When he was twenty-one years old his money was to
come into his own hands, and the best thing he could do with it
would be to buy the next presentation to a living, the rector of which
was now old, and live on his mastership or tutorship till the living
fell in. He could buy a very good living for the sum which his
grandfather's legacy now amounted to, for Theobald had never had any
serious intention of making deductions for his son's maintenance and
education, and the money had accumulated till it was now about five
thousand pounds; he had only talked about making deductions in order
to stimulate the boy to exertion as far as possible, by making him
think that this was his only chance of escaping starvation- or perhaps
from pure love of teasing.
When Ernest had a living of L600 or L700 a year with a house, and
not too many parishioners- why, he might add to his income by taking
pupils, or even keeping a school, and then, say at thirty, he might
marry. It was not easy for Theobald to hit on any much more sensible
plan. He could not get Ernest into business, for he had no business
connections- besides he did not know what business meant; he had no
interest, again, at the Bar; medicine was a profession which subjected
its students to ordeals and temptations which these fond parents
shrank from on behalf of their boy; he would be thrown among
companions and familiarised with details which might sully him, and
though he might stand, it was "only too possible" that he would
fall.
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