Overandoveragainhadshewheedledfromhimallshewantedtoknow，andafterwardsgothimintothemosthorriblescrapebytellingthewholetoTheobald。Ernesthadremonstratedmorethanonceupontheseoccasions，andhadpointedouttohismotherhowdisastroustohimhisconfidenceshadbeen，butChristinahadalwaysjoinedissuewithhimandshowedhimintheclearestpossiblemannerthatineachcaseshehadbeenright，andthathecouldnotreasonablycomplain。Generallyitwasherconsciencethatforbadehertobesilent，andagainstthistherewasnoappeal，forweareallboundtofollowthedictatesofourconscience。Ernestusedtohavetoreciteahymnaboutconscience。Itwastotheeffectthatifyoudidnotpayattentiontoitsvoiceitwouldsoonleaveoffspeaking。“Mymamma’sconsciencehasnotleftoffspeaking。”saidErnesttooneofhischumsatRoughborough；“it’salwaysjabbering。”
Whenaboyhasoncespokensodisrespectfullyasthisabouthismother’sconscienceitispracticallyalloverbetweenhimandher。
Ernestthroughsheerforceofhabit，ofthesofa，andofthereturnoftheassociatedideas，wasstillsomovedbythesiren’svoiceastoyearntosailtowardsher，andflinghimselfintoherarms，butitwouldnotdo；therewereotherassociatedideasthatreturnedalso，andthemangledbonesoftoomanymurderedconfessionswerelyingwhiteningroundtheskirtsofhismother’sdress，toallowhimbyanypossibilitytotrustherfurther。Sohehunghisheadandlookedsheepish，butkepthisowncounsel。
“Isee，mydearest。”continuedhismother，“eitherthatIammistaken，andthatthereisnothingonyourmind，orthatyouwillnotunburdenyourselftome：butoh，Ernest，tellmeatleastthismuch；istherenothingthatyourepentof，nothingwhichmakesyouunhappyinconnectionwiththatmiserablegirlEllen？”
Ernest’sheartfailedhim。“Iamadeadboynow。”hesaidtohimself。Hehadnotthefaintestconceptionwhathismotherwasdrivingat，andthoughtshesuspectedaboutthewatch；butheheldhisground。