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sudden and made honest women of； this is too much for us and throws
us off our perch； what we wants is a regular friend or two； who'll
just keep us from starving； and force us to be good for a bit
together now and again。 That's about as much as we can stand。 He
may have the children； he can do better for them than I can； and as
for his money； he may give it or keep it as he likes； he's never
done me any harm； and I shall let him alone； but if he means me to
have it； I suppose I'd better have it。〃And have it she did。
〃And I；〃 thought Ernest to himself again when the arrangement was
concluded； 〃am the man who thought himself unlucky！〃
I may as well say here all that need be said further about Ellen。
For the next three years she used to call regularly at Mr Ottery's
every Monday morning for her pound。 She was always neatly dressed；
and looked so quiet and pretty that no one would have suspected her
antecedents。 At first she wanted sometimes to anticipate； but after
three or four ineffectual attemptson each of which occasions she
told a most pitiful storyshe gave it up and took her money
regularly without a word。 Once she came with a bad black eye；
〃which a boy had throwed a stone and hit her by mistake〃； but on the
whole she looked pretty much the same at the end of the three years
as she had done at the beginning。 Then she explained that she was
going to be married again。 Mr Ottery saw her on this； and pointed
out to her that she would very likely be again committing bigamy by
doing so。 〃You may call it what you like；〃 she replied； 〃but I am
going off to America with Bill the butcher's man； and we hope Mr
Pontifex won't be too hard on us and stop the allowance。〃 Ernest
was little likely to do this； so the pair went in peace。 I believe
it was Bill who had blacked her eye； and she liked him all the
better for it。
From one or two little things I have been able to gather that the
couple got on very well together； and that in Bill she has found a
partner better suited to her than either John or Ernest。 On his
birthday Ernest generally receives an envelope with an American
post…mark containing a book…marker with a flaunting text upon it； or
a moral kettle…holder； or some other similar small token of
recognition； but no letter。 Of the children she has taken no
notice。
CHAPTER LXXVIII
Ernest was now well turned twenty…six years old； and in little more
than another year and a half would come into possession of his
money。 I saw no reason for letting him have it earlier than the
date fixed by Miss Pontifex herself； at the same time I did not like
his continuing the shop at Blackfriars after the present crisis。 It
was not till now that I fully understood how much he had suffered；
nor how nearly his supposed wife's habits had brought him to actual
want。
I had indeed noted the old wan worn look settling upon his face； but
was either too indolent or too hopeless of being able to sustain a
protracted and successful warfare with Ellen to extend the sympathy
and make the inquiries which I suppose I ought to have made。 And
yet I hardly know what I could have done； for nothing short of his
finding out what he had found out would have detached him from his
wife； and nothing could do him much good as long as he continued to
live with her。
After all I suppose I was right； I suppose things did turn out all
the better in the end for having been left to settle themselvesat
any rate whether they did or did not； the whole thing was in too
great a muddle for me to venture to tackle it so long as Ellen was
upon the scene； now； however； that she was removed； all my interest
in my godson revived； and I turned over many times in my mind； what
I had better do with him。
It was now three and a half years since he had come up to London and
begun to live； so to speak； upon his own account。 Of these years；
six months had been spent as a clergyman； six months in gaol； and
for two and a half years he had been acquiring twofold experience in
the ways of business and of marriage。 He had failed； I may say； in
everything that he had undertaken； even as a prisoner； yet his
defeats had been always； as it seemed to me； something so like
victories； that I was satisfied of his being worth all the pains I
could bestow upon him； my only fear was lest I should meddle with
him when it might be better for him to be let alone。 On the whole I
concluded that a three and a half years' apprenticeship to a rough
life was enough； the shop had done much for him； it had kept him
going after a fashion； when he was in great need； it had thrown him
upon his own resources； and taught him to see profitable openings
all around him； where a few months before he would have seen nothing
but insuperable difficulties； it had enlarged his sympathies by
making him understand the lower classes； and not confining his view
of life to that taken by gentlemen only。 When he went about the
streets and saw the books outside the second…hand book…stalls； the
bric…a…brac in the curiosity shops； and the infinite commercial
activity which is omnipresent around us； he understood it and
sympathised with it as he could never have done if he had not kept a
shop himself。
He has often told me that when he used to travel on a railway that
overlooked populous suburbs； and looked down upon street after
street of dingy houses； he used to wonder what kind of people lived
in them； what they did and felt； and how far it was like what he did
and felt himself。 Now； he said he knew all about it。 I am not very
familiar with the writer of the Odyssey （who； by the way； I suspect
strongly of having been a clergyman）； but he assuredly hit the right
nail on the head when he epitomised his typical wise man as knowing
〃the ways and farings of many men。〃 What culture is comparable to
this？ What a lie； what a sickly debilitating debauch did not
Ernest's school and university career now seem to him； in comparison
with his life in prison and as a tailor in Blackfriars。 I have
heard him say he would have gone through all he had suffered if it
were only for the deeper insight it gave him into the spirit of the
Grecian and the Surrey pantomimes。 What confidence again in his own
power to swim if thrown into deep waters had not he won through his
experiences during the last three years！
But； as I have said； I thought my godson had now seen as much of the
under currents of life as was likely to be of use to him； and that
it was time he began to live in a style more suitable to his
prospects。 His aunt had wished him to kiss the soil； and he had
kissed it with a vengeance； but I did not like the notion of his
coming suddenly from the position of a small shopkeeper to that of a
man with an income of between three and four thousand a year。 Too
sudden a jump from bad fortune to good is just as dangerous as one
from good to bad； besides； poverty is very wearing； it is a quasi…
embryonic condition； through which a man had better pass if he is to
hold his later developments securely； but like measles or scarlet
fever he had better have it mildly and get it over early。
No man is safe from losing