第68章

“IremityouaPostOfficeorderforyourfare，andwillpayyourreturnjourney。

“Ifyouwantclothestocomein，orderwhatyouconsidersuitable，anddesirethatthebillbesenttome；Iwillpayitimmediately，toanamountnotexceedingeightorninepounds，andifyouwillletmeknowwhattrainyouwillcomeby，Iwillsendthecarriagetomeetyou。Believeme，Youraffectionatefather，T。PONTIFEX。”

OfcoursetherecouldbenohesitationonErnest’spart。Hecouldaffordtosmilenowathisfather’sofferingtopayforhisclothes，andhissendinghimaPostOfficeorderfortheexactpriceofasecond-classticket，andhewasofcourseshockedatlearningthestatehismotherwassaidtobein，andtouchedatherdesiretoseehim。Hetelegraphedthathewouldcomedownatonce。Isawhimalittlebeforehestarted，andwaspleasedtoseehowwellhistailorhaddonebyhim。Towneleyhimselfcouldnothavebeenappointedmorebecomingly。Hisportmanteau，hisrailwaywrapper，everythinghehadabouthim，wasinkeeping。Ithoughthehadgrownmuchbetter-lookingthanhehadbeenattwoorthreeandtwenty。Hisyearandahalfofpeacehadeffacedalltheilleffectsofhisprevioussuffering，andnowthathehadbecomeactuallyrichtherewasanairofinsoucianceandgoodhumouruponhisface，asofamanwithwhomeverythingwasgoingperfectlyright，whichwouldhavemadeamuchplainermangood-looking。Iwasproudofhimanddelightedwithhim。“Iamsure。”Isaidtomyself，“thatwhateverelsehemaydo，hewillnevermarryagain。”

Thejourneywasapainfulone。Ashedrewneartothestationandcaughtsightofeachfamiliarfeature，sostrongwastheforceofassociationthathefeltasthoughhiscomingintohisaunt’smoneyhadbeenadream，andhewereagainreturningtohisfather’shouseashehadreturnedtoitfromCambridgeforthevacations。Dowhathewould，theolddullweightofhome-sicknessbegantooppresshim，hisheartbeatfastashethoughtofhisapproachingmeetingwithhisfatherandmother，“andIshallhave。”hesaidtohimself，“tokissCharlotte。”

Wouldhisfathermeethimatthestation？Wouldhegreethimasthoughnothinghadhappened，orwouldhebecoldanddistant？How，again，wouldhetakethenewsofhisson’sgoodfortune？Asthetraindrewuptotheplatform，Ernest’seyeranhurriedlyoverthefewpeoplewhowereinthestation。Hisfather’swell-knownformwasnotamongthem，butontheothersideofthepalingswhichdividedthestationyardfromtheplatform，hesawtheponycarriage，looking，ashethought，rathershabby，andrecognisedhisfather’scoachman。InafewminutesmorehewasinthecarriagedrivingtowardsBattersby。Hecouldnothelpsmilingashesawthecoachmangivealookofsurpriseatfindinghimsomuchchangedinpersonalappearance。ThecoachmanwasthemoresurprisedbecausewhenErnesthadlastbeenathomehehadbeendressedasaclergyman，andnowhewasnotonlyalayman，butalaymanwhowasgotupregardlessofexpense。ThechangewassogreatthatitwasnottillErnestactuallyspoketohimthatthecoachmanknewhim。

“Howaremyfatherandmother？”heaskedhurriedly，ashegotintothecarriage。“TheMaster’swell，sir。”wastheanswer，