第32章

Overandoveragainhadshewheedledfromhimallshewantedtoknow，andafterwardsgothimintothemosthorriblescrapebytellingthewholetoTheobald。Ernesthadremonstratedmorethanonceupontheseoccasions，andhadpointedouttohismotherhowdisastroustohimhisconfidenceshadbeen，butChristinahadalwaysjoinedissuewithhimandshowedhimintheclearestpossiblemannerthatineachcaseshehadbeenright，andthathecouldnotreasonablycomplain。Generallyitwasherconsciencethatforbadehertobesilent，andagainstthistherewasnoappeal，forweareallboundtofollowthedictatesofourconscience。Ernestusedtohavetoreciteahymnaboutconscience。Itwastotheeffectthatifyoudidnotpayattentiontoitsvoiceitwouldsoonleaveoffspeaking。“Mymamma’sconsciencehasnotleftoffspeaking。”saidErnesttooneofhischumsatRoughborough；“it’salwaysjabbering。”

Whenaboyhasoncespokensodisrespectfullyasthisabouthismother’sconscienceitispracticallyalloverbetweenhimandher。

Ernestthroughsheerforceofhabit，ofthesofa，andofthereturnoftheassociatedideas，wasstillsomovedbythesiren’svoiceastoyearntosailtowardsher，andflinghimselfintoherarms，butitwouldnotdo；therewereotherassociatedideasthatreturnedalso，andthemangledbonesoftoomanymurderedconfessionswerelyingwhiteningroundtheskirtsofhismother’sdress，toallowhimbyanypossibilitytotrustherfurther。Sohehunghisheadandlookedsheepish，butkepthisowncounsel。

“Isee，mydearest。”continuedhismother，“eitherthatIammistaken，andthatthereisnothingonyourmind，orthatyouwillnotunburdenyourselftome：butoh，Ernest，tellmeatleastthismuch；istherenothingthatyourepentof，nothingwhichmakesyouunhappyinconnectionwiththatmiserablegirlEllen？”

Ernest’sheartfailedhim。“Iamadeadboynow。”hesaidtohimself。Hehadnotthefaintestconceptionwhathismotherwasdrivingat，andthoughtshesuspectedaboutthewatch；butheheldhisground。

Idonotbelievehewasmuchmoreofacowardthanhisneighbours，onlyhedidnotknowthatallsensiblepeoplearecowardswhentheyareofftheirbeat，orwhentheythinktheyaregoingtoberoughlyhandled。Ibelieve，thatifthetruthwereknown，itwouldbefoundthateventhevaliantStMichaelhimselftriedhardtoshirkhisfamouscombatwiththedragon；hepretendednottoseeallsortsofmisconductonthedragon’spart；shuthiseyestotheeatingupofI

donotknowhowmanyhundredsofmen，womenandchildrenwhomhehadpromisedtoprotect；allowedhimselftobepubliclyinsultedadozentimesoverwithoutresentingit；andintheendwhenevenanangelcouldstanditnolongerheshilly-shalliedandtemporisedanunconscionabletimebeforehewouldfixthedayandhourfortheencounter。Asfortheactualcombatitwasmuchsuchanotherwurra-

wurraasMrsAllabyhadhadwiththeyoungmanwhohadintheendmarriedhereldestdaughter，tillafteratimebehold，therewasthedragonlyingdead，whilehewashimselfaliveandnotveryseriouslyhurtafterall。

“Idonotknowwhatyoumean，mamma。”exclaimedErnestanxiouslyandmoreorlesshurriedly。Hismotherconstruedhismannerintoindignationatbeingsuspected，andbeingratherfrightenedherselfsheturnedtailandscuttledoffasfastashertonguecouldcarryher。

“Oh！”shesaid，“Iseebyyourtonethatyouareinnocent！Oh！oh！

howIthankmyheavenlyFatherforthis；mayHeforHisdearSon’ssakekeepyoualwayspure。Yourfather，mydear“——(hereshespokehu