His father had been out in the
parish; his mother had certainly not come across him, and his
brother and sister had also been out with the governess. He knew he
could depend upon the cook and the other servants- the coachman
would see to this; on the whole, therefore, both he and the coachman
thought the story as proposed by Ernest would about meet the
requirements of the case.
CHAPTER XL
When Ernest got home and sneaked in through the back door, he
heard his father's voice in its angriest tones, enquiring whether
Master Ernest had already returned. He felt as Jack must have felt
in the story of Jack and the Bean Stalk, when from the oven in which
he was hidden he heard the ogre ask his wife what young children she
had got for his supper. With much courage, and, as the event proved,
with not less courage than discretion, he took the bull by the
horns, and announced himself at once as having just come in after
having met with a terrible misfortune. Little by little he told his
story, and though Theobald stormed somewhat at his "incredible folly
and carelessness he got off better than he expected. Theobald and
Christina had indeed at first been inclined to connect his absence
from dinner with Ellen's dismissal, but on finding it clear, as
Theobald said- everything was always clear with Theobald- that
Ernest had not been in the house all the morning, and could
therefore have known nothing of what had happened, he was acquitted on
this account for once in a way, without a stain upon his character.
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