第36章

Therewasagraymistacrossthesun，sothattheeyecouldbearitslight，andErnest，whilemusingasabove，waslookingrightintothemiddleofthesunhimself，asintothefaceofonewhomheknewandwasfondof。Atfirsthisfacewasgrave，butkindly，asofatiredmanwhofeelsthatalongtaskisover；butinafewsecondsthemorehumoroussideofhismisfortunespresenteditselftohim，andhesmiledhalfreproachfully，halfmerrily，asthinkinghowlittleallthathadhappenedtohimreallymattered，andhowsmallwerehishardshipsascomparedwiththoseofmostpeople。Stilllookingintotheeyeofthesunandsmilingdreamily，hethoughthowhehadhelpedtoburnhisfatherineffigy，andhislookgrewmerrier，tillatlasthebrokeoutintoalaugh。Exactlyatthismomentthelightveilofcloudpartedfromthesun，andhewasbroughttoterrafirmabythebreakingforthofthesunshine。Onthishebecameawarethathewasbeingwatchedattentivelybyafellow-travelleroppositetohim，anelderlygentlemanwithalargeheadandiron-greyhair。

“Myyoungfriend。”saidhe，good-naturedly，“youreallymustnotcarryonconversationswithpeopleinthesun，whileyouareinapublicrailwaycarriage。”

Theoldgentlemansaidnotanotherword，butunfoldedhisTimesandbegantoreadit。AsforErnest，heblushedcrimson。Thepairdidnotspeakduringtherestofthetimetheywereinthecarriage，buttheyeyedeachotherfromtimetotime，sothatthefaceofeachwasimpressedontherecollectionoftheother。

Somepeoplesaythattheirschooldayswerethehappiestoftheirlives。Theymayberight，butIalwayslookwithsuspicionuponthosewhomIhearsayingthis。Itishardenoughtoknowwhetheroneishappyorunhappynow，andstillhardertocomparetherelativehappinessorunhappinessofdifferenttimesofone’slife；

theutmostthatcanbesaidisthatwearefairlyhappysolongaswearenotdistinctlyawareofbeingmiserable。AsIwastalkingwithErnestonedaynotsolongsinceaboutthis，hesaidhewassohappynowthathewassurehehadneverbeenhappier，anddidnotwishtobeso，butthatCambridgewasthefirstplacewherehehadeverbeenconsciouslyandcontinuouslyhappy。

Howcananyboyfailtofeelanecstasyofpleasureonfirstfindinghimselfinroomswhichheknowsforthenextfewyearsaretobehiscastle？Herehewillnotbecompelledtoturnoutofthemostcomfortableplaceassoonashehasensconcedhimselfinitbecausepapaormammahappenstocomeintotheroom，andheshouldgiveituptothem。Themostcosychairhereisforhimself，thereisnooneeventosharetheroomwithhim，ortointerferewithhisdoingashelikesinit——smokingincluded。Why，ifsucharoomlookedoutbothbackandfrontontoablankdeadwallitwouldstillbeaparadise，howmuchmorethenwhentheviewisofsomequietgrassycourtorcloisterorgarden，asfromthewindowsofthegreaternumberofroomsatOxfordandCambridge。

Theobald，asanoldfellowandtutorofEmmanuel——atwhichcollegehehadenteredErnest——wasabletoobtainfromthepresenttutoracertainpreferenceinthechoiceofrooms；Ernest’s，therefore，wereverypleasantones，lookingoutuponthegrassycourtthatisboundedbytheFellows’gardens。

TheobaldaccompaniedhimtoCambridge，andwasathisbestwhiledoingso。Helikedthejaunt，andevenhewasnotwithoutacertainfeelingofprideinhavingafull-blownsonattheUniversity。SomeofthereflectedraysofthissplendourwereallowedtofalluponErnesthimself。Theobaldsaidhewas“willingtohope“——thiswasoneofhistags——thathissonwouldturnoveranewleafnowthathehadleftschool，andforhisownparthewas“onlytooready“——thiswasanothertag——toletbygonesbebygones。

Ernest，notyethavinghisnameonthebooks，wasabletodinewithhisfatherattheFellows’tableofoneoftheothercollegesontheinvitationofanoldfriendofT