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and live somewhere else。 Alethea however； was two or three years
younger than Theobald； she was still some years short of fifty； and
might very well live to eighty…five or ninety； her money； therefore；
was not worth taking much trouble about； and her brother and sister…
in…law had dismissed it； so to speak； from their minds with costs；
assuming； however； that if anything did happen to her while they
were still alive； the money would； as a matter of course； come to
them。
The prospect of Alethea seeing much of Ernest was a serious matter。
Christina smelt mischief from afar； as indeed she often did。
Alethea was worldlyas worldly； that is to say； as a sister of
Theobald's could be。 In her letter to Theobald she had said she
knew how much of his and Christina's thoughts were taken up with
anxiety for the boy's welfare。 Alethea had thought this handsome
enough； but Christina had wanted something better and stronger。
〃How can she know how much we think of our darling？〃 she had
exclaimed； when Theobald showed her his sister's letter。 〃I think；
my dear； Alethea would understand these things better if she had
children of her own。〃 The least that would have satisfied Christina
was to have been told that there never yet had been any parents
comparable to Theobald and herself。 She did not feel easy that an
alliance of some kind would not grow up between aunt and nephew； and
neither she nor Theobald wanted Ernest to have any allies。 Joey and
Charlotte were quite as many allies as were good for him。 After
all； however； if Alethea chose to go and live at Roughborough； they
could not well stop her； and must make the best of it。
In a few weeks' time Alethea did choose to go and live at
Roughborough。 A house was found with a field and a nice little
garden which suited her very well。 〃At any rate；〃 she said to
herself； 〃I will have fresh eggs and flowers。〃 She even considered
the question of keeping a cow； but in the end decided not to do so。
She furnished her house throughout anew； taking nothing whatever
from her establishment in Gower Street； and by Michaelmasfor the
house was empty when she took itshe was settled comfortably； and
had begun to make herself at home。
One of Miss Pontifex's first moves was to ask a dozen of the
smartest and most gentlemanly boys to breakfast with her。 From her
seat in church she could see the faces of the upper…form boys； and
soon made up her mind which of them it would be best to cultivate。
Miss Pontifex； sitting opposite the boys in church； and reckoning
them up with her keen eyes from under her veil by all a woman's
criteria； came to a truer conclusion about the greater number of
those she scrutinized than even Dr Skinner had done。 She fell in
love with one boy from seeing him put on his gloves。
Miss Pontifex； as I have said； got hold of some of these youngsters
through Ernest； and fed them well。 No boy can resist being fed well
by a good…natured and still handsome woman。 Boys are very like nice
dogs in this respectgive them a bone and they will like you at
once。 Alethea employed every other little artifice which she
thought likely to win their allegiance to herself； and through this
their countenance for her nephew。 She found the football club in a
slight money difficulty and at once gave half a sovereign towards
its removal。 The boys had no chance against her； she shot them down
one after another as easily as though they had been roosting
pheasants。 Nor did she escape scathless herself； for； as she wrote
to me； she quite lost her heart to half a dozen of them。 〃How much
nicer they are；〃 she said； 〃and how much more they know than those
who profess to teach them！〃
I believe it has been lately maintained that it is the young and
fair who are the truly old and truly experienced； inasmuch as it is
they who alone have a living memory to guide them； 〃the whole
charm；〃 it has been said； 〃of youth lies in its advantage over age
in respect of experience； and when this has for some reason failed
or been misapplied； the charm is broken。 When we say that we are
getting old； we should say rather that we are getting new or young；
and are suffering from inexperience； trying to do things which we
have never done before； and failing worse and worse； till in the end
we are landed in the utter impotence of death。〃
Miss Pontifex died many a long year before the above passage was
written； but she had arrived independently at much the same
conclusion。
She first； therefore； squared the boys。 Dr Skinner was even more
easily dealt with。 He and Mrs Skinner called； as a matter of
course； as soon as Miss Pontifex was settled。 She fooled him to the
top of his bent； and obtained the promise of a MS。 copy of one of
his minor poems （for Dr Skinner had the reputation of being quite
one of our most facile and elegant minor poets） on the occasion of
his first visit。 The other masters and masters' wives were not
forgotten。 Alethea laid herself out to please； as indeed she did
wherever she went； and if any woman lays herself out to do this； she
generally succeeds。
CHAPTER XXXIV
Miss Pontifex soon found out that Ernest did not like games； but she
saw also that he could hardly be expected to like them。 He was
perfectly well shaped but unusually devoid of physical strength。 He
got a fair share of this in after life； but it came much later with
him than with other boys； and at the time of which I am writing he
was a mere little skeleton。 He wanted something to develop his arms
and chest without knocking him about as much as the school games
did。 To supply this want by some means which should add also to his
pleasure was Alethea's first anxiety。 Rowing would have answered
every purpose； but unfortunately there was no river at Roughborough。
Whatever it was to be； it must be something which he should like as
much as other boys liked cricket or football； and he must think the
wish for it to have come originally from himself； it was not very
easy to find anything that would do； but ere long it occurred to her
that she might enlist his love of music on her side； and asked him
one day when he was spending a half…holiday at her house whether he
would like her to buy an organ for him to play on。 Of course； the
boy said yes； then she told him about her grandfather and the organs
he had built。 It had never entered into his head that he could make
one； but when he gathered from what his aunt had said that this was
not out of the question； he rose as eagerly to the bait as she could
have desired； and wanted to begin learning to saw and plane so that
he might make the wooden pipes at once。
Miss Pontifex did not see how she could have hit upon anything more
suitable； and she liked the idea that he would incidentally get a
knowledge of carpentering； for she was impressed； perhaps foolishly；
with the wisdom of the German custom which gives every boy a
handicraft of some sort。
Writing to me on this matter； she said 〃Professions are all very
well for those who have connection and interest as well as capital；
but otherwise they are white elephants。 How many men do not you and
I know who have tale