第49章

Thouset’stthewolfwherehethelambmayget；

Whoeverplotsthesin，thou’point’sttheseason；

’Tisthouthatspurn’statright，atlaw，atreason；

Andinthyshadycell，wherenonemayspyhim，SitsSin，toseizethesoulsthatwanderbyhim。

Iftheguiltofopportunityisgreat，howmuchgreateristheguiltofthatwhichisbelievedtobeopportunity，butinrealityisnoopportunityatall。Ifthebetterpartofvalourisdiscretion，howmuchmoreisnotdiscretionthebetterpartofviceAbouttenminutesafterwelastsawErnest，ascared，insultedgirl，flushedandtrembling，wasseenhurryingfromMrsJupp’shouseasfastasheragitatedstatewouldlether，andinanothertenminutestwopolicemenwereseenalsocomingoutofMrsJupp’s，betweenwhomthereshambledratherthanwalkedourunhappyfriendErnest，withstaringeyes，ghastlypale，andwithdespairbrandeduponeverylineofhisface。

PryerhaddonewelltowarnErnestagainstpromiscuoushousetohousevisitation。HehadnotgoneoutsideMrsJupp’sstreetdoor，andyetwhathadbeentheresult？

MrHolthadputhiminbodilyfear；MrandMrsBaxterhadnearlymadeaMethodistofhim；MrShawhadunderminedhisfaithintheResurrection；MissSnow’scharmshadruined——orwouldhavedonesobutforanaccident——hismoralcharacter。AsforMissMaitland，hehaddonehisbesttoruinhers，andhaddamagedhimselfgravelyandirretrievablyinconsequence。Theonlylodgerwhohaddonehimnoharmwasthebellows’mender，whomhehadnotvisited。

Otheryoungclergymen，muchgreaterfoolsinmanyrespectsthanhe，wouldnothavegotintothesescrapes。Heseemedtohavedevelopedanaptitudeformischiefalmostfromthedayofhishavingbeenordained。Hecouldhardlypreachwithoutmakingsomehorridfauxpas。HepreachedoneSundaymorningwhentheBishopwasathisRector’schurch，andmadehissermonturnuponthequestionwhatkindoflittlecakeitwasthatthewidowofZarephathhadintendedmakingwhenElijahfoundhergatheringafewsticks。Hedemonstratedthatitwasaseedcake。Thesermonwasreallyveryamusing，andmorethanoncehesawasmilepassovertheseaoffacesunderneathhim。TheBishopwasveryangry，andgavemyheroaseverereprimandinthevestryafterservicewasover；theonlyexcusehecouldmakewasthathewaspreachingextempore，hadnotthoughtofthisparticularpointtillhewasactuallyinthepulpit，andhadthenbeencarriedawaybyit。

Anothertimehepreacheduponthebarrenfig-tree，anddescribedthehopesoftheownerashewatchedthedelicateblossomunfold，andgivepromiseofsuchbeautifulfruitinautumn。Nextdayhereceivedaletterfromabotanicalmemberofhiscongregationwhoexplainedtohimthatthiscouldhardlyhavebeen，inasmuchasthefigproducesitsfruitfirstandblossomsinsidethefruit，orsonearlysothatnoflowerisperceptibletoanordinaryobserver。

Thislast，however，wasanaccidentwhichmighthavehappenedtoanyonebutascientistoraninspiredwriter。

TheonlyexcuseIcanmakeforhimisthathewasveryyoung——notyetfourandtwenty——andthatinmindasinbody，likemostofthosewhointheendcometothinkforthemselves，hewasaslowgrower。

Byfarthegreaterpart，moreover，ofhiseducationhadbeenanattempt，notsomuchtokeephiminblinkersastogougehiseyesoutaltogeth