 and now these two had fairly identified themselves
with the older generation - that is to say as against Ernest. On this head there
was an offensive and defensive alliance between them; as between themselves,
however, there was a subdued but internecine warfare.
    This at least was what Ernest gathered, partly from his recollections of the
parties concerned, and partly from his observation of their little ways during
the first half hour after his arrival, while they were all together in his
mother's bedroom - for as yet of course they did not know that he had money. He
could see that they eyed him from time to time with a surprise not unmixed with
indignation, and knew very well what they were thinking.
    Christina saw the change which had come over him - how much firmer and more
vigorous both in mind and body he seemed than when she had last seen him. She
saw too how well he was dressed and like the others, in spite of the return of
all her old affection for her firstborn, was a little alarmed about Theobald's
pocket, which she supposed would have to be mulcted for all this magnificence.
Perceiving this, Ernest relieved her mind and told her all about his aunt's
bequest, and how I had husbanded it, in the presence of his brother and sister -
who, however, pretended not to notice, or at any rate to notice as a matter in
which they could hardly be expected to take an interest.
    His mother kicked a little at first against the money's having gone to him
as she said »over his papa's head.« »Why my dear,« she said with a deprecating
tone, »this is more than ever your papa has had,« but Ernest calmed her by
suggesting that if Miss Pontifex had known how large the sum would become, she
would have left the greater part of it to Theobald. This compromise was accepted
by Christina who forthwith, ill as she was, entered with ardour into the new
position and taking it [as] a fresh point of departure began spending Ernest's
money for him.
    I may say in passing that Christina was right in saying that Theobald had
never had so much money as his son was now possessed of. In the first place he
had not had a fourteen years' minority with no outgoings to prevent the
accumulation of the money, and in the second, he like myself and almost everyone
else had suffered somewhat in the 1846 times - not enough to cripple him or even
seriously hurt him, but enough to give him a scare and make him stick to
debentures
