Thequestionnowarosewhatwastobedonewiththechildren。I
explainedtoErnestthattheirexpensesmustbechargedtotheestate，andshowedhimhowsmallaholeallthevariousitemsI
proposedtochargewouldmakeintheincomeatmydisposal。Hewasbeginningtomakedifficulties，whenIquietedhimbypointingoutthatthemoneyhadallcometomefromhisaunt，overhisownhead，andremindedhimtherehadbeenanunderstandingbetweenherandmethatIshoulddomuchasIwasdoing，ifoccasionshouldarise。
Hewantedhischildrentobebroughtupinthefreshpureair，andamongotherchildrenwhowerehappyandcontented；butbeingstillignorantofthefortunethatawaitedhim，heinsistedthattheyshouldpasstheirearlieryearsamongthepoorratherthantherich。
Iremonstrated，buthewasverydecidedaboutit；andwhenI
reflectedthattheywereillegitimate，IwasnotsurebutthatwhatErnestproposedmightbeaswellforeveryoneintheend。Theywerestillsoyoungthatitdidnotmuchmatterwheretheywere，solongastheywerewithkindlydecentpeople，andinahealthyneighbourhood。
“Ishallbejustasunkindtomychildren。”hesaid，“asmygrandfatherwastomyfather，ormyfathertome。Iftheydidnotsucceedinmakingtheirchildrenlovethem，neithershallI。IsaytomyselfthatIshouldliketodoso，butsodidthey。Icanmakesurethattheyshallnotknowhowmuchtheywouldhavehatedmeiftheyhadhadmuchtodowithme，butthisisallIcando。IfI
mustruintheirprospects，letmedosoatareasonabletimebeforetheyareoldenoughtofeelit。”
Hemusedalittleandaddedwithalaugh：-
“Amanfirstquarrelswithhisfatheraboutthree-quartersofayearbeforeheisborn。Itisthenheinsistsonsettingupaseparateestablishment；whenthishasbeenonceagreedto，themorecompletetheseparationforeverafterthebetterforboth。”Thenhesaidmoreseriously：“Iwanttoputthechildrenwheretheywillbewellandhappy，andwheretheywillnotbebetrayedintothemiseryoffalseexpectations。”
IntheendherememberedthatonhisSundaywalkshehadmorethanonceseenacouplewholivedonthewatersideafewmilesbelowGravesend，justwheretheseawasbeginning，andwhohethoughtwoulddo。Theyhadafamilyoftheirownfastcomingonandthechildrenseemedtothrive；bothfatherandmotherindeedwerecomfortablewellgrownfolks，inwhosehandsyoungpeoplewouldbelikelytohaveasfairachanceofcomingtoagooddevelopmentasinthoseofanywhomheknew。
Wewentdowntoseethiscouple，andasIthoughtnolesswellofthemthanErnestdid，weofferedthemapoundaweektotakethechildrenandbringthemupasthoughtheyweretheirown。Theyjumpedattheoffer，andinanotherdayortwowebroughtthechildrendownandleftthem，feelingthatwehaddoneaswellaswecouldbythem，atanyrateforthepresent。ThenErnestsenthissmallstockofgoodstoDebenham’s，gaveupthehousehehadtakentwoandahalfyearspreviously，andreturnedtocivilisation。
Ihadexpectedthathewouldnowrapidlyrecover，andwasdisappointedtoseehimgetasIthoughtdecidedlyworse。Indeed，beforelongIthoughthimlookingsoillthatIinsistedonhisgoingwithmetoconsultoneofthemosteminentdoctorsinLondon。
Thisgentlemansaidtherewasnoacutediseasebutthatmyyoungfriendwassufferingfromnervousprostration，theresultoflongandseverementalsuffering，fromwhichtherewasnoremedyexcepttime，prosperityandrest。
HesaidthatErnestmusthavebrokendownlateron，butthathemighthavegoneonforsomemonthsyet。Itwasthesuddennessoftherelieffromtensionwhichhadknockedhimovernow。
“Crosshim。”saidthedoctor，“atonce。Crossingisthegreatmedicaldiscoveryoftheage。Shakehimoutofhimselfbyshakingsomethingelseintohim。”
IhadnottoldhimthatmoneywasnoobjecttousandIthinkhehadreckonedmeupasnotoverrich。Hecontinued：-
“Seeingisamodeoftouching，touchingisamodeoffeeding，feedingisamodeofassimilation，assimilationisamodeofrecreationandreproduction，andthisiscrossing——shakingyourselfintosomethingelseandsomethingelseintoyou。”
Hespokelaughingly，butitwasplainhewasserious。Hecontinued：-
“Peoplearealwayscomingtomewhowantcrossing，orchange，ifyoupreferit，andwhoIknowhavenotmoneyenoughtoletthemgetawayfromLondon。ThishassetmethinkinghowIcanbestcrossthemeveniftheycannotleavehome，andIhavemadealistofcheapLondonamusementswhichIrecommendtomypatients；noneofthemcostmorethanafewshillingsortakemorethanhalfadayoraday。”
Iexplainedthattherewasnooccasiontoconsidermoneyinthiscase。
“Iamgladofit。”hesaid，stilllaughing。“Thehomoeopathistsuseaurumasamedicine，buttheydonotgiveitinlargedosesenough；
ifyoucandoseyouryoungfriendwiththisprettyfreelyyouwillsoonbringhimround。However，MrPontifexisnotwellenoughtostandsogreatachangeasgoingabroadyet；fromwhatyoutellmeI
shouldthinkhehadhadasmuchchangelatelyasisgoodforhim。
Ifheweretogoabroadnowhewouldprobablybetakenseriouslyillwithinaweek。Wemustwaittillhehasrecoveredtonealittlemore。IwillbeginbyringingmyLondonchangesonhim。”
Hethoughtalittleandthensaid：-
“IhavefoundtheZoologicalGardensofservicetomanyofmypatients。IshouldprescribeforMrPontifexacourseofthelargermammals。Don’tlethimthinkheistakingthemmedicinally，butlethimgototheirhousetwiceaweekforafortnight，andstaywiththehippopotamus，therhinoceros，andtheelephants，tilltheybegintoborehim。Ifindthesebeastsdomypatientsmoregoodthananyothers。Themonkeysarenotawideenoughcross；theydonotstimulatesufficiently。Thelargercarnivoraareunsympathetic。
Thereptilesareworsethanuseless，andthemarsupialsarenotmuchbetter。Birdsagain，exceptparrots，arenotverybeneficial；hemaylookatthemnowandagain，butwiththeelephantsandthepigtribegenerallyheshouldmixjustnowasfreelyaspossible。
“Then，youknow，topreventmonotonyIshouldsendhim，say，tomorningserviceattheAbbeybeforehegoes。HeneednotstaylongerthantheTeDeum。Idon’tknowwhy，butJubilatesareseldomsatisfactory。JustlethimlookinattheAbbey，andsitquietlyinPoets’Cornertillthemainpartofthemusicisover。Lethimdothistwoorthreetimes，notmore，beforehegoestotheZoo。
“ThennextdaysendhimdowntoGravesendbyboat。Byallmeanslethimgotothetheatresintheevenings——andthenlethimcometomeagaininafortnight。”
HadthedoctorbeenlesseminentinhisprofessionIshouldhavedoubtedwhetherhewasinearnest，butIknewhimtobeamanofbusinesswhowouldneitherwastehisowntimenorthatofhispatients。AssoonaswewereoutofthehousewetookacabtoRegent’sPark，andspentacoupleofhoursinsaunteringroundthedifferenthouses。Perhapsitwasonaccountofwhatthedoctorhadtoldme，butIcertainlybecameawareofafeelingIhadneverexperiencedbefore。ImeanthatIwasreceivinganinfluxofnewlife，orderivingnewwaysoflookingatlife——whichisthesamething——bytheprocess。Ifoundthedoctorquiterightinhisestimateofthelargermammalsastheoneswhichonthewholeweremostbeneficial，andobservedthatErnest，whohadheardnothingofwhatthedoctorhadsaidtome，lingeredinstinctivelyinfrontofthem。Asfortheelephants，especiallythebabyelephant，heseemedtobedrinkinginlargedraughtsoftheirlivestothere-creationandregenerationofhisown。
Wedinedinthegardens，andInoticedwithpleasurethatErnest’sappetitewasalreadyimproved。Sincethistime，wheneverIhavebeenalittleoutofsortsmyselfIhaveatoncegoneuptoRegent’sPark，andhaveinvariablybeenbenefited。Imentionthishereinthehopethatsomeoneorotherofmyreadersmayfindthehintausefulone。
Attheendofhisfortnightmyherowasmuchbetter，moresoeventhanourfriendthedoctorhadexpected。“Now。”hesaid，“MrPontifexmaygoabroad，andthesoonerthebetter。Lethimstayacoupleofmonths。”
ThiswasthefirstErnesthadheardabouthisgoingabroad，andhetalkedaboutmynotbeingabletosparehimforsolong。Isoonmadethisallright。
“ItisnowthebeginningofApril。”saidI，“godowntoMarseillesatonce，andtakesteamertoNice。ThensaunterdowntheRivieratoGenoa——fromGenoagotoFlorence，RomeandNaples，andcomehomebywayofVeniceandtheItalianlakes。”
“Andwon’tyoucometoo？”saidhe，eagerly。
IsaidIdidnotmindifIdid，sowebegantomakeourarrangementsnextmorning，andcompletedthemwithinaveryfewdays。
Weleftbythenightmail，crossingfromDover。Thenightwassoft，andtherewasabrightmoonuponthesea。“Don’tyoulovethesmellofgreaseabouttheengineofaChannelsteamer？Isn’ttherealotofhopeinit？”saidErnesttome，forhehadbeentoNormandyonesummerasaboywithhisfatherandmother，andthesmellcarriedhimbacktodaysbeforethoseinwhichhehadbeguntobruisehimselfagainstthegreatoutsideworld。“Ialwaysthinkoneofthebestpartsofgoingabroadisthefirstthudofthepiston，andthefirstgurglingofthewaterwhenthepaddlebeginstostrikeit。”
ItwasverydreamygettingoutatCalais，andtrudgingaboutwithluggageinaforeigntownatanhourwhenweweregenerallybothofusinbedandfastasleep，butwesettleddowntosleepassoonaswegotintotherailwaycarriage，anddozedtillwehadpassedAmiens。Thenwakingwhenthefirstsignsofmorningcrispnesswerebeginningtoshowthemselves，IsawthatErnestwasalreadydevouringeveryobjectwepassedwithquicksympatheticcuriousness。
Therewasnotapeasantinablousedrivinghiscartbetimesalongtheroadtomarket，notasignalman’swifeinherhusband’shatandcoatwavingagreenflag，notashepherdtakingouthissheeptothedewypastures，notabankofopeningcowslipsaswepassedthroughtherailwaycuttings，buthewasdrinkingitallinwithanenjoymenttoodeepforwords。ThenameoftheenginethatdrewuswasMozart，andErnestlikedthistoo。
WereachedParisbysix，andhadjusttimetogetacrossthetownandtakeamorningexpresstraintoMarseilles，butbeforenoonmyyoungfriendwastiredoutandhadresignedhimselftoaseriesofsleepswhichwereseldomintermittedformorethananhourorsotogether。Hefoughtagainstthisforatime，butintheendconsoledhimselfbysayingitwassonicetohavesomuchpleasurethathecouldaffordtothrowalotofitaway。Havingfoundatheoryonwhichtojustifyhimself，hesleptinpeace。
AtMarseilleswerested，andtheretheexcitementofthechangeproved，asIhadhalffeareditwould，toomuchformygodson’sstillenfeebledstate。Forafewdayshewasreallyill，butafterthisherighted。FormyownpartIreckonbeingillasoneofthegreatpleasuresoflife，providedoneisnottooillandisnotobligedtoworktilloneisbetter。IrememberbeingillonceinaforeignhotelmyselfandhowmuchIenjoyedit。Tolietherecarelessofeverything，quietandwarm，andwithnoweightuponthemind，toheartheclinkingoftheplatesinthefar-offkitchenasthescullionrinsedthemandputthemby；towatchthesoftshadowscomeandgoupontheceilingasthesuncameoutorwentbehindacloud；tolistentothepleasantmurmuringofthefountaininthecourtbelow，andtheshakingofthebellsonthehorses’collarsandtheclinkoftheirhoofsuponthegroundasthefliesplaguedthem；
notonlytobealotus-eaterbuttoknowthatitwasone’sdutytobealotus-eater。“Oh。”Ithoughttomyself，“ifIcouldonlynow，havingsoforgottencare，dropofftosleepforever，wouldnotthisbeabetterpieceoffortunethananyIcaneverhopefor？”
Ofcourseitwould，butwewouldnottakeitthoughitwereofferedus。Nomatterwhatevilmaybefallus，wewillmostlyabidebyitandseeitout。
IcouldseethatErnestfeltmuchasIhadfeltmyself。Hesaidlittle，butnotedeverything。Onceonlydidhefrightenme。Hecalledmetohisbedsidejustasitwasgettingduskandsaidinagrave，quietmannerthatheshouldliketospeaktome。
“Ihavebeenthinking。”hesaid，“thatImayperhapsneverrecoverfromthisillness，andincaseIdonotIshouldlikeyoutoknowthatthereisonlyonethingwhichweighsuponme。Irefer。”hecontinuedafteraslightpause，“tomyconducttowardsmyfatherandmother。Ihavebeenmuchtoogoodtothem。Itreatedthemmuchtooconsiderately。”onwhichhebrokeintoasmilewhichassuredmethattherewasnothingseriouslyamisswithhim。
