HehadcrossedhisRubicon——notperhapsveryheroicallyordramatically，butthenitisonlyindramasthatpeopleactdramatically。Atanyrate，byhookorbycrook，hehadscrambledover，andwasoutupontheotherside。Alreadyhethoughtofmuchwhichhewouldgladlyhavesaid，andblamedhiswantofpresenceofmind；but，afterall，itmatteredverylittle。Inclinedthoughhewastomakeverygreatallowancesforhisfatherandmother，hewasindignantattheirhavingthrustthemselvesuponhimwithoutwarningatamomentwhentheexcitementofleavingprisonwasalreadyasmuchashewasfitfor。Itwasameanadvantagetohavetakenoverhim，buthewasgladtheyhadtakenit，foritmadehimrealisemorefullythaneverthathisonechancelayinseparatinghimselfcompletelyfromthem。
Themorningwasgrey，andthefirstsignsofwinterfogwerebeginningtoshowthemselves，foritwasnowthe30thofSeptember。
Ernestworetheclothesinwhichhehadenteredprison，andwasthereforedressedasaclergyman。Noonewholookedathimwouldhaveseenanydifferencebetweenhispresentappearanceandhisappearancesixmonthspreviously；indeed，ashewalkedslowlythroughthedingycrowdedlanecalledEyreStreetHillwhichhewellknew，forhehadclericalfriendsinthatneighbourhood，themonthshehadpassedinprisonseemedtodropoutofhislife，andsopowerfullydidassociationcarryhimawaythat，findinghimselfinhisolddressandinhisoldsurroundings，hefeltdraggedbackintohisoldself——asthoughhissixmonthsofprisonlifehadbeenadreamfromwhichhewasnowwakingtotakethingsupashehadleftthem。Thiswastheeffectofunchangedsurroundingsupontheunchangedpartofhim。Buttherewasachangedpart，andtheeffectofunchangedsurroundingsuponthiswastomakeeverythingseemalmostasstrangeasthoughhehadneverhadanylifebuthisprisonone，andwasnowbornintoanewworld。
Allourliveslong，everydayandeveryhour，weareengagedintheprocessofaccommodatingourchangedandunchangedselvestochangedandunchangedsurroundings；living，infact，innothingelsethanthisprocessofaccommodation；whenwefailinitalittlewearestupid，whenwefailflagrantlywearemad，whenwesuspendittemporarilywesleep，whenwegiveuptheattemptaltogetherwedie。
Inquiet，uneventfullivesthechangesinternalandexternalaresosmallthatthereislittleornostrainintheprocessoffusionandaccommodation；inotherlivesthereisgreatstrain，butthereisalsogreatfusingandaccommodatingpower；inothersgreatstrainwithlittleaccommodatingpower。Alifewillbesuccessfulornotaccordingasthepowerofaccommodationisequaltoorunequaltothestrainoffusingandadjustinginternalandexternalchanges。
Thetroubleisthatintheendweshallbedriventoadmittheunityoftheuniversesocompletelyastobecompelledtodenythatthereiseitheranexternaloraninternal，butmustseeeverythingbothasexternalandinternalatoneandthesametime，subjectandobject——externalandinternal——beingunifiedasmuchaseverythingelse。Thiswillknockourwholesystemover，buttheneverysystemhasgottobeknockedoverbysomething。
Muchthebestwayoutofthisdifficultyistogoinforseparationbetweeninternalandexternal——subjectandobject——whenwefindthisconvenient，andunitybetweenthesamewhenwefindunityconvenient。Thisisillogical，butextremesarealonelogical，andtheyarealwaysabsurd，themeanisalonepracticableanditisalwaysillogical。Itisfaithandnotlogicwhichisthesupremearbiter。TheysayallroadsleadtoRome，andallphilosophiesthatIhaveeverseenleadultimatelyeithertosomegrossabsurdity，orelsetotheconclusionalreadymorethanonceinsistedoninthesepages，thatthejustshalllivebyfaith，thatistosaythatsensiblepeoplewillgetthroughlifebyruleofthumbastheymayinterpretitmostconvenientlywithoutaskingtoomanyquestionsforconsciencesake。Takeanyfact，andreasonuponittothebitterend，anditwillerelongleadtothisastheonlyrefugefromsomepalpablefolly。
Buttoreturntomystory。WhenErnestgottothetopofthestreetandlookedback，hesawthegrimy，sullenwallsofhisprisonfillinguptheendofit。Hepausedforaminuteortwo。“There。”
hesaidtohimself，“IwashemmedinbyboltswhichIcouldseeandtouch；hereIambarredbyotherswhicharenonethelessreal——
povertyandignoranceoftheworld。Itwasnopartofmybusinesstotrytobreakthematerialboltsofironandescapefromprison，butnowthatIamfreeImustsurelyseektobreaktheseothers。”
Hehadreadsomewhereofaprisonerwhohadmadehisescapebycuttinguphisbedsteadwithanironspoon。Headmiredandmarvelledattheman’smind，butcouldnoteventrytoimitatehim；
inthepresenceofimmaterialbarriers，however，hewasnotsoeasilydaunted，andfeltasthough，evenifthebedwereironandthespoonawoodenone，hecouldfindsomemeansofmakingthewoodcuttheironsoonerorlater。
HeturnedhisbackuponEyreStreetHillandwalkeddownLeatherLaneintoHolborn。Eachstephetook，eachfaceorobjectthatheknew，helpedatoncetolinkhimontothelifehehadledbeforehisimprisonment，andatthesametimetomakehimfeelhowcompletelythatimprisonmenthadcuthislifeintotwoparts，theoneofwhichcouldbearnoresemblancetotheother。
HepasseddownFetterLaneintoFleetStreetandsototheTemple，towhichIhadjustreturnedfrommysummerholiday。Itwasabouthalfpastnine，andIwashavingmybreakfast，whenIheardatimidknockatthedoorandopenedittofindErnest。
IhadbeguntolikehimonthenightTowneleyhadsentforme，andonthefollowingdayIthoughthehadshapedwell。Ihadlikedhimalsoduringourinterviewinprison，andwantedtoseemoreofhim，sothatImightmakeupmymindabouthim。Ihadlivedlongenoughtoknowthatsomemenwhodogreatthingsintheendarenotverywisewhentheyareyoung；knowingthathewouldleaveprisononthe30th，Ihadexpectedhim，and，asIhadasparebedroom，pressedhimtostaywithme，tillhecouldmakeuphismindwhathewoulddo。
Beingsomucholderthanhewas，Ianticipatednotroubleingettingmyownway，buthewouldnothearofit。Theutmosthewouldassenttowasthatheshouldbemyguesttillhecouldfindaroomforhimself，whichhewouldsetaboutdoingatonce。
Hewasstillmuchagitated，butgrewbetterasheateabreakfast，notofprisonfareandinacomfortableroom。Itpleasedmetoseethedelighthetookinallabouthim；thefireplacewithafireinit；theeasychairs，theTimes，mycat，theredgeraniumsinthewindow，tosaynothingofcoffee，breadandbutter，sausages，marmalade，etc。Everythingwaspregnantwiththemostexquisitepleasuretohim。Theplanetreeswerefullofleafstill；hekeptrisingfromthebreakfasttabletoadmirethem；nevertillnow，hesaid，hadheknownwhattheenjoymentofthesethingsreallywas。
Heate，looked，laughedandcriedbyturns，withanemotionwhichI
canneitherforgetnordescribe。
Hetoldmehowhisfatherandmotherhadlaininwaitforhim，ashewasabouttoleaveprison。Iwasfurious，andapplaudedhimheartilyforwhathehaddone。Hewasverygratefultomeforthis。
Otherpeople，hesaid，wouldtellhimheoughttothinkofhisfatherandmotherratherthanofhimself，anditwassuchacomforttofindsomeonewhosawthingsashesawthemhimself。EvenifI
haddifferedfromhimIshouldnothavesaidso，butIwasofhisopinion，andwasalmostasmuchobligedtohimforseeingthingsasIsawthem，ashetomefordoingthesamekindofficebyhimself。
CordiallyasIdislikedTheobaldandChristina，IwasinsuchahopelessminorityintheopinionIhadformedconcerningthemthatitwaspleasanttofindsomeonewhoagreedwithme。
Thentherecameanawfulmomentforbothofus。
Aknock，asofavisitorandnotapostman，washeardatmydoor。
“Goodnessgracious。”Iexclaimed，“whydidn’twesporttheoak？
Perhapsitisyourfather。Butsurelyhewouldhardlycomeatthistimeofday！Goatonceintomybedroom。”
Iwenttothedoor，and，sureenough，therewerebothTheobaldandChristina。Icouldnotrefusetolettheminandwasobligedtolistentotheirversionofthestory，whichagreedsubstantiallywithErnest’s。Christinacriedbitterly——Theobaldstormed。Afterabouttenminutes，duringwhichIassuredthemthatIhadnotthefaintestconceptionwheretheirsonwas，Idismissedthemboth。I
sawtheylookedsuspiciouslyuponthemanifestsignsthatsomeonewasbreakfastingwithme，andpartedfrommemoreorlessdefiantly，butIgotridofthem，andpoorErnestcameoutagain，lookingwhite，frightenedandupset。Hehadheardvoices，butnomore，anddidnotfeelsurethattheenemymightnotbegainingoverme。Wesportedtheoaknow，andbeforelonghebegantorecover。
Afterbreakfast，wediscussedthesituation。IhadtakenawayhiswardrobeandbooksfromMrsJupp’s，buthadlefthisfurniture，picturesandpiano，givingMrsJupptheuseofthese，sothatshemightletherroomfurnished，inlieuofchargefortakingcareofthefurniture。AssoonasErnestheardthathiswardrobewasathand，hegotoutasuitofclotheshehadhadbeforehehadbeenordained，andputitonatonce，much，asIthought，totheimprovementofhispersonalappearance。
Thenwewentintothesubjectofhisfinances。HehadhadtenpoundsfromPryeronlyadayortwobeforehewasapprehended，ofwhichbetweensevenandeightwereinhispursewhenheenteredtheprison。Thismoneywasrestoredtohimonleaving。Hehadalwayspaidcashforwhateverhebought，sothattherewasnothingtobedeductedfordebts。Besidesthis，hehadhisclothes，booksandfurniture。Hecould，asIhavesaid，havehad100poundsfromhisfatherifhehadchosentoemigrate，butthisbothErnestandIforhebroughtmeroundtohisopinionagreeditwouldbebettertodecline。Thiswasallheknewofasbelongingtohim。
Hesaidheproposedatoncetakinganunfurnishedtopbackatticinasquietahouseashecouldfind，sayatthreeorfourshillingsaweek，andlookingoutforworkasatailor。Ididnotthinkitmuchmatteredwhathebeganwith，forIfeltprettysurehewoulderelongfindhiswaytosomethingthatsuitedhim，ifhecouldgetastartwithanythingatall。Thedifficultywashowtogethimstarted。Itwasnotenoughthatheshouldbeabletocutoutandmakeclothes——thatheshouldhavetheorgans，sotospeak，ofatailor；hemustbeputintoatailor’sshopandguidedforalittlewhilebysomeonewhoknewhowandwheretohelphim。
Therestofthedayhespentinlookingforaroom，whichhesoonfound，andinfamiliarisinghimselfwithliberty。IntheeveningI