the way of all flesh-第57部分

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business　of　the　true　Christian　to　call　not　the　righteous　but　sinners
to　repentance。　　It　would　be　inconvenient　to　him　to　change　his
lodgings；　and　he　could　not　ask　Mrs　Jupp　to　turn　Miss　Snow　and　Miss
Maitland　out　of　the　house。　　Where　was　he　to　draw　the　line？　　Who
would　be　just　good　enough　to　live　in　the　same　house　with　him；　and
who　just　not　good　enough？

Besides；　where　were　these　poor　girls　to　go？　　Was　he　to　drive　them
from　house　to　house　till　they　had　no　place　to　lie　in？　　It　was
absurd；　his　duty　was　clear：　　he　would　go　and　see　Miss　Snow　at　once；
and　try　if　he　could　not　induce　her　to　change　her　present　mode　of
life；　if　he　found　temptation　becoming　too　strong　for　him　he　would
fly　thenso　he　went　upstairs　with　his　Bible　under　his　arm；　and　a
consuming　fire　in　his　heart。

He　found　Miss　Snow　looking　very　pretty　in　a　neatly；　not　to　say
demurely；　furnished　room。　　I　think　she　had　bought　an　illuminated
text　or　two；　and　pinned　it　up　over　her　fire…place　that　morning。
Ernest　was　very　much　pleased　with　her；　and　mechanically　placed　his
Bible　upon　the　table。　　He　had　just　opened　a　timid　conversation　and
was　deep　in　blushes；　when　a　hurried　step　came　bounding　up　the　stairs
as　though　of　one　over　whom　the　force　of　gravity　had　little　power；
and　a　man　burst　into　the　room　saying；　〃I'm　come　before　my　time。〃　　It
was　Towneley。

His　face　dropped　as　he　caught　sight　of　Ernest。　　〃What；　you　here；
Pontifex！　　Well；　upon　my　word！〃

I　cannot　describe　the　hurried　explanations　that　passed　quickly
between　the　threeenough　that　in　less　than　a　minute　Ernest；
blushing　more　scarlet　than　ever；　slunk　off；　Bible　and　all；　deeply
humiliated　as　he　contrasted　himself　and　Towneley。　　Before　he　had
reached　the　bottom　of　the　staircase　leading　to　his　own　room　he　heard
Towneley's　hearty　laugh　through　Miss　Snow's　door；　and　cursed　the
hour　that　he　was　born。

Then　it　flashed　upon　him　that　if　he　could　not　see　Miss　Snow　he　could
at　any　rate　see　Miss　Maitland。　　He　knew　well　enough　what　he　wanted
now；　and　as　for　the　Bible；　he　pushed　it　from　him　to　the　other　end　of
his　table。　　It　fell　over　on　to　the　floor；　and　he　kicked　it　into　a
corner。　　It　was　the　Bible　given　him　at　his　christening　by　his
affectionate　aunt；　Elizabeth　Allaby。　　True；　he　knew　very　little　of
Miss　Maitland；　but　ignorant　young　fools　in　Ernest's　state　do　not
reflect　or　reason　closely。　　Mrs　Baxter　had　said　that　Miss　Maitland
and　Miss　Snow　were　birds　of　a　feather；　and　Mrs　Baxter　probably　knew
better　than　that　old　liar；　Mrs　Jupp。　　Shakespeare　says：


O　Opportunity；　thy　guilt　is　great
'Tis　thou　that　execut'st　the　traitor's　treason：
Thou　set'st　the　wolf　where　he　the　lamb　may　get；
Whoever　plots　the　sin；　thou　'point'st　the　season；
'Tis　thou　that　spurn'st　at　right；　at　law；　at　reason；
And　in　thy　shady　cell；　where　none　may　spy　him；
Sits　Sin；　to　seize　the　souls　that　wander　by　him。


If　the　guilt　of　opportunity　is　great；　how　much　greater　is　the　guilt
of　that　which　is　believed　to　be　opportunity；　but　in　reality　is　no
opportunity　at　all。　　If　the　better　part　of　valour　is　discretion；　how
much　more　is　not　discretion　the　better　part　of　vice

About　ten　minutes　after　we　last　saw　Ernest；　a　scared；　insulted　girl；
flushed　and　trembling；　was　seen　hurrying　from　Mrs　Jupp's　house　as
fast　as　her　agitated　state　would　let　her；　and　in　another　ten　minutes
two　policemen　were　seen　also　coming　out　of　Mrs　Jupp's；　between　whom
there　shambled　rather　than　walked　our　unhappy　friend　Ernest；　with
staring　eyes；　ghastly　pale；　and　with　despair　branded　upon　every　line
of　his　face。



CHAPTER　LXI



Pryer　had　done　well　to　warn　Ernest　against　promiscuous　house　to
house　visitation。　　He　had　not　gone　outside　Mrs　Jupp's　street　door；
and　yet　what　had　been　the　result？

Mr　Holt　had　put　him　in　bodily　fear；　Mr　and　Mrs　Baxter　had　nearly
made　a　Methodist　of　him；　Mr　Shaw　had　undermined　his　faith　in　the
Resurrection；　Miss　Snow's　charms　had　ruinedor　would　have　done　so
but　for　an　accidenthis　moral　character。　　As　for　Miss　Maitland；　he
had　done　his　best　to　ruin　hers；　and　had　damaged　himself　gravely　and
irretrievably　in　consequence。　　The　only　lodger　who　had　done　him　no
harm　was　the　bellows'　mender；　whom　he　had　not　visited。

Other　young　clergymen；　much　greater　fools　in　many　respects　than　he；
would　not　have　got　into　these　scrapes。　　He　seemed　to　have　developed
an　aptitude　for　mischief　almost　from　the　day　of　his　having　been
ordained。　　He　could　hardly　preach　without　making　some　horrid　faux
pas。　　He　preached　one　Sunday　morning　when　the　Bishop　was　at　his
Rector's　church；　and　made　his　sermon　turn　upon　the　question　what
kind　of　little　cake　it　was　that　the　widow　of　Zarephath　had　intended
making　when　Elijah　found　her　gathering　a　few　sticks。　　He
demonstrated　that　it　was　a　seed　cake。　　The　sermon　was　really　very
amusing；　and　more　than　once　he　saw　a　smile　pass　over　the　sea　of
faces　underneath　him。　　The　Bishop　was　very　angry；　and　gave　my　hero　a
severe　reprimand　in　the　vestry　after　service　was　over；　the　only
excuse　he　could　make　was　that　he　was　preaching　ex　tempore；　had　not
thought　of　this　particular　point　till　he　was　actually　in　the　pulpit；
and　had　then　been　carried　away　by　it。

Another　time　he　preached　upon　the　barren　fig…tree；　and　described　the
hopes　of　the　owner　as　he　watched　the　delicate　blossom　unfold；　and
give　promise　of　such　beautiful　fruit　in　autumn。　　Next　day　he
received　a　letter　from　a　botanical　member　of　his　congregation　who
explained　to　him　that　this　could　hardly　have　been；　inasmuch　as　the
fig　produces　its　fruit　first　and　blossoms　inside　the　fruit；　or　so
nearly　so　that　no　flower　is　perceptible　to　an　ordinary　observer。
This　last；　however；　was　an　accident　which　might　have　happened　to　any
one　but　a　scientist　or　an　inspired　writer。

The　only　excuse　I　can　make　for　him　is　that　he　was　very　youngnot
yet　four　and　twentyand　that　in　mind　as　in　body；　like　most　of　those
who　in　the　end　come　to　think　for　themselves；　he　was　a　slow　grower。
By　far　the　greater　part；　moreover；　of　his　education　had　been　an
attempt；　not　so　much　to　keep　him　in　blinkers　as　to　gouge　his　eyes
out　altogether。

But　to　return　to　my　story。　　It　transpired　afterwards　that　Miss
Maitland　had　had　no　intention　of　giving　Ernest　in　charge　when　she
ran　out　of　Mrs　Jupp's　house。　　She　was　running　away　because　she　was
frightened；　but　almost　the　first　person　whom　she　ran　against　had
happened　to　be　a　policeman　of　a　serious　turn　of　mind；　who　wished　to
gain　a　reputation　for　activity。　　He　stopped　her；　questioned　her；
frightened　her　still　more；　and　it　was　he　rather　than　Miss　Maitland；
who　insisted　on　giving　my　hero　in　charge　to　himself　and　another
constable。

Towneley　was　still　in　Mrs　Jupp's　house　when　the　policeman　came。　　He
had　heard　a　disturbance；　and　going　down　to　Ernest's　room　while　Miss
Maitland　was　out　of　doors；　had　found　him　lying；　as　it　were；　stunned
at　the　foot　of　the　moral　precipice　over　which　he　had　that　moment
fallen。　　He　saw　the　whole　thing　at　a　glance；　but　before　he　could
take　action；　the　policemen　came　in　and　action　became　impossible。

He　asked　Ernest　who　were　his　friends　in　London。　　Ernest　at　first
wanted　not　to　say；　but　Towneley　soon　gave　him　to　understand　that　he
must　do　as　he　was　bid；　and　selected　myself　from　the　few　whom　he　had
named。　　〃Writes　for　the　stage；　does　he？〃　said　Towneley。　　〃Does　he
write　comedy？〃　　Ernest　thought　Towneley　meant　that　I　ought　to　write
tragedy；　and　said　he　was　afraid　I　wrote　burlesque。　　〃Oh；　come；
come；〃　said　Towneley；　〃that　will　do　famously。　　I　will　go　and　see　him
at　once。〃　　But　on　second　thoughts　he　determined　to　stay　with　Ernest
and　go　with　him　to　the　police　court。　　So　he　sent　Mrs　Jupp　for　me。
Mrs　Jupp　hurried　so　fast　to　fetch　me；　that　in　spite　of　the　weather's
being　still　cold　she　was　〃giving　out；〃　as　she　expressed　it；　in
streams。　　The　poor　old　wretch　would　have　taken　a　cab；　but　she　had　no
money　and　did　not　like　to　ask　Towneley　to　give　her　some。　　I　saw　that
something　very　serious　had　happened；　but　was　not　prepared　for
anything　so　deplorable　as　what　Mrs　Jupp　actually　told　me。　　As　for
Mrs　Jupp；　she　said　her　heart　had　been　jumping　out　of　its　socket　and
back　again　ever　since。

I　got　her　into　a　cab　with　me；　and　we　went　off　to　the　police　station。
She　talked　without　ceasing。

〃And　if　the　neighbours　do　say　cruel　things　about　me；　I'm　sure　it
ain't　no　thanks　to　HIM　if　they're　true。　　Mr　Pontifex　never　took　a
bit　o'　notice　of　me　no　more　than　if　I　had　been　his　sister。　　Oh；　it's
enough　to　make　anyone's　back　bone　curdle。　　Then　I　thought　perhaps　my
Rose　might　get　on　better　with　him；　so　I　set　her　to　dust　him　and
clean　him　as　though　I　were　busy；　and　gave　her　such　a　beautiful　clean
new　pinny；　but　he　never　took　no　notice　of　her　no　more　than　he　did　of
me；　and　she　didn't　want　no　compliment　neither；　she　wouldn't　have
taken　not　a　shilling　from　him；　though　he　had　offered　it；　but　he
didn't　seem　to　know　anything　at　all。　　I　can't　make　out　what　the
young　men　are　a…coming　to；　I　wish　the　horn　may　blow　for　me　and　the
worms　take　me　this　very　night；　if　it's　not　enough　to　make　a　woman
stand　before　God　and　strike　the　one　half　on　'em　silly　to　see　the　way
they　goes　on；　and　many　an　honest　girl　has　to　go　home　night　after
night　without　so　much　as　a　fourpenny　bit　and　paying　three　and
sixpence　a　week　rent；　and　not　a　shelf　nor　cupboard　in　the　place　and
a　dead　wall　in　front　of　the　window。

〃It's　not　Mr　Pontifex；〃　she　continued；　〃that's　so　bad；　he's　good　at
heart。　　He　never　says　nothing　unkind。　　And　then　there's　his　dear
eyesbut　when　I　speak　about　that　to　my　Rose　she　calls　me　an　old
fool　and　says　I　ought　to　be　poleaxed。　　It's　that　Pryer　as　I　can't
abide。　　Oh　he！　　He　likes　to　wound　a　woman's　feelings　he　do；　and　to
chuck　anything　in　her　face；　he　dohe　likes　to　wind　a　woman　up　and
to　wound　her　down。〃　　（Mrs　Jupp　pronounced　〃wound〃　as　though　it
rhymed　to　〃sound。〃）　　〃It's　a　gentleman's　place　to　soothe　a　woman；
but　he；　he'd　like　to　tear　her　hair　out　by　handfuls。　　Why；　he　told　me
to　my　face　that　I　was　a…getting　old；　old　indeed！　there's　not　a　woman
in　London　knows　my　age　except　Mrs　Davis　down　in　the　Old　Kent　Road；
and　beyond　a　haricot　vein　in　one　of　my　legs　I'm　as　young　as　ever　I
was。　　Old　indeed！　　There's　many　a　good　tune　played　on　an　old　fiddle。
I　hate　his　nasty　insinuendos。〃

Even　if　I　had　wanted