第51章

ItoldhimhowErnest’sfellowcuratehadgotholdofhismoney，andhintedthathemightverylikelybepenniless，ornearlyso，onleavingprison。Theobalddidnotseemdispleasedatthis，butaddedsoonafterwards：“Ifthisprovestobethecase，tellhimfrommethatIwillgivehimahundredpoundsifhewilltellmethroughyouwhenhewillhaveitpaid，buttellhimnottowriteandthankme，andsaythatifheattemptstoopenupdirectcommunicationeitherwithhismotherormyself，heshallnothaveapennyofthemoney。”

KnowingwhatIknew，andhavingdeterminedonviolatingMissPontifex’sinstructionsshouldtheoccasionarise，IdidnotthinkErnestwouldbeanytheworseforacompleteestrangementfromhisfamily，soIacquiescedmorereadilyinwhatTheobaldhadproposedthanthatgentlemanmayhaveexpected。

ThinkingitbetterthatIshouldnotseeChristina，IleftTheobaldnearBattersbyandwalkedbacktothestation。OnmywayIwaspleasedtoreflectthatErnest’sfatherwaslessofafoolthanI

hadtakenhimtobe，andhadthegreaterhopes，therefore，thathisson’sblundersmightbeduetopostnatal，ratherthancongenitalmisfortunes。Accidentswhichhappentoamanbeforeheisborn，inthepersonsofhisancestors，will，ifheremembersthematall，leaveanindelibleimpressiononhim；theywillhavemouldedhischaractersothat，dowhathewill，itishardlypossibleforhimtoescapetheirconsequences。IfamanistoenterintotheKingdomofHeaven，hemustdoso，notonlyasalittlechild，butasalittleembryo，orratherasalittlezoosperm——andnotonlythis，butasonethathascomeofzoospermswhichhaveenteredintotheKingdomofHeavenbeforehimformanygenerations。Accidentswhichoccurforthefirsttime，andbelongtotheperiodsinceaman’slastbirth，arenot，asageneralrule，sopermanentintheireffects，thoughofcoursetheymaysometimesbeso。Atanyrate，IwasnotdispleasedattheviewwhichErnest’sfathertookofthesituation。

AfterErnesthadbeensentenced，hewastakenbacktothecellstowaitforthevanwhichshouldtakehimtoColdbathFields，wherehewastoservehisterm。

Hewasstilltoostunnedanddazedbythesuddennesswithwhicheventshadhappenedduringthelasttwenty-fourhourstobeabletorealisehisposition。Agreatchasmhadopenedbetweenhispastandfuture；neverthelesshebreathed，hispulsebeat，hecouldthinkandspeak。Itseemedtohimthatheoughttobeprostratedbytheblowthathadfallenonhim，buthewasnotprostrated；hehadsufferedfrommanysmallerlachesfarmoreacutely。Itwasnotuntilhethoughtofthepainhisdisgracewouldinflictonhisfatherandmotherthathefelthowreadilyhewouldhavegivenupallhehad，ratherthanhavefallenintohispresentplight。Itwouldbreakhismother’sheart。Itmust，heknewitwould——anditwashewhohaddonethis。

Hehadhadaheadachecomingonalltheforenoon，butashethoughtofhisfatherandmother，hispulsequickened，andthepaininhisheadsuddenlybecameintense。Hecouldhardlywalktothevan，andhefounditsmotioninsupportable。Onreachingtheprisonhewastooilltowalkwithoutassistanceacrossthehalltothecorridororgallerywhereprisonersaremarshalledontheirarrival。Theprisonwarder，seeingatoncethathewasaclergyman，didnotsupposehewasshamming，ashemighthavedoneinthecaseofanoldgaol-bird；hethereforesentforthedoctor。Whenthisgentlemanarrived，Ernestwasdeclaredtobesufferingfromanincipientattackofbrainfever，andwastakenawaytotheinfirmary。Herehehoveredforthenexttwomonthsbetweenlifeanddeath，neverinfullpossessionofhisreasonandoftendelirious，butatlast，contrarytotheexpectationofbothdoctorandnurse，hebeganslowlytorecover。

Itissaidthatthosewhohavebeennearlydrowned，findthereturntoconsciousnessmuchmorepainfulthanthelossofithadbeen，andsoitwaswithmyhero。Ashelayhelplessandfeeble，itseemedtohimarefinementofcrue