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please himself？ I said nothing； therefore； on this head； and yet
all that I could urge went for very little with one who believed
himself to be an artisan or nothing。
Really from his own standpoint there was nothing very outrageous in
what he was doing。 He had known and been very fond of Ellen years
before。 He knew her to come of respectable people； and to have
borne a good character； and to have been universally liked at
Battersby。 She was then a quick； smart； hard…working girland a
very pretty one。 When at last they met again she was on her best
behaviour； in fact； she was modesty and demureness itself。 What
wonder； then； that his imagination should fail to realise the
changes that eight years must have worked？ He knew too much against
himself； and was too bankrupt in love to be squeamish； if Ellen had
been only what he thought her； and if his prospects had been in
reality no better than he believed they were； I do not know that
there is anything much more imprudent in what Ernest proposed than
there is in half the marriages that take place every day。
There was nothing for it； however； but to make the best of the
inevitable； so I wished my young friend good fortune； and told him
he could have whatever money he wanted to start his shop with； if
what he had in hand was not sufficient。 He thanked me； asked me to
be kind enough to let him do all my mending and repairing； and to
get him any other like orders that I could； and left me to my own
reflections。
I was even more angry when he was gone than I had been while he was
with me。 His frank； boyish face had beamed with a happiness that
had rarely visited it。 Except at Cambridge he had hardly known what
happiness meant； and even there his life had been clouded as of a
man for whom wisdom at the greatest of its entrances was quite shut
out。 I had seen enough of the world and of him to have observed
this； but it was impossible； or I thought it had been impossible；
for me to have helped him。
Whether I ought to have tried to help him or not I do not know； but
I am sure that the young of all animals often do want help upon
matters about which anyone would say a priori that there should be
no difficulty。 One would think that a young seal would want no
teaching how to swim； nor yet a bird to fly； but in practice a young
seal drowns if put out of its depth before its parents have taught
it to swim； and so again； even the young hawk must be taught to fly
before it can do so。
I grant that the tendency of the times is to exaggerate the good
which teaching can do； but in trying to teach too much； in most
matters； we have neglected others in respect of which a little
sensible teaching would do no harm。
I know it is the fashion to say that young people must find out
things for themselves； and so they probably would if they had fair
play to the extent of not having obstacles put in their way。 But
they seldom have fair play； as a general rule they meet with foul
play； and foul play from those who live by selling them stones made
into a great variety of shapes and sizes so as to form a tolerable
imitation of bread。
Some are lucky enough to meet with few obstacles； some are plucky
enough to over…ride them； but in the greater number of cases； if
people are saved at all they are saved so as by fire。
While Ernest was with me Ellen was looking out for a shop on the
south side of the Thames near the 〃Elephant and Castle；〃 which was
then almost a new and a very rising neighbourhood。 By one o'clock
she had found several from which a selection was to be made； and
before night the pair had made their choice。
Ernest brought Ellen to me。 I did not want to see her； but could
not well refuse。 He had laid out a few of his shillings upon her
wardrobe； so that she was neatly dressed； and； indeed； she looked
very pretty and so good that I could hardly be surprised at Ernest's
infatuation when the other circumstances of the case were taken into
consideration。 Of course we hated one another instinctively from
the first moment we set eyes on one another； but we each told Ernest
that we had been most favourably impressed。
Then I was taken to see the shop。 An empty house is like a stray
dog or a body from which life has departed。 Decay sets in at once
in every part of it； and what mould and wind and weather would
spare； street boys commonly destroy。 Ernest's shop in its
untenanted state was a dirty unsavoury place enough。 The house was
not old； but it had been run up by a jerry…builder and its
constitution had no stamina whatever。 It was only by being kept
warm and quiet that it would remain in health for many months
together。 Now it had been empty for some weeks and the cats had got
in by night； while the boys had broken the windows by day。 The
parlour floor was covered with stones and dirt； and in the area was
a dead dog which had been killed in the street and been thrown down
into the first unprotected place that could be found。 There was a
strong smell throughout the house； but whether it was bugs； or rats；
or cats； or drains； or a compound of all four； I could not
determine。 The sashes did not fit； the flimsy doors hung badly； the
skirting was gone in several places； and there were not a few holes
in the floor； the locks were loose； and paper was torn and dirty；
the stairs were weak and one felt the treads give as one went up
them。
Over and above these drawbacks the house had an ill name； by reason
of the fact that the wife of the last occupant had hanged herself in
it not very many weeks previously。 She had set down a bloater
before the fire for her husband's tea； and had made him a round of
toast。 She then left the room as though about to return to it
shortly； but instead of doing so she went into the back kitchen and
hanged herself without a word。 It was this which had kept the house
empty so long in spite of its excellent position as a corner shop。
The last tenant had left immediately after the inquest； and if the
owner had had it done up then people would have got over the tragedy
that had been enacted in it； but the combination of bad condition
and bad fame had hindered many from taking it； who like Ellen； could
see that it had great business capabilities。 Almost anything would
have sold there； but it happened also that there was no second…hand
clothes shop in close proximity so that everything combined in its
favour； except its filthy state and its reputation。
When I saw it； I thought I would rather die than live in such an
awful placebut then I had been living in the Temple for the last
five and twenty years。 Ernest was lodging in Laystall Street and
had just come out of prison； before this he had lived in Ashpit
Place so that this house had no terrors for him provided he could
get it done up。 The difficulty was that the landlord was hard to
move in this respect。 It ended in my finding the money to do
everything that was wanted； and taking a lease of the house for five
years at the same rental as that paid by the last occupant。 I then
sublet it to Ernest； of course taking care that it was put more
efficiently into repair than his landlord was