the way of all flesh-第68章

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and　was　endeavouring　to　pass　him　without　doing　so　when　Towneley　saw
him　and　stopped　him　at　once；　being　pleased　to　see　an　old　Cambridge
face。　　He　seemed　for　the　moment　a　little　confused　at　being　seen　in
such　a　neighbourhood；　but　recovered　himself　so　soon　that　Ernest
hardly　noticed　it；　and　then　plunged　into　a　few　kindly　remarks　about
old　times。　　Ernest　felt　that　he　quailed　as　he　saw　Towneley's　eye
wander　to　his　white　necktie　and　saw　that　he　was　being　reckoned　up；
and　rather　disapprovingly　reckoned　up；　as　a　parson。　　It　was　the
merest　passing　shade　upon　Towneley's　face；　but　Ernest　had　felt　it。

Towneley　said　a　few　words　of　common　form　to　Ernest　about　his
profession　as　being　what　he　thought　would　be　most　likely　to　interest
him；　and　Ernest；　still　confused　and　shy；　gave　him　for　lack　of
something　better　to　say　his　little　threepenny…bit　about　poor　people
being　so　very　nice。　　Towneley　took　this　for　what　it　was　worth　and
nodded　assent；　whereon　Ernest　imprudently　went　further　and　said
〃Don't　you　like　poor　people　very　much　yourself？〃

Towneley　gave　his　face　a　comical　but　good…natured　screw；　and　said
quietly；　but　slowly　and　decidedly；　〃No；　no；　no；〃　and　escaped。

It　was　all　over　with　Ernest　from　that　moment。　　As　usual　he　did　not
know　it；　but　he　had　entered　none　the　less　upon　another　reaction。
Towneley　had　just　taken　Ernest's　threepenny…bit　into　his　hands；
looked　at　it　and　returned　it　to　him　as　a　bad　one。　　Why　did　he　see　in
a　moment　that　it　was　a　bad　one　now；　though　he　had　been　unable　to　see
it　when　he　had　taken　it　from　Pryer？　　Of　course　some　poor　people　were
very　nice；　and　always　would　be　so；　but　as　though　scales　had　fallen
suddenly　from　his　eyes　he　saw　that　no　one　was　nicer　for　being　poor；
and　that　between　the　upper　and　lower　classes　there　was　a　gulf　which
amounted　practically　to　an　impassable　barrier。

That　evening　he　reflected　a　good　deal。　　If　Towneley　was　right；　and
Ernest　felt　that　the　〃No〃　had　applied　not　to　the　remark　about　poor
people　only；　but　to　the　whole　scheme　and　scope　of　his　own　recently
adopted　ideas；　he　and　Pryer　must　surely　be　on　a　wrong　track。
Towneley　had　not　argued　with　him；　he　had　said　one　word　only；　and
that　one　of　the　shortest　in　the　language；　but　Ernest　was　in　a　fit
state　for　inoculation；　and　the　minute　particle　of　virus　set　about
working　immediately。

Which　did　he　now　think　was　most　likely　to　have　taken　the　juster　view
of　life　and　things；　and　whom　would　it　be　best　to　imitate；　Towneley
or　Pryer？　　His　heart　returned　answer　to　itself　without　a　moment's
hesitation。　　The　faces　of　men　like　Towneley　were　open　and　kindly；
they　looked　as　if　at　ease　themselves；　and　as　though　they　would　set
all　who　had　to　do　with　them　at　ease　as　far　as　might　be。　　The　faces
of　Pryer　and　his　friends　were　not　like　this。　　Why　had　he　felt
tacitly　rebuked　as　soon　as　he　had　met　Towneley？　　Was　he　not　a
Christian？　　Certainly；　he　believed　in　the　Church　of　England　as　a
matter　of　course。　　Then　how　could　he　be　himself　wrong　in　trying　to
act　up　to　the　faith　that　he　and　Towneley　held　in　common？　　He　was
trying　to　lead　a　quiet；　unobtrusive　life　of　self…devotion；　whereas
Towneley　was　not；　so　far　as　he　could　see；　trying　to　do　anything　of
the　kind；　he　was　only　trying　to　get　on　comfortably　in　the　world；　and
to　look　and　be　as　nice　as　possible。　　And　he　was　nice；　and　Ernest
knew　that　such　men　as　himself　and　Pryer　were　not　nice；　and　his　old
dejection　came　over　him。

Then　came　an　even　worse　reflection；　how　if　he　had　fallen　among
material　thieves　as　well　as　spiritual　ones？　　He　knew　very　little　of
how　his　money　was　going　on；　he　had　put　it　all　now　into　Pryer's
hands；　and　though　Pryer　gave　him　cash　to　spend　whenever　he　wanted
it；　he　seemed　impatient　of　being　questioned　as　to　what　was　being
done　with　the　principal。　　It　was　part　of　the　understanding；　he　said；
that　that　was　to　be　left　to　him；　and　Ernest　had　better　stick　to
this；　or　he；　Pryer；　would　throw　up　the　College　of　Spiritual
Pathology　altogether；　and　so　Ernest　was　cowed　into　acquiescence；　or
cajoled；　according　to　the　humour　in　which　Pryer　saw　him　to　be。
Ernest　thought　that　further　questions　would　look　as　if　he　doubted
Pryer's　word；　and　also　that　he　had　gone　too　far　to　be　able　to　recede
in　decency　or　honour。　　This；　however；　he　felt　was　riding　out　to　meet
trouble　unnecessarily。　　Pryer　had　been　a　little　impatient；　but　he
was　a　gentleman　and　an　admirable　man　of　business；　so　his　money　would
doubtless　come　back　to　him　all　right　some　day。

Ernest　comforted　himself　as　regards　this　last　source　of　anxiety；　but
as　regards　the　other；　he　began　to　feel　as　though；　if　he　was　to　be
saved；　a　good　Samaritan　must　hurry　up　from　somewherehe　knew　not
whence。



CHAPTER　LVIII



Next　day　he　felt　stronger　again。　　He　had　been　listening　to　the　voice
of　the　evil　one　on　the　night　before；　and　would　parley　no　more　with
such　thoughts。　　He　had　chosen　his　profession；　and　his　duty　was　to
persevere　with　it。　　If　he　was　unhappy　it　was　probably　because　he　was
not　giving　up　all　for　Christ。　　Let　him　see　whether　he　could　not　do
more　than　he　was　doing　now；　and　then　perhaps　a　light　would　be　shed
upon　his　path。

It　was　all　very　well　to　have　made　the　discovery　that　he　didn't　very
much　like　poor　people；　but　he　had　got　to　put　up　with　them；　for　it
was　among　them　that　his　work　must　lie。　　Such　men　as　Towneley　were
very　kind　and　considerate；　but　he　knew　well　enough　it　was　only　on
condition　that　he　did　not　preach　to　them。　　He　could　manage　the　poor
better；　and；　let　Pryer　sneer　as　he　liked；　he　was　resolved　to　go　more
among　them；　and　try　the　effect　of　bringing　Christ　to　them　if　they
would　not　come　and　seek　Christ　of　themselves。　　He　would　begin　with
his　own　house。

Who　then　should　he　take　first？　　Surely　he　could　not　do　better　than
begin　with　the　tailor　who　lived　immediately　over　his　head。　　This
would　be　desirable；　not　only　because　he　was　the　one　who　seemed　to
stand　most　in　need　of　conversion；　but　also　because；　if　he　were　once
converted；　he　would　no　longer　beat　his　wife　at　two　o'clock　in　the
morning；　and　the　house　would　be　much　pleasanter　in　consequence。　　He
would　therefore　go　upstairs　at　once；　and　have　a　quiet　talk　with　this
man。

Before　doing　so；　he　thought　it　would　be　well　if　he　were　to　draw　up
something　like　a　plan　of　a　campaign；　he　therefore　reflected　over
some　pretty　conversations　which　would　do　very　nicely　if　Mr　Holt
would　be　kind　enough　to　make　the　answers　proposed　for　him　in　their
proper　places。　　But　the　man　was　a　great　hulking　fellow；　of　a　savage
temper；　and　Ernest　was　forced　to　admit　that　unforeseen　developments
might　arise　to　disconcert　him。　　They　say　it　takes　nine　tailors　to
make　a　man；　but　Ernest　felt　that　it　would　take　at　least　nine　Ernests
to　make　a　Mr　Holt。　　How　if；　as　soon　as　Ernest　came　in；　the　tailor
were　to　become　violent　and　abusive？　　What　could　he　do？　　Mr　Holt　was
in　his　own　lodgings；　and　had　a　right　to　be　undisturbed。　　A　legal
right；　yes；　but　had　he　a　moral　right？　　Ernest　thought　not；
considering　his　mode　of　life。　　But　put　this　on　one　side；　if　the　man
were　to　be　violent；　what　should　he　do？　　Paul　had　fought　with　wild
beasts　at　Ephesusthat　must　indeed　have　been　awfulbut　perhaps
they　were　not　very　wild　wild　beasts；　a　rabbit　and　a　canary　are　wild
beasts；　but；　formidable　or　not　as　wild　beasts　go；　they　would；
nevertheless　stand　no　chance　against　St　Paul；　for　he　was　inspired；
the　miracle　would　have　been　if　the　wild　beasts　escaped；　not　that　St
Paul　should　have　done　so；　but；　however　all　this　might　be；　Ernest
felt　that　he　dared　not　begin　to　convert　Mr　Holt　by　fighting　him。
Why；　when　he　had　heard　Mrs　Holt　screaming　〃murder；〃　he　had　cowered
under　the　bed　clothes　and　waited；　expecting　to　hear　the　blood
dripping　through　the　ceiling　on　to　his　own　floor。　　His　imagination
translated　every　sound　into　a　pat；　pat；　pat；　and　once　or　twice　he
thought　he　had　felt　it　dropping　on　to　his　counterpane；　but　he　had
never　gone　upstairs　to　try　and　rescue　poor　Mrs　Holt。　　Happily　it　had
proved　next　morning　that　Mrs　Holt　was　in　her　usual　health。

Ernest　was　in　despair　about　hitting　on　any　good　way　of　opening　up
spiritual　communication　with　his　neighbour；　when　it　occurred　to　him
that　he　had　better　perhaps　begin　by　going　upstairs；　and　knocking
very　gently