Theobald wrote Ernest a short and surly letter a propos of his
aunt's intentions in this matter.
"I will not commit myself," he said, "to an opinion whether anything
will come of it; this will depend entirely upon your own exertions;
you have had singular advantages hitherto, and your kind aunt is
showing every desire to befriend you, but you must give greater
proof of stability and steadiness of character than you have given yet
if this organ matter is not to prove in the end to be only one
disappointment the more.
"I must insist on two things: firstly, that this new iron in the
fire does not distract your attention from your Latin and Greek"
-("They aren't mine," thought Ernest, "and never have been") -"and
secondly, that you bring no smell of glue or shavings into the house
here, if you make any part of the organ during your holidays."
Ernest was still too young to know how unpleasant a letter he was
receiving. He believed the innuendoes contained in it to be
perfectly just. He knew he was sadly deficient in perseverance. He
liked some things for a little while, and then found he did not like
them any more- and this was as bad as anything well could be.
Pages:
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255