第45章

examinationthatMrsJupphadbeentochurchoncewhenshewaschurchedforhersonTomsomefiveandtwentyyearssince，butnevereitherbeforeorafterwards；noteven，Ifear，tobemarried，forthoughshecalledherself“Mrs“sheworenoweddingring，andspokeofthepersonwhoshouldhavebeenMrJuppas“mypoordearboy’sfather。”notas“myhusband。”Buttoreturn。IwasvexedatErnest’shavingbeenordained。IwasnotordainedmyselfandIdidnotlikemyfriendstobeordained，nordidIlikehavingtobeonmybestbehaviourandtolookasifbutterwouldnotmeltinmymouth，andallforaboywhomIrememberedwhenheknewyesterdayandto-morrowandTuesday，butnotadayoftheweekmore——notevenSundayitself——andwhenhesaidhedidnotlikethekittenbecauseithadpinsinitstoes。

IlookedathimandthoughtofhisauntAlethea，andhowfastthemoneyshehadlefthimwasaccumulating；anditwasalltogotothisyoungman，whowoulduseitprobablyintheverylastwayswithwhichMissPontifexwouldhavesympathised。Iwasannoyed。“Shealwayssaid。”Ithoughttomyself，“thatsheshouldmakeamessofit，butIdidnotthinkshewouldhavemadeasgreatamessofitasthis。”ThenIthoughtthatperhapsifhisaunthadlivedhewouldnothavebeenlikethis。

ErnestbehavedquitenicelytomeandIownthatthefaultwasmineiftheconversationdrewtowardsdangeroussubjects。Iwastheaggressor，presumingIsupposeuponmyageandlongacquaintancewithhim，asgivingmearighttomakemyselfunpleasantinaquietway。

Thenhecameout，andtheexasperatingpartofitwasthatuptoacertainpointhewassoveryright。Granthimhispremisesandhisconclusionsweresoundenough，norcouldI，seeingthathewasalreadyordained，joinissuewithhimabouthispremisesasIshouldcertainlyhavedoneifIhadhadachanceofdoingsobeforehehadtakenorders。TheresultwasthatIhadtobeataretreatandwentawaynotinthebestofhumours。IbelievethetruthwasthatI

likedErnest，andwasvexedathisbeingaclergyman，andataclergymanhavingsomuchmoneycomingtohim。

ItalkedalittlewithMrsJupponmywayout。SheandIhadreckonedoneanotherupatfirstsightasbeingneitherofus“veryregularchurch-goers。”andthestringsofhertonguehadbeenloosened。ShesaidErnestwoulddie。Hewasmuchtoogoodfortheworldandhelookedsosad“justlikeyoungWatkinsofthe’Crown’

overthewaywhodiedamonthago，andhispoordearskinwaswhiteasalablaster；least-waystheysayheshothisself。TheytookhimfromtheMortimer，ImetthemjustasIwasgoingwithmyRosetogetapinto’fourale，andshehadherarminsplints。ShetoldhersistershewantedtogotoPerry’stogetsomewool，insteado’

whichitwasonlyastalltogetmeapinto’ale，blessherheart；

there’snobodyelsewoulddothatmuchforpooroldJupp，andit’sahorridlietosaysheisgay；notbutwhatIlikeagaywoman，Ido：

I’drathergiveagaywomanhalf-a-crownthanstandamodestwomanapoto’beer，butIdon’twanttogoassociatingwithbadgirlsforallthat。SotheytookhimfromtheMortimer；theywouldn’tlethimgohomenomore；andhedoneitthatartfulyouknow。Hiswifewasinthecountrylivingwithhermother，andshealwaysspokerespectfulo’myRose。Poordear，IhopehissoulisinHeaven。

WellSir，wouldyoubelieveit，there’sthatinMrPontifex’sfacewhichisjustlikeyoungWatkins；helooksthatworritedandscrunchedupattimes，butit’sneverforthesamereason，forhedon’tknownothingatall，nomorethanaunbornbabe，nohedon’t；

whythere’snotamonkeygoingaboutLondonwithanItalianorgangrinderbutknowsmorethanMrPontifexdo。Hedon’tknow——wellI

suppose——“

Hereachildcameinon