the way of all flesh-第66部分

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Cordially　as　I　disliked　Theobald　and　Christina；　I　was　in　such　a
hopeless　minority　in　the　opinion　I　had　formed　concerning　them　that
it　was　pleasant　to　find　someone　who　agreed　with　me。

Then　there　came　an　awful　moment　for　both　of　us。

A　knock；　as　of　a　visitor　and　not　a　postman；　was　heard　at　my　door。

〃Goodness　gracious；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃why　didn't　we　sport　the　oak？
Perhaps　it　is　your　father。　　But　surely　he　would　hardly　come　at　this
time　of　day！　　Go　at　once　into　my　bedroom。〃

I　went　to　the　door；　and；　sure　enough；　there　were　both　Theobald　and
Christina。　　I　could　not　refuse　to　let　them　in　and　was　obliged　to
listen　to　their　version　of　the　story；　which　agreed　substantially
with　Ernest's。　　Christina　cried　bitterlyTheobald　stormed。　　After
about　ten　minutes；　during　which　I　assured　them　that　I　had　not　the
faintest　conception　where　their　son　was；　I　dismissed　them　both。　　I
saw　they　looked　suspiciously　upon　the　manifest　signs　that　someone
was　breakfasting　with　me；　and　parted　from　me　more　or　less　defiantly；
but　I　got　rid　of　them；　and　poor　Ernest　came　out　again；　looking
white；　frightened　and　upset。　　He　had　heard　voices；　but　no　more；　and
did　not　feel　sure　that　the　enemy　might　not　be　gaining　over　me。　　We
sported　the　oak　now；　and　before　long　he　began　to　recover。

After　breakfast；　we　discussed　the　situation。　　I　had　taken　away　his
wardrobe　and　books　from　Mrs　Jupp's；　but　had　left　his　furniture；
pictures　and　piano；　giving　Mrs　Jupp　the　use　of　these；　so　that　she
might　let　her　room　furnished；　in　lieu　of　charge　for　taking　care　of
the　furniture。　　As　soon　as　Ernest　heard　that　his　wardrobe　was　at
hand；　he　got　out　a　suit　of　clothes　he　had　had　before　he　had　been
ordained；　and　put　it　on　at　once；　much；　as　I　thought；　to　the
improvement　of　his　personal　appearance。

Then　we　went　into　the　subject　of　his　finances。　　He　had　had　ten
pounds　from　Pryer　only　a　day　or　two　before　he　was　apprehended；　of
which　between　seven　and　eight　were　in　his　purse　when　he　entered　the
prison。　　This　money　was　restored　to　him　on　leaving。　　He　had　always
paid　cash　for　whatever　he　bought；　so　that　there　was　nothing　to　be
deducted　for　debts。　　Besides　this；　he　had　his　clothes；　books　and
furniture。　　He　could；　as　I　have　said；　have　had　100　pounds　from　his
father　if　he　had　chosen　to　emigrate；　but　this　both　Ernest　and　I　（for
he　brought　me　round　to　his　opinion）　agreed　it　would　be　better　to
decline。　　This　was　all　he　knew　of　as　belonging　to　him。

He　said　he　proposed　at　once　taking　an　unfurnished　top　back　attic　in
as　quiet　a　house　as　he　could　find；　say　at　three　or　four　shillings　a
week；　and　looking　out　for　work　as　a　tailor。　　I　did　not　think　it　much
mattered　what　he　began　with；　for　I　felt　pretty　sure　he　would　ere
long　find　his　way　to　something　that　suited　him；　if　he　could　get　a
start　with　anything　at　all。　　The　difficulty　was　how　to　get　him
started。　　It　was　not　enough　that　he　should　be　able　to　cut　out　and
make　clothesthat　he　should　have　the　organs；　so　to　speak；　of　a
tailor；　he　must　be　put　into　a　tailor's　shop　and　guided　for　a　little
while　by　someone　who　knew　how　and　where　to　help　him。

The　rest　of　the　day　he　spent　in　looking　for　a　room；　which　he　soon
found；　and　in　familiarising　himself　with　liberty。　　In　the　evening　I
took　him　to　the　Olympic；　where　Robson　was　then　acting　in　a　burlesque
on　Macbeth；　Mrs　Keeley；　if　I　remember　rightly；　taking　the　part　of
Lady　Macbeth。　　In　the　scene　before　the　murder；　Macbeth　had　said　he
could　not　kill　Duncan　when　he　saw　his　boots　upon　the　landing。　　Lady
Macbeth　put　a　stop　to　her　husband's　hesitation　by　whipping　him　up
under　her　arm；　and　carrying　him　off　the　stage；　kicking　and
screaming。　　Ernest　laughed　till　he　cried。　　〃What　rot　Shakespeare　is
after　this；〃　he　exclaimed；　involuntarily。　　I　remembered　his　essay　on
the　Greek　tragedians；　and　was　more　I　epris　with　him　than　ever。

Next　day　he　set　about　looking　for　employment；　and　I　did　not　see　him
till　about　five　o'clock；　when　he　came　and　said　that　he　had　had　no
success。　　The　same　thing　happened　the　next　day　and　the　day　after
that。　　Wherever　he　went　he　was　invariably　refused　and　often　ordered
point　blank　out　of　the　shop；　I　could　see　by　the　expression　of　his
face；　though　he　said　nothing；　that　he　was　getting　frightened；　and
began　to　think　I　should　have　to　come　to　the　rescue。　　He　said　he　had
made　a　great　many　enquiries　and　had　always　been　told　the　same　story。
He　found　that　it　was　easy　to　keep　on　in　an　old　line；　but　very　hard
to　strike　out　into　a　new　one。

He　talked　to　the　fishmonger　in　Leather　Lane；　where　he　went　to　buy　a
bloater　for　his　tea；　casually　as　though　from　curiosity　and　without
any　interested　motive。　　〃Sell；〃　said　the　master　of　the　shop；　〃Why
nobody　wouldn't　believe　what　can　be　sold　by　penn'orths　and
twopenn'orths　if　you　go　the　right　way　to　work。　　Look　at　whelks；　for
instance。　　Last　Saturday　night　me　and　my　little　Emma　here；　we　sold　7
pounds　worth　of　whelks　between　eight　and　half　past　eleven　o'clock
and　almost　all　in　penn'orths　and　twopenn'orthsa　few；　hap'orths；
but　not　many。　　It　was　the　steam　that　did　it。　　We　kept　a…boiling　of
'em　hot　and　hot；　and　whenever　the　steam　came　strong　up　from　the
cellar　on　to　the　pavement；　the　people　bought；　but　whenever　the　steam
went　down　they　left　off　buying；　so　we　boiled　them　over　and　over
again　till　they　was　all　sold。　　That's　just　where　it　is；　if　you　know
your　business　you　can　sell；　if　you　don't　you'll　soon　make　a　mess　of
it。　　Why；　but　for　the　steam；　I　should　not　have　sold　10s。　worth　of
whelks　all　the　night　through。〃

This；　and　many　another　yarn　of　kindred　substance　which　he　heard　from
other　people　determined　Ernest　more　than　ever　to　stake　on　tailoring
as　the　one　trade　about　which　he　knew　anything　at　all；　nevertheless；
here　were　three　or　four　days　gone　by　and　employment　seemed　as　far
off　as　ever。

I　now　did　what　I　ought　to　have　done　before；　that　is　to　say；　I　called
on　my　own　tailor　whom　I　had　dealt　with　for　over　a　quarter　of　a
century　and　asked　his　advice。　　He　declared　Ernest's　plan　to　be
hopeless。　　〃If；〃　said　Mr　Larkins；　for　this　was　my　tailor's　name；　〃he
had　begun　at　fourteen；　it　might　have　done；　but　no　man　of　twenty…four
could　stand　being　turned　to　work　into　a　workshop　full　of　tailors；　he
would　not　get　on　with　the　men；　nor　the　men　with　him；　you　could　not
expect　him　to　be　'hail　fellow；　well　met'　with　them；　and　you　could
not　expect　his　fellow…workmen　to　like　him　if　he　was　not。　　A　man　must
have　sunk　low　through　drink　or　natural　taste　for　low　company；　before
he　could　get　on　with　those　who　have　had　such　a　different　training
from　his　own。〃

Mr　Larkins　said　a　great　deal　more　and　wound　up　by　taking　me　to　see
the　place　where　his　own　men　worked。　　〃This　is　a　paradise；〃　he　said；
〃compared　to　most　workshops。　　What　gentleman　could　stand　this　air；
think　you；　for　a　fortnight？〃

I　was　glad　enough　to　get　out　of　the　hot；　fetid　atmosphere　in　five
minutes；　and　saw　that　there　was　no　brick　of　Ernest's　prison　to　be
loosened　by　going　and　working　among　tailors　in　a　workshop。

Mr　Larkins　wound　up　by　saying　that　even　if　my　protege　were　a　much
better　workman　than　he　probably　was；　no　master　would　give　him
employment；　for　fear　of　creating　a　bother　among　the　men。

I　left；　feeling　that　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　all　this　myself；　and
was　more　than　ever　perplexed　as　to　whether　I　had　not　better　let　my
young　friend　have　a　few　thousand　pounds　and　send　him　out　to　the
colonies；　when；　on　my　return　home　at　about　five　o'clock；　I　found　him
waiting　for　me；　radiant；　and　declaring　that　he　had　found　all　he
wanted。



CHAPTER　LXXI



It　seems　he　had　been　patrolling　the　streets　for　the　last　three　or
four　nightsI　suppose　in　search　of　something　to　doat　any　rate
knowing　better　what　he　wanted　to　get　than　how　to　get　it。
Nevertheless；　what　he　wanted　was　in　reality　so　easily　to　be　found
that　it　took　a　highly　educated　scholar　like　himself　to　be　unable　to
find　it。　　But；　however　this　may　be；　he　had　been　scared；　and　now　saw
lions　where　there　were　none；　and　was　shocked　and　frightened；　and
night　after　night　his　courage　had　failed　him　and　he　had　returned　to
his　lodgings　in　Laystall　Street　without　accomplishing　his　errand。
He　had　not　taken　me　into　his　confidence　upon　this　matter；　and　I　had
not　enquired　what　he　did　with　himself　in　the　evenings。　　At　last　he
had　concluded　that；　however　painful　it　might　be　to　him；　he　would
call　on　Mrs　Jupp；　who　he　thought　would　be　able　to　help　him　if　anyone
could。　　He　had　been　walking　moodily　from　seven　till　about　nine；　and
now　resolved　to　go　straight　to　Ashpit　Place　and　make　a　mother
confessor　of　Mrs　Jupp　without　more　delay。

Of　all　tasks　that　could　be　performed　by　mortal　woman　there　was　none
which　Mrs　Jupp　would　have　liked　better　than　the　one　Ernest　was
thinking　of　imposing　upon　her；　nor　do　I　know　that　in　his　scared　and
broken…down　state　he　could　have　done　much　better　than　he　now
proposed。　　Miss　Jupp　would　have　made　it　very　easy　for　him　to　open
his　grief　to　her；　indeed；　she　would　have　coaxed　it　all　out　of　him
before　he　knew　where　he　was；　but　the　fates　were　against　Mrs　Jupp；
and　the　meeting　between　my　hero　and　his　former　landlady　was
postponed　sine　die；　for　his　determination　had　hardly　been　formed　and
he　had　not　gone　more　than　a　hundred　yards　in　the　direction　of　Mrs
Jupp's　house；　when　a　woman　accosted　him。

He　was　turning　from　her；　as　he　had　turned　from　so　many　others；　when
she　started　back　with　a　movement　that　aroused　his　curiosity。　　He　had
hardly　seen　her　face；　but　being　determined　to　catch　sight　of　it；
followed　her　as　she　hurried　away；　and　passed　her；　then　turning　round
he　saw　that　she　was　none　other　than　Ellen；　the　housemaid　who　had
been　dismissed　by　his　mother　eight　years　previously。

He　ought　to　have　assigned　Ellen's　unwillingness　to　see　him　to　its
true　cause；　but　a　guilty　conscience　made　him　think　she　had　heard　of
his　disgrace　and　was　turning　away　from　him　in　contempt。　　Brave　as
had　been　his　resolutions　about　facing　the　world；　this　was　more　than
he　was　prepared　for；　〃What！　you　too　shun　me；　Ellen？〃　he　exclaimed。

The　girl　was　crying　bitterly　and　did　not　understand　him。　　〃Oh；
Master　Ernest；〃　she　sobbed；　〃let　me　go；　you　are　too　good　for　the
likes　of　me　to　speak　to　now。〃

〃Why；　Ellen；〃　said　he；　〃what　nonsense　you　talk；　you　haven't　been　in
prison；　have　you？〃