the way of all flesh-第98章

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upon　the　scene　they　had　remained　at　Battersby；　and　had　concentrated
their　affection　upon　their　other　children。

It　had　been　a　bitter　pill　to　Theobald　to　lose　his　power　of　plaguing
his　first…born；　if　the　truth　were　known　I　believe　he　had　felt　this
more　acutely　than　any　disgrace　which　might　have　been　shed　upon　him
by　Ernest's　imprisonment。　　He　had　made　one　or　two　attempts　to　reopen
negotiations　through　me；　but　I　never　said　anything　about　them　to
Ernest；　for　I　knew　it　would　upset　him。　　I　wrote；　however；　to
Theobald　that　I　had　found　his　son　inexorable；　and　recommended　him
for　the　present；　at　any　rate；　to　desist　from　returning　to　the
subject。　　This　I　thought　would　be　at　once　what　Ernest　would　like
best　and　Theobald　least。

A　few　days；　however；　after　Ernest　had　come　into　his　property；　I
received　a　letter　from　Theobald　enclosing　one　for　Ernest　which　I
could　not　withhold。

The　letter　ran　thus：…


〃To　my　son　Ernest；Although　you　have　more　than　once　rejected　my
overtures　I　appeal　yet　again　to　your　better　nature。　　Your　mother；
who　has　long　been　ailing；　is；　I　believe；　near　her　end；　she　is　unable
to　keep　anything　on　her　stomach；　and　Dr　Martin　holds　out　but　little
hopes　of　her　recovery。　　She　has　expressed　a　wish　to　see　you；　and
says　she　knows　you　will　not　refuse　to　come　to　her；　which；
considering　her　condition；　I　am　unwilling　to　suppose　you　will。

〃I　remit　you　a　Post　Office　order　for　your　fare；　and　will　pay　your
return　journey。

〃If　you　want　clothes　to　come　in；　order　what　you　consider　suitable；
and　desire　that　the　bill　be　sent　to　me；　I　will　pay　it　immediately；
to　an　amount　not　exceeding　eight　or　nine　pounds；　and　if　you　will　let
me　know　what　train　you　will　come　by；　I　will　send　the　carriage　to
meet　you。　　Believe　me；　Your　affectionate　father；　　T。　PONTIFEX。〃


Of　course　there　could　be　no　hesitation　on　Ernest's　part。　　He　could
afford　to　smile　now　at　his　father's　offering　to　pay　for　his　clothes；
and　his　sending　him　a　Post　Office　order　for　the　exact　price　of　a
second…class　ticket；　and　he　was　of　course　shocked　at　learning　the
state　his　mother　was　said　to　be　in；　and　touched　at　her　desire　to　see
him。　　He　telegraphed　that　he　would　come　down　at　once。　　I　saw　him　a
little　before　he　started；　and　was　pleased　to　see　how　well　his　tailor
had　done　by　him。　　Towneley　himself　could　not　have　been　appointed
more　becomingly。　　His　portmanteau；　his　railway　wrapper；　everything
he　had　about　him；　was　in　keeping。　　I　thought　he　had　grown　much
better…looking　than　he　had　been　at　two　or　three　and　twenty。　　His
year　and　a　half　of　peace　had　effaced　all　the　ill　effects　of　his
previous　suffering；　and　now　that　he　had　become　actually　rich　there
was　an　air　of　insouciance　and　good　humour　upon　his　face；　as　of　a　man
with　whom　everything　was　going　perfectly　right；　which　would　have
made　a　much　plainer　man　good…looking。　　I　was　proud　of　him　and
delighted　with　him。　　〃I　am　sure；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃that　whatever
else　he　may　do；　he　will　never　marry　again。〃

The　journey　was　a　painful　one。　　As　he　drew　near　to　the　station　and
caught　sight　of　each　familiar　feature；　so　strong　was　the　force　of
association　that　he　felt　as　though　his　coming　into　his　aunt's　money
had　been　a　dream；　and　he　were　again　returning　to　his　father's　house
as　he　had　returned　to　it　from　Cambridge　for　the　vacations。　　Do　what
he　would；　the　old　dull　weight　of　home…sickness　began　to　oppress　him；
his　heart　beat　fast　as　he　thought　of　his　approaching　meeting　with
his　father　and　mother；　〃and　I　shall　have；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃to
kiss　Charlotte。〃

Would　his　father　meet　him　at　the　station？　　Would　he　greet　him　as
though　nothing　had　happened；　or　would　he　be　cold　and　distant？　　How；
again；　would　he　take　the　news　of　his　son's　good　fortune？　　As　the
train　drew　up　to　the　platform；　Ernest's　eye　ran　hurriedly　over　the
few　people　who　were　in　the　station。　　His　father's　well…known　form
was　not　among　them；　but　on　the　other　side　of　the　palings　which
divided　the　station　yard　from　the　platform；　he　saw　the　pony
carriage；　looking；　as　he　thought；　rather　shabby；　and　recognised　his
father's　coachman。　　In　a　few　minutes　more　he　was　in　the　carriage
driving　towards　Battersby。　　He　could　not　help　smiling　as　he　saw　the
coachman　give　a　look　of　surprise　at　finding　him　so　much　changed　in
personal　appearance。　　The　coachman　was　the　more　surprised　because
when　Ernest　had　last　been　at　home　he　had　been　dressed　as　a
clergyman；　and　now　he　was　not　only　a　layman；　but　a　layman　who　was
got　up　regardless　of　expense。　　The　change　was　so　great　that　it　was
not　till　Ernest　actually　spoke　to　him　that　the　coachman　knew　him。

〃How　are　my　father　and　mother？〃　he　asked　hurriedly；　as　he　got　into
the　carriage。　　〃The　Master's　well；　sir；〃　was　the　answer；　〃but　the
Missis　is　very　sadly。〃　　The　horse　knew　that　he　was　going　home　and
pulled　hard　at　the　reins。　　The　weather　was　cold　and　rawthe　very
ideal　of　a　November　day；　in　one　part　of　the　road　the　floods　were
out；　and　near　here　they　had　to　pass　through　a　number　of　horsemen　and
dogs；　for　the　hounds　had　met　that　morning　at　a　place　near　Battersby。
Ernest　saw　several　people　whom　he　knew；　but　they　either；　as　is　most
likely；　did　not　recognise　him；　or　did　not　know　of　his　good　luck。
When　Battersby　church　tower　drew　near；　and　he　saw　the　Rectory　on　the
top　of　the　hill；　its　chimneys　just　showing　above　the　leafless　trees
with　which　it　was　surrounded；　he　threw　himself　back　in　the　carriage
and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。

It　came　to　an　end；　as　even　the　worst　quarters　of　an　hour　do；　and　in
a　few　minutes　more　he　was　on　the　steps　in　front　of　his　father's
house。　　His　father；　hearing　the　carriage　arrive；　came　a　little　way
down　the　steps　to　meet　him。　　Like　the　coachman　he　saw　at　a　glance
that　Ernest　was　appointed　as　though　money　were　abundant　with　him；
and　that　he　was　looking　robust　and　full　of　health　and　vigour。

This　was　not　what　he　had　bargained　for。　　He　wanted　Ernest　to　return；
but　he　was　to　return　as　any　respectable；　well…regulated　prodigal
ought　to　returnabject；　broken…hearted；　asking　forgiveness　from　the
tenderest　and　most　long…suffering　father　in　the　whole　world。　　If　he
should　have　shoes　and　stockings　and　whole　clothes　at　all；　it　should
be　only　because　absolute　rags　and　tatters　had　been　graciously
dispensed　with；　whereas　here　he　was　swaggering　in　a　grey　ulster　and
a　blue　and　white　neck…tie；　and　looking　better　than　Theobald　had　ever
seen　him　in　his　life。　　It　was　unprincipled。　　Was　it　for　this　that　he
had　been　generous　enough　to　offer　to　provide　Ernest　with　decent
clothes　in　which　to　come　and　visit　his　mother's　death…bed？　　Could
any　advantage　be　meaner　than　the　one　which　Ernest　had　taken？　　Well；
he　would　not　go　a　penny　beyond　the　eight　or　nine　pounds　which　he　had
promised。　　It　was　fortunate　he　had　given　a　limit。　　Why　he；　Theobald；
had　never　been　able　to　afford　such　a　portmanteau　in　his　life。　　He
was　still　using　an　old　one　which　his　father　had　turned　over　to　him
when　he　went　up　to　Cambridge。　　Besides；　he　had　said　clothes；　not　a
portmanteau。

Ernest　saw　what　was　passing　through　his　father's　mind；　and　felt　that
he　ought　to　have　prepared　him　in　some　way　for　what　he　now　saw；　but
he　had　sent　his　telegram　so　immediately　on　receiving　his　father's
letter；　and　had　followed　it　so　promptly　that　it　would　not　have　been
easy　to　do　so　even　if　he　had　thought　of　it。　　He　put　out　his　hand　and
said　laughingly；　〃Oh；　it's　all　paid　forI　am　afraid　you　do　not　know
that　Mr　Overton　has　handed　over　to　me　Aunt　Alethea's　money。〃

Theobald　flushed　scarlet。　　〃But　why；〃　he　said；　and　these　were　the
first　words　that　actually　crossed　his　lips〃if　the　money　was　not
his　to　keep；　did　he　not　hand　it　over　to　my　brother　John　and　me？〃　　He
stammered　a　good　deal　and　looked　sheepish；　but　he　got　the　words　out。

〃Because；　my　dear　father；〃　said　Ernest　still　laughing；　〃my　aunt　left
it　to　him　in　trust　for　me；　not　in　trust　either　for　you　or　for　my
Uncle　Johnand　it　has　accumulated　till　it　is　now　over　70；000
pounds。　　But　tell　me　how　is　my　mother？〃

〃No；　Ernest；〃　said　Theobald　excitedly；　〃the　matter　cannot　rest　here；
I　must　know　that　this　is　all　open　and　above　board。〃

This　had　the　true　Theobald　ring　and　instantly　brought　the　whole
train　of　ideas　which　in　Ernest's　mind　were　connec