the way of all flesh-第38部分

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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　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　ca