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selling。 When I was gone； after he had had his tea； he stole up to
his castlethe first floor front。 He lit his pipe and sat down to
the piano。 He played Handel for an hour or so； and then set himself
to the table to read and write。 He took all his sermons and all the
theological works he had begun to compose during the time he had
been a clergyman and put them in the fire； as he saw them consume he
felt as though he had got rid of another incubus。 Then he took up
some of the little pieces he had begun to write during the latter
part of his undergraduate life at Cambridge； and began to cut them
about and re…write them。 As he worked quietly at these till he
heard the clock strike ten and it was time to go to bed； he felt
that he was now not only happy but supremely happy。
Next day Ellen took him to Debenham's auction rooms； and they
surveyed the lots of clothes which were hung up all round the
auction room to be viewed。 Ellen had had sufficient experience to
know about how much each lot ought to fetch； she overhauled lot
after lot； and valued it； in a very short time Ernest himself began
to have a pretty fair idea what each lot should go for； and before
the morning was over valued a dozen lots running at prices about
which Ellen said he would not hurt if he could get them for that。
So far from disliking this work or finding it tedious； he liked it
very much； indeed he would have liked anything which did not overtax
his physical strength； and which held out a prospect of bringing him
in money。 Ellen would not let him buy anything on the occasion of
this sale； she said he had better see one sale first and watch how
prices actually went。 So at twelve o'clock when the sale began； he
saw the lots sold which he and Ellen had marked； and by the time the
sale was over he knew enough to be able to bid with safety whenever
he should actually want to buy。 Knowledge of this sort is very
easily acquired by anyone who is in bona fide want of it。
But Ellen did not want him to buy at auctionsnot much at least at
present。 Private dealing； she said； was best。 If I； for example；
had any cast…off clothes； he was to buy them from my laundress； and
get a connection with other laundresses； to whom he might give a
trifle more than they got at present for whatever clothes their
masters might give them； and yet make a good profit。 If gentlemen
sold their things； he was to try and get them to sell to him。 He
flinched at nothing； perhaps he would have flinched if he had had
any idea how outre his proceedings were； but the very ignorance of
the world which had ruined him up till now； by a happy irony began
to work its own cure。 If some malignant fairy had meant to curse
him in this respect； she had overdone her malice。 He did not know
he was doing anything strange。 He only knew that he had no money；
and must provide for himself； a wife； and a possible family。 More
than this； he wanted to have some leisure in an evening； so that he
might read and write and keep up his music。 If anyone would show
him how he could do better than he was doing； he should be much
obliged to them； but to himself it seemed that he was doing
sufficiently well； for at the end of the first week the pair found
they had made a clear profit of 3 pounds。 In a few weeks this had
increased to 4 pounds； and by the New Year they had made a profit of
5 pounds in one week。
Ernest had by this time been married some two months； for he had
stuck to his original plan of marrying Ellen on the first day he
could legally do so。 This date was a little delayed by the change
of abode from Laystall Street to Blackfriars； but on the first day
that it could be done it was done。 He had never had more than 250
pounds a year； even in the times of his affluence； so that a profit
of 5 pounds a week； if it could be maintained steadily； would place
him where he had been as far as income went； and； though he should
have to feed two mouths instead of one； yet his expenses in other
ways were so much curtailed by his changed social position； that；
take it all round； his income was practically what it had been a
twelvemonth before。 The next thing to do was to increase it； and
put by money。
Prosperity depends； as we all know； in great measure upon energy and
good sense； but it also depends not a little upon pure luckthat is
to say； upon connections which are in such a tangle that it is more
easy to say that they do not exist； than to try to trace them。 A
neighbourhood may have an excellent reputation as being likely to be
a rising one； and yet may become suddenly eclipsed by another； which
no one would have thought so promising。 A fever hospital may divert
the stream of business； or a new station attract it； so little；
indeed； can be certainly known； that it is better not to try to know
more than is in everybody's mouth； and to leave the rest to chance。
Luck； which certainly had not been too kind to my hero hitherto； now
seemed to have taken him under her protection。 The neighbourhood
prospered； and he with it。 It seemed as though he no sooner bought
a thing and put it into his shop； than it sold with a profit of from
thirty to fifty per cent。 He learned book…keeping； and watched his
accounts carefully； following up any success immediately； he began
to buy other things besides clothessuch as books； music； odds and
ends of furniture； etc。 Whether it was luck or business aptitude；
or energy； or the politeness with which he treated all his
customers； I cannot saybut to the surprise of no one more than
himself； he went ahead faster than he had anticipated； even in his
wildest dreams； and by Easter was established in a strong position
as the owner of a business which was bringing him in between four
and five hundred a year； and which he understood how to extend。
CHAPTER LXXIII
Ellen and he got on capitally； all the better； perhaps； because the
disparity between them was so great； that neither did Ellen want to
be elevated； nor did Ernest want to elevate her。 He was very fond
of her； and very kind to her； they had interests which they could
serve in common； they had antecedents with a good part of which each
was familiar； they had each of them excellent tempers； and this was
enough。 Ellen did not seem jealous at Ernest's preferring to sit
the greater part of his time after the day's work was done in the
first floor front where I occasionally visited him。 She might have
come and sat with him if she had liked； but； somehow or other； she
generally found enough to occupy her down below。 She had the tact
also to encourage him to go out of an evening whenever he had a
mind； without in the least caring that he should take her tooand
this suited Ernest very well。 He was； I should say； much happier in
his married life than people generally are。
At first it had been very painful to him to meet any of his old
friends； as he sometimes accidentally did； but this soon passed；
either they cut him； or he cut them； it was not nice being cut for
the first time or two； but after that； it became rather pleasant
than not； and when he began to see that he was going ahead； he cared
ver