第60章

Inlessthanafortnightfromthetimeofhisleavingprisonallthesearrangementshadbeencompleted，andErnestfeltthathehadagainlinkedhimselfontothelifewhichhehadledbeforehisimprisonment——withafewimportantdifferences，however，whichweregreatlytohisadvantage。Hewasnolongeraclergyman；hewasabouttomarryawomantowhomhewasmuchattached，andhehadpartedcompanyforeverwithhisfatherandmother。

True，hehadlostallhismoney，hisreputation，andhispositionasagentleman；hehad，infact，hadtoburnhishousedowninordertogethisroastsuckingpig；butifaskedwhetherhewouldratherbeashewasnoworashewasonthedaybeforehisarrest，hewouldnothavehadamoment’shesitationinpreferringhispresenttohispast。Ifhispresentcouldonlyhavebeenpurchasedattheexpenseofallthathehadgonethrough，itwasstillworthpurchasingattheprice，andhewouldgothroughitallagainifnecessary。Thelossofthemoneywastheworst，butEllensaidshewassuretheywouldgeton，andsheknewallaboutit。Asforthelossofreputation——consideringthathehadEllenandmeleft，itdidnotcometomuch。

Isawthehouseontheafternoonofthedayonwhichallwasfinished，andthereremainednothingbuttobuysomestockandbeginselling。WhenIwasgone，afterhehadhadhistea，hestoleuptohiscastle——thefirstfloorfront。Helithispipeandsatdowntothepiano。HeplayedHandelforanhourorso，andthensethimselftothetabletoreadandwrite。Hetookallhissermonsandallthetheologicalworkshehadbeguntocomposeduringthetimehehadbeenaclergymanandputtheminthefire；ashesawthemconsumehefeltasthoughhehadgotridofanotherincubus。ThenhetookupsomeofthelittlepieceshehadbeguntowriteduringthelatterpartofhisundergraduatelifeatCambridge，andbegantocutthemaboutandre-writethem。Asheworkedquietlyatthesetillheheardtheclockstriketenanditwastimetogotobed，hefeltthathewasnownotonlyhappybutsupremelyhappy。

NextdayEllentookhimtoDebenham’sauctionrooms，andtheysurveyedthelotsofclotheswhichwerehungupallroundtheauctionroomtobeviewed。Ellenhadhadsufficientexperiencetoknowabouthowmucheachlotoughttofetch；sheoverhauledlotafterlot，andvaluedit；inaveryshorttimeErnesthimselfbegantohaveaprettyfairideawhateachlotshouldgofor，andbeforethemorningwasovervaluedadozenlotsrunningatpricesaboutwhichEllensaidhewouldnothurtifhecouldgetthemforthat。

Sofarfromdislikingthisworkorfindingittedious，helikeditverymuch，indeedhewouldhavelikedanythingwhichdidnotovertaxhisphysicalstrength，andwhichheldoutaprospectofbringinghiminmoney。Ellenwouldnotlethimbuyanythingontheoccasionofthissale；shesaidhehadbetterseeonesalefirstandwatchhowpricesactuallywent。Soattwelveo’clockwhenthesalebegan，hesawthelotssoldwhichheandEllenhadmarked，andbythetimethesalewasoverheknewenoughtobeabletobidwithsafetywheneverheshouldactuallywanttobuy。Knowledgeofthissortisveryeasilyacquiredbyanyonewhoisinbonafidewantofit。

ButEllendidnotwanthimtobuyatauctions——notmuchatleastatpresent。Privatedealing，shesaid，wasbest。IfI，forexample，hadanycast-offclothes，hewastobuythemfrommylaundress，andgetaconnectionwithotherlaundresses，towhomhemightgiveatriflemorethantheygotatpresentforwhateverclothestheirmastersmightgivethem，andyetmakeagoodprofit。Ifgentlemensoldtheirthings，hewastotryandgetthemtoselltohim。Heflinchedatnothing；perhapshewouldhaveflinchedifhehadhadanyideahowoutrehisproceedingswere，buttheveryignoranceoftheworldwhichhadruinedhimuptillnow，byahappyironybegantoworkitsowncure。Ifsomemali