wasted in dingy ante…rooms （and of all anterooms those of editors
appear to me to be the dreariest）； he got a bona fide offer of
employment from one of the first class weekly papers through an
introduction I was able to get for him from one who had powerful
influence with the paper in question。 The editor sent him a dozen
long books upon varied and difficult subjects； and told him to
review them in a single article within a week。 In one book there
was an editorial note to the effect that the writer was to be
condemned。 Ernest particularly admired the book he was desired to
condemn； and feeling how hopeless it was for him to do anything like
justice to the books submitted to him； returned them to the editor。
At last one paper did actually take a dozen or so of articles from
him； and gave him cash down a couple of guineas apiece for them； but
having done this it expired within a fortnight after the last of
Ernest's articles had appeared。 It certainly looked very much as if
the other editors knew their business in declining to have anything
to do with my unlucky godson。
I was not sorry that he failed with periodical literature； for
writing for reviews or newspapers is bad training for one who may
aspire to write works of more permanent interest。 A young writer
should have more time for reflection than he can get as a
contributor to the daily or even weekly press。 Ernest himself；
however； was chagrined at finding how unmarketable he was。 〃Why；〃
he said to me； 〃If I was a well…bred horse； or sheep； or a pure…bred
pigeon or lop…eared rabbit I should be more saleable。 If I was even
a cathedral in a colonial town people would give me something； but
as it is they do not want me〃； and now that he was well and rested
he wanted to set up a shop again； but this； of course； I would not
hear of。
〃What care I；〃 said he to me one day； 〃about being what they call a
gentleman？〃 And his manner was almost fierce。
〃What has being a gentleman ever done for me except make me less
able to prey and more easy to be preyed upon？ It has changed the
manner of my being swindled； that is all。 But for your kindness to
me I should be penniless。 Thank heaven I have placed my children
where I have。〃
I begged him to keep quiet a little longer and not talk about taking
a shop。
〃Will being a gentleman；〃 he said； 〃bring me money at the last； and
will anything bring me as much peace at the last as money will？
They say that those who have riches enter hardly into the kingdom of
Heaven。 By Jove； they do； they are like Struldbrugs； they live and
live and live and are happy for many a long year after they would
have entered into the kingdom of Heaven if they had been poor。 I
want to live long and to raise my children； if I see they would be
happier for the raising； that is what I want； and it is not what I
am doing now that will help me。 Being a gentleman is a luxury which
I cannot afford； therefore I do not want it。 Let me go back to my
shop again； and do things for people which they want done and will
pay me for doing for them。 They know what they want and what is
good for them better than I can tell them。〃
It was hard to deny the soundness of this； and if he had been
dependent only on the 300 pounds a year which he was getting from me
I should have advised him to open his shop again next morning。 As
it was； I temporised and raised obstacles； and quieted him from time
to time as best I could。
Of course he read Mr Darwin's books as fast as they came out and
adopted evolution as an article of faith。 〃It seems to me；〃 he said
once； 〃that I am like one of those caterpillars which； if they have
been interrupted in making their hammock； must begin again from the
beginning。 So long as I went back a long way down in the social
scale I got on all right； and should have made money but for Ellen；
when I try to take up the work at a higher stage I fail completely。〃
I do not know whether the analogy holds good or not； but I am sure
Ernest's instinct was right in telling him that after a heavy fall
he had better begin life again at a very low stage； and as I have
just said； I would have let him go back to his shop if I had not
known what I did。
As the time fixed upon by his aunt drew nearer I prepared him more
and more for what was coming； and at last； on his twenty…eighth
birthday； I was able to tell him all and to show him the letter
signed by his aunt upon her death…bed to the effect that I was to
hold the money in trust for him。 His birthday happened that year
（1863） to be on a Sunday； but on the following day I transferred his
shares into his own name； and presented him with the account books
which he had been keeping for the last year and a half。
In spite of all that I had done to prepare him； it was a long while
before I could get him actually to believe that the money was his
own。 He did not say muchno more did I； for I am not sure that I
did not feel as much moved at having brought my long trusteeship to
a satisfactory conclusion as Ernest did at finding himself owner of
more than 70；000 pounds。 When he did speak it was to jerk out a
sentence or two of reflection at a time。 〃If I were rendering this
moment in music；〃 he said； 〃I should allow myself free use of the
augmented sixth。〃 A little later I remember his saying with a laugh
that had something of a family likeness to his aunt's： 〃It is not
the pleasure it causes me which I enjoy so； it is the pain it will
cause to all my friends except yourself and Towneley。〃
I said： 〃You cannot tell your father and motherit would drive
them mad。〃
〃No； no； no；〃 said he； 〃it would be too cruel； it would be like
Isaac offering up Abraham and no thicket with a ram in it near at
hand。 Besides why should I？ We have cut each other these four
years。〃
CHAPTER LXXXII
It almost seemed as though our casual mention of Theobald and
Christina had in some way excited them from a dormant to an active
state。 During the years that had elapsed since they last appeared
upon the scene they had remained at Battersby； and had concentrated
their affection upon their other children。
It had been a bitter pill to Theobald to lose his power of plaguing
his first…born； if the truth were known I believe he had felt this
more acutely than any disgrace which might have been shed upon him
by Ernest's imprisonment。 He had made one or two attempts to reopen
negotiations through me； but I never said anything about them to
Ernest； for I knew it would upset him。 I wrote； however； to
Theobald that I had found his son inexorable； and recommended him
for the present； at any rate； to desist from returning to the
subject。 This I thought would be at once what Ernest would like
best and Theobald least。
A few days； however； after Ernest had come into his property； I
received a letter from Theobald enclosing one for Ernest which I
could not withhold。
The letter ran thus：…
〃To my son Ernest；Although you have more than once rejected my
overtures I appeal yet again to your better nature。 Your mother；
who has long been ailing； is； I believe； near her end； she is unable
to keep anything on her stomach； and Dr Martin holds out but little
hopes of her recovery。 She has expressed a wish to see you； and
says she knows you will not refuse to come to her； which；
considering her condition； I am unwilling to suppose you will。
〃I remit you a Post Office order for your fare； and will pay your
return journey。
〃If you want clothes to come in； order what you consider suitable；
and desire that the bill be sent to me； I will pay it immediately；
to an amount not exceeding eight or nine pounds； and if you will let
me know what train you will come by； I will send the carriage to
meet you。 Believe me； Your affectionate father； T。 PONTIFEX。〃
Of course there could be no hesitation on Ernest's part。 He could
afford to smile now at his father's offering to pay for his clothes；
and his sending him a Post Office order for the exact price of a
second…class ticket； and he was of course shocked at learning the
state his mother was said to be in； and touched at her desire to see
him。 He telegraphed that he would come down at once。 I saw him a
little before he started； and was pleased to see how well his tailor
had done by him。 Towneley himself could not have been appointed
more becomingly。 His portmanteau； his railway wrapper； everything
he had about him； was in keeping。 I thought he had grown much
better…looking than he had been at two or three and twenty。 His
year and a half of peace had effaced all the ill effects of his
previous suffering； and now that he had become actually rich there
was an air of insouciance and good humour upon his face； as of a man
with whom everything was going perfectly right； which would have
made a much plainer man good…looking。 I was proud of him and
delighted with him。 〃I am sure；〃 I said to myself； 〃that whatever
else he may do； he will never marry again。〃
The journey was a painful one。 As he drew near to the station and
caught sight of each familiar feature； so strong was the force of
association that he felt as though his coming into his aunt's money
had been a dream； and he were again returning to his father's house
as he had returned to it from Cambridge for the vacations。 Do what
he would； the old dull weight of home…sickness began to oppress him；
his heart beat fast as he thought of his approaching meeting with
his father and mother； 〃and I shall have；〃 he said to himself； 〃to
kiss Charlotte。〃
Would his father meet him at the station？ Would he greet him as
though nothing had happened； or would he be cold and distant？ How；
again； would he take the news of his son's good fortune？ As the
train drew up to the platform； Ernest's eye ran hurriedly over the
few people who were in the station。 His father's well…known form
was not among them； but on the other side of the palings which
divided the station yard from the platform； he saw the pony
carriage； looking； as he thought； rather shabby； and recognised his
father's coachman。 In a few minutes more he was in the carriage
driving towards Battersby。 He could not help smiling as h