第74章

AndnowImustbringmystorytoaclose。

Theprecedingchapterwaswrittensoonaftertheeventsitrecords——

thatistosayinthespringof1867。Bythattimemystoryhadbeenwrittenuptothispoint；butithasbeenalteredhereandtherefromtimetotimeoccasionally。Itisnowtheautumnof1882，andifIamtosaymoreIshoulddosoquickly，forIameightyyearsoldandthoughwellinhealthcannotconcealfrommyselfthatIamnolongeryoung。Ernesthimselfisforty-seven，thoughhehardlylooksit。

Heisricherthanever，forhehasnevermarriedandhisLondonandNorth-Westernshareshavenearlydoubledthemselves。Throughsheerinabilitytospendhisincomehehasbeenobligedtohoardinself-

defence。HestilllivesintheTempleinthesameroomsItookforhimwhenhegaveuphisshop，fornoonehasbeenabletoinducehimtotakeahouse。Hishouse，hesays，iswhereverthereisagoodhotel。Whenheisintownhelikestoworkandtobequiet。Whenoutoftownhefeelsthathehasleftlittlebehindhimthatcangowrong，andhewouldnotliketobetiedtoasinglelocality。“I

knownoexception。”hesays，“totherulethatitischeapertobuymilkthantokeepacow。”

AsIhavementionedMrsJupp，Imayaswellsayherethelittlethatremainstobesaidabouther。Sheisaveryoldwomannow，butnoonenowliving，asshesaystriumphantly，cansayhowold，forthewomanintheOldKentRoadisdead，andpresumablyhascarriedhersecrettothegrave。Old，however，thoughsheis，shelivesinthesamehouse，andfindsithardworktomakethetwoendsmeet，butI

donotknowthatshemindsthisverymuch，andithaspreventedherfromgettingmoretodrinkthanwouldbegoodforher。Itisnousetryingtodoanythingforherbeyondpayingherallowanceweekly，andabsolutelyrefusingtoletheranticipateit。ShepawnsherflatironeverySaturdayfor4d。，andtakesitouteveryMondaymorningfor4。5d。whenshegetsherallowance，andhasdonethisforthelasttenyearsasregularlyastheweekcomesround。Aslongasshedoesnotlettheflatironactuallygoweknowthatshecanstillworryoutherfinancialproblemsinherownhugger-muggerwayandhadbetterbelefttodoso。Iftheflatironweretogobeyondredemption，weshouldknowthatitwastimetointerfere。Idonotknowwhy，butthereissomethingaboutherwhichalwaysremindsmeofawomanwhowasasunlikeherasonepersoncanbetoanother——I

meanErnest’smother。

ThelasttimeIhadalonggossipwithherwasabouttwoyearsagowhenshecametomeinsteadoftoErnest。Shesaidshehadseenacabdriveupjustasshewasgoingtoenterthestaircase，andhadseenMrPontifex’spaputhisBeelzebuboldheadoutofthewindow，soshehadcomeontome，forshehadn’tgreasedhersidesfornocurtsey，notforthelikesofhim。Sheprofessedtobeverymuchdownonherluck。Herlodgersdidusehersodreadful，goingawaywithoutpayingandleavingnotsomuchasastickbehind，butto-dayshewasaspleasedasapennycarrot。Shehadhadsuchalovelydinner——acushionofhamandgreenpeas。Shehadhadagoodcryoverit，butthenshewassosilly，shewas。

“Andthere’sthatBell。”shecontinued，thoughIcouldnotdetectanyappearanceofconnection，“it’senoughtogiveanyonethehumptoseehimnowthathe’stakentochapel-going，andhismother’spreparedtomeetJesusandallthattome，andnowsheain’ta-goingtodie，anddrinkshalfabottleofchampagneaday，andthenGrigg，himaspreaches，you