the way of all flesh-第48章

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his　father　quickly　perceived　this　and　continued；　〃who　was　turned　out
of　this　house　in　circumstances　which　I　will　not　pollute　your　ears　by
more　particularly　describing。

〃I　put　aside　the　horrid　conviction　which　was　beginning　to　dawn　upon
me；　and　assumed　that　in　the　interval　between　her　dismissal　and　her
leaving　this　house；　she　had　added　theft　to　her　other　sin；　and　having
found　your　watch　in　your　bedroom　had　purloined　it。　　It　even　occurred
to　me　that　you　might　have　missed　your　watch　after　the　woman　was
gone；　and；　suspecting　who　had　taken　it；　had　run　after　the　carriage
in　order　to　recover　it；　but　when　I　told　the　shopman　of　my　suspicions
he　assured　me　that　the　person　who　left　it　with　him　had　declared　most
solemnly　that　it　had　been　given　her　by　her　master's　son；　whose
property　it　was；　and　who　had　a　perfect　right　to　dispose　of　it。

〃He　told　me　further　that；　thinking　the　circumstances　in　which　the
watch　was　offered　for　sale　somewhat　suspicious；　he　had　insisted　upon
the　woman's　telling　him　the　whole　story　of　how　she　came　by　it；
before　he　would　consent　to　buy　it　of　her。

〃He　said　that　at　firstas　women　of　that　stamp　invariably　doshe
tried　prevarication；　but　on　being　threatened　that　she　should　at　once
be　given　into　custody　if　she　did　not　tell　the　whole　truth；　she
described　the　way　in　which　you　had　run　after　the　carriage；　till　as
she　said　you　were　black　in　the　face；　and　insisted　on　giving　her　all
your　pocket　money；　your　knife　and　your　watch。　　She　added　that　my
coachman　Johnwhom　I　shall　instantly　dischargewas　witness　to　the
whole　transaction。　　Now；　Ernest；　be　pleased　to　tell　me　whether　this
appalling　story　is　true　or　false？〃

It　never　occurred　to　Ernest　to　ask　his　father　why　he　did　not　hit　a
man　his　own　size；　or　to　stop　him　midway　in　the　story　with　a
remonstrance　against　being　kicked　when　he　was　down。　　The　boy　was　too
much　shocked　and　shaken　to　be　inventive；　he　could　only　drift　and
stammer　out　that　the　tale　was　true。

〃So　I　feared；〃　said　Theobald；　〃and　now；　Ernest；　be　good　enough　to
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　an