Thouset’stthewolfwherehethelambmayget；
Whoeverplotsthesin，thou’point’sttheseason；
’Tisthouthatspurn’statright，atlaw，atreason；
Andinthyshadycell，wherenonemayspyhim，SitsSin，toseizethesoulsthatwanderbyhim。
Iftheguiltofopportunityisgreat，howmuchgreateristheguiltofthatwhichisbelievedtobeopportunity，butinrealityisnoopportunityatall。Ifthebetterpartofvalourisdiscretion，howmuchmoreisnotdiscretionthebetterpartofviceAbouttenminutesafterwelastsawErnest，ascared，insultedgirl，flushedandtrembling，wasseenhurryingfromMrsJupp’shouseasfastasheragitatedstatewouldlether，andinanothertenminutestwopolicemenwereseenalsocomingoutofMrsJupp’s，betweenwhomthereshambledratherthanwalkedourunhappyfriendErnest，withstaringeyes，ghastlypale，andwithdespairbrandeduponeverylineofhisface。
PryerhaddonewelltowarnErnestagainstpromiscuoushousetohousevisitation。HehadnotgoneoutsideMrsJupp’sstreetdoor，andyetwhathadbeentheresult？
MrHolthadputhiminbodilyfear；MrandMrsBaxterhadnearlymadeaMethodistofhim；MrShawhadunderminedhisfaithintheResurrection；MissSnow’scharmshadruined——orwouldhavedonesobutforanaccident——hismoralcharacter。AsforMissMaitland，hehaddonehisbesttoruinhers，andhaddamagedhimselfgravelyandirretrievablyinconsequence。Theonlylodgerwhohaddonehimnoharmwasthebellows’mender，whomhehadnotvisited。
Otheryoungclergymen，muchgreaterfoolsinmanyrespectsthanhe，wouldnothavegotintothesescrapes。Heseemedtohavedevelopedanaptitudeformischiefalmostfromthedayofhishavingbeenordained。Hecouldhardlypreachwithoutmakingsomehorridfauxpas。HepreachedoneSundaymorningwhentheBishopwasathisRector’schurch，andmadehissermonturnuponthequestionwhatkindoflittlecakeitwasthatthewidowofZarephathhadintendedmakingwhenElijahfoundhergatheringafewsticks。Hedemonstratedthatitwasaseedcake。Thesermonwasreallyveryamusing，andmorethanoncehesawasmilepassovertheseaoffacesunderneathhim。TheBishopwasveryangry，andgavemyheroaseverereprimandinthevestryafterservicewasover；theonlyexcusehecouldmakewasthathewaspreachingextempore，hadnotthoughtofthisparticularpointtillhewasactuallyinthepulpit，andhadthenbeencarriedawaybyit。
Anothertimehepreacheduponthebarrenfig-tree，anddescribedthehopesoftheownerashewatchedthedelicateblossomunfold，andgivepromiseofsuchbeautifulfruitinautumn。Nextdayhereceivedaletterfromabotanicalmemberofhiscongregationwhoexplainedtohimthatthiscouldhardlyhavebeen，inasmuchasthefigproducesitsfruitfirstandblossomsinsidethefruit，orsonearlysothatnoflowerisperceptibletoanordinaryobserver。
Thislast，however，wasanaccidentwhichmighthavehappenedtoanyonebutascientistoraninspiredwriter。
TheonlyexcuseIcanmakeforhimisthathewasveryyoung——notyetfourandtwenty——andthatinmindasinbody，likemostofthosewhointheendcometothinkforthemselves，hewasaslowgrower。
Byfarthegreaterpart，moreover，ofhiseducationhadbeenanattempt，notsomuchtokeephiminblinkersastogougehiseyesoutaltogether。
Buttoreturntomystory。IttranspiredafterwardsthatMissMaitlandhadhadnointentionofgivingErnestinchargewhensheranoutofMrsJupp’shouse。Shewasrunningawaybecauseshewasfrightened，butalmostthefirstpersonwhomsheranagainsthadhappenedtobeapolicemanofaseriousturnofmind，whowishedtogainareputationforactivity。Hestoppedher，questionedher，frightenedherstillmore，anditwasheratherthanMissMaitland，whoinsistedongivingmyheroinchargetohimselfandanotherconstable。
TowneleywasstillinMrsJupp’shousewhenthepolicemancame。Hehadheardadisturbance，andgoingdowntoErnest’sroomwhileMissMaitlandwasoutofdoors，hadfoundhimlying，asitwere，stunnedatthefootofthemoralprecipiceoverwhichhehadthatmomentfallen。Hesawthewholethingataglance，butbeforehecouldtakeaction，thepolicemencameinandactionbecameimpossible。
HeaskedErnestwhowerehisfriendsinLondon。Ernestatfirstwantednottosay，butTowneleysoongavehimtounderstandthathemustdoashewasbid，andselectedmyselffromthefewwhomhehadnamed。“Writesforthestage，doeshe？”saidTowneley。“Doeshewritecomedy？”ErnestthoughtTowneleymeantthatIoughttowritetragedy，andsaidhewasafraidIwroteburlesque。“Oh，come，come。”saidTowneley，“thatwilldofamously。Iwillgoandseehimatonce。”ButonsecondthoughtshedeterminedtostaywithErnestandgowithhimtothepolicecourt。SohesentMrsJuppforme。
MrsJupphurriedsofasttofetchme，thatinspiteoftheweather’sbeingstillcoldshewas“givingout。”assheexpressedit，instreams。Thepooroldwretchwouldhavetakenacab，butshehadnomoneyanddidnotliketoaskTowneleytogivehersome。Isawthatsomethingveryserioushadhappened，butwasnotpreparedforanythingsodeplorableaswhatMrsJuppactuallytoldme。AsforMrsJupp，shesaidherhearthadbeenjumpingoutofitssocketandbackagaineversince。
Igotherintoacabwithme，andwewentofftothepolicestation。
Shetalkedwithoutceasing。
“Andiftheneighboursdosaycruelthingsaboutme，I’msureitain’tnothankstoHIMifthey’retrue。MrPontifexnevertookabito’noticeofmenomorethanifIhadbeenhissister。Oh，it’senoughtomakeanyone’sbackbonecurdle。ThenIthoughtperhapsmyRosemightgetonbetterwithhim，soIsethertodusthimandcleanhimasthoughIwerebusy，andgavehersuchabeautifulcleannewpinny，buthenevertooknonoticeofhernomorethanhedidofme，andshedidn’twantnocomplimentneither，shewouldn’thavetakennotashillingfromhim，thoughhehadofferedit，buthedidn’tseemtoknowanythingatall。Ican’tmakeoutwhattheyoungmenarea-comingto；Iwishthehornmayblowformeandthewormstakemethisverynight，ifit’snotenoughtomakeawomanstandbeforeGodandstriketheonehalfon’emsillytoseethewaytheygoeson，andmanyanhonestgirlhastogohomenightafternightwithoutsomuchasafourpennybitandpayingthreeandsixpenceaweekrent，andnotashelfnorcupboardintheplaceandadeadwallinfrontofthewindow。
“It’snotMrPontifex。”shecontinued，“that’ssobad，he’sgoodatheart。Heneversaysnothingunkind。Andthenthere’shisdeareyes——butwhenIspeakaboutthattomyRoseshecallsmeanoldfoolandsaysIoughttobepoleaxed。It’sthatPryerasIcan’tabide。Ohhe！Helikestowoundawoman’sfeelingshedo，andtochuckanythinginherface，hedo——helikestowindawomanupandtowoundherdown。”(MrsJupppronounced“wound“asthoughitrhymedto“sound。”)“It’sagentleman’splacetosootheawoman，buthe，he’dliketotearherhairoutbyhandfuls。Why，hetoldmetomyfacethatIwasa-gettingold；oldindeed！there’snotawomaninLondonknowsmyageexceptMrsDavisdownintheOldKentRoad，andbeyondaharicotveininoneofmylegsI’masyoungaseverI
was。Oldindeed！There’smanyagoodtuneplayedonanoldfiddle。
Ihatehisnastyinsinuendos。”
EvenifIhadwantedtostopher，Icouldnothavedoneso。ShesaidagreatdealmorethanIhavegivenabove。IhaveleftoutmuchbecauseIcouldnotrememberit，butstillmorebecauseitwasreallyimpossibleformetoprintit。
WhenwegottothepolicestationIfoundTowneleyandErnestalreadythere。Thechargewasoneofassault，butnotaggravatedbyseriousviolence。Evenso，however，itwaslamentableenough，andwebothsawthatouryoungfriendwouldhavetopaydearlyforhisinexperience。Wetriedtobailhimoutforthenight，buttheInspectorwouldnotacceptbail，sowewereforcedtoleavehim。
TowneleythenwentbacktoMrsJupp’stoseeifhecouldfindMissMaitlandandarrangematterswithher。Shewasnotthere，buthetracedhertothehouseofherfather，wholivedatCamberwell。ThefatherwasfuriousandwouldnothearofanyintercessiononTowneley’spart。HewasaDissenter，andgladtomakethemostofanyscandalagainstaclergyman；Towneley，therefore，wasobligedtoreturnunsuccessful。
Nextmorning，Towneley——whoregardedErnestasadrowningman，whomustbepickedoutofthewatersomehoworotherifpossible，irrespectiveofthewayinwhichhegotintoit——calledonme，andweputthematterintothehandsofoneofthebestknownattorneysoftheday。IwasgreatlypleasedwithTowneley，andthoughtitduetohimtotellhimwhatIhadtoldnooneelse。ImeanthatErnestwouldcomeintohisaunt’smoneyinafewyears’time，andwouldthereforethenberich。
Towneleywasdoingallhecouldbeforethis，butIknewthattheknowledgeIhadimpartedtohimwouldmakehimfeelasthoughErnestwasmoreoneofhisownclass，andhadthereforeagreaterclaimuponhisgoodoffices。AsforErnesthimself，hisgratitudewasgreaterthancouldbeexpressedinwords。Ihaveheardhimsaythathecancalltomindmanymoments，eachoneofwhichmightwellpassforthehappiestofhislife，butthatthisnightstandsclearlyoutasthemostpainfulthatheeverpassed，yetsokindandconsideratewasTowneleythatitwasquitebearable。
ButwithallthebestwishesintheworldneitherTowneleynorI
coulddomuchtohelpbeyondgivingourmoralsupport。OurattorneytoldusthatthemagistratebeforewhomErnestwouldappearwasverysevereoncasesofthisdescription，andthatthefactofhisbeingaclergymanwouldtellagainsthim。“Askfornoremand。”hesaid，“andmakenodefence。WewillcallMrPontifex’srectorandyoutwogentlemenaswitnessesforpreviousgoodcharacter。Thesewillbeenough。Letusthenmakeaprofoundapologyandbegthemagistratetodealwiththecasesummarilyinsteadofsendingitfortrial。Ifyoucangetthis，believeme，youryoungfriendwillbebetteroutofitthanhehasanyrighttoexpect。”
