thereforelethimgivetheewhatheisminded。”
Ellendidwhatshewastold，andthetwopartedwithmanytears，thegirl’slastwordsbeingthatsheshouldneverforgethim，andthattheyshouldmeetagainhereafter，shewassuretheyshould，andthenshewouldrepayhim。
ThenErnestgotintoafieldbytheroadside，flunghimselfonthegrass，andwaitedundertheshadowofahedgetillthecarriageshouldpassonitsreturnfromthestationandpickhimup，forhewasdeadbeat。Thoughtswhichhadalreadyoccurredtohimwithsomeforcenowcamemorestronglybeforehim，andhesawthathehadgothimselfintoonemess——orratherintohalf-a-dozenmesses——themore。
Inthefirstplaceheshouldbelatefordinner，andthiswasoneoftheoffencesonwhichTheobaldhadnomercy。Alsoheshouldhavetosaywherehehadbeen，andtherewasadangerofbeingfoundoutifhedidnotspeakthetruth。Notonlythis，butsoonerorlateritmustcomeoutthathewasnolongerpossessedofthebeautifulwatchwhichhisdearaunthadgivenhim——andwhat，pray，hadhedonewithit，orhowhadhelostit？Thereaderwillknowverywellwhatheoughttohavedone。Heshouldhavegonestraighthome，andifquestionedshouldhavesaid，“IhavebeenrunningafterthecarriagetocatchourhousemaidEllen，whomIamveryfondof；Ihavegivenhermywatch，myknifeandallmypocketmoney，sothatIhavenownopocketmoneyatallandshallprobablyaskyouforsomemoresoonerthanIotherwisemighthavedone，andyouwillalsohavetobuymeanewwatchandaknife。”Butthenfancytheconsternationwhichsuchanannouncementwouldhaveoccasioned！FancythescowlandflashingeyesoftheinfuriatedTheobald！“Youunprincipledyoungscoundrel。”hewouldexclaim，“doyoumeantovilifyyourownparentsbyimplyingthattheyhavedealtharshlybyonewhoseprofligacyhasdisgracedtheirhouse？”
Orhemighttakeitwithoneofthosesalliesofsarcasticcalm，ofwhichhebelievedhimselftobeamaster。