the lesson of the master-第1章

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The　Lesson　of　the　Master　



　　　　　　　　by　Henry　James







He　had　been　told　the　ladies　were　at　church；　but　this　was　corrected

by　what　he　saw　from　the　top　of　the　steps　…　they　descended　from　a

great　height　in　two　arms；　with　a　circular　sweep　of　the　most

charming　effect　…　at　the　threshold　of　the　door　which；　from　the　long

bright　gallery；　overlooked　the　immense　lawn。　　Three　gentlemen；　on

the　grass；　at　a　distance；　sat　under　the　great　trees；　while　the

fourth　figure　showed　a　crimson　dress　that　told　as　a　〃bit　of　colour〃

amid　the　fresh　rich　green。　　The　servant　had　so　far　accompanied　Paul

Overt　as　to　introduce　him　to　this　view；　after　asking　him　if　he

wished　first　to　go　to　his　room。　　The　young　man　declined　that

privilege；　conscious　of　no　disrepair　from　so　short　and　easy　a

journey　and　always　liking　to　take　at　once　a　general　perceptive

possession　of　a　new　scene。　　He　stood　there　a　little　with　his　eyes

on　the　group　and　on　the　admirable　picture；　the　wide　grounds　of　an

old　country…house　near　London　…　that　only　made　it　better　…　on　a

splendid　Sunday　in　June。　　〃But　that　lady；　who's　SHE？〃　he　said　to

the　servant　before　the　man　left　him。



〃I　think　she's　Mrs。　St。　George；　sir。〃



〃Mrs。　St。　George；　the　wife　of　the　distinguished　…　〃　　Then　Paul

Overt　checked　himself；　doubting　if　a　footman　would　know。



〃Yes；　sir　…　probably；　sir；〃　said　his　guide；　who　appeared　to　wish　to

intimate　that　a　person　staying　at　Summersoft　would　naturally　be；　if

only　by　alliance；　distinguished。　　His　tone；　however；　made　poor

Overt　himself　feel　for　the　moment　scantly　so。



〃And　the　gentlemen？〃　Overt　went　on。



〃Well；　sir；　one　of　them's　General　Fancourt。〃



〃Ah　yes；　I　know；　thank　you。〃　　General　Fancourt　was　distinguished；

there　was　no　doubt　of　that；　for　something　he　had　done；　or　perhaps

even　hadn't　done　…　the　young　man　couldn't　remember　which　…　some

years　before　in　India。　　The　servant　went　away；　leaving　the　glass

doors　open　into　the　gallery；　and　Paul　Overt　remained　at　the　head　of

the　wide　double　staircase；　saying　to　himself　that　the　place　was

sweet　and　promised　a　pleasant　visit；　while　he　leaned　on　the

balustrade　of　fine　old　ironwork　which；　like　all　the　other　details；

was　of　the　same　period　as　the　house。　　It　all　went　together　and

spoke　in　one　voice　…　a　rich　English　voice　of　the　early　part　of　the

eighteenth　century。　　It　might　have　been　church…time　on　a　summer's

day　in　the　reign　of　Queen　Anne；　the　stillness　was　too　perfect　to　be

modern；　the　nearness　counted　so　as　distance；　and　there　was

something　so　fresh　and　sound　in　the　originality　of　the　large　smooth

house；　the　expanse　of　beautiful　brickwork　that　showed　for　pink

rather　than　red　and　that　had　been　kept　clear　of　messy　creepers　by

the　law　under　which　a　woman　with　a　rare　complexion　disdains　a　veil。

When　Paul　Overt　became　aware　that　the　people　under　the　trees　had

noticed　him　he　turned　back　through　the　open　doors　into　the　great

gallery　which　was　the　pride　of　the　place。　　It　marched　across　from

end　to　end　and　seemed　…　with　its　bright　colours；　its　high　panelled

windows；　its　faded　flowered　chintzes；　its　quickly…recognised

portraits　and　pictures；　the　blue…and…white　china　of　its　cabinets

and　the　attenuated　festoons　and　rosettes　of　its　ceiling　…　a

cheerful　upholstered　avenue　into　the　other　century。



Our　friend　was　slightly　nervous；　that　went　with　his　character　as　a

student　of　fine　prose；　went　with　the　artist's　general　disposition

to　vibrate；　and　there　was　a　particular　thrill　in　the　idea　that

Henry　St。　George　might　be　a　member　of　the　party。　　For　the　young

aspirant　he　had　remained　a　high　literary　figure；　in　spite　of　the

lower　range　of　production　to　which　he　had　fallen　after　his　first

three　great　successes；　the　comparative　absence　of　quality　in　his

later　work。　　There　had　been　moments　when　Paul　Overt　almost　shed

tears　for　this；　but　now　that　he　was　near　him　…　he　had　never　met　him

…　he　was　conscious　only　of　the　fine　original　source　and　of　his　own

immense　debt。　　After　he　had　taken　a　turn　or　two　up　and　down　the

gallery　he　came　out　again　and　descended　the　steps。　　He　was　but

slenderly　supplied　with　a　certain　social　boldness　…　it　was　really　a

weakness　in　him　…　so　that；　conscious　of　a　want　of　acquaintance　with

the　four　persons　in　the　distance；　he　gave　way　to　motions

recommended　by　their　not　committing　him　to　a　positive　approach。

There　was　a　fine　English　awkwardness　in　this　…　he　felt　that　too　as

he　sauntered　vaguely　and　obliquely　across　the　lawn；　taking　an

independent　line。　　Fortunately　there　was　an　equally　fine　English

directness　in　the　way　one　of　the　gentlemen　presently　rose　and　made

as　if　to　〃stalk〃　him；　though　with　an　air　of　conciliation　and

reassurance。　　To　this　demonstration　Paul　Overt　instantly　responded；

even　if　the　gentleman　were　not　his　host。　　He　was　tall；　straight　and

elderly　and　had；　like　the　great　house　itself；　a　pink　smiling　face；

and　into　the　bargain　a　white　moustache。　　Our　young　man　met　him

halfway　while　he　laughed　and　said：　　〃Er　…　Lady　Watermouth　told　us

you　were　coming；　she　asked　me　just　to　look　after　you。〃　　Paul　Overt

thanked　him；　liking　him　on　the　spot；　and　turned　round　with　him　to

walk　toward　the　others。　　〃They've　all　gone　to　church　…　all　except

us；〃　the　stranger　continued　as　they　went；　〃we're　just　sitting　here

…　it's　so　jolly。〃　　Overt　pronounced　it　jolly　indeed：　　it　was　such　a

lovely　place。　　He　mentioned　that　he　was　having　the　charming

impression　for　the　first　time。



〃Ah　you've　not　been　here　before？〃　said　his　companion。　　〃It's　a　nice

little　place　…　not　much　to　DO；　you　know〃。　　Overt　wondered　what　he

wanted　to　〃do〃　…　he　felt　that　he　himself　was　doing　so　much。　　By　the

time　they　came　to　where　the　others　sat　he　had　recognised　his

initiator　for　a　military　man　and　…　such　was　the　turn　of　Overt's

imagination　…　had　found　him　thus　still　more　sympathetic。　　He　would

naturally　have　a　need　for　action；　for　deeds　at　variance　with　the

pacific　pastoral　scene。　　He　was　evidently　so　good…natured；　however；

that　he　accepted　the　inglorious　hour　for　what　it　was　worth。　　Paul

Overt　shared　it　with　him　and　with　his　companions　for　the　next

twenty　minutes；　the　latter　looked　at　him　and　he　looked　at　them

without　knowing　much　who　they　were；　while　the　talk　went　on　without

much　telling　him　even　what　it　meant。　　It　seemed　indeed　to　mean

nothing　in　particular；　it　wandered；　with　casual　pointless　pauses

and　short　terrestrial　flights；　amid　names　of　persons　and　places　…

names　which；　for　our　friend；　had　no　great　power　of　evocation。　　It

was　all　sociable　and　slow；　as　was　right　and　natural　of　a　warm

Sunday　morning。



His　first　attention　was　given　to　the　question；　privately

considered；　of　whether　one　of　the　two　younger　men　would　be　Henry

St。　George。　　He　knew　many　of　his　distinguished　contemporaries　by

their　photographs；　but　had　never；　as　happened；　seen　a　portrait　of

the　great　misguided　novelist。　　One　of　the　gentlemen　was

unimaginable　…　he　was　too　young；　and　the　other　scarcely　looked

clever　enough；　with　such　mild　undiscriminating　eyes。　　If　those　eyes

were　St。　George's　the　problem；　presented　by　the　ill…matched　parts

of　his　genius　would　be　still　more　difficult　of　solution。　　Besides；

the　deportment　of　their　proprietor　was　not；　as　regards　the　lady　in

the　red　dress；　such　as　could　be　natural；　toward　the　wife　of　his

bosom；　even　to　a　writer　accused　by　several　critics　of　sacrificing

too　much　to　manner。　　Lastly　Paul　Overt　had　a　vague　sense　that　if

the　gentleman　with　the　expressionless　eyes　bore　the　name　that　had

set　his　heart　beating　faster　（he　also　had　contradictory

conventional　whiskers　…　the　young　admirer　of　the　celebrity　had

never　in　a　mental　vision　seen　HIS　face　in　so　vulgar　a　frame）　he

would　have　given　him　a　sign　of　recognition　or　of　friendliness；

would　have　heard　of　him　a　little；　would　know　something　about

〃Ginistrella；〃　would　have　an　impression　of　how　that　fresh　fiction

had　caught　the　eye　of　real　criticism。　　Paul　Overt　had　a　dread　of

being　grossly　proud；　but　even　morbid　modesty　might　view　the

authorship　of　〃Ginistrella〃　as　constituting　a　degree　of　identity。

His　soldierly　friend　became　clear　enough：　　he　was　〃Fancourt；〃　but

was　also　〃the　General〃；　and　he　mentioned　to　the　new　visitor　in　the

course　of　a　few　moments　that　he　had　but　lately　returned　from　twenty

years　service　abroad。



〃And　now　you　remain　in　England？〃　the　young　man　asked。



〃Oh　yes；　I've　bought　a　small　house　in　London。〃



〃And　I　hope　you　like　it；〃　said　Overt；　looking　at　Mrs。　St。　George。



〃Well；　a　little　house　in　Manchester　Square　…　there's　a　limit　to　the

enthusiasm　THAT　inspires。〃



〃Oh　I　meant　being　at　home　again　…　being　back　in　Piccadilly。〃



〃My　daughter　likes　Piccadilly　…　that's　the　main　thing。　　She's　very

fond　of　art　and　music　and　literature　and　all　that　kind　of　thing。

She　missed　it　in　India　and　she　finds　it　in　London；　or　she　hopes

she'll　find　it。　　Mr。　St。　George　has　promised　to　help　her　…　he　has

been　awfully　kind　to　her。　　She　has　gone　to　church　…　she's　fond　of

that　too　…　but　they'll　all　be　back　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　You

must　let　me　introduce　you　to　her　…　she'll　be　so　glad　to　know　you。

I　dare　say　she　has　read　every　blest　word　you've　written。〃



〃I　shall　be　delighted　…　I　haven't　written　so　very　many；〃　Overt

pleaded；　feeling；　and　without　resentment；　that　the　General　at　least

was　vagueness　itself　about　that。　　But　he　wondered　a　little　why；

expressing　this　friendly　disposition；　it　didn't　occur　to　the

doubtless　eminent　soldier　to　pronounce　the　word　that　would　put　him

in　relation　with　Mrs。　St。　George。　　If　it　was　a　question　of

introductions　Miss　Fancourt　…　apparently　as　yet　unmarried　…　was　far

away；　while　the　wife　of　his　illustrious　confrere　was　almost　between

them。　　This　lady　struck　Paul　Overt　as　altogether　pretty；　with　a

surprising　juvenility　and　a　high　smartness　of　aspect；　something

that　…　he　could　scarcely　have　said　why　…　served　for　mystification。

St。　George　certainly　had　every　right　to　a　charming　wife；　but　he

himself　would　never　have　imagined　the　important　little　woman　in　the

aggressively　Parisian　dress　the　partner　for　life；　the　alter　ego；　of

a　man　of　letters。　　That　partner　in　general；　he　knew；　that　second

self；　was　far　from　presenting　herself　in　a　single　type：

observation　had　taught　him　that　she　was　not　inveterately；　not

necessarily　plain。　　But　he　had　never　before　seen　her　look　so　much

as　if　her　prosperity　had　deeper　foundations　than　an　ink…spotted

study…table　littered　with　proof…sheets。　　Mrs。　St。　George　might　have

been　the　wife　of　a　gentleman　who　〃kept〃　books　rather　than　wrote

them；　who　carried　on　great　affairs　in　the　City　and　made　better

bargains　than　those　that　poets　mostly　make　with　publishers。　　With

this　she　hinted　at　a　success　more　personal　…　a　success　peculiarly

stamping　the　age　in　which　society；　the　world　of　conversation；　is　a

great　drawing…room　with　the　City　for　its　antechamber。　　Overt

numbered　her　years　at　first　as　some　thirty；　and　then　ended　by

believing　that　she　might　approa