第47章

Thencameanevenworsereflection；howifhehadfallenamongmaterialthievesaswellasspiritualones？Heknewverylittleofhowhismoneywasgoingon；hehadputitallnowintoPryer’shands，andthoughPryergavehimcashtospendwheneverhewantedit，heseemedimpatientofbeingquestionedastowhatwasbeingdonewiththeprincipal。Itwaspartoftheunderstanding，hesaid，thatthatwastobelefttohim，andErnesthadbettersticktothis，orhe，Pryer，wouldthrowuptheCollegeofSpiritualPathologyaltogether；andsoErnestwascowedintoacquiescence，orcajoled，accordingtothehumourinwhichPryersawhimtobe。

ErnestthoughtthatfurtherquestionswouldlookasifhedoubtedPryer’sword，andalsothathehadgonetoofartobeabletorecedeindecencyorhonour。This，however，hefeltwasridingouttomeettroubleunnecessarily。Pryerhadbeenalittleimpatient，buthewasagentlemanandanadmirablemanofbusiness，sohismoneywoulddoubtlesscomebacktohimallrightsomeday。

Ernestcomfortedhimselfasregardsthislastsourceofanxiety，butasregardstheother，hebegantofeelasthough，ifhewastobesaved，agoodSamaritanmusthurryupfromsomewhere——heknewnotwhence。

Nextdayhefeltstrongeragain。Hehadbeenlisteningtothevoiceoftheeviloneonthenightbefore，andwouldparleynomorewithsuchthoughts。Hehadchosenhisprofession，andhisdutywastoperseverewithit。IfhewasunhappyitwasprobablybecausehewasnotgivingupallforChrist。Lethimseewhetherhecouldnotdomorethanhewasdoingnow，andthenperhapsalightwouldbesheduponhispath。

Itwasallverywelltohavemadethediscoverythathedidn’tverymuchlikepoorpeople，buthehadgottoputupwiththem，foritwasamongthemthathisworkmustlie。SuchmenasTowneleywereverykindandconsiderate，butheknewwellenoughitwasonlyonconditionthathedidnotpreachtothem。Hecouldmanagethepoorbetter，and，letPryersneerasheliked，hewasresolvedtogomoreamongthem，andtrytheeffectofbringingChristtothemiftheywouldnotcomeandseekChristofthemselves。Hewouldbeginwithhisownhouse。

Whothenshouldhetakefirst？Surelyhecouldnotdobetterthanbeginwiththetailorwholivedimmediatelyoverhishead。Thiswouldbedesirable，notonlybecausehewastheonewhoseemedtostandmostinneedofconversion，butalsobecause，ifhewereonceconverted，hewouldnolongerbeathiswifeattwoo’clockinthemorning，andthehousewouldbemuchpleasanterinconsequence。Hewouldthereforegoupstairsatonce，andhaveaquiettalkwiththisman。

Beforedoingso，hethoughtitwouldbewellifheweretodrawupsomethinglikeaplanofacampaign；hethereforereflectedoversomeprettyconversationswhichwoulddoverynicelyifMrHoltwouldbekindenoughtomaketheanswersproposedforhimintheirproperplaces。Butthemanwasagreathulkingfellow，ofasavagetemper，andErnestwasforcedtoadmitthatunforeseendevelopmentsmightarisetodisconcerthim。Theysayittakesninetailorstomakeaman，butErnestfeltthatitwouldtakeatleastnineErneststomakeaMrHolt。Howif，assoonasErnestcamein，thetailorweretobecomeviolentandabusive？Whatcouldhedo？MrHoltwasinhisownlodgings，andhadarighttobeundisturbed。Alegalright，yes，buthadheamoralright？Ernestthoughtnot，consideringhismodeoflife。Butputthisononeside；ifthemanweretobeviolent，whatshouldhedo？PaulhadfoughtwithwildbeastsatEphesus——thatmustindeedhavebeenawful——butperhapstheywerenotverywildwildbeasts；arabbitandacanaryarewildbeasts；but，formidableornotaswildbeastsgo，theywould，neverthelessstandnochanceagainstStPaul，forhewasinspired；

themiraclewouldhavebeenifthewildb