the way of all flesh-第58部分

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was。　　Old　indeed！　　There's　many　a　good　tune　played　on　an　old　fiddle。
I　hate　his　nasty　insinuendos。〃

Even　if　I　had　wanted　to　stop　her；　I　could　not　have　done　so。　　She
said　a　great　deal　more　than　I　have　given　above。　　I　have　left　out
much　because　I　could　not　remember　it；　but　still　more　because　it　was
really　impossible　for　me　to　print　it。

When　we　got　to　the　police　station　I　found　Towneley　and　Ernest
already　there。　　The　charge　was　one　of　assault；　but　not　aggravated　by
serious　violence。　　Even　so；　however；　it　was　lamentable　enough；　and
we　both　saw　that　our　young　friend　would　have　to　pay　dearly　for　his
inexperience。　　We　tried　to　bail　him　out　for　the　night；　but　the
Inspector　would　not　accept　bail；　so　we　were　forced　to　leave　him。

Towneley　then　went　back　to　Mrs　Jupp's　to　see　if　he　could　find　Miss
Maitland　and　arrange　matters　with　her。　　She　was　not　there；　but　he
traced　her　to　the　house　of　her　father；　who　lived　at　Camberwell。　　The
father　was　furious　and　would　not　hear　of　any　intercession　on
Towneley's　part。　　He　was　a　Dissenter；　and　glad　to　make　the　most　of
any　scandal　against　a　clergyman；　Towneley；　therefore；　was　obliged　to
return　unsuccessful。

Next　morning；　Towneleywho　regarded　Ernest　as　a　drowning　man；　who
must　be　picked　out　of　the　water　somehow　or　other　if　possible；
irrespective　of　the　way　in　which　he　got　into　itcalled　on　me；　and
we　put　the　matter　into　the　hands　of　one　of　the　best　known　attorneys
of　the　day。　　I　was　greatly　pleased　with　Towneley；　and　thought　it　due
to　him　to　tell　him　what　I　had　told　no　one　else。　　I　mean　that　Ernest
would　come　into　his　aunt's　money　in　a　few　years'　time；　and　would
therefore　then　be　rich。

Towneley　was　doing　all　he　could　before　this；　but　I　knew　that　the
knowledge　I　had　imparted　to　him　would　make　him　feel　as　though　Ernest
was　more　one　of　his　own　class；　and　had　therefore　a　greater　claim
upon　his　good　offices。　　As　for　Ernest　himself；　his　gratitude　was
greater　than　could　be　expressed　in　words。　　I　have　heard　him　say　that
he　can　call　to　mind　many　moments；　each　one　of　which　might　well　pass
for　the　happiest　of　his　life；　but　that　this　night　stands　clearly　out
as　the　most　painful　that　he　ever　passed；　yet　so　kind　and　considerate
was　Towneley　that　it　was　quite　bearable。

But　with　all　the　best　wishes　in　the　world　neither　Towneley　nor　I
could　do　much　to　help　beyond　giving　our　moral　support。　　Our　attorney
told　us　that　the　magistrate　before　whom　Ernest　would　appear　was　very
severe　on　cases　of　this　description；　and　that　the　fact　of　his　being
a　clergyman　would　tell　against　him。　　〃Ask　for　no　remand；〃　he　said；
〃and　make　no　defence。　　We　will　call　Mr　Pontifex's　rector　and　you　two
gentlemen　as　witnesses　for　previous　good　character。　　These　will　be
enough。　　Let　us　then　make　a　profound　apology　and　beg　the　magistrate
to　deal　with　the　case　summarily　instead　of　sending　it　for　trial。　　If
you　can　get　this；　believe　me；　your　young　friend　will　be　better　out
of　it　than　he　has　any　right　to　expect。〃



CHAPTER　LXII



This　advice；　besides　being　obviously　sensible；　would　end　in　saving
Ernest　both　time　and　suspense　of　mind；　so　we　had　no　hesitation　in
adopting　it。　　The　case　was　called　on　about　eleven　o'clock；　but　we
got　it　adjourned　till　three；　so　as　to　give　time　for　Ernest　to　set
his　affairs　as　straight　as　he　could；　and　to　execute　a　power　of
attorney　enabling　me　to　act　for　him　as　I　should　think　fit　while　he
was　in　prison。

Then　all　came　out　about　Pryer　and　the　College　of　Spiritual
Pathology。　　Ernest　had　even　greater　difficulty　in　making　a　clean
breast　of　this　than　he　had　had　in　telling　us　about　Miss　Maitland；
but　he　told　us　all；　and　the　upshot　was　that　he　had　actually　handed
over　to　Pryer　every　halfpenny　that　he　then　possessed　with　no　other
security　than　Pryer's　I。O。U。's　for　the　amount。　　Ernest；　though　still
declining　to　believe　that　Pryer　could　be　guilty　of　dishonourable
conduct；　was　becoming　alive　to　the　folly　of　what　he　had　been　doing；
he　still　made　sure；　however；　of　recovering；　at　any　rate；　the　greater
part　of　his　property　as　soon　as　Pryer　should　have　had　time　to　sell。
Towneley　and　I　were　of　a　different　opinion；　but　we　did　not　say　what
we　thought。

It　was　dreary　work　waiting　all　the　morning　amid　such　unfamiliar　and
depressing　surroundings。　　I　thought　how　the　Psalmist　had　exclaimed
with　quiet　irony；　〃One　day　in　thy　courts　is　better　than　a　thousand；〃
and　I　thought　that　I　could　utter　a　very　similar　sentiment　in　respect
of　the　Courts　in　which　Towneley　and　I　were　compelled　to　loiter。　　At
last；　about　three　o'clock　the　case　was　called　on；　and　we　went　round
to　the　part　of　the　court　which　is　reserved　for　the　general　public；
while　Ernest　was　taken　into　the　prisoner's　dock。　　As　soon　as　he　had
collected　himself　sufficiently　he　recognised　the　magistrate　as　the
old　gentleman　who　had　spoken　to　him　in　the　train　on　the　day　he　was
leaving　school；　and　saw；　or　thought　he　saw；　to　his　great　grief；　that
he　too　was　recognised。

Mr　Ottery；　for　this　was　our　attorney's　name；　took　the　line　he　had
proposed。　　He　called　no　other　witnesses　than　the　rector；　Towneley
and　myself；　and　threw　himself　on　the　mercy　of　the　magistrate。　　When
he　had　concluded；　the　magistrate　spoke　as　follows：　　〃Ernest
Pontifex；　yours　is　one　of　the　most　painful　cases　that　I　have　ever
had　to　deal　with。　　You　have　been　singularly　favoured　in　your
parentage　and　education。　　You　have　had　before　you　the　example　of
blameless　parents；　who　doubtless　instilled　into　you　from　childhood
the　enormity　of　the　offence　which　by　your　own　confession　you　have
committed。　　You　were　sent　to　one　of　the　best　public　schools　in
England。　　It　is　not　likely　that　in　the　healthy　atmosphere　of　such　a
school　as　Roughborough　you　can　have　come　across　contaminating
influences；　you　were　probably；　I　may　say　certainly；　impressed　at
school　with　the　heinousness　of　any　attempt　to　depart　from　the
strictest　chastity　until　such　time　as　you　had　entered　into　a　state
of　matrimony。　　At　Cambridge　you　were　shielded　from　impurity　by　every
obstacle　which　virtuous　and　vigilant　authorities　could　devise；　and
even　had　the　obstacles　been　fewer；　your　parents　probably　took　care
that　your　means　should　not　admit　of　your　throwing　money　away　upon
abandoned　characters。　　At　night　proctors　patrolled　the　street　and
dogged　your　steps　if　you　tried　to　go　into　any　haunt　where　the
presence　of　vice　was　suspected。　　By　day　the　females　who　were
admitted　within　the　college　walls　were　selected　mainly　on　the　score
of　age　and　ugliness。　　It　is　hard　to　see　what　more　can　be　done　for
any　young　man　than　this。　　For　the　last　four　or　five　months　you　have
been　a　clergyman；　and　if　a　single　impure　thought　had　still　remained
within　your　mind；　ordination　should　have　removed　it：　　nevertheless；
not　only　does　it　appear　that　your　mind　is　as　impure　as　though　none
of　the　influences　to　which　I　have　referred　had　been　brought　to　bear
upon　it；　but　it　seems　as　though　their　only　result　had　been　this
that　you　have　not　even　the　common　sense　to　be　able　to　distinguish
between　a　respectable　girl　and　a　prostitute。

〃If　I　were　to　take　a　strict　view　of　my　duty　I　should　commit　you　for
trial；　but　in　consideration　of　this　being　your　first　offence；　I
shall　deal　leniently　with　you　and　sentence　you　to　imprisonment　with
hard　labour　for　six　calendar　months。〃

Towneley　and　I　both　thought　there　was　a　touch　of　irony　in　the
magistrate's　speech；　and　that　he　could　have　given　a　lighter　sentence
if　he　would；　but　that　was　neither　here　nor　there。　　We　obtained　leave
to　see　Ernest　for　a　few　minutes　before　he　was　removed　to　Coldbath
Fields；　where　he　was　to　serve　his　term；　and　found　him　so　thankful　to
have　been　summarily　dealt　with　that　he　hardly　seemed　to　care　about
the　miserable　plight　in　which　he　was　to　pass　the　next　six　months。
When　he　came　out；　he　said；　he　would　take　what　remained　of　his　money；
go　off　to　America　or　Australia　and　never　be　heard　of　more。

We　left　him　full　of　this　resolve；　I；　to　write　to　Theobald；　and　also
to　instruct　my　solicitor　to　get　Ernest's　money　out　of　Pryer's　hands；
and　Towneley　to　see　the　reporters　and　keep　the　case　out　of　the
newspapers。　　He　was　successful　as　regards　all　the　higher…class
papers。　　There　was　only　one　journal；　and　that　of　the　lowest　class；
which　was　incorruptible。



CHAPTER　LXIII



I　saw　my　solicitor　at　once；　but　when　I　tried　to　write　to　Theobald；　I
found　it　better　to　say　I　would　run　down　and　see　him。　　I　therefore
proposed　this；　asking　him　to　meet　me　at　the　station；　and　hinting
that　I　must　bring　bad　news　about　his　son。　　I　knew　he　would　not　get
my　letter　more　than　a　couple　of　hours　before　I　should　see　him；　and
thought　the　short　interval　of　suspense　might　break　the　shock　of　what
I　had　to　say。

Never　do　I　remember　to　have　halted　more　between　two　opinions　than　on
my　journey　to　Battersby　upon　this　unhappy　errand。　　When　I　thought　of
the　little　sallow…faced　lad　whom　I　had　remembered　years　before；　of
the　long　and　savage　cruelty　with　which　he　had　been　treated　in
childhoodcruelty　none　the　less　real　for　having　been　due　to
ignorance　and　stupidity　rather　than　to　deliberate　malice；　of　the
atmosphere　of　lying　and　self…laudatory　hallucination　in　which　he　had
been　brought　up；　of　the　readiness　the　boy　had　shown　to　love　anything
that　would　be　good　enough　to　let　him；　and　of　how　affection　for　his
parents；　unless　I　am　much　mistaken；　had　only　died　in　him　because　it
had　been　killed　anew；　again　and　again　and　again；　each　time　that　it
had　tried　to　spring。　　When　I　thought　of　all　this　I　felt　as　though；
if　the　matter　had　rested　with　me；　I　would　have　sentenced　Theobald
and　Christina　to　mental　suffering　even　more　severe　than　that　which
was　about　to　fall　upon　them。　　But　on　the　other　hand；　when　I　thought
of　Theobald's　own　childhood；　of　that　dreadful　old　George　Pontifex
his　father；　of　John　and　Mrs　John；　and　of　his　two　sisters；　when　again
I　thought　of　Christina's　long　years　of　hope　deferred　that　maketh　the
heart　sick；　before　she　was　married；　of　the　life　she　must　have　led　at
Crampsford；　and　of　the　surroundings　in　the　midst　of　which　she　and
her　husband　both　lived　at　Battersby；　I　felt　as　though　the　wonder　was
that　misfortunes　so　persistent　had　not　been　followed　by　even　graver
retribution。

Poor　people！　　They　had　tried　to　keep　their　ignorance　of　the　world
from