“Amoreperfectlyjustandrighteouslydealingman。”saidthefamilysolicitor，“Ihaveneverhadanythingtodowith——noronemorepunctualinthedischargeofeverybusinessobligation。”
　　“Weshallmisshimsadly。”thebishopwrotetoJoeyintheverywarmestterms。Thepoorwereinconsternation。“Thewell’snevermissed。”saidoneoldwoman，“tillit’sdry。”andsheonlysaidwhateveryoneelsefelt。Ernestknewthatthegeneralregretwasunaffectedasforalosswhichcouldnotbeeasilyrepaired。Hefeltthattherewereonlythreepeopleintheworldwhojoinedinsincerelyinthetributeofapplause，andtheseweretheverythreewhocouldleastshowtheirwantofsympathy。ImeanJoey，Charlotte，andhimself。HefeltbitteragainsthimselfforbeingofamindwitheitherJoeyorCharlotteuponanysubject，andthankfulthathemustconcealhisbeingsoasfaraspossible，notbecauseofanythinghisfatherhaddonetohim——thesegrievancesweretoooldtoberememberednow——butbecausehewouldneverallowhimtofeeltowardshimashewasalwaystryingtofeel。Aslongascommunicationwasconfinedtothemerestcommonplaceallwentwell，butiftheseweredepartedfromeversuchalittleheinvariablyfeltthathisfather’sinstinctsshowedthemselvesinimmediateoppositiontohisown。Whenhewasattackedhisfatherlaidwhateverstresswaspossibleoneverythingwhichhisopponentssaid。
　　Ifhemetwithanycheckhisfatherwasclearlypleased。WhattheolddoctorhadsaidaboutTheobald’sspeakingillofnomanwasperfectlytrueasregardsothersthanhimself，butheknewverywellthatnoonehadinjuredhisreputationinaquietway，sofarashedaredtodo，morethanhisownfather。Thisisaverycommoncaseandaverynaturalone。Itoftenhappensthatifthesonisright，thefatheriswrong，andthefatherisnotgoingtohavethisifhecanhelpit。
　　Itwasveryhard，however，tosaywhatwasthetruerootofthemischiefinthepresentcase。ItwasnotErnest’shavingbeenimprisoned。Theobaldforgotallaboutthatmuchsoonerthanninefathersoutoftenwouldhavedone。Partly，nodoubt，itwasduetoincompatibilityoftemperament，butIbelievethemaingroundofcomplaintlayinthefactthathehadbeensoindependentandsorichwhilestillveryyoung，andthatthustheoldgentlemanhadbeenrobbedofhispowertoteaseandscratchinthewaywhichhefelthewasentitledtodo。Theloveofteasinginasmallwaywhenhefeltsafeindoingsohadremainedpartofhisnaturefromthedayswhenhetoldhisnursethathewouldkeepheronpurposetotormenther。Isupposeitissowithallofus。AtanyrateIamsurethatmostfathers，especiallyiftheyareclergymen，arelikeTheobald。
　　Hedidnotinreality，Iamconvinced，likeJoeyorCharlotteonewhitbetterthanhelikedErnest。Hedidnotlikeanyoneoranything，orifhelikedanyoneatallitwashisbutler，wholookedafterhimwhenhewasnotwell，andtookgreatcareofhimandbelievedhimtobethebestandablestmaninthewholeworld。
　　WhetherthisfaithfulandattachedservantcontinuedtothinkthisafterTheobald’swillwasopenedanditwasfoundwhatkindoflegacyhadbeenlefthimIknownot。Ofhischildren，thebabywhohaddiedatadayoldwastheonlyonewhomheheldtohavetreatedhimquitefilially。AsforChristinahehardlyeverpretendedtomissherandnevermentionedhername；butthiswastakenasaproofthathefeltherlosstookeenlytobeableevertospeakofher。
　　Itmayhavebeenso，butIdonotthinkit。
　　Theobald’seffectsweresoldbyauction，andamongthemtheHarmonyoftheOldandNewTestamentswhichhehadcompiledduringmanyyearswithsuchexquisiteneatnessandahugecollectionofMS。
　　sermons——beingallinfactthathehadeverwritten。TheseandtheHarmonyfetchedninepenceabarrowload。IwassurprisedtohearthatJoeyhadnotgiventhethreeorfourshillingswhichwouldhaveboughtthewholelot，butErnesttellsmethatJoeywasfarfiercerinhisdislikeofhisfatherthaneverhehadbeenhimself，andwishedtogetridofeverythingthatremindedhimofhim。
　　IthasalreadyappearedthatbothJoeyandCharlottearemarried。
　　Joeyhasafamily，butheandErnestveryrarelyhaveanyintercourse。Ofcourse，Ernesttooknothingunderhisfather’swill；thishadlongbeenunderstood，sothattheothertwoarebothwellprovidedfor。
　　Charlotteisascleverasever，andsometimesasksErnesttocomeandstaywithherandherhusbandnearDover，Isupposebecausesheknowsthattheinvitationwillnotbeagreeabletohim。Thereisadehautenbastoneinallherletters；itisratherhardtolayone’sfingeruponitbutErnestnevergetsaletterfromherwithoutfeelingthatheisbeingwrittentobyonewhohashaddirectcommunicationwithanangel。“Whatanawfulcreature。”heoncesaidtome，“thatangelmusthavebeenifithadanythingtodowithmakingCharlottewhatsheis。”
　　“Couldyoulike。”shewrotetohimnotlongago，“thethoughtsofalittleseachangehere？Thetopofthecliffswillsoonbebrightwithheather：thegorsemustbeoutalready，andtheheatherI
　　shouldthinkbegun，tojudgebythestateofthehillatEwell，andheatherornoheather——thecliffsarealwaysbeautiful，andifyoucomeyourroomshallbecosysothatyoumayhavearestingcornertoyourself。Nineteenandsixpenceisthepriceofareturn-ticketwhichcoversamonth。Wouldyoudecidejustasyouwouldyourselflike，onlyifyoucomewewouldhopetotryandmakeitbrightforyou；butyoumustnotfeelitaburdenonyourmindifyoufeeldisinclinedtocomeinthisdirection。”
　　“WhenIhaveabadnightmare。”saidErnesttome，laughingasheshowedmethisletter，“IdreamthatIhavegottostaywithCharlotte。”
　　Herlettersaresupposedtobeunusuallywellwritten，andIbelieveitissaidamongthefamilythatCharlottehasfarmorerealliterarypowerthanErnesthas。Sometimeswethinkthatsheiswritingathimasmuchastosay，“Therenow——don’tyouthinkyouaretheonlyoneofuswhocanwrite；readthis！Andifyouwantatellingbitofdescriptivewritingforyournextbook，youcanmakewhatuseofityoulike。”Idaresayshewritesverywell，butshehasfallenunderthedominionofthewords“hope。”“think。”“feel。”
　　“try。”“bright。”and“little。”andcanhardlywriteapagewithoutintroducingallthesewordsandsomeofthemmorethanonce。Allthishastheeffectofmakingherstylemonotonous。
　　Ernestisasfondofmusicasever，perhapsmoreso，andoflateyearshasaddedmusicalcompositiontotheotherironsinhisfire。
　　Hefindsitstillalittledifficult，andisinconstanttroublethroughgettingintothekeyofCsharpafterbeginninginthekeyofCandbeingunabletogetbackagain。
　　“GettingintothekeyofCsharp。”hesaid，“islikeanunprotectedfemaletravellingontheMetropolitanRailway，andfindingherselfatShepherd’sBush，withoutquiteknowingwhereshewantstogoto。
　　HowissheevertogetsafebacktoClaphamJunction？AndClaphamJunctionwon’tquitedoeither，forClaphamJunctionislikethediminishedseventh——susceptibleofsuchenharmonicchange，thatyoucanresolveitintoallthepossibleterminiofmusic。”
　　TalkingofmusicremindsmeofalittlepassagethattookplacebetweenErnestandMissSkinner，DrSkinner’seldestdaughter，notsoverylongago。DrSkinnerhadlongleftRoughborough，andhadbecomeDeanofaCathedralinoneofourMidlandcounties——apositionwhichexactlysuitedhim。FindinghimselfonceintheneighbourhoodErnestcalled，foroldacquaintancesake，andwashospitablyentertainedatlunch。
　　ThirtyyearshadwhitenedtheDoctor’sbushyeyebrows——hishairtheycouldnotwhiten。Ibelievethatbutforthatwighewouldhavebeenmadeabishop。
　　Hisvoiceandmannerwereunchanged，andwhenErnestremarkinguponaplanofRomewhichhunginthehall，spokeinadvertentlyoftheQuirinal，herepliedwithallhiswontedpomp：“Yes，theQuirInal——
　　orasImyselfprefertocallit，theQuirInal。”Afterthistriumphheinhaledalongbreaththroughthecornersofhismouth，andflungitbackagainintothefaceofHeaven，asinhisfinestformduringhishead-mastership。Atlunchhedidindeedoncesay，“nexttoimpossibletothinkofanythingelse。”butheimmediatelycorrectedhimselfandsubstitutedthewords，“nexttoimpossibletoentertainirrelevantideas。”afterwhichheseemedtofeelagooddealmorecomfortable。ErnestsawthefamiliarvolumesofDrSkinner’sworksuponthebook-shelvesintheDeanerydining-room，buthesawnocopyof“RomeortheBible——Which？”
　　“Andareyoustillasfondofmusicasever，MrPontifex？”saidMissSkinnertoErnestduringthecourseoflunch。
　　“Ofsomekindsofmusic，yes，MissSkinner，butyouknowIneverdidlikemodernmusic。”
　　“Isn’tthatratherdreadful？——Don’tyouthinkyourather“——shewasgoingtohaveadded，“oughtto？”butsheleftitunsaid，feelingdoubtlessthatshehadsufficientlyconveyedhermeaning。
　　“Iwouldlikemodernmusic，ifIcould；Ihavebeentryingallmylifetolikeit，butIsucceedlessandlesstheolderIgrow。”
　　“Andpray，wheredoyouconsidermodernmusictobegin？”
　　“WithSebastianBach。”
　　“Anddon’tyoulikeBeethoven？”
　　“No，IusedtothinkIdid，whenIwasyounger，butIknownowthatIneverreallylikedhim。”
　　“Ah！howcanyousayso？Youcannotunderstandhim，younevercouldsaythisifyouunderstoodhim。FormeasimplechordofBeethovenisenough。Thisishappiness。”
　　Ernestwasamusedatherstrongfamilylikenesstoherfather——alikenesswhichhadgrownuponherasshehadbecomeolder，andwhichextendedeventovoiceandmannerofspeaking。HerememberedhowhehadheardmedescribethegameofchessIhadplayedwiththedoctorindaysgoneby，andwithhismind’searseemedtohearMissSkinnersaying，asthoughitwereanepitaph：-
　　“Stay：
　　ImaypresentlytakeAsimplechordofBeethoven，OrasmallsemiquaverFromoneofMendelssohn’sSongswithoutWords。”
　　AfterluncheonwhenErnestwasleftaloneforhalfanhourorsowiththeDeanhepliedhimsowellwithcomplimentsthattheoldgentlemanwaspleasedandflatteredbeyondhiswont。Heroseandbowed。“Theseexpressions。”hesaid，vocesua，“areveryvaluabletome。”“Theyarebutasmallpart，Sir。”rejoinedErnest，“ofwhatanyoneofyouroldpupilsmustfeeltowardsyou。”andthepairdancedasitwereaminuetattheendofthedining-roomtableinfrontoftheoldbaywindowthatlookeduponthesmoothshavenlawn。
　　OnthisErnestdeparted；butafewdaysafterwards，theDoctorwrotehimaletterandtoldhimthathiscriticswerea[Greektext]，andatthesametime[Greektext]。Ernestremembered[Greektext]，andknewthattheotherwordsweresomethingoflikenature，soitwasallright。Amonthortwoafterwards，DrSkinnerwasgatheredtohisfathers。
　　“Hewasanoldfool，Ernest。”saidI，“andyoushouldnotrelenttowardshim。”
　　“Icouldnothelpit。”hereplied，“hewassooldthatitwasalmostlikeplayingwithachild。”
　　Sometimes，likeallwhosemindsareactive，Ernestoverworkshimself，andthenoccasionallyhehasfierceandreproachfulencounterswithDrSkinnerorTheobaldinhissleep——butbeyondthisneitherofthesetwoworthiescannowmolesthimfurther。
　　Tomyselfhehasbeenasonandmorethanason；attimesIamhalfafraid——asforexamplewhenItalktohimabouthisbooks——thatI
　　mayhavebeentohimmorelikeafatherthanIought；ifIhave，I
　　trusthehasforgivenme。Hisbooksaretheonlyboneofcontentionbetweenus。Iwanthimtowritelikeotherpeople，andnottooffendsomanyofhisreaders；hesayshecannomorechangehismannerofwritingthanthecolourofhishair，andthathemustwriteashedoesornotatall。
　　Withthepublicgenerallyheisnotafavourite。Heisadmittedtohavetalent，butitisconsideredgenerallytobeofaqueerunpracticalkind，andnomatterhowseriousheis，heisalwaysaccusedofbeinginjest。HisfirstbookwasasuccessforreasonswhichIhavealreadyexplained，butnoneofhisothershavebeenmorethancreditablefailures。Heisoneofthoseunfortunatemen，eachoneofwhosebooksissneeredatbyliterarycriticsassoonasitcomesout，butbecomes“excellentreading“assoonasithasbeenfollowedbyalaterworkwhichmayinitsturnbecondemned。
　　Heneveraskedareviewertodinnerinhislife。Ihavetoldhimoverandoveragainthatthisismadness，andfindthatthisistheonlythingIcansaytohimwhichmakeshimangrywithme。
　　“Whatcanitmattertome。”hesays，“whetherpeoplereadmybooksornot？Itmaymattertothem——butIhavetoomuchmoneytowantmore，andifthebookshaveanystuffinthemitwillworkby-and-
　　by。Idonotknownorgreatlycarewhethertheyaregoodornot。
　　Whatopinioncananysanemanformabouthisownwork？Somepeoplemustwritestupidbooksjustastheremustbejunioropsandthirdclasspollmen。WhyshouldIcomplainofbeingamongthemediocrities？Ifamanisnotabsolutelybelowmediocritylethimbethankful——besides，thebookswillhavetostandbythemselvessomeday，sothesoonertheybeginthebetter。”
　　Ispoketohispublisherabouthimnotlongsince。“MrPontifex。”
　　hesaid，“isahomouniuslibri，butitdoesn’tdototellhimso。”
　　Icouldseethepublisher，whooughttoknow，hadlostallfaithinErnest’sliteraryposition，andlookeduponhimasamanwhosefailurewasallthemorehopelessforthefactofhishavingoncemadeacoup。“Heisinaverysolitaryposition，MrOverton。”
　　continuedthepublisher。“Hehasformednoalliances，andhasmadeenemiesnotonlyofthereligiousworldbutoftheliteraryandscientificbrotherhoodaswell。Thiswillnotdonowadays。Ifamanwishestogetonhemustbelongtoaset，andMrPontifexbelongstonoset——noteventoaclub。”
　　Ireplied，“MrPontifexistheexactlikenessofOthello，butwithadifference——hehatesnotwiselybuttoowell。Hewoulddisliketheliteraryandscientificswellsifheweretocometoknowthemandtheyhim；thereisnonaturalsolidaritybetweenhimandthem，andifhewerebroughtintocontactwiththemhislaststatewouldbeworsethanhisfirst。Hisinstincttellshimthis，sohekeepsclearofthem，andattacksthemwheneverhethinkstheydeserveit——
　　inthehope，perhaps，thatayoungergenerationwilllistentohimmorewillinglythanthepresent。”
　　“Cananything。”’saidthepublisher，“beconceivedmoreimpracticableandimprudent？”
　　ToallthisErnestreplieswithonewordonly——“Wait。”
　　Suchismyfriend’slatestdevelopment。Hewouldnot，itistrue，runmuchchanceatpresentoftryingtofoundaCollegeofSpiritualPathology，butImustleavethereadertodeterminewhetherthereisnotastrongfamilylikenessbetweentheErnestoftheCollegeofSpiritualPathologyandtheErnestwhowillinsistonaddressingthenextgenerationratherthanhisown。Hesayshetruststhatthereisnot，andtakesthesacramentdulyonceayearasasoptoNemesislestheshouldagainfeelstronglyuponanysubject。Itratherfatigueshim，but“noman’sopinions。”hesometimessays，“canbeworthholdingunlessheknowshowtodenythemeasilyandgracefullyuponoccasioninthecauseofcharity。”InpoliticsheisaConservativesofarashisvoteandinterestareconcerned。
　　InallotherrespectsheisanadvancedRadical。HisfatherandgrandfathercouldprobablynomoreunderstandhisstateofmindthantheycouldunderstandChinese，butthosewhoknowhimintimatelydonotknowthattheywishhimgreatlydifferentfromwhatheactuallyis。
　　End