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be introduced to his young companions until the following morning。
His father and mother now bade him an affectionate farewell； and the
lad was handed over to Mrs Jay。
O schoolmastersif any of you read this bookbear in mind when any
particularly timid drivelling urchin is brought by his papa into
your study； and you treat him with the contempt which he deserves；
and afterwards make his life a burden to him for yearsbear in mind
that it is exactly in the disguise of such a boy as this that your
future chronicler will appear。 Never see a wretched little heavy…
eyed mite sitting on the edge of a chair against your study wall
without saying to yourselves； 〃perhaps this boy is he who； if I am
not careful； will one day tell the world what manner of man I was。〃
If even two or three schoolmasters learn this lesson and remember
it； the preceding chapters will not have been written in vain。
CHAPTER XXIX
Soon after his father and mother had left him Ernest dropped asleep
over a book which Mrs Jay had given him； and he did not awake till
dusk。 Then he sat down on a stool in front of the fire； which
showed pleasantly in the late January twilight； and began to muse。
He felt weak； feeble； ill at ease and unable to see his way out of
the innumerable troubles that were before him。 Perhaps； he said to
himself； he might even die； but this； far from being an end of his
troubles； would prove the beginning of new ones； for at the best he
would only go to Grandpapa Pontifex and Grandmamma Allaby； and
though they would perhaps be more easy to get on with than Papa and
Mamma； yet they were undoubtedly not so really good； and were more
worldly； moreover they were grown…up peopleespecially Grandpapa
Pontifex； who so far as he could understand had been very much
grown…up； and he did not know why； but there was always something
that kept him from loving any grown…up people very muchexcept one
or two of the servants； who had indeed been as nice as anything that
he could imagine。 Besides even if he were to die and go to Heaven
he supposed he should have to complete his education somewhere。
In the meantime his father and mother were rolling along the muddy
roads； each in his or her own corner of the carriage； and each
revolving many things which were and were not to come to pass。
Times have changed since I last showed them to the reader as sitting
together silently in a carriage； but except as regards their mutual
relations； they have altered singularly little。 When I was younger
I used to think the Prayer Book was wrong in requiring us to say the
General Confession twice a week from childhood to old age； without
making provision for our not being quite such great sinners at
seventy as we had been at seven； granted that we should go to the
wash like table…cloths at least once a week； still I used to think a
day ought to come when we should want rather less rubbing and
scrubbing at。 Now that I have grown older myself I have seen that
the Church has estimated probabilities better than I had done。
The pair said not a word to one another； but watched the fading
light and naked trees； the brown fields with here and there a
melancholy cottage by the road side； and the rain that fell fast
upon the carriage windows。 It was a kind of afternoon on which nice
people for the most part like to be snug at home； and Theobald was a
little snappish at reflecting how many miles he had to post before
he could be at his own fireside again。 However there was nothing
for it； so the pair sat quietly and watched the roadside objects
flit by them； and get greyer and grimmer as the light faded。
Though they spoke not to one another； there was one nearer to each
of them with whom they could converse freely。 〃I hope；〃 said
Theobald to himself； 〃I hope he'll workor else that Skinner will
make him。 I don't like Skinner； I never did like him； but he is
unquestionably a man of genius； and no one turns out so many pupils
who succeed at Oxford and Cambridge； and that is the best test。 I
have done my share towards starting him well。 Skinner said he had
been well grounded and was very forward。 I suppose he will presume
upon it now and do nothing； for his nature is an idle one。 He is
not fond of me； I'm sure he is not。 He ought to be after all the
trouble I have taken with him； but he is ungrateful and selfish。 It
is an unnatural thing for a boy not to be fond of his own father。
If he was fond of me I should be fond of him； but I cannot like a
son who； I am sure； dislikes me。 He shrinks out of my way whenever
he sees me coming near him。 He will not stay five minutes in the
same room with me if he can help it。 He is deceitful。 He would not
want to hide himself away so much if he were not deceitful。 That is
a bad sign and one which makes me fear he will grow up extravagant。
I am sure he will grow up extravagant。 I should have given him more
pocket…money if I had not known thisbut what is the good of giving
him pocket…money？ It is all gone directly。 If he doesn't buy
something with it he gives it away to the first little boy or girl
he sees who takes his fancy。 He forgets that it's my money he is
giving away。 I give him money that he may have money and learn to
know its uses； not that he may go and squander it immediately。 I
wish he was not so fond of music； it will interfere with his Latin
and Greek。 I will stop it as much as I can。 Why； when he was
translating Livy the other day he slipped out Handel's name in
mistake for Hannibal's； and his mother tells me he knows half the
tunes in the 'Messiah' by heart。 What should a boy of his age know
about the 'Messiah'？ If I had shown half as many dangerous
tendencies when I was a boy； my father would have apprenticed me to
a greengrocer； of that I'm very sure；〃 etc。； etc。
Then his thoughts turned to Egypt and the tenth plague。 It seemed
to him that if the little Egyptians had been anything like Ernest；
the plague must have been something very like a blessing in
disguise。 If the Israelites were to come to England now he should
be greatly tempted not to let them go。
Mrs Theobald's thoughts ran in a different current。 〃Lord
Lonsford's grandsonit's a pity his name is Figgins； however； blood
is blood as much through the female line as the male； indeed；
perhaps even more so if the truth were known。 I wonder who Mr
Figgins was。 I think Mrs Skinner said he was dead； however； I must
find out all about him。 It would be delightful if young Figgins
were to ask Ernest home for the holidays。 Who knows but he might
meet Lord Lonsford himself； or at any rate some of Lord Lonsford's
other descendants？〃
Meanwhile the boy himself was still sitting moodily before the fire
in Mrs Jay's room。 〃Papa and Mamma；〃 he was saying to himself； 〃are
much better and cleverer than anyone else； but； I； alas！ shall never
be either good or clever。〃
Mrs Pontifex continued …
〃Perhaps it would be best to get young Figgins on a visit to
ourselves first。 That would be charming。 Theobald would not like
it； for he does not like children； I must see how I can manage it；
for it would be so nice to have young Figginsor stay！