第33章

UptothistimeTheobald’smannerhadbeenstudiouslycalm，andhiswordshadbeenutteredslowly，butherehesuddenlyquickenedandflungoffthemaskasheaddedthewords，“orsomesuchcockandbullstory，whichyourmotherandIweretootruthfultodisbelieve。

Youcanguesswhatmustbeourfeelingsnow。”

Ernestfeltthatthislasthome-thrustwasjust。Inhislessanxiousmomentshehadthoughthispapaandmamma“green“forthereadinesswithwhichtheybelievedhim，buthecouldnotdenythattheircredulitywasaproofoftheirhabitualtruthfulnessofmind。

Incommonjusticehemustownthatitwasverydreadfulfortwosuchtruthfulpeopletohaveasonasuntruthfulasheknewhimselftobe。

“BelievingthatasonofyourmotherandmyselfwouldbeincapableoffalsehoodIatonceassumedthatsometramphadpickedthewatchupandwasnowtryingtodisposeofit。”

Thistothebestofmybeliefwasnotaccurate。Theobald’sfirstassumptionhadbeenthatitwasErnestwhowastryingtosellthewatch，anditwasaninspirationofthemomenttosaythathismagnanimousmindhadatonceconceivedtheideaofatramp。

“YoumayimaginehowshockedIwaswhenIdiscoveredthatthewatchhadbeenbroughtforsalebythatmiserablewomanEllen“——hereErnest’shearthardenedalittle，andhefeltasnearanapproachtoaninstincttoturnasonesodefencelesscouldbeexpectedtofeel；

hisfatherquicklyperceivedthisandcontinued，“whowasturnedoutofthishouseincircumstanceswhichIwillnotpolluteyourearsbymoreparticularlydescribing。

“Iputasidethehorridconvictionwhichwasbeginningtodawnuponme，andassumedthatintheintervalbetweenherdismissalandherleavingthishouse，shehadaddedthefttoherothersin，andhavingfoundyourwatchinyourbedroomhadpurloinedit。Itevenoccurredtomethatyoumighthavemissedyourwatchafterthewomanwasgone，and，suspectingwhohadtakenit，hadrunafterthecarriageinordertorecoverit；butwhenItoldtheshopmanofmysuspicionsheassuredmethatthepersonwholeftitwithhimhaddeclaredmostsolemnlythatithadbeengivenherbyhermaster’sson，whosepropertyitwas，andwhohadaperfectrighttodisposeofit。

“Hetoldmefurtherthat，thinkingthecircumstancesinwhichthewatchwasofferedforsalesomewhatsuspicious，hehadinsisteduponthewoman’stellinghimthewholestoryofhowshecamebyit，beforehewouldconsenttobuyitofher。

“Hesaidthatatfirst——aswomenofthatstampinvariablydo——shetriedprevarication，butonbeingthreatenedthatsheshouldatoncebegivenintocustodyifshedidnottellthewholetruth，shedescribedthewayinwhichyouhadrunafterthecarriage，tillasshesaidyouwereblackintheface，andinsistedongivingherallyourpocketmoney，yourknifeandyourwatch。SheaddedthatmycoachmanJohn——whomIshallinstantlydischarge——waswitnesstothewholetransaction。Now，Ernest，bepleasedtotellmewhetherthisappallingstoryistrueorfalse？”

ItneveroccurredtoErnesttoaskhisfatherwhyhedidnothitamanhisownsize，ortostophimmidwayinthestorywitharemonstranceagainstbeingkickedwhenhewasdown。Theboywastoomuchshockedandshakentobeinventive；hecouldonlydriftandstammeroutthatthetalewastrue。

“SoIfeared。”saidTheobald，“andnow，Ernest，begoodenoughtoringthebell。”

Whenthebellhadbeenanswered，TheobalddesiredthatJohnshouldbesen