第40章

OnhisreturntoCambridgeintheMaytermof1858，Ernestandafewotherfriendswhowerealsointendedfororderscametotheconclusionthattheymustnowtakeamoreseriousviewoftheirposition。Theythereforeattendedchapelmoreregularlythanhitherto，andheldeveningmeetingsofasomewhatfurtivecharacter，atwhichtheywouldstudytheNewTestament。TheyevenbegantocommittheEpistlesofStPaultomemoryintheoriginalGreek。

TheygotupBeveridgeontheThirty-nineArticles，andPearsonontheCreed；intheirhoursofrecreationtheyreadMore’s“MysteryofGodliness。”whichErnestthoughtwascharming，andTaylor’s“HolyLivingandDying。”whichalsoimpressedhimdeeply，throughwhathethoughtwasthesplendourofitslanguage。TheyhandedthemselvesovertotheguidanceofDeanAlford’snotesontheGreekTestament，whichmadeErnestbetterunderstandwhatwasmeantby“difficulties。”butalsomadehimfeelhowshallowandimpotentweretheconclusionsarrivedatbyGermanneologians，withwhoseworks，beinginnocentofGerman，hewasnototherwiseacquainted。SomeofthefriendswhojoinedhiminthesepursuitswereJohnians，andthemeetingswereoftenheldwithinthewallsofStJohn’s。

IdonotknowhowtidingsofthesefurtivegatheringshadreachedtheSimeonites，buttheymusthavecomeroundtotheminsomeway，fortheyhadnotbeencontinuedmanyweeksbeforeacircularwassenttoeachoftheyoungmenwhoattendedthem，informingthemthattheRev。GideonHawke，awell-knownLondonEvangelicalpreacher，whosesermonswerethenmuchtalkedof，wasabouttovisithisyoungfriendBadcockofStJohn’s，andwouldbegladtosayafewwordstoanywhomightwishtohearthem，inBadcock’sroomsonacertaineveninginMay。

BadcockwasoneofthemostnotoriousofalltheSimeonites。Notonlywasheugly，dirty，ill-dressed，bumptious，andineverywayobjectionable，buthewasdeformedandwaddledwhenhewalkedsothathehadwonanick-namewhichIcanonlyreproducebycallingit“Here’smyback，andthere’smyback。”becausethelowerpartsofhisbackemphasisedthemselvesdemonstrativelyasthoughabouttoflyoffindifferentdirectionslikethetwoextremenotesinthechordoftheaugmentedsixth，witheverystephetook。Itmaybeguessed，therefore，thatthereceiptofthecircularhadforamomentanalmostparalysingeffectonthosetowhomitwasaddressed，owingtotheastonishmentwhichitoccasionedthem。Itcertainlywasadaringsurprise，butlikesomanydeformedpeople，Badcockwasforwardandhardtocheck；hewasapushingfellowtowhomthepresentwasjusttheopportunityhewantedforcarryingwarintotheenemy’squarters。

Ernestandhisfriendsconsulted。Movedbythefeelingthatastheywerenowpreparingtobeclergymentheyoughtnottostandsostifflyonsocialdignityasheretofore，andalsoperhapsbythedesiretohaveagoodprivateviewofapreacherwhowasthenmuchuponthelipsofmen，theydecidedtoaccepttheinvitation。Whentheappointedtimecametheywentwithsomeconfusionandself-

abasementtotheroomsofthisman，onwhomtheyhadlookeddownhithertoasfromanimmeasurableheight，andwithwhomnothingwouldhavemadethembelieveafewweeksearlierthattheycouldevercometobeonspeakingterms。

MrHawkewasaverydifferent-lookingpersonfromBadcock。Hewasremarkablyhandsome，orratherwouldhavebeenbutforthethinnessofhislips，andalookoftoogreatfirmnessandinflexibility。

HisfeatureswereagooddeallikethoseofLeonardodaVinci；

moreoverhewaskempt，lookedinvigoroushealth，andwasofaruddycountenance。Hewasextremelycourteousinhismanner，andpaidagooddealofattentiontoBadcock，ofwhomheseemedtothinkhighly。Altogetherouryoungfriendsweretakenaback，andinclinedtothinksmallerbeerofthemselvesandlargerofBadcockthanwasagreeabletotheoldAdamwhowasstillalivewithinthem。Afewwell-known“Sims“fromStJohn’sandothercollegeswerepresent，butnotenoughtoswamptheErnestse