第27章

(“Theyaren’tmine。”thoughtErnest，“andneverhavebeen“)——“andsecondly，thatyoubringnosmellofglueorshavingsintothehousehere，ifyoumakeanypartoftheorganduringyourholidays。”

Ernestwasstilltooyoungtoknowhowunpleasantaletterhewasreceiving。Hebelievedtheinnuendoescontainedinittobeperfectlyjust。Heknewhewassadlydeficientinperseverance。Helikedsomethingsforalittlewhile，andthenfoundhedidnotlikethemanymore——andthiswasasbadasanythingwellcouldbe。Hisfather’slettergavehimoneofhismanyfitsofmelancholyoverhisownworthlessness，butthethoughtoftheorganconsoledhim，andhefeltsurethathereatanyratewassomethingtowhichhecouldapplyhimselfsteadilywithoutgrowingtiredofit。

ItwassettledthattheorganwasnottobebegunbeforetheChristmasholidayswereover，andthattillthenErnestshoulddoalittleplaincarpentering，soastogettoknowhowtousehistools。MissPontifexhadacarpenter’sbenchsetupinanouthouseuponherownpremises，andmadetermswiththemostrespectablecarpenterinRoughborough，bywhichoneofhismenwastocomeforacoupleofhourstwiceaweekandsetErnestontherightway；thenshediscoveredshewantedthisorthatsimplepieceofworkdone，andgavetheboyacommissiontodoit，payinghimhandsomelyaswellasfindinghimintoolsandmaterials。Shenevergavehimasyllableofgoodadvice，ortalkedtohimabouteverything’sdependinguponhisownexertions，butshekissedhimoften，andwouldcomeintotheworkshopandactthepartofonewhotookaninterestinwhatwasbeingdonesocleverlyaserelongtobecomereallyinterested。

Whatboywouldnottakekindlytoalmostanythingwithsuchassistance？Allboyslikemakingthings；theexerciseofsawing，planingandhammering，provedexactlywhathisaunthadwantedtofind——somethingthatshouldexercise，butnottoomuch，andatthesametimeamusehim；whenErnest’ssallowfacewasflushedwithhiswork，andhiseyesweresparklingwithpleasure，helookedquiteadifferentboyfromtheonehisaunthadtakeninhandonlyafewmonthsearlier。Hisinnerselfnevertoldhimthatthiswashumbug，asitdidaboutLatinandGreek。Makingstoolsanddrawerswasworthlivingfor，andafterChristmasthereloomedtheorgan，whichwasscarcelyeverabsentfromhismind。

Hisauntlethiminvitehisfriends，encouraginghimtobringthosewhomherquicksensetoldherwerethemostdesirable。Shesmartenedhimupalsoinhispersonalappearance，alwayswithoutpreachingtohim。Indeedsheworkedwondersduringtheshorttimethatwasallowedher，andifherlifehadbeensparedIcannotthinkthatmyherowouldhavecomeundertheshadowofthatcloudwhichcastsoheavyagloomoverhisyoungermanhood；butunfortunatelyforhimhisgleamofsunshinewastoohotandtoobrillianttolast，andhehadmanyastormyettoweather，beforehebecamefairlyhappy。Forthepresent，however，hewassupremelyso，andhisauntwashappyandgratefulforhishappiness，theimprovementshesawinhim，andhisunrepressedaffectionforherself。Shebecamefonderofhimfromdaytodayinspiteofhismanyfaultsandalmostincrediblefoolishnesses。Itwasperhapsonaccountoftheseverythingsthatshesawhowmuchhehadneedofher；butatanyrate，fromwhatevercause，shebecamestrengthenedinherdeterminationtobetohimintheplaceofparents，andtofindinhimasonratherthananephew。Butstillshemadenowill。

Allwentwellforthefirstpartofthefollowinghalfyear。MissPontifexspentthegreaterpartofherholidaysinLondon，andI

alsosawheratRoughborough，whereIspentafewdays，stayingatthe“Swan