第57章

tookhimtotheOlympic，whereRobsonwasthenactinginaburlesqueonMacbeth，MrsKeeley，ifIrememberrightly，takingthepartofLadyMacbeth。Inthescenebeforethemurder，MacbethhadsaidhecouldnotkillDuncanwhenhesawhisbootsuponthelanding。LadyMacbethputastoptoherhusband’shesitationbywhippinghimupunderherarm，andcarryinghimoffthestage，kickingandscreaming。Ernestlaughedtillhecried。“WhatrotShakespeareisafterthis。”heexclaimed，involuntarily。IrememberedhisessayontheGreektragedians，andwasmoreIepriswithhimthanever。

Nextdayhesetaboutlookingforemployment，andIdidnotseehimtillaboutfiveo’clock，whenhecameandsaidthathehadhadnosuccess。Thesamethinghappenedthenextdayandthedayafterthat。Whereverhewenthewasinvariablyrefusedandoftenorderedpointblankoutoftheshop；Icouldseebytheexpressionofhisface，thoughhesaidnothing，thathewasgettingfrightened，andbegantothinkIshouldhavetocometotherescue。Hesaidhehadmadeagreatmanyenquiriesandhadalwaysbeentoldthesamestory。

Hefoundthatitwaseasytokeeponinanoldline，butveryhardtostrikeoutintoanewone。

HetalkedtothefishmongerinLeatherLane，wherehewenttobuyabloaterforhistea，casuallyasthoughfromcuriosityandwithoutanyinterestedmotive。“Sell。”saidthemasteroftheshop，“Whynobodywouldn’tbelievewhatcanbesoldbypenn’orthsandtwopenn’orthsifyougotherightwaytowork。Lookatwhelks，forinstance。LastSaturdaynightmeandmylittleEmmahere，wesold7

poundsworthofwhelksbetweeneightandhalfpasteleveno’clock——

andalmostallinpenn’orthsandtwopenn’orths——afew，hap’orths，butnotmany。Itwasthesteamthatdidit。Wekepta-boilingof’emhotandhot，andwheneverthesteamcamestrongupfromthecellarontothepavement，thepeoplebought，butwheneverthesteamwentdowntheyleftoffbuying；soweboiledthemoverandoveragaintilltheywasallsold。That’sjustwhereitis；ifyouknowyourbusinessyoucansell，ifyoudon’tyou’llsoonmakeamessofit。Why，butforthesteam，Ishouldnothavesold10s。worthofwhelksallthenightthrough。”

This，andmanyanotheryarnofkindredsubstancewhichheheardfromotherpeopledeterminedErnestmorethanevertostakeontailoringastheonetradeaboutwhichheknewanythingatall，nevertheless，herewerethreeorfourdaysgonebyandemploymentseemedasfaroffasever。

InowdidwhatIoughttohavedonebefore，thatistosay，IcalledonmyowntailorwhomIhaddealtwithforoveraquarterofacenturyandaskedhisadvice。HedeclaredErnest’splantobehopeless。“If。”saidMrLarkins，forthiswasmytailor’sname，“hehadbegunatfourteen，itmighthavedone，butnomanoftwenty-fourcouldstandbeingturnedtoworkintoaworkshopfulloftailors；hewouldnotgetonwiththemen，northemenwithhim；youcouldnotexpecthim