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nothing； and might put by a great deal of his income。 As for
temptations； there could be few or none in such a place as that。
This argument about cheapness was the one with which she most
successfully met Theobald； who grumbled more suo that he had no
sympathy with his son's extravagance and conceit。 When Christina
pointed out to him that it would be cheap he replied that there was
something in that。
On Ernest himself the effect was to confirm the good opinion of
himself which had been growing upon him ever since he had begun to
read for orders； and to make him flatter himself that he was among
the few who were ready to give up ALL for Christ。 Ere long he began
to conceive of himself as a man with a mission and a great future。
His lightest and most hastily formed opinions began to be of
momentous importance to him； and he inflicted them； as I have
already shown； on his old friends； week by week becoming more and
more entete with himself and his own crotchets。 I should like well
enough to draw a veil over this part of my hero's career； but cannot
do so without marring my story。
In the spring of 1859 I find him writing …
〃I cannot call the visible Church Christian till its fruits are
Christian； that is until the fruits of the members of the Church of
England are in conformity； or something like conformity； with her
teaching。 I cordially agree with the teaching of the Church of
England in most respects； but she says one thing and does another；
and until excommunicationyes； and wholesale excommunicationbe
resorted to； I cannot call her a Christian institution。 I should
begin with our Rector； and if I found it necessary to follow him up
by excommunicating the Bishop； I should not flinch even from this。
〃The present London Rectors are hopeless people to deal with。 My
own is one of the best of them； but the moment Pryer and I show
signs of wanting to attack an evil in a way not recognised by
routine； or of remedying anything about which no outcry has been
made； we are met with； 'I cannot think what you mean by all this
disturbance； nobody else among the clergy sees these things； and I
have no wish to be the first to begin turning everything topsy…
turvy。' And then people call him a sensible man。 I have no
patience with them。 However； we know what we want； and； as I wrote
to Dawson the other day； have a scheme on foot which will； I think；
fairly meet the requirements of the case。 But we want more money；
and my first move towards getting this has not turned out quite so
satisfactorily as Pryer and I had hoped； we shall； however； I doubt
not； retrieve it shortly。〃
When Ernest came to London he intended doing a good deal of house…
to…house visiting； but Pryer had talked him out of this even before
he settled down in his new and strangely…chosen apartments。 The
line he now took was that if people wanted Christ； they must prove
their want by taking some little trouble； and the trouble required
of them was that they should come and seek him； Ernest； out； there
he was in the midst of them ready to teach； if people did not choose
to come to him it was no fault of his。
〃My great business here；〃 he writes again to Dawson； 〃is to observe。
I am not doing much in parish work beyond my share of the daily
services。 I have a man's Bible Class； and a boy's Bible Class； and
a good many young men and boys to whom I give instruction one way or
another； then there are the Sunday School children； with whom I fill
my room on a Sunday evening as full as it will hold； and let them
sing hymns and chants。 They like this。 I do a great deal of
readingchiefly of books which Pryer and I think most likely to
help； we find nothing comparable to the Jesuits。 Pryer is a
thorough gentleman； and an admirable man of businessno less
observant of the things of this world； in fact； than of the things
above； by a brilliant coup he has retrieved； or nearly so； a rather
serious loss which threatened to delay indefinitely the execution of
our great scheme。 He and I daily gather fresh principles。 I
believe great things are before me； and am strong in the hope of
being able by and by to effect much。
〃As for you I bid you God speed。 Be bold but logical； speculative
but cautious； daringly courageous； but properly circumspect withal；〃
etc。； etc。
I think this may do for the present。
CHAPTER LV
I had called on Ernest as a matter of course when he first came to
London； but had not seen him。 I had been out when he returned my
call； so that he had been in town for some weeks before I actually
saw him； which I did not very long after he had taken possession of
his new rooms。 I liked his face； but except for the common bond of
music； in respect of which our tastes were singularly alike； I
should hardly have known how to get on with him。 To do him justice
he did not air any of his schemes to me until I had drawn him out
concerning them。 I； to borrow the words of Ernest's landlady； Mrs
Jupp； 〃am not a very regular church…goer〃I discovered upon cross…
examination that Mrs Jupp had been to church once when she was
churched for her son Tom some five and twenty years since； but never
either before or afterwards； not even； I fear； to be married； for
though she called herself 〃Mrs〃 she wore no wedding ring； and spoke
of the person who should have been Mr Jupp as 〃my poor dear boy's
father；〃 not as 〃my husband。〃 But to return。 I was vexed at
Ernest's having been ordained。 I was not ordained myself and I did
not like my friends to be ordained； nor did I like having to be on
my best behaviour and to look as if butter would not melt in my
mouth； and all for a boy whom I remembered when he knew yesterday
and to…morrow and Tuesday； but not a day of the week morenot even
Sunday itselfand when he said he did not like the kitten because
it had pins in its toes。
I looked at him and thought of his aunt Alethea； and how fast the
money she had left him was accumulating； and it was all to go to
this young man； who would use it probably in the very last ways with
which Miss Pontifex would have sympathised。 I was annoyed。 〃She
always said；〃 I thought to myself； 〃that she should make a mess of
it； but I did not think she would have made as great a mess of it as
this。〃 Then I thought that perhaps if his aunt had lived he would
not have been like this。
Ernest behaved quite nicely to me and I own that the fault was mine
if the conversation drew towards dangerous subjects。 I was the
aggressor； presuming I suppose upon my age and long acquaintance
with him； as giving me a right to make myself unpleasant in a quiet
way。
Then he came out； and the exasperating part of it was that up to a
certain point he was so very right。 Grant him his premises and his
conclusions were sound enough； nor could I； seeing that he was
already ordained； join issue with him about his premises as I should
certainly have done if I had had a chance of doing so before he had
taken orders。 The result was that I had to beat a retreat and went
away not in the best of humours。 I believe the truth was that I
liked Ernest； and was vexed at his being a clergyman； and at a
cler