Now, therefore, you
know all."
The conversation ended here, so far as this subject was concerned, and
Ernest thought he did know all. His mother would not have told him he
knew all--not about a matter of that sort--unless he actually did know
it; well, it did not come to very much; he supposed there were some
difficulties, but his father, who at any rate was an excellent scholar
and a learned man, was probably quite right here, and he need not trouble
himself more about them. So little impression did the conversation make
on him, that it was not till long afterwards that, happening to remember
it, he saw what a piece of sleight of hand had been practised upon him.
Theobald and Christina, however, were satisfied that they had done their
duty by opening their son's eyes to the difficulties of assenting to all
a clergyman must assent to. This was enough; it was a matter for
rejoicing that, though they had been put so fully and candidly before
him, he did not find them serious. It was not in vain that they had
prayed for so many years to be made "_truly_ honest and conscientious."
"And now, my dear," resumed Christina, after having disposed of all the
difficulties that might stand in the way of Ernest's becoming a
clergyman, "there is another matter on which I should like to have a talk
with you.
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