　expected　to　feel；
his　father　quickly　perceived　this　and　continued；　〃who　was　turned　out
of　this　house　in　circum