MeanwhiletheboyhimselfwasstillsittingmoodilybeforethefireinMrsJay’sroom。“PapaandMamma。”hewassayingtohimself，“aremuchbetterandclevererthananyoneelse，but，I，alas！shallneverbeeithergoodorclever。”
MrsPontifexcontinued-
“PerhapsitwouldbebesttogetyoungFigginsonavisittoourselvesfirst。Thatwouldbecharming。Theobaldwouldnotlikeit，forhedoesnotlikechildren；ImustseehowIcanmanageit，foritwouldbesonicetohaveyoungFiggins——orstay！ErnestshallgoandstaywithFigginsandmeetthefutureLordLonsford，whoIshouldthinkmustbeaboutErnest’sage，andthenifheandErnestweretobecomefriendsErnestmightaskhimtoBattersby，andhemightfallinlovewithCharlotte。IthinkwehavedoneMOST
WISELYinsendingErnesttoDrSkinner’s。DrSkinner’spietyisnolessremarkablethanhisgenius。Onecantellthesethingsataglance，andhemusthavefeltitaboutmenolessstronglythanI
abouthim。IthinkheseemedmuchstruckwithTheobaldandmyself——
indeed，Theobald’sintellectualpowermustimpressanyone，andI
wasshowing，Idobelieve，tomybestadvantage。WhenIsmiledathimandsaidIleftmyboyinhishandswiththemostentireconfidencethathewouldbeaswellcaredforasifhewereatmyownhouse，Iamsurehewasgreatlypleased。Ishouldnotthinkmanyofthemotherswhobringhimboyscanimpresshimsofavourably，orsaysuchnicethingstohimasIdid。MysmileissweetwhenIdesiretomakeitso。Ineverwasperhapsexactlypretty，butIwasalwaysadmittedtobefascinating。DrSkinnerisaveryhandsomeman——toogoodonthewholeIshouldsayforMrsSkinner。Theobaldsaysheisnothandsome，butmenarenojudges，andhehassuchapleasantbrightface。Ithinkmybonnetbecameme。AssoonasIgethomeIwilltellChamberstotrimmyblueandyellowmerinowith——“etc。，etc。
AllthistimetheletterwhichhasbeengivenabovewaslyinginChristina’sprivatelittleJapanesecabinet，readandre-readandapprovedofmanytimesover，nottosay，ifthetruthwereknown，rewrittenmorethanonce，thoughdatedasinthefirstinstance——andthis，too，thoughChristinawasfondenoughofajokeinasmallway。
Ernest，stillinMrsJay’sroommusedonward。“Grown-uppeople。”hesaidtohimself，“whentheywereladiesandgentlemen，neverdidnaughtythings，buthewasalwaysdoingthem。Hehadheardthatsomegrown-uppeoplewereworldly，whichofcoursewaswrong，stillthiswasquitedistinctfrombeingnaughty，anddidnotgetthempunishedorscolded。HisownPapaandMammawerenotevenworldly；
theyhadoftenexplainedtohimthattheywereexceptionallyunworldly；hewellknewthattheyhadneverdoneanythingnaughtysincetheyhadbeenchildren，andthatevenaschildrentheyhadbeennearlyfaultless。Oh！howdifferentfromhimself！WhenshouldhelearntolovehisPapaandMammaastheyhadlovedtheirs？Howcouldhehopeevertogrowuptobeasgoodandwiseasthey，oreventolerablygoodandwise？Alas！never。Itcouldnotbe。HedidnotlovehisPapaandMamma，inspiteofalltheirgoodnessbothinthemselvesandtohim。HehatedPapa，anddidnotlikeMamma，andthiswaswhatnonebutabadandungratefulboywoulddoafterallthathadbeendoneforhim。BesideshedidnotlikeSunday；hedidnotlikeanythingthatwasreallygood；histasteswerelowandsuchashewasashamedof。Helikedpeoplebestiftheysometimessworealittle，solongasitwasnotathim。AsforhisCatechismandBiblereadingshehadnoheartinthem。Hehadneverattendedtoasermoninhislife。EvenwhenhehadbeentakentohearMrVaughanatBrighton，who，aseveryoneknew，preachedsuchbeautifulsermonsforchildren，hehadbeenverygladwhenitwasallover，nordidhebelievehecouldgetthroughchurchatallifitwasnotforthevoluntaryupontheorganandthehymnsandchanting。TheCatechismwasawful。HehadneverbeenabletounderstandwhatitwasthathedesiredofhisLordGodandHeavenlyFather，norhadheyetgotholdofasingleideainconnectionwiththewordSacrament。
Hisdutytowardshisneighbourwasanotherbugbear。Itseemedtohimthathehaddutiestowardseverybody，lyinginwaitforhimuponeveryside，butthatnobodyhadanydutiestowardshim。Thentherewasthatawfulandmysteriousword’business。’Whatdiditallmean？Whatwas’business’？HisPapawasawonderfullygoodmanofbusiness，hisMammahadoftentoldhimso——butheshouldneverbeone。Itwashopeless，andveryawful，forpeoplewerecontinuallytellinghimthathewouldhavetoearnhisownliving。Nodoubt，buthow——consideringhowstupid，idle，ignorant，self-indulgent，andphysicallypunyhewas？Allgrown-uppeoplewereclever，exceptservants——andeventhesewereclevererthaneverheshouldbe。Oh，why，why，why，couldnotpeoplebebornintotheworldasgrown-uppersons？ThenhethoughtofCasabianca。Hehadbeenexaminedinthatpoembyhisfathernotlongbefore。’Whenonlywouldheleavehisposition？Towhomdidhecall？Didhegetananswer？Why？
Howmanytimesdidhecalluponhisfather？Whathappenedtohim？
Whatwasthenoblestlifethatperishedthere？Doyouthinkso？
Whydoyouthinkso？’Andalltherestofit。OfcoursehethoughtCasabianca’swasthenoblestlifethatperishedthere；therecouldbenotwoopinionsaboutthat；itneveroccurredtohimthatthemoralofthepoemwasthatyoungpeoplecannotbegintoosoontoexercisediscretionintheobediencetheypaytotheirPapaandMamma。Oh，no！theonlythoughtinhismindwasthatheshouldnever，neverhavebeenlikeCasabianca，andthatCasabiancawouldhavedespisedhimsomuch，ifhecouldhaveknownhim，thathewouldnothavecondescendedtospeaktohim。Therewasnobodyelseintheshipworthreckoningatall：itdidnotmatterhowmuchtheywereblownup。MrsHemansknewthemallandtheywereaveryindifferentlot。BesidesCasabiancawassogood-lookingandcameofsuchagoodfamily。”
Andthushissmallmindkeptwanderingontillhecouldfollowitnolonger，andagainwentoffintoadoze。
NextmorningTheobaldandChristinaarosefeelingalittletiredfromtheirjourney，buthappyinthatbestofallhappiness，theapprobationoftheirconsciences。Itwouldbetheirboy’sfaulthenceforthifhewerenotgood，andasprosperousasitwasatalldesirablethatheshouldbe。Whatmorecouldparentsdothantheyhaddone？Theanswer“Nothing“willriseasreadilytothelipsofthereaderastothoseofTheobaldandChristinathemselves。
Afewdayslatertheparentsweregratifiedatreceivingthefollowingletterfromtheirson-
“MyDearMamma，——Iamverywell。DrSkinnermademedoaboutthehorsefreeandexultingroaminginthewidefieldsinLatinverse，butasIhaddoneitwithPapaIknewhowtodoit，anditwasnearlyallright，andheputmeinthefourthformunderMrTempler，andIhavetobeginanewLatingrammarnotliketheold，butmuchharder。Iknowyouwishmetowork，andIwilltryveryhard。WithbestlovetoJoeyandCharlotte，andtoPapa，Iremain，youraffectionateson，ERNEST。”
Nothingcouldbenicerormoreproper。Itreallydidseemasthoughhewereinclinedtoturnoveranewleaf。Theboyshadallcomeback，theexaminationswereover，andtheroutineofthehalfyearbegan；Ernestfoundthathisfearsaboutbeingkickedaboutandbulliedwereexaggerated。Nobodydidanythingverydreadfultohim。
Hehadtorunerrandsbetweencertainhoursfortheelderboys，andtotakehisturnatgreasingthefootballs，andsoforth，buttherewasanexcellentspiritintheschoolasregardsbullying。
Nevertheless，hewasfarfromhappy。DrSkinnerwasmuchtoolikehisfather。True，Ernestwasnotthrowninwithhimmuchyet，buthewasalwaysthere；therewasnoknowingatwhatmomenthemightnotputinanappearance，andwheneverhedidshow，itwastostormaboutsomething。HewaslikethelionintheBishopofOxford’sSundaystory——alwaysliabletorushoutfrombehindsomebushanddevoursomeonewhenhewasleastexpected。HecalledErnest“anaudaciousreptile“andsaidhewonderedtheearthdidnotopenandswallowhimupbecausehepronouncedThaliawithashorti。“Andthistome。”hethundered，“whonevermadeafalsequantityinmylife。”Surelyhewouldhavebeenamuchnicerpersonifhehadmadefalsequantitiesinhisyouthlikeotherpeople。ErnestcouldnotimaginehowtheboysinDrSkinner’sformcontinuedtolive；butyettheydid，andeventhrove，and，strangeasitmayseem，idolisedhim，orprofessedtodosoinafterlife。ToErnestitseemedlikelivingonthecraterofVesuvius。
Hewashimself，ashasbeensaid，inMrTempler’sform，whowassnappish，butnotdownrightwicked，andwasveryeasytocribunder。
ErnestusedtowonderhowMrTemplercouldbesoblind，forhesupposedMrTemplermusthavecribbedwhenhewasatschool，andwouldaskhimselfwhetherheshouldforgethisyouthwhenhegotold，asMrTemplerhadforgottenhis。Heusedtothinkhenevercouldpossiblyforgetanypartofit。
ThentherewasMrsJay，whowassometimesveryalarming。Afewdaysafterthehalfyearhadcommenced，therebeingsomelittleextranoiseinthehall，sherushedinwithherspectaclesonherforeheadandhercapstringsflying，andcalledtheboywhomErnesthadselectedashisherothe“rampingest——scampingest——rackety——tackety——
tow-row-roaringestboyinthewholeschool。”ButsheusedtosaythingsthatErnestliked。IftheDoctorwentouttodinner，andtherewerenoprayers，shewouldcomeinandsay，“Younggentlemen，prayersareexcusedthisevening“；and，takeherforallinall，shewasakindlyoldsoulenough。
Mostboyssoondiscoverthedifferencebetweennoiseandactualdanger，buttoothersitissounnaturaltomenace，unlesstheymeanmischief，thattheyarelongbeforetheyleaveofftakingturkey-
cocksandgandersauserieux。Ernestwasoneofthelattersort，andfoundtheatmosphereofRoughboroughsogustythathewasgladtoshrinkoutofsightandoutofmindwheneverhecould。Hedislikedthegamesworseeventhanthesquallsoftheclass-roomandhall，forhewasstillfeeble，notfillingoutandattaininghisfullstrengthtillamuchlateragethanmostboys。Thiswasperhapsduetotheclosenesswithwhichhisfatherhadkepthimtohisbooksinchildhood，butIthinkinpartalsotoatendencytowardslatenessinattainingmaturity，hereditaryinthePontifexfamily，whichwasonealsoofunusuallongevity。Atthirteenorfourteenhewasamerebagofbones，withupperarmsaboutasthickasthewristsofotherboysofhisage；hislittlechestwaspigeon-
breasted；heappearedtohavenostrengthorstaminawhatever，andfindinghealwayswenttothewallinphysicalencounters，whetherundertakeninjestorearnest，evenwithboysshorterthanhimself，thetimiditynaturaltochildhoodincreaseduponhimtoanextentthatIamafraidamountedtocowardice。Thisrenderedhimevenlesscapablethanhemightotherwisehavebeen，forasconfidenceincreasespower，sowantofconfidenceincreasesimpotence。Afterhehadhadthebreathknockedoutofhimandbeenwellshinnedhalfadozentimesinscrimmagesatfootball——scrimmagesinwhichhehadbecomeinvolvedsorelyagainsthiswill——heceasedtoseeanyfurtherfuninfootball，andshirkedthatnoblegameinawaythatgothimintotroublewiththeelderboys，whowouldstandnoshirkingonthepartoftheyoungerones。