the way of all flesh-第86部分

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teeth。　　It　was　a　sin　to　bury　her　in　her　teeth。〃

I　only　knew　of　one　thing　at　which　she　professes　to　be　shocked。　　It
is　that　her　son　Tom　and　his　wife　Topsy　are　teaching　the　baby　to
swear。　　〃Oh！　it's　too　dreadful　awful；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　don't　know
the　meaning　of　the　words；　but　I　tell　him　he's　a　drunken　sot。〃　　I
believe　the　old　woman　in　reality　rather　likes　it。

〃But　surely；　Mrs　Jupp；〃　said　I；　〃Tom's　wife　used　not　to　be　Topsy。
You　used　to　speak　of　her　as　Pheeb。〃

〃Ah！　yes；〃　she　answered；　〃but　Pheeb　behaved　bad；　and　it's　Topsy
now。〃

Ernest's　daughter　Alice　married　the　boy　who　had　been　her　playmate
more　than　a　year　ago。　　Ernest　gave　them　all　they　said　they　wanted
and　a　good　deal　more。　　They　have　already　presented　him　with　a
grandson；　and　I　doubt　not；　will　do　so　with　many　more。　　Georgie
though　only　twenty…one　is　owner　of　a　fine　steamer　which　his　father
has　bought　for　him。　　He　began　when　about　thirteen　going　with　old
Rollings　and　Jack　in　the　barge　from　Rochester　to　the　upper　Thames
with　bricks；　then　his　father　bought　him　and　Jack　barges　of　their
own；　and　then　he　bought　them　both　ships；　and　then　steamers。　　I　do
not　exactly　know　how　people　make　money　by　having　a　steamer；　but　he
does　whatever　is　usual；　and　from　all　I　can　gather　makes　it　pay
extremely　well。　　He　is　a　good　deal　like　his　father　in　the　face；　but
without　a　sparkso　far　as　I　have　been　able　to　observeany　literary
ability；　he　has　a　fair　sense　of　humour　and　abundance　of　common
sense；　but　his　instinct　is　clearly　a　practical　one。　　I　am　not　sure
that　he　does　not　put　me　in　mind　almost　more　of　what　Theobald　would
have　been　if　he　had　been　a　sailor；　than　of　Ernest。　　Ernest　used　to
go　down　to　Battersby　and　stay　with　his　father　for　a　few　days　twice　a
year　until　Theobald's　death；　and　the　pair　continued　on　excellent
terms；　in　spite　of　what　the　neighbouring　clergy　call　〃the　atrocious
books　which　Mr　Ernest　Pontifex〃　has　written。　　Perhaps　the　harmony；
or　rather　absence　of　discord　which　subsisted　between　the　pair　was
due　to　the　fact　that　Theobald　had　never　looked　into　the　inside　of
one　of　his　son's　works；　and　Ernest；　of　course；　never　alluded　to　them
in　his　father's　presence。　　The　pair；　as　I　have　said；　got　on
excellently；　but　it　was　doubtless　as　well　that　Ernest's　visits　were
short　and　not　too　frequent。　　Once　Theobald　wanted　Ernest　to　bring
his　children；　but　Ernest　knew　they　would　not　like　it；　so　this　was
not　done。

Sometimes　Theobald　came　up　to　town　on　small　business　matters　and
paid　a　visit　to　Ernest's　chambers；　he　generally　brought　with　him　a
couple　of　lettuces；　or　a　cabbage；　or　half…a…dozen　turnips　done　up　in
a　piece　of　brown　paper；　and　told　Ernest　that　he　knew　fresh
vegetables　were　rather　hard　to　get　in　London；　and　he　had　brought　him
some。　　Ernest　had　often　explained　to　him　that　the　vegetables　were　of
no　use　to　him；　and　that　he　had　rather　he　would　not　bring　them；　but
Theobald　persisted；　I　believe　through　sheer　love　of　doing　something
which　his　son　did　not　like；　but　which　was　too　small　to　take　notice
of。

He　lived　until　about　twelve　months　ago；　when　he　was　found　dead　in
his　bed　on　the　morning　after　having　written　the　following　letter　to
his　son：…


〃Dear　Ernest；I've　nothing　particular　to　write　about；　but　your
letter　has　been　lying　for　some　days　in　the　limbo　of　unanswered
letters；　to　wit　my　pocket；　and　it's　time　it　was　answered。

〃I　keep　wonderfully　well　and　am　able　to　walk　my　five　or　six　miles
with　comfort；　but　at　my　age　there's　no　knowing　how　long　it　will
last；　and　time　flies　quickly。　　I　have　been　busy　potting　plants　all
the　morning；　but　this　afternoon　is　wet。

〃What　is　this　horrid　Government　going　to　do　with　Ireland？　　I　don't
exactly　wish　they'd　blow　up　Mr　Gladstone；　but　if　a　mad　bull　would
chivy　him　there；　and　he　would　never　come　back　any　more；　I　should　not
be　sorry。　　Lord　Hartington　is　not　exactly　the　man　I　should　like　to
set　in　his　place；　but　he　would　be　immeasurably　better　than
Gladstone。

〃I　miss　your　sister　Charlotte　more　than　I　can　express。　　She　kept　my
household　accounts；　and　I　could　pour　out　to　her　all　little　worries；
and　now　that　Joey　is　married　too；　I　don't　know　what　I　should　do　if
one　or　other　of　them　did　not　come　sometimes　and　take　care　of　me。　　My
only　comfort　is　that　Charlotte　will　make　her　husband　happy；　and　that
he　is　as　nearly　worthy　of　her　as　a　husband　can　well　be。Believe　me；
Your　affectionate　father；

〃THEOBALD　PONTIFEX。〃


I　may　say　in　passing　that　though　Theobald　speaks　of　Charlotte's
marriage　as　though　it　were　recent；　it　had　really　taken　place　some
six　years　previously；　she　being　then　about　thirty…eight　years　old；
and　her　husband　about　seven　years　younger。

There　was　no　doubt　that　Theobald　passed　peacefully　away　during　his
sleep。　　Can　a　man　who　died　thus　be　said　to　have　died　at　all？　　He　has
presented　the　phenomena　of　death　to　other　people；　but　in　respect　of
himself　he　has　not　only　not　died；　but　has　not　even　thought　that　he
was　going　to　die。　　This　is　not　more　than　half　dying；　but　then
neither　was　his　life　more　than　half　living。　　He　presented　so　many　of
the　phenomena　of　living　that　I　suppose　on　the　whole　it　would　be　less
trouble　to　think　of　him　as　having　been　alive　than　as　never　having
been　born　at　all；　but　this　is　only　possible　because　association　does
not　stick　to　the　strict　letter　of　its　bond。

This；　however；　was　not　the　general　verdict　concerning　him；　and　the
general　verdict　is　often　the　truest。

Ernest　was　overwhelmed　with　expressions　of　condolence　and　respect
for　his　father's　memory。　　〃He　never；〃　said　Dr　Martin；　the　old　doctor
who　brought　Ernest　into　the　world；　〃spoke　an　ill　word　against
anyone。　　He　was　not　only　liked；　he　was　beloved　by　all　who　had
anything　to　do　with　him。〃

〃A　more　perfectly　just　and　righteously　dealing　man；〃　said　the　family
solicitor；　〃I　have　never　had　anything　to　do　withnor　one　more
punctual　in　the　discharge　of　every　business　obligation。〃

〃We　shall　miss　him　sadly；〃　the　bishop　wrote　to　Joey　in　the　very
warmest　terms。　　The　poor　were　in　consternation。　　〃The　well's　never
missed；〃　said　one　old　woman；　〃till　it's　dry；〃　and　she　only　said　what
everyone　else　felt。　　Ernest　knew　that　the　general　regret　was
unaffected　as　for　a　loss　which　could　not　be　easily　repaired。　　He
felt　that　there　were　only　three　people　in　the　world　who　joined
insincerely　in　the　tribute　of　applause；　and　these　were　the　very
three　who　could　least　show　their　want　of　sympathy。　　I　mean　Joey；
Charlotte；　and　himself。　　He　felt　bitter　against　himself　for　being　of
a　mind　with　either　Joey　or　Charlotte　upon　any　subject；　and　thankful
that　he　must　conceal　his　being　so　as　far　as　possible；　not　because　of
anything　his　father　had　done　to　himthese　grievances　were　too　old
to　be　remembered　nowbut　because　he　would　never　allow　him　to　feel
towards　him　as　he　was　always　trying　to　feel。　　As　long　as
communication　was　confined　to　the　merest　commonplace　all　went　well；
but　if　these　were　departed　from　ever　such　a　little　he　invariably
felt　that　his　father's　instincts　showed　themselves　in　immediate
opposition　to　his　own。　　When　he　was　attacked　his　father　laid
whatever　stress　was　possible　on　everything　which　his　opponents　said。
If　he　met　with　any　check　his　father　was　clearly　pleased。　　What　the
old　doctor　had　said　about　Theobald's　speaking　ill　of　no　man　was
perfectly　true　as　regards　others　than　himself；　but　he　knew　very　well
that　no　one　had　injured　his　reputation　in　a　quiet　way；　so　far　as　he
dared　to　do；　more　than　his　own　father。　　This　is　a　very　common　case
and　a　very　natural　one。　　It　often　happens　that　if　the　son　is　right；
the　father　is　wrong；　and　the　father　is　not　going　to　have　this　if　he
can　help　it。

It　was　very　hard；　however；　to　say　what　was　the　true　root　of　the
mischief　in　the　present　case。　　It　was　not　Ernest's　having　been
imprisoned。　　Theobald　forgot　all　about　that　much　sooner　than　nine
fathers　out　of　ten　would　have　done。　　Partly；　no　doubt；　it　was　due　to
incompatibility　of　temperament；　but　I　believe　the　main　ground　of
complaint　lay　in　the　fact　that　he　had　been　so　independent　and　so
rich　while　still　very　young；　and　that　thus　the　old　gentleman　had
been　robbed　of　his　power　to　tease　and　scratch　in　the　way　which　he
felt　he　was　entitled　to　do。　　The　love　of　teasing　in　a　small　way　when
he　felt　safe　in　doing　so　had　remained　part　of　his　nature　from　the
days　when　he　told　his　nurse　that　he　would　keep　her　on　purpose　to
torment　her。　　I　suppose　it　is　so　with　all　of　us。　　At　any　rate　I　am
sure　that　most　fathers；　especially　if　they　are　clergymen；　are　like
Theobald。

He　did　not　in　reality；　I　am　convinced；　like　Joey　or　Charlotte　one
whit　better　than　he　liked　Ernest。　　He　did　not　like　anyone　or
anything；　or　if　he　liked　anyone　at　all　it　was　his　butler；　who　looked
after　him　when　he　was　not　well；　and　took　great　care　of　him　and
believed　him　to　be　the　best　and　ablest　man　in　the　whole　world。
Whether　this　faithful　and　attached　servant　continued　to　think　this
after　Theobald's　will　was　opened　and　it　was　found　what　kind　of
legacy　had　been　left　him　I　know　not。　　Of　his　children；　the　baby　who
had　died　at　a　day　old　was　the　only　one　whom　he　held　to　have　treated
him　quite　filially。　　As　for　Christina　he　hardly　ever　pretended　to
miss　her　and　never　mentioned　her　name；　but　this　was　taken　as　a　proof
that　he　felt　her　loss　too　keenly　to　be　able　ever　to　speak　of　her。
It　may　have　been　so；　but　I　do　not　think　it。

Theobald's　effects　were　sold　by　auction；　and　among　them　the　Harmony
of　the　Old　and　New　Testaments　which　he　had　compiled　during　many
years　with　such　exquisite　neatness　and　a　huge　collection　of　MS。
sermonsbeing　all　in　fact　that　he　had　ever　written。　　These　and　the
Harmony　fetched　ninepence　a　barrow　load。　　I　was　surprised　to　hear
that　Joey　had　not　given　the　three　or　four　shillings　which　would　have
bought　the　whole　lot；　but　Ernest　tells　me　that　Joey　was　far　fiercer
in　his　dislike　of　his　father　than　ever　he　had　been　himself；　and
wished　to　get　rid　of　everything　that　reminded　him　of　him。

It　has　already　appeared　that　both　Joey　and　Charlotte　are　married。
Joey　has　a　family；　but　he　and　Ernest　very　rarely　have　any
intercourse。　　Of　course；　Ernest　took　nothing　under　his　father's
will；　this　had　long　been　understood；　so　that　the　other　two　are　both
well　provided　for。

Charlotte　is　as　clever　as　ev