按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
highest good； towards this all government； all social conventions；
all art； literature and science should directly or indirectly tend。
Holy men and holy women are those who keep this unconsciously in
view at all times whether of work or pastime。〃
If Ernest had published this work in his own name I should think it
would have fallen stillborn from the press； but the form he had
chosen was calculated at that time to arouse curiosity； and as I
have said he had wickedly dropped a few hints which the reviewers
did not think anyone would have been impudent enough to do if he
were not a bishop； or at any rate some one in authority。 A well…
known judge was spoken of as being another of the writers； and the
idea spread ere long that six or seven of the leading bishops and
judges had laid their heads together to produce a volume； which
should at once outbid 〃Essays and Reviews〃 and counteract the
influence of that then still famous work。
Reviewers are men of like passions with ourselves； and with them as
with everyone else omne ignotum pro magnifico。 The book was really
an able one and abounded with humour； just satire； and good sense。
It struck a new note and the speculation which for some time was
rife concerning its authorship made many turn to it who would never
have looked at it otherwise。 One of the most gushing weeklies had a
fit over it； and declared it to be the finest thing that had been
done since the 〃Provincial Letters〃 of Pascal。 Once a month or so
that weekly always found some picture which was the finest that had
been done since the old masters； or some satire that was the finest
that had appeared since Swift or some something which was
incomparably the finest that had appeared since something else。 If
Ernest had put his name to the book； and the writer had known that
it was by a nobody； he would doubtless have written in a very
different strain。 Reviewers like to think that for aught they know
they are patting a Duke or even a Prince of the blood upon the back；
and lay it on thick till they find they have been only praising
Brown； Jones or Robinson。 Then they are disappointed； and as a
general rule will pay Brown； Jones or Robinson out。
Ernest was not so much up to the ropes of the literary world as I
was； and I am afraid his head was a little turned when he woke up
one morning to find himself famous。 He was Christina's son； and
perhaps would not have been able to do what he had done if he was
not capable of occasional undue elation。 Ere long； however； he
found out all about it； and settled quietly down to write a series
of books； in which he insisted on saying things which no one else
would say even if they could； or could even if they would。
He has got himself a bad literary character。 I said to him
laughingly one day that he was like the man in the last century of
whom it was said that nothing but such a character could keep down
such parts。
He laughed and said he would rather be like that than like a modern
writer or two whom he could name； whose parts were so poor that they
could be kept up by nothing but by such a character。
I remember soon after one of these books was published I happened to
meet Mrs Jupp to whom； by the way； Ernest made a small weekly
allowance。 It was at Ernest's chambers； and for some reason we were
left alone for a few minutes。 I said to her： 〃Mr Pontifex has
written another book； Mrs Jupp。〃
〃Lor' now；〃 said she； 〃has he really？ Dear gentleman！ Is it about
love？〃 And the old sinner threw up a wicked sheep's eye glance at
me from under her aged eyelids。 I forget what there was in my reply
which provoked itprobably nothingbut she went rattling on at
full speed to the effect that Bell had given her a ticket for the
opera； 〃So； of course；〃 she said； 〃I went。 I didn't understand one
word of it； for it was all French； but I saw their legs。 Oh dear；
oh dear！ I'm afraid I shan't be here much longer； and when dear Mr
Pontifex sees me in my coffin he'll say； 'Poor old Jupp； she'll
never talk broad any more'； but bless you I'm not so old as all
that； and I'm taking lessons in dancing。〃
At this moment Ernest came in and the conversation was changed。 Mrs
Jupp asked if he was still going on writing more books now that this
one was done。 〃Of course I am；〃 he answered； 〃I'm always writing
books； here is the manuscript of my next；〃 and he showed her a heap
of paper。
〃Well now；〃 she exclaimed； 〃dear； dear me； and is that manuscript？
I've often heard talk about manuscripts； but I never thought I
should live to see some myself。 Well！ well！ So that is really
manuscript？〃
There were a few geraniums in the window and they did not look well。
Ernest asked Mrs Jupp if she understood flowers。 〃I understand the
language of flowers；〃 she said； with one of her most bewitching
leers； and on this we sent her off till she should choose to honour
us with another visit； which she knows she is privileged from time
to time to do； for Ernest likes her。
CHAPTER LXXXVI
And now I must bring my story to a close。
The preceding chapter was written soon after the events it records
that is to say in the spring of 1867。 By that time my story had
been written up to this point； but it has been altered here and
there from time to time occasionally。 It is now the autumn of 1882；
and if I am to say more I should do so quickly； for I am eighty
years old and though well in health cannot conceal from myself that
I am no longer young。 Ernest himself is forty…seven； though he
hardly looks it。
He is richer than ever； for he has never married and his London and
North…Western shares have nearly doubled themselves。 Through sheer
inability to spend his income he has been obliged to hoard in self…
defence。 He still lives in the Temple in the same rooms I took for
him when he gave up his shop； for no one has been able to induce him
to take a house。 His house； he says； is wherever there is a good
hotel。 When he is in town he likes to work and to be quiet。 When
out of town he feels that he has left little behind him that can go
wrong； and he would not like to be tied to a single locality。 〃I
know no exception；〃 he says； 〃to the rule that it is cheaper to buy
milk than to keep a cow。〃
As I have mentioned Mrs Jupp； I may as well say here the little that
remains to be said about her。 She is a very old woman now； but no
one now living； as she says triumphantly； can say how old； for the
woman in the Old Kent Road is dead； and presumably has carried her
secret to the grave。 Old； however； though she is； she lives in the
same house； and finds it hard work to make the two ends meet； but I
do not know that she minds this very much； and it has prevented her
from getting more to drink than would be good for her。 It is no use
trying to do anything for her beyond paying her allowance weekly；
and absolutely refusing to let her anticipate it。 She pawns her
flat iron every Saturday for 4d。； and takes it out every Monday
morning for 4。5d。 when she gets her allowance； and has done this for
the last ten years as regularly as the week comes round。 As long as
she does not let the flat iron actual