relieved　for　a　while　by　the　look　of　spring　that　pervaded　earth　and
  sky；　but　it　soon　returned；　and　smiling　sadly　he　said　to　himself：
  〃It　may　bring　hope　to　others；　but　for　me　there　can　be　no　hope
  henceforth。〃
  As　these　words　were　in　his　mind　he　joined　the　small　crowd　who　were
  gathered　round　the　railings；　and　saw　that　they　were　looking　at　three
  sheep　with　very　small　lambs　only　a　day　or　two　old；　which　had　been
  penned　off　for　shelter　and　protection　from　the　others　that　ranged
  the　park。
  They　were　very　pretty；　and　Londoners　so　seldom　get　a　chance　of
  seeing　lambs　that　it　was　no　wonder　every　one　stopped　to　look　at
  them。　　Ernest　observed　that　no　one　seemed　fonder　of　them　than　a
  great　lubberly　butcher　boy；　who　leaned　up　against　the　railings　with
  a　tray　of　meat　upon　his　shoulder。　　He　was　looking　at　this　boy　and
  smiling　at　the　grotesqueness　of　his　admiration；　when　he　became　aware
  that　he　was　being　watched　intently　by　a　man　in　coachman's　livery；
  who　had　also　stopped　to　admire　the　lambs；　and　was　leaning　against
  the　opposite　side　of　the　enclosure。　　Ernest　knew　him　in　a　moment　as
  John；　his　father's　old　coachman　at　Battersby；　and　went　up　to　him　at
  once。
  〃Why；　Master　Ernest；〃　said　he；　with　his　strong　northern　accent；　〃I
  was　thinking　of　you　only　this　very　morning；〃　and　the　pair　shook
  hands　heartily。　　John　was　in　an　excellent　place　at　the　West　End。　　He
  had　done　very　well；　he　said；　ever　since　he　had　left　Battersby；
  except　for　the　first　year　or　two；　and　that；　he　said；　with　a　screw　of
  the　face；　had　well　nigh　broke　him。
  Ernest　asked　how　this　was。
  〃Why；　you　see；〃　said　John；　〃I　was　always　main　fond　of　that　lass
  Ellen；　whom　you　remember　running　after；　Master　Ernest；　and　giving
  your　watch　to。　　I　expect　you　haven't　forgotten　that　day；　have　you？〃
  And　here　he　laughed。　　〃I　don't　know　as　I　be　the　father　of　the　child
  she　carried　away　with　her　from　Battersby；　but　I　very　easily　may　have
  been。　　Anyhow；　after　I　had　left　your　papa's　place　a　few　days　I　wrote
  to　Ellen　to　an　address　we　had　agreed　upon；　and　told　her　I　would　do
  what　I　ought　to　do；　and　so　I　did；　for　I　married　her　within　a　month
  afterwards。　　Why；　Lord　love　the　man；　whatever　is　the　matter　with
  him？〃for　as　he　had　spoken　the　last　few　words　of　his　story　Ernest
  had　turned　white　as　a　sheet；　and　was　leaning　against　the　railings。
  〃John；〃　said　my　hero；　gasping　for　breath；　〃are　you　sure　of　what　you
  sayare　you　quite　sure　you　really　married　her？〃
  〃Of　course　I　am；〃　said　John；　〃I　married　her　before　the　registrar　at
  Letchbury　on　the　15th　of　August　1851。
  〃Give　me　your　arm；〃　said　Ernest；　〃and　take　me　into　Piccadilly；　and
  put　me　into　a　cab；　and　come　with　me　at　once；　if　you　can　spare　time；
  to　Mr　Overton's　at　the　Temple。〃
  CHAPTER　LXXVII
  I　do　not　think　Ernest　himself　was　much　more　pleased　at　finding　that
  he　had　never　been　married　than　I　was。　　To　him；　however；　the　shock　of
  pleasure　was　positively　numbing　in　its　intensity。　　As　he　felt　his
  burden　removed；　he　reeled　for　the　unaccustomed　lightness　of　his
  movements；　his　position　was　so　shattered　that　his　identity　seemed　to
  have　been　shattered　also；　he　was　as　one　waking　up　from　a　horrible
  nightmare　to　find　himself　safe　and　sound　in　bed；　but　who　can　hardly
  even　yet　believe　that　the　room　is　not　full　of　armed　men　who　are
  about　to　spring　upon　him。
  〃And　it　is　I；〃　he　said；　〃who　not　an　hour　ago　complained　that　I　was
  without　hope。　　It　is　I；　who　for　weeks　have　been　railing　at　fortune；
  and　saying　that　though　she　smiled　on　others　she　never　smiled　at　me。
  Why；　never　was　anyone　half　so　fortunate　as　I　am。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　been　inoculated　for　marriage；　and　have
  recovered。〃
  〃And　yet；〃　he　said；　〃I　was　very　fond　of　her　till　she　took　to
  drinking。〃
  〃Perhaps；　but　is　it　not　Tennyson　who　has　said：　　''Tis　better　to　have
  loved　and　lost；　than　never　to　have　lost　at　all'？〃
  〃You　are　an　inveterate　bachelor；〃　was　the　rejoinder。
  Then　we　had　a　long　talk　with　John；　to　whom　I　gave　a　5　pound　note
  upon　the　spot。　　He　said；　〃Ellen　had　used　to　drink　at　Battersby；　the
  cook　had　taught　her；　he　had　known　it；　but　was　so　fond　of　her；　that
  he　had　chanced　it　and　married　her　to　save　her　from　the　streets　and
  in　the　hope　of　being　able　to　keep　her　straight。　　She　had　done　with
  him　just　as　she　had　done　with　Ernestmade　him　an　excellent　wife　as
  long　as　she　kept　sober；　but　a　very　bad　one　afterwards。〃
  〃There　isn't；〃　said　John；　〃a　sweeter…tempered；　handier；　prettier
  girl　than　she　was　in　all　England；　nor　one　as　knows　better　what　a　man
  likes；　and　how　to　make　him　happy；　if　you　can　keep　her　from　drink；
  but　you　can't　keep　her；　she's　that　artful　she'll　get　it　under　your
  very　eyes；　without　you　knowing　it。　　If　she　can't　get　any　more　of
  your　things　to　pawn　or　sell；　she'll　steal　her　neighbours'。　　That's
  how　she　got　into　trouble　first　when　I　was　with　her。　　During　the　six
  months　she　was　in　prison　I　should　have　felt　happy　if　I　had　not　known
  she　would　come　out　again。　　And　then　she　did　come　out；　and　before　she
  had　been　free　a　fortnight；　she　began　shop…lifting　and　going　on　the
  loose　againand　all　to　get　money　to　drink　with。　　So　seeing　I　could
  do　nothing　with　her　and　that　she　was　just　a…killing　of　me；　I　left
  her；　and　came　up　to　London；　and　went　into　service　again；　and　I　did
  not　know　what　had　become　of　her　till　you　and　Mr　Ernest　here　told　me。
  I　hope　you'll　neither　of　you　say　you've　seen　me。〃
  We　assured　him　we　would　keep　his　counsel；　and　then　he　left　us；　with
  many　protestations　of　affection　towards　Ernest；　to　whom　he　had　been
  always　much　attached。
  We　talked　the　situation　over；　and　decided　first　to　get　the　children
  away；　and　then　to　come　to　terms　with　Ellen　concerning　their　future
  custody；　as　for　herself；　I　proposed　that　we　should　make　her　an
  allowance　of；　say；　a　pound　a　week　to　be　paid　so　long　as　she　gave　no
  trouble。　　Ernest　did　not　see　where　the　pound　a　week　was　to　come
  from；　so　I　eased　his　mind　by　saying　I　would　pay　it　myself。　　Before
  the　day　was　two　hours　older　we　had　got　the　children；　about　whom
  Ellen　had　always　appeared　to　be　indifferent；　and　had　confided　them
  to　the　care　of　my　laundress；　a　good　motherly　sort　of　woman；　who　took
  to　them　and　to　whom　they　took　at　once。
  Then　came　the　odious　task　of　getting　rid　of　their　unhappy　mother。
  Ernest's　heart　smote　him　at　the　notion　of　the　shock　the　break…up
  would　be　to　her。　　He　was　always　thinking　that　people　had　a　claim
  upon　him　for　some　inestimable　service　they　had　rendered　him；　or　for
  some　irreparable　mischief　done　to　them　by　himself；　the　case　however
  was　so　clear；　that　Ernest's　scruples　did　not　offer　serious
  resistance。
  I　did　not　see　why　he　should　have　the　pain　of　another　interview　with
  his　wife；　so　I　got　Mr　Ottery　to　manage　the　whole　business。　　It
  turned　out　that　we　need　not　have　harrowed　ourselves　so　much　about
  the　agony　of　mind　which　Ellen　would　suffer　on　becoming　an　outcast
  again。　　Ernest　saw　Mrs　Richards；　the　neighbour　who　had　called　him
  down　on　the　night　when　he　had　first　discovered　his　wife's
  drunkenness；　and　got　from　her　some　details　of　Ellen's　opinions　upon
  the　matter。　　She　did　not　seem　in　the　least　conscience…stricken；　she
  said：　　〃Thank　goodness；　at　last！〃　　And　although　aware　that　her
  marriage　was　not　a　valid　one；　evidently　regarded　this　as　a　mere
  detail　which　it　would　not　be　worth　anybody's　while　to　go　into　more
  particularly。　　As　regards　his　breaking　with　her；　she　said　it　was　a
  good　job　both　for　him　and　for　her。
  〃This　life；〃　she　continued；　〃don't　suit　me。　　Ernest　is　too　good　for
  me；　he　wants　a　woman　as　shall　be　a　bit　better　than　me；　and　I　want　a
  man　that　shall　be　a　bit　worse　than　him。　　We　should　have　got　on　all
  very　well　if　we　had　not　lived　together　as　married　folks；　but　I've
  been　used　to　have　a　little　place　of　my　own；　however　small；　for　a
  many　years；　and　I　don't　want　Ernest；　or　any　other　man；　always
  hanging　about　it。　　Besides　he　is　too　steady：　　his　being　in　prison
  hasn't　done　him　a　bit　of　goodhe's　just　as　grave　as　those　as　have
  never　been　in　prison　at　all；　and　he　never　swears　nor　curses；　come
  what　may；　it　makes　me　afeared　of　him；　and　therefore　I　drink　the
  worse。　　What　us　poor　girls　wants　is　not　to　be　jumped　up　all　of　a
  sudden　and　made　honest　women　of；　this　is　too　much　for　us　and　throws
  us　off　our　perch；　what　we　wants　is　a　regular　friend　or　two；　who'll
  just　keep　us　from　starving；　and　force　us　to　be　good　for　a　bit
  together　now　and　again。　　That's　about　as　much　as　we　can　stand。　　He
  may　have　the　children；　he　can　do　better　for　them　than　I　can；　and　as
  for　his　money；　he　may　give　it　or　keep　it　as　he　likes；　he's　never
  done　me　any　harm；　and　I　shall　let　him　alone；　but　if　he　means　me　to
  have　it；　I　suppose　I'd　better　have　it。〃And　have　it　she　did。
  〃And　I；〃　thought　Ernest　to　himself　again　when　the　arrangement　was
  concluded；　〃am　the　man　who　thought　himself　unlucky！〃
  I　may　as　well　say　here　all　that　need　be　said　further　about　Ellen。
  For　the　next　three　years　she　used　to　call　regularly　at　Mr　Ottery's
  every　Monday　morning　for　her　pound。　　She　was　always　neatly　dressed；
  and　looked　so　quiet　and　pretty　that　no　one　would　have　suspected　her
  antecedents。　　At　first　she　wanted　sometimes　to　anticipate；　but　after
  three　or　four　ineffectual　attemptson　each　of　which　occasions　she
  told　a　most　pitiful　storyshe　gave　it　up　and　took　her　money
  regu