eral verdict is often the truest.

Ernest was overwhelmed with expressions of condolence and respect for his
father's memory. "He never," said Dr Martin, the old doctor who brought
Ernest into the world, "spoke an ill word against anyone. He was not
only liked, he was beloved by all who had anything to do with him."

"A more perfectly just and righteously dealing man," said the family
solicitor, "I have never had anything to do with--nor one more punctual
in the discharge of every business obligation."

"We shall miss him sadly," the bishop wrote to Joey in the very warmest
terms. The poor were in consternation. "The well's never missed," said
one old woman, "till it's dry," and she only said what everyone else
felt. Ernest knew that the general regret was unaffected as for a loss
which could not be easily repaired. He felt that there were only three
people in the world who joined insincerely in the tribute of applause,
and these were the very three who could least show their want of
sympathy. I mean Joey, Charlotte, and himself. He felt bitter against
himself for being of a mind with either Joey or Charlotte upon any
subject, and thankful that he must conceal his being so as far as
possible, not because of anything his father had done to him--these
grievances were too old to be remembered now--but because he would never
allow him to feel towards him as he was always trying to feel. As long
as communication was confined to the merest commonplace all went well,
but if these were departed from ever such a little he invariably felt
that his father's instincts showed themselves in immediate opposition to
his own. When he was attacked his father laid whatever stress was
possible on everything which his opponents said. If he met with any
check his father was clearly pleased. What the old doctor had said about
Theobald's speaking ill of no man was perfectly true as regards others
than himself, but he knew very well that no one had injured his
reputation in a quiet way, so far as he dared to do, more than his own
father. This is a very common case and a very natural one. It often
happens that if the son is right, the father is wrong, and the father is
not going to have this if he can help it.

It was very hard, however, to say what was the true root of the mischief
in the present case. It was not Ernest's having been imprisoned.
Theobald forgot all about that much sooner than nine fathers out of ten
would have