the way of all flesh-第31部分

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that　she　might　enlist　his　love　of　music　on　her　side；　and　asked　him
one　day　when　he　was　spending　a　half…holiday　at　her　house　whether　he
would　like　her　to　buy　an　organ　for　him　to　play　on。　　Of　course；　the
boy　said　yes；　then　she　told　him　about　her　grandfather　and　the　organs
he　had　built。　　It　had　never　entered　into　his　head　that　he　could　make
one；　but　when　he　gathered　from　what　his　aunt　had　said　that　this　was
not　out　of　the　question；　he　rose　as　eagerly　to　the　bait　as　she　could
have　desired；　and　wanted　to　begin　learning　to　saw　and　plane　so　that
he　might　make　the　wooden　pipes　at　once。

Miss　Pontifex　did　not　see　how　she　could　have　hit　upon　anything　more
suitable；　and　she　liked　the　idea　that　he　would　incidentally　get　a
knowledge　of　carpentering；　for　she　was　impressed；　perhaps　foolishly；
with　the　wisdom　of　the　German　custom　which　gives　every　boy　a
handicraft　of　some　sort。

Writing　to　me　on　this　matter；　she　said　〃Professions　are　all　very
well　for　those　who　have　connection　and　interest　as　well　as　capital；
but　otherwise　they　are　white　elephants。　　How　many　men　do　not　you　and
I　know　who　have　talent；　assiduity；　excellent　good　sense；
straightforwardness；　every　quality　in　fact　which　should　command
success；　and　who　yet　go　on　from　year　to　year　waiting　and　hoping
against　hope　for　the　work　which　never　comes？　　How；　indeed；　is　it
likely　to　come　unless　to　those　who　either　are　born　with　interest；　or
who　marry　in　order　to　get　it？　　Ernest's　father　and　mother　have　no
interest；　and　if　they　had　they　would　not　use　it。　　I　suppose　they
will　make　him　a　clergyman；　or　try　to　do　soperhaps　it　is　the　best
thing　to　do　with　him；　for　he　could　buy　a　living　with　the　money　his
grandfather　left　him；　but　there　is　no　knowing　what　the　boy　will
think　of　it　when　the　time　comes；　and　for　aught　we　know　he　may　insist
on　going　to　the　backwoods　of　America；　as　so　many　other　young　men　are
doing　now。〃　　。　。　。　But；　anyway；　he　would　like　making　an　organ；　and
this　could　do　him　no　harm；　so　the　sooner　he　began　the　better。

Alethea　thought　it　would　save　trouble　in　the　end　if　she　told　her
brother　and　sister…in…law　of　this　scheme。　　〃I　do　not　suppose；〃　she
wrote；　〃that　Dr　Skinner　will　approve　very　cordially　of　my　attempt　to
introduce　organ…building　into　the　curriculum　of　Roughborough；　but　I
will　see　what　I　can　do　with　him；　for　I　have　set　my　heart　on　owning
an　organ　built　by　Ernest's　own　hands；　which　he　may　play　on　as　much
as　he　likes　while　it　remains　in　my　house　and　which　I　will　lend　him
permanently　as　soon　as　he　gets　one　of　his　own；　but　which　is　to　be　my
property　for　the　present；　inasmuch　as　I　mean　to　pay　for　it。〃　　This
was　put　in　to　make　it　plain　to　Theobald　and　Christina　that　they
should　not　be　out　of　pocket　in　the　matter。

If　Alethea　had　been　as　poor　as　the　Misses　Allaby；　the　reader　may
guess　what　Ernest's　papa　and　mamma　would　have　said　to　this　proposal；
but　then；　if　she　had　been　as　poor　as　they；　she　would　never　have　made
it。　　They　did　not　like　Ernest's　getting　more　and　more　into　his
aunt's　good　books；　still　it　was　perhaps　better　that　he　should　do　so
than　that　she　should　be　driven　back　upon　the　John　Pontifexes。　　The
only　thing；　said　Theobald；　which　made　him　hesitate；　was　that　the　boy
might　be　thrown　with　low　associates　later　on　if　he　were　to　be
encouraged　in　his　taste　for　musica　taste　which　Theobald　had　always
disliked。　　He　had　observed　with　regret　that　Ernest　had　ere　now　shown
rather　a　hankering　after　low　company；　and　he　might　make　acquaintance
with　those　who　would　corrupt　his　innocence。　　Christina　shuddered　at
this；　but　when　they　had　aired　their　scruples　sufficiently　they　felt
（and　when　people　begin　to　〃feel；〃　they　are　invariably　going　to　take
what　they　believe　to　be　the　more　worldly　course）　that　to　oppose
Alethea's　proposal　would　be　injuring　their　son's　prospects　more　than
was　right；　so　they　consented；　but　not　too　graciously。

After　a　time；　however；　Christina　got　used　to　the　idea；　and　then
considerations　occurred　to　her　which　made　her　throw　herself　into　it
with　characteristic　ardour。　　If　Miss　Pontifex　had　been　a　railway
stock　she　might　have　been　said　to　have　been　buoyant　in　the　Battersby
market　for　some　few　days；　buoyant　for　long　together　she　could　never
be；　still　for　a　time　there　really　was　an　upward　movement。
Christina's　mind　wandered　to　the　organ　itself；　she　seemed　to　have
made　it　with　her　own　hands；　there　would　be　no　other　in　England　to
compare　with　it　for　combined　sweetness　and　power。　　She　already　heard
the　famous　Dr　Walmisley　of　Cambridge　mistaking　it　for　a　Father
Smith。　　It　would　come；　no　doubt；　in　reality　to　Battersby　Church；
which　wanted　an　organ；　for　it　must　be　all　nonsense　about　Alethea's
wishing　to　keep　it；　and　Ernest　would　not　have　a　house　of　his　own　for
ever　so　many　years；　and　they　could　never　have　it　at　the　Rectory。
Oh；　no！　　Battersby　Church　was　the　only　proper　place　for　it。

Of　course；　they　would　have　a　grand　opening；　and　the　Bishop　would
come　down；　and　perhaps　young　Figgins　might　be　on　a　visit　to　them
she　must　ask　Ernest　if　young　Figgins　had　yet　left　Roughboroughhe
might　even　persuade　his　grandfather　Lord　Lonsford　to　be　present。
Lord　Lonsford　and　the　Bishop　and　everyone　else　would　then　compliment
her；　and　Dr　Wesley　or　Dr　Walmisley；　who　should　preside　（it　did　not
much　matter　which）；　would　say　to　her；　〃My　dear　Mrs　Pontifex；　I　never
yet　played　upon　so　remarkable　an　instrument。〃　　Then　she　would　give
him　one　of　her　very　sweetest　smiles　and　say　she　feared　he　was
flattering　her；　on　which　he　would　rejoin　with　some　pleasant　little
trifle　about　remarkable　men　（the　remarkable　man　being　for　the　moment
Ernest）　having　invariably　had　remarkable　women　for　their　mothers
and　so　on　and　so　on。　　The　advantage　of　doing　one's　praising　for
oneself　is　that　one　can　lay　it　on　so　thick　and　exactly　in　the　right
places。

Theobald　wrote　Ernest　a　short　and　surly　letter　a　propos　of　his
aunt's　intentions　in　this　matter。

〃I　will　not　commit　myself；〃　he　said；　〃to　an　opinion　whether　anything
will　come　of　it；　this　will　depend　entirely　upon　your　own　exertions；
you　have　had　singular　advantages　hitherto；　and　your　kind　aunt　is
showing　every　desire　to　befriend　you；　but　you　must　give　greater
proof　of　stability　and　steadiness　of　character　than　you　have　given
yet　if　this　organ　matter　is　not　to　prove　in　the　end　to　be　only　one
disappointment　the　more。

〃I　must　insist　on　two　things：　　firstly　that　this　new　iron　in　the
fire　does　not　distract　your　attention　from　your　Latin　and　Greek〃
（〃They　aren't　mine；〃　thought　Ernest；　〃and　never　have　been〃）〃and
secondly；　that　you　bring　no　smell　of　glue　or　shavings　into　the　house
here；　if　you　make　any　part　of　the　organ　during　your　holidays。〃

Ernest　was　still　too　young　to　know　how　unpleasant　a　letter　he　was
receiving。　　He　believed　the　innuendoes　contained　in　it　to　be
perfectly　just。　　He　knew　he　was　sadly　deficient　in　perseverance。　　He
liked　some　things　for　a　little　while；　and　then　found　he　did　not　like
them　any　moreand　this　was　as　bad　as　anything　well　could　be。　　His
father's　letter　gave　him　one　of　his　many　fits　of　melancholy　over　his
own　worthlessness；　but　the　thought　of　the　organ　consoled　him；　and　he
felt　sure　that　here　at　any　rate　was　something　to　which　he　could
apply　himself　steadily　without　growing　tired　of　it。

It　was　settled　that　the　organ　was　not　to　be　begun　before　the
Christmas　holidays　were　over；　and　that　till　then　Ernest　should　do　a
little　plain　carpentering；　so　as　to　get　to　know　how　to　use　his
tools。　　Miss　Pontifex　had　a　carpenter's　bench　set　up　in　an　outhouse
upon　her　own　premises；　and　made　terms　with　the　most　respectable
carpenter　in　Roughborough；　by　which　one　of　his　men　was　to　come　for　a
couple　of　hours　twice　a　week　and　set　Ernest　on　the　right　way；　then
she　discovered　she　wanted　this　or　that　simple　piece　of　work　done；
and　gave　the　boy　a　commission　to　do　it；　paying　him　handsomely　as
well　as　finding　him　in　tools　and　materials。　　She　never　gave　him　a
syllable　of　good　advice；　or　talked　to　him　about　everything's
depending　upon　his　own　exertions；　but　she　kissed　him　often；　and
would　come　into　the　workshop　and　act　the　part　of　one　who　took　an
interest　in　what　was　being　done　so　cleverly　as　ere　long　to　become
really　interested。

What　boy　would　not　take　kindly　to　almost　anything　with　such
assistance？　　All　boys　like　making　things；　the　exercise　of　sawing；
planing　and　hammering；　proved　exactly　what　his　aunt　had　wanted　to
findsomething　that　should　exercise；　but　not　too　much；　and　at　the
same　time　amuse　him；　when　Ernest's　sallow　face　was　flushed　with　his
work；　and　his　eyes　were　sparkling　with　pleasure；　he　looked　quite　a
different　boy　from　the　one　his　aunt　had　taken　in　hand　only　a　few
months　earlier。　　His　inner　self　never　told　him　that　this　was　humbug；
as　it　did　about　Latin　and　Greek。　　Making　stools　and　drawers　was
worth　living　for；　and　after　Christmas　there　loomed　the　organ；　which
was　scarcely　ever　absent　from　his　mind。

His　aunt　let　him　invite　his　friends；　encouraging　him　to　bring　those
whom　her　quick　sense　told　her　were　the　most　desirable。　　She
smartened　him　up　also　in　his　personal　appearance；　always　without
preaching　to　him。　　Indeed　she　worked　wonders　during　the　short　time
that　was　allowed　her；　and　if　her　life　had　been　spared　I　cannot　think
that　my　hero　would　have　come　under　the　shadow　of　that　cloud　which
cast　so　heavy　a　gloom　over　his　younger　manhood；　but　unfortunately
for　him　his　gleam　of　sunshine　was　too　hot　and　too　brilliant　to　last；
and　he　had　many　a　storm　yet　to　weather；　before　he　became　fairly
happy。　　For　the　present；　however；　he　was　supremely　so；　and　his　aunt
was　happy　and　grateful　for　his　happiness；　the　improvement　she　saw　in
him；　and　his　unrepressed　affection　for　herself。　　She　became　fonder
of　him　from　day　to　day　in　spite　of　his　many　faults　and　almost
incredible　foolishnesses。　　It　was　perhaps　on　account　of　these　very
things　that　she　saw　how　much　he　had　need　of　her；　but　at　any　rate；
from　whatever　cause；　she　became　strengthened　in　her　determination　to
be　to　him　in　the　place　of　parents；　and　to　find　in　him　a　son　rather
than　a　nephew。　　But　still　she　made　no　will。



CHAPTER　XXXV



All　went　well　for　the　first　part　of　the　following　half　year。　　Miss
Pontifex　spent　the　greater　part　of　her　holidays　in　London；　and　I
also　saw　her　at