第25章

ThoughscarcelyontermswithherbrotherJohn，shehadkeptupcloserrelationswithTheobaldandhisfamily，andhadpaidafewdays’visittoBattersbyonceineverytwoyearsorso。AletheahadalwaystriedtolikeTheobaldandjoinforceswithhimasmuchasshecould(fortheytwoweretheharesofthefamily，therestbeingallhounds)，butitwasnouse。Ibelieveherchiefreasonformaintainingrelationswithherbrotherwasthatshemightkeepaneyeonhischildrenandgivethemaliftiftheyprovednice。

WhenMissPontifexhadcomedowntoBattersbyinoldtimesthechildrenhadnotbeenbeaten，andtheirlessonshadbeenmadelighter。Sheeasilysawthattheywereoverworkedandunhappy，butshecouldhardlyguesshowall-reachingwastheregimeunderwhichtheylived。Sheknewshecouldnotinterfereeffectuallythen，andwiselyforboretomaketoomanyenquiries。Hertime，ifeveritwastocome，wouldbewhenthechildrenwerenolongerlivingunderthesameroofastheirparents。ItendedinhermakinguphermindtohavenothingtodowitheitherJoeyorCharlotte，buttoseesomuchofErnestasshouldenablehertoformanopinionabouthisdispositionandabilities。

HehadnowbeenayearandahalfatRoughboroughandwasnearlyfourteenyearsold，sothathischaracterhadbeguntoshape。Hisaunthadnotseenhimforsomelittletimeand，thinkingthatifshewastoexploithimshecoulddosonowperhapsbetterthanatanyothertime，sheresolvedtogodowntoRoughboroughonsomepretextwhichshouldbegoodenoughforTheobald，andtotakestockofhernephewundercircumstancesinwhichshecouldgethimforsomefewhourstoherself。AccordinglyinAugust1849，whenErnestwasjustenteringonhisfourthhalfyearacabdroveuptoDrSkinner’sdoorwithMissPontifex，whoaskedandobtainedleaveforErnesttocomeanddinewithherattheSwanHotel。ShehadwrittentoErnesttosayshewascomingandhewasofcourseonthelook-outforher。Hehadnotseenherforsolongthathewasrathershyatfirst，buthergoodnaturesoonsethimathisease。Shewassostronglybiassedinfavourofanythingyoungthatherheartwarmedtowardshimatonce，thoughhisappearancewaslessprepossessingthanshehadhoped。Shetookhimtoacakeshopandgavehimwhateverhelikedassoonasshehadgothimofftheschoolpremises；andErnestfeltatoncethatshecontrastedfavourablyevenwithhisauntstheMissesAllaby，whoweresoverysweetandgood。TheMissesAllabywereverypoor；sixpencewastothemwhatfiveshillingswastoAlethea。Whatchancehadtheyagainstonewho，ifshehadamind，couldputbyoutofherincometwiceasmuchasthey，poorwomen，couldspend？

Theboyhadplentyofprattleinhimwhenhewasnotsnubbed，andAletheaencouragedhimtochatteraboutwhatevercameuppermost。Hewasalwaysreadytotrustanyonewhowaskindtohim；ittookmanyyearstomakehimreasonablywaryinthisrespect——ifindeed，asI

sometimesdoubt，heeverwillbeaswaryasheoughttobe——andinashorttimehehadquitedissociatedhisauntfromhispapaandmammaandtherest，withwhomhisinstincttoldhimheshouldbeonhisguard。Littledidheknowhowgreat，asfarashewasconcerned，weretheissuesthatdependeduponhisbehaviour。Ifhehadknown，hewouldperhapshaveplayedhispartlesssuccessfully。

Hisauntdrewfromhimmoredetailsofhishomeandschoollifethanhispapaandmammawouldhaveapprovedof，buthehadnoideathathewasbeingpumped。ShegotoutofhimallaboutthehappySundayevenings，andhowheandJoeyandCharlottequarrelledsometimes，butshetooknosideandtreatedeverythingasthoughitwereamatterofcourse。Likealltheboys，hecouldmimicDrSkinner，andwhenwarmedwithdinner，andtwoglassesofsherrywhichmadehimnearlytipsy，hefavouredhisauntwithsamplesoftheDoctor’smannerandspokeofhimfamiliarlyas“Sam。”

“Sam。”hesaid，“isanawfuloldhumbug。”Itwasthesherrythatbroughtoutthispieceofswagger，forwhateverelsehewasDrSkinnerwasareal