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Ellen had to wait more and more upon the baby； and； as a
consequence； Ernest had to wait more and more upon Ellen。
One afternoon； about a couple of months after the baby had been
born； and just as my unhappy hero was beginning to feel more hopeful
and therefore better able to bear his burdens； he returned from a
sale； and found Ellen in the same hysterical condition that he had
found her in in the spring。 She said she was again with child； and
Ernest still believed her。
All the troubles of the preceding six months began again then and
there； and grew worse and worse continually。 Money did not come in
quickly； for Ellen cheated him by keeping it back； and dealing
improperly with the goods he bought。 When it did come in she got it
out of him as before on pretexts which it seemed inhuman to inquire
into。 It was always the same story。 By and by a new feature began
to show itself。 Ernest had inherited his father's punctuality and
exactness as regards money； he liked to know the worst of what he
had to pay at once； he hated having expenses sprung upon him which
if not foreseen might and ought to have been so； but now bills began
to be brought to him for things ordered by Ellen without his
knowledge； or for which he had already given her the money。 This
was awful； and even Ernest turned。 When he remonstrated with her
not for having bought the things； but for having said nothing to him
about the moneys being owingEllen met him with hysteria and there
was a scene。 She had now pretty well forgotten the hard times she
had known when she had been on her own resources and reproached him
downright with having married heron that moment the scales fell
from Ernest's eyes as they had fallen when Towneley had said； 〃No；
no； no。〃 He said nothing； but he woke up once for all to the fact
that he had made a mistake in marrying。 A touch had again come
which had revealed him to himself。
He went upstairs to the disused citadel； flung himself into the arm…
chair； and covered his face with his hands。
He still did not know that his wife drank； but he could no longer
trust her； and his dream of happiness was over。 He had been saved
from the Churchso as by fire； but still savedbut what could now
save him from his marriage？ He had made the same mistake that he
had made in wedding himself to the Church； but with a hundred times
worse results。 He had learnt nothing by experience： he was an
Esauone of those wretches whose hearts the Lord had hardened； who；
having ears； heard not； having eyes saw not； and who should find no
place for repentance though they sought it even with tears。
Yet had he not on the whole tried to find out what the ways of God
were； and to follow them in singleness of heart？ To a certain
extent； yes； but he had not been thorough； he had not given up all
for God。 He knew that very well he had done little as compared with
what he might and ought to have done； but still if he was being
punished for this； God was a hard taskmaster； and one； too； who was
continually pouncing out upon his unhappy creatures from ambuscades。
In marrying Ellen he had meant to avoid a life of sin； and to take
the course he believed to be moral and right。 With his antecedents
and surroundings it was the most natural thing in the world for him
to have done； yet in what a frightful position had not his morality
landed him。 Could any amount of immorality have placed him in a
much worse one？ What was morality worth if it was not that which on
the whole brought a man peace at the last； and could anyone have
reasonable certainty that marriage would do this？ It seemed to him
that in his attempt to be moral he had been following a devil which
had disguised itself as an angel of light。 But if so； what ground
was there on which a man might rest the sole of his foot and tread
in reasonable safety？
He was still too young to reach the answer； 〃On common sense〃an
answer which he would have felt to be unworthy of anyone who had an
ideal standard。
However this might be； it was plain that he had now done for
himself。 It had been thus with him all his life。 If there had come
at any time a gleam of sunshine and hope； it was to be obscured
immediatelywhy； prison was happier than this！ There； at any rate；
he had had no money anxieties； and these were beginning to weigh
upon him now with all their horrors。 He was happier even now than
he had been at Battersby or at Roughborough； and he would not now go
back； even if he could； to his Cambridge life； but for all that the
outlook was so gloomy； in fact so hopeless； that he felt as if he
could have only too gladly gone to sleep and died in his arm…chair
once for all。
As he was musing thus and looking upon the wreck of his hopesfor
he saw well enough that as long as he was linked to Ellen he should
never rise as he had dreamed of doinghe heard a noise below； and
presently a neighbour ran upstairs and entered his room hurriedly …
〃Good gracious； Mr Pontifex；〃 she exclaimed； 〃for goodness' sake
come down quickly and help。 O Mrs Pontifex is took with the
horrorsand she's orkard。〃
The unhappy man came down as he was bid and found his wife mad with
delirium tremens。
He knew all now。 The neighbours thought he must have known that his
wife drank all along； but Ellen had been so artful； and he so
simple； that； as I have said； he had had no suspicion。 〃Why；〃 said
the woman who had summoned him； 〃she'll drink anything she can stand
up and pay her money for。〃 Ernest could hardly believe his ears；
but when the doctor had seen his wife and she had become more quiet；
he went over to the public house hard by and made enquiries； the
result of which rendered further doubt impossible。 The publican
took the opportunity to present my hero with a bill of several
pounds for bottles of spirits supplied to his wife； and what with
his wife's confinement and the way business had fallen off； he had
not the money to pay with； for the sum exceeded the remnant of his
savings。
He came to menot for money； but to tell me his miserable story。 I
had seen for some time that there was something wrong； and had
suspected pretty shrewdly what the matter was； but of course I said
nothing。 Ernest and I had been growing apart for some time。 I was
vexed at his having married； and he knew I was vexed； though I did
my best to hide it。
A man's friendships are； like his will； invalidated by marriagebut
they are also no less invalidated by the marriage of his friends。
The rift in friendship which invariably makes its appearance on the
marriage of either of the parties to it was fast widening； as it no
less invariably does； into the great gulf which is fixed between the
married and the unmarried； and I was beginning to leave my protege
to a fate with which I had neither right nor power to meddle。 In
fact I had begun to feel him rather a burden； I did not so much mind
this when I could be of use； but I grudged it when I could be of
none。 He had made his bed and he must lie upon it。 Ernest had felt
all this and had seldom come near me till now； one evening late in
1860； he called on me； and with a very woebegone face told me