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Towneley and I were of a different opinion； but we did not say what
we thought。
It was dreary work waiting all the morning amid such unfamiliar and
depressing surroundings。 I thought how the Psalmist had exclaimed
with quiet irony； 〃One day in thy courts is better than a thousand；〃
and I thought that I could utter a very similar sentiment in respect
of the Courts in which Towneley and I were compelled to loiter。 At
last； about three o'clock the case was called on； and we went round
to the part of the court which is reserved for the general public；
while Ernest was taken into the prisoner's dock。 As soon as he had
collected himself sufficiently he recognised the magistrate as the
old gentleman who had spoken to him in the train on the day he was
leaving school； and saw； or thought he saw； to his great grief； that
he too was recognised。
Mr Ottery； for this was our attorney's name； took the line he had
proposed。 He called no other witnesses than the rector； Towneley
and myself； and threw himself on the mercy of the magistrate。 When
he had concluded； the magistrate spoke as follows： 〃Ernest
Pontifex； yours is one of the most painful cases that I have ever
had to deal with。 You have been singularly favoured in your
parentage and education。 You have had before you the example of
blameless parents； who doubtless instilled into you from childhood
the enormity of the offence which by your own confession you have
committed。 You were sent to one of the best public schools in
England。 It is not likely that in the healthy atmosphere of such a
school as Roughborough you can have come across contaminating
influences； you were probably； I may say certainly； impressed at
school with the heinousness of any attempt to depart from the
strictest chastity until such time as you had entered into a state
of matrimony。 At Cambridge you were shielded from impurity by every
obstacle which virtuous and vigilant authorities could devise； and
even had the obstacles been fewer； your parents probably took care
that your means should not admit of your throwing money away upon
abandoned characters。 At night proctors patrolled the street and
dogged your steps if you tried to go into any haunt where the
presence of vice was suspected。 By day the females who were
admitted within the college walls were selected mainly on the score
of age and ugliness。 It is hard to see what more can be done for
any young man than this。 For the last four or five months you have
been a clergyman； and if a single impure thought had still remained
within your mind； ordination should have removed it： nevertheless；
not only does it appear that your mind is as impure as though none
of the influences to which I have referred had been brought to bear
upon it； but it seems as though their only result had been this
that you have not even the common sense to be able to distinguish
between a respectable girl and a prostitute。
〃If I were to take a strict view of my duty I should commit you for
trial； but in consideration of this being your first offence； I
shall deal leniently with you and sentence you to imprisonment with
hard labour for six calendar months。〃
Towneley and I both thought there was a touch of irony in the
magistrate's speech； and that he could have given a lighter sentence
if he would； but that was neither here nor there。 We obtained leave
to see Ernest for a few minutes before he was removed to Coldbath
Fields； where he was to serve his term； and found him so thankful to
have been summarily dealt with that he hardly seemed to care about
the miserable plight in which he was to pass the next six months。
When he came out； he said； he would take what remained of his money；
go off to America or Australia and never be heard of more。
We left him full of this resolve； I； to write to Theobald； and also
to instruct my solicitor to get Ernest's money out of Pryer's hands；
and Towneley to see the reporters and keep the case out of the
newspapers。 He was successful as regards all the higher…class
papers。 There was only one journal； and that of the lowest class；
which was incorruptible。
CHAPTER LXIII
I saw my solicitor at once； but when I tried to write to Theobald； I
found it better to say I would run down and see him。 I therefore
proposed this； asking him to meet me at the station； and hinting
that I must bring bad news about his son。 I knew he would not get
my letter more than a couple of hours before I should see him； and
thought the short interval of suspense might break the shock of what
I had to say。
Never do I remember to have halted more between two opinions than on
my journey to Battersby upon this unhappy errand。 When I thought of
the little sallow…faced lad whom I had remembered years before； of
the long and savage cruelty with which he had been treated in
childhoodcruelty none the less real for having been due to
ignorance and stupidity rather than to deliberate malice； of the
atmosphere of lying and self…laudatory hallucination in which he had
been brought up； of the readiness the boy had shown to love anything
that would be good enough to let him； and of how affection for his
parents； unless I am much mistaken； had only died in him because it
had been killed anew； again and again and again； each time that it
had tried to spring。 When I thought of all this I felt as though；
if the matter had rested with me； I would have sentenced Theobald
and Christina to mental suffering even more severe than that which
was about to fall upon them。 But on the other hand； when I thought
of Theobald's own childhood； of that dreadful old George Pontifex
his father； of John and Mrs John； and of his two sisters； when again
I thought of Christina's long years of hope deferred that maketh the
heart sick； before she was married； of the life she must have led at
Crampsford； and of the surroundings in the midst of which she and
her husband both lived at Battersby； I felt as though the wonder was
that misfortunes so persistent had not been followed by even graver
retribution。
Poor people！ They had tried to keep their ignorance of the world
from themselves by calling it the pursuit of heavenly things； and
then shutting their eyes to anything that might give them trouble。
A son having been born to them they had shut his eyes also as far as
was practicable。 Who could blame them？ They had chapter and verse
for everything they had either done or left undone； there is no
better thumbed precedent than that for being a clergyman and a
clergyman's wife。 In what respect had they differed from their
neighbours？ How did their household differ from that of any other
clergyman of the better sort from one end of England to the other？
Why then should it have been upon them； of all people in the world；
that this tower of Siloam had fallen？
Surely it was the tower of Siloam that was naught rather than those
who stood under it； it was the system rather than the people that
was at fault。 If Theobald and his wife had but known more of the
world and of the things that are therein； they would have done
little harm to anyone。 Selfish they would have always been； b