It was only right, however, that Ernest should pay half the cost of the watch; this should be made easy for him, for it should be deducted from his pocket money in half-yearly instalments extending over two, or even it might be three years.  In Ernest’s own interests, then, as well as those of his father and mother, it would be well that the watch should cost as little as possible, so it was resolved to buy a second-hand one.  Nothing was to be said to Ernest, but it was to be bought, and laid upon his plate as a surprise just before the holidays were over.  Theobald would have to go to the county town in a few days, and could then find some second-hand watch which would answer sufficiently well.  In the course of time, therefore, Theobald went, furnished with a long list of household commissions, among which was the purchase of a watch for Ernest.

Those, as I have said, were always happy times, when Theobald was away for a whole day certain; the boy was beginning to feel easy in his mind as though God had heard his prayers, and he was not going to be found out.  Altogether the day had proved an unusually tranquil one, but, alas! it was not to close as it had begun; the fickle atmosphere in which he lived was never more likely to breed a storm than after such an interval of brilliant calm, and when Theobald returned Ernest had only to look in his face to see that a hurricane was approaching.

Christina saw that something had gone very wrong, and was quite frightened lest Theobald should have heard of some serious money loss; he did not, however, at once unbosom himself, but rang the bell and said to the servant, “Tell Master Ernest I wish to speak to him in the dining-room.”

CHAPTER XLI

Long before Ernest reached the dining-room his ill-divining soul had told him that his sin had found him out.  What head of a family ever sends for any of its members into the dining-room if his intentions are honourable?

When he reached it he found it empty—­his father having been called away for a few minutes unexpectedly upon some parish business—­and he was left in the same kind of suspense as people are in after they have been ushered into their dentist’s ante-room.

Of all the rooms in the house he hated the dining-room worst.  It was here that he had had to do his Latin and Greek lessons with his father.  It had a smell of some particular kind of polish or varnish which was used in polishing the furniture, and neither I nor Ernest can even now come within range of the smell of this kind of varnish without our hearts failing us.