JoeyandCharlottewereintheroom。Joeywasnowordained，andwascuratetoTheobald。HeandErnesthadneverbeensympathetic，andErnestsawataglancethattherewasnochanceofarapprochementbetweenthem。HewasalittlestartledatseeingJoeydressedasaclergyman，andlookingsolikewhathehadlookedhimselfafewyearsearlier，fortherewasagooddealoffamilylikenessbetweenthepair；butJoey’sfacewascoldandwasilluminedwithnosparkofBohemianism；hewasaclergymanandwasgoingtodoasotherclergymendid，neitherbetternorworse。HegreetedErnestratherdehautenbas，thatistosayhebeganbytryingtodoso，buttheaffairtailedoffunsatisfactorily。
　　Hissisterpresentedhercheektohimtobekissed。Howhehatedit；hehadbeendreadingitforthelastthreehours。She，too，wasdistantandreproachfulinhermanner，assuchasuperiorpersonwassuretobe。Shehadagrievanceagainsthiminasmuchasshewasstillunmarried。ShelaidtheblameofthisatErnest’sdoor；itwashismisconductshemaintainedinsecret，whichhadpreventedyoungmenfrommakingofferstoher，andsheranhimupaheavybillforconsequentialdamages。SheandJoeyhadfromthefirstdevelopedaninstinctforhuntingwiththehounds，andnowthesetwohadfairlyidentifiedthemselveswiththeoldergeneration——thatistosayasagainstErnest。Onthisheadtherewasanoffensiveanddefensivealliancebetweenthem，butbetweenthemselvestherewassubduedbutinternecinewarfare。
　　ThisatleastwaswhatErnestgathered，partlyfromhisrecollectionsofthepartiesconcerned，andpartlyfromhisobservationoftheirlittlewaysduringthefirsthalf-hourafterhisarrival，whiletheywerealltogetherinhismother’sbedroom——
　　forasyetofcoursetheydidnotknowthathehadmoney。Hecouldseethattheyeyedhimfromtimetotimewithasurprisenotunmixedwithindignation，andknewverywellwhattheywerethinking。
　　Christinasawthechangewhichhadcomeoverhim——howmuchfirmerandmorevigorousbothinmindandbodyheseemedthanwhenshehadlastseenhim。Shesawtoohowwellhewasdressed，and，liketheothers，inspiteofthereturnofallheraffectionforherfirst-
　　born，wasalittlealarmedaboutTheobald’spocket，whichshesupposedwouldhavetobemulctedforallthismagnificence。
　　Perceivingthis，Ernestrelievedhermindandtoldherallabouthisaunt’sbequest，andhowIhadhusbandedit，inthepresenceofhisbrotherandsister——who，however，pretendednottonotice，oratanyratetonoticeasamatterinwhichtheycouldhardlybeexpectedtotakeaninterest。
　　Hismotherkickedalittleatfirstagainstthemoney’shavinggonetohimasshesaid“overhispapa’shead。”“Why，mydear。”shesaidinadeprecatingtone，“thisismorethaneveryourpapahashad“；
　　butErnestcalmedherbysuggestingthatifMissPontifexhadknownhowlargethesumwouldbecomeshewouldhaveleftthegreaterpartofittoTheobald。ThiscompromisewasacceptedbyChristinawhoforthwith，illasshewas，enteredwithardourintothenewposition，andtakingitasafreshpointofdeparture，beganspendingErnest’smoneyforhim。
　　ImaysayinpassingthatChristinawasrightinsayingthatTheobaldhadneverhadsomuchmoneyashissonwasnowpossessedof。Inthefirstplacehehadnothadafourteenyears’minoritywithnooutgoingstopreventtheaccumulationofthemoney，andinthesecondhe，likemyselfandalmosteveryoneelse，hadsufferedsomewhatinthe1846times——notenoughtocripplehimorevenseriouslytohurthim，butenoughtogivehimascareandmakehimsticktodebenturesfortherestofhislife。Itwasthefactofhisson’sbeingtherichermanofthetwo，andofhisbeingrichsoyoung，whichrankledwithTheobaldevenmorethanthefactofhishavingmoneyatall。Ifhehadhadtowaittillhewassixtyorsixty-five，andbecomebrokendownfromlongfailureinthemeantime，whythenperhapshemighthavebeenallowedtohavewhateversumshouldsufficetokeephimoutoftheworkhouseandpayhisdeath-bedexpenses；butthatheshouldcomeinto70，000poundsateightandtwenty，andhavenowifeandonlytwochildren——itwasintolerable。Christinawastooillandintoogreatahurrytospendthemoneytocaremuchaboutsuchdetailsastheforegoing，andshewasnaturallymuchmoregood-naturedthanTheobald。
　　“Thispieceofgoodfortune“——shesawitataglance——“quitewipedoutthedisgraceofhishavingbeenimprisoned。Thereshouldbenomorenonsenseaboutthat。Thewholethingwasamistake，anunfortunatemistake，true，butthelesssaidaboutitnowthebetter。OfcourseErnestwouldcomebackandliveatBattersbyuntilhewasmarried，andhewouldpayhisfatherhandsomelyforboardandlodging。InfactitwouldbeonlyrightthatTheobaldshouldmakeaprofit，norwouldErnesthimselfwishittobeotherthanahandsomeone；thiswasfarthebestandsimplestarrangement；
　　andhecouldtakehissisteroutmorethanTheobaldorJoeycaredtodo，andwouldalsodoubtlessentertainveryhandsomelyatBattersby。
　　“OfcoursehewouldbuyJoeyaliving，andmakelargepresentsyearlytohissister——wasthereanythingelse？Oh！yes——hewouldbecomeacountymagnatenow；amanwithnearly4000poundsayearshouldcertainlybecomeacountymagnate。HemightevengointoParliament。Hehadveryfairabilities，nothingindeedapproachingsuchgeniusasDrSkinner’s，norevenasTheobald’s，stillhewasnotdeficientandifhegotintoParliament——soyoungtoo——therewasnothingtohinderhisbeingPrimeMinisterbeforehedied，andifso，ofcourse，hewouldbecomeapeer。Oh！whydidhenotsetaboutitallatonce，sothatshemightlivetohearpeoplecallherson’mylord’——LordBattersbyshethoughtwoulddoverynicely，andifshewaswellenoughtosithemustcertainlyhaveherportraitpaintedatfulllengthforoneendofhislargedining-hall。ItshouldbeexhibitedattheRoyalAcademy：’PortraitofLordBattersby’smother，’shesaidtoherself，andherheartflutteredwithallitswontedvivacity。Ifshecouldnotsit，happily，shehadbeenphotographednotsoverylongago，andtheportraithadbeenassuccessfulasanyphotographcouldbeofafacewhichdependedsoentirelyuponitsexpressionasherown。Perhapsthepaintercouldtaketheportraitsufficientlyfromthis。ItwasbetterafterallthatErnesthadgivenuptheChurch——howfarmorewiselyGodarrangesmattersforusthaneverwecandoforourselves！Shesawitallnow——itwasJoeywhowouldbecomeArchbishopofCanterburyandErnestwouldremainalaymanandbecomePrimeMinister“……andsoontillherdaughtertoldheritwastimetotakehermedicine。
　　Isupposethisreverie，whichisamerefragmentofwhatactuallyranthroughChristina’sbrain，occupiedaboutaminuteandahalf，butit，orthepresenceofherson，seemedtoreviveherspiritswonderfully。Ill，dyingindeed，andsufferingasshewas，shebrightenedupsoastolaughonceortwicequitemerrilyduringthecourseoftheafternoon。NextdayDrMartinsaidshewassomuchbetterthathealmostbegantohavehopesofherrecoveryagain。
　　Theobald，wheneverthiswastoucheduponaspossible，wouldshakehisheadandsay：“Wecan’twishitprolonged。”andthenCharlottecaughtErnestunawaresandsaid：“Youknow，dearErnest，thattheseupsanddownsoftalkareterriblyagitatingtopapa；hecouldstandwhatevercomes，butitisquitetoowearingtohimtothinkhalf-a-
　　dozendifferentthingsbackwardsandforwards，upanddowninthesametwenty-fourhours，anditwouldbekinderofyounottodoit——
　　ImeannottosayanythingtohimeventhoughDrMartindoesholdouthopes。”
　　CharlottehadmeanttoimplythatitwasErnestwhowasatthebottomofalltheinconveniencefeltbyTheobald，herself，Joeyandeveryoneelse，andshehadactuallygotwordsoutwhichshouldconveythis；true，shehadnotdaredtosticktothemandhadturnedthemoff，butshehadmadethemhersatanyrateforonebriefmoment，andthiswasbetterthannothing。Ernestnoticedthroughouthismother’sillness，thatCharlottefoundimmediateoccasiontomakeherselfdisagreeabletohimwhenevereitherdoctorornursepronouncedhermothertobealittlebetter。WhenshewrotetoCrampsfordtodesiretheprayersofthecongregationshewassurehermotherwouldwishit，andthattheCrampsfordpeoplewouldbepleasedatherremembranceofthem，shewassendinganotherletteronsomequitedifferentsubjectatthesametime，andputthetwolettersintothewrongenvelopes。Ernestwasaskedtotaketheseletterstothevillagepost-office，andimprudentlydidso；whentheerrorcametobediscoveredChristinahappenedtohaveralliedalittle。CharlotteflewatErnestimmediately，andlaidalltheblameoftheblunderuponhisshoulders。
　　ExceptthatJoeyandCharlotteweremorefullydeveloped，thehouseanditsinmates，organicandinorganic，werelittlechangedsinceErnesthadlastseenthem。Thefurnitureandtheornamentsonthechimney-piecewerejustastheyhadbeeneversincehecouldrememberanythingatall。Inthedrawing-room，oneithersideofthefireplacetherehungtheCarloDolciandtheSassoferratoasinoldtimes；therewasthewatercolourofasceneontheLagoMaggiore，copiedbyCharlottefromanoriginallentherbyherdrawingmaster，andfinishedunderhisdirection。Thiswasthepictureofwhichoneoftheservantshadsaidthatitmustbegood，forMrPontifexhadgiventenshillingsfortheframe。Thepaperonthewallswasunchanged；theroseswerestillwaitingforthebees；
　　andthewholefamilystillprayednightandmorningtobemade“trulyhonestandconscientious。”
　　Onepictureonlywasremoved——aphotographofhimselfwhichhadhungunderoneofhisfatherandbetweenthoseofhisbrotherandsister。
　　Ernestnoticedthisatprayertime，whilehisfatherwasreadingaboutNoah’sarkandhowtheydaubeditwithslime，which，asithappened，hadbeenErnest’sfavouritetextwhenhewasaboy。Nextmorning，however，thephotographhadfounditswaybackagain，alittledustyandwithabitofthegildingchippedofffromonecorneroftheframe，buttheresureenoughitwas。Isupposetheyputitbackwhentheyfoundhowrichhehadbecome。
　　Inthedining-roomtheravenswerestilltryingtofeedElijahoverthefireplace；whatacrowdofreminiscencesdidnotthispicturebringback！Lookingoutofthewindow，thereweretheflowerbedsinthefrontgardenexactlyastheyhadbeen，andErnestfoundhimselflookinghardagainstthebluedooratthebottomofthegardentoseeiftherewasrainfalling，ashehadbeenusedtolookwhenhewasachilddoinglessonswithhisfather。
　　Aftertheirearlydinner，whenJoeyandErnestandtheirfatherwereleftalone，TheobaldroseandstoodinthemiddleofthehearthrugundertheElijahpicture，andbegantowhistleinhisoldabsentway。Hehadtwotunesonly，onewas“InmyCottagenearaWood。”
　　andtheotherwastheEasterHymn；hehadbeentryingtowhistlethemallhislife，buthadneversucceeded；hewhistledthemasacleverbullfinchmightwhistlethem——hehadgotthem，buthehadnotgotthemright；hewouldbeasemitoneoutineverythirdnoteasthoughrevertingtosomeremotemusicalprogenitor，whohadknownnonebuttheLydianorthePhrygianmode，orwhateverwouldenablehimtogomostwrongwhilestillkeepingthetunenearenoughtoberecognised。TheobaldstoodbeforethemiddleofthefireandwhistledhistwotunessoftlyinhisownoldwaytillErnestlefttheroom；theunchangednessoftheexternalandchangednessoftheinternalhefeltwerelikelytothrowhimcompletelyoffhisbalance。
　　Hestrolledoutofdoorsintothesoddenspinneybehindthehouse，andsolacedhimselfwithapipe。Erelonghefoundhimselfatthedoorofthecottageofhisfather’scoachman，whohadmarriedanoldlady’smaidofhismother’s，towhomErnesthadbeenalwaysmuchattachedasshealsotohim，forshehadknownhimeversincehehadbeenfiveorsixyearsold。HernamewasSusan。Hesatdownintherocking-chairbeforeherfire，andSusanwentonironingatthetableinfrontofthewindow，andasmellofhotflannelpervadedthekitchen。
　　SusanhadbeenretainedtoosecurelybyChristinatobelikelytosidewithErnestallinamoment。Heknewthisverywell，anddidnotcallonherforthesakeofsupport，moralorotherwise。Hehadcalledbecausehelikedher，andalsobecauseheknewthatheshouldgathermuchinachatwithherthatheshouldnotbeabletoarriveatinanyotherway。
　　“Oh，MasterErnest。”saidSusan，“whydidyounotcomebackwhenyourpoorpapaandmammawantedyou？I’msureyourmahassaidtomeahundredtimesoverifshehassaiditoncethatallshouldbeexactlyasithadbeenbefore。”
　　Ernestsmiledtohimself。ItwasnouseexplainingtoSusanwhyhesmiled，sohesaidnothing。