the lesson of the master-第11章
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〃How can they take part？ They themselves are the sacrifice。
They're the idol and the altar and the flame。〃
〃Isn't there even ONE who sees further？〃 Paul continued。
For a moment St。 George made no answer； after which； having torn up
his letters； he came back to the point all ironic。 〃Of course I
know the one you mean。 But not even Miss Fancourt。〃
〃I thought you admired her so much。〃
〃It's impossible to admire her more。 Are you in love with her？〃
St。 George asked。
〃Yes；〃 Paul Overt presently said。
〃Well then give it up。〃
Paul stared。 〃Give up my 'love'？〃
〃Bless me； no。 Your idea。〃 And then as our hero but still gazed：
〃The one you talked with her about。 The idea of a decent
perfection。〃
〃She'd help it … she'd help it！〃 the young man cried。
〃For about a year … the first year； yes。 After that she'd be as a
millstone round its neck。〃
Paul frankly wondered。 〃Why she has a passion for the real thing；
for good work … for everything you and I care for most。〃
〃'You and I' is charming； my dear fellow！〃 his friend laughed。
〃She has it indeed； but she'd have a still greater passion for her
children … and very proper too。 She'd insist on everything's being
made comfortable； advantageous； propitious for them。 That isn't
the artist's business。〃
〃The artist … the artist！ Isn't he a man all the same？〃
St。 George had a grand grimace。 〃I mostly think not。 You know as
well as I what he has to do： the concentration； the finish； the
independence he must strive for from the moment he begins to wish
his work really decent。 Ah my young friend； his relation to women；
and especially to the one he's most intimately concerned with； is
at the mercy of the damning fact that whereas he can in the nature
of things have but one standard； they have about fifty。 That's
what makes them so superior；〃 St。 George amusingly added。 〃Fancy
an artist with a change of standards as you'd have a change of
shirts or of dinner…plates。 To DO it … to do it and make it divine
… is the only thing he has to think about。 'Is it done or not？' is
his only question。 Not 'Is it done as well as a proper solicitude
for my dear little family will allow？' He has nothing to do with
the relative … he has only to do with the absolute； and a dear
little family may represent a dozen relatives。〃
〃Then you don't allow him the common passions and affections of
men？〃 Paul asked。
〃Hasn't he a passion； an affection； which includes all the rest？
Besides； let him have all the passions he likes … if he only keeps
his independence。 He must be able to be poor。〃
Paul slowly got up。 〃Why then did you advise me to make up to
her？〃
St。 George laid his hand on his shoulder。 〃Because she'd make a
splendid wife！ And I hadn't read you then。〃
The young man had a strained smile。 〃I wish you had left me
alone！〃
〃I didn't know that that wasn't good enough for you；〃 his host
returned。
〃What a false position； what a condemnation of the artist； that
he's a mere disfranchised monk and can produce his effect only by
giving up personal happiness。 What an arraignment of art！〃 Paul
went on with a trembling voice。
〃Ah you don't imagine by chance that I'm defending art？
'Arraignment' … I should think so！ Happy the societies in which it
hasn't made its appearance； for from the moment it comes they have
a consuming ache； they have an incurable corruption； in their
breast。 Most assuredly is the artist in a false position！ But I
thought we were taking him for granted。 Pardon me；〃 St。 George
continued： 〃'Ginistrella' made me！〃
Paul stood looking at the floor … one o'clock struck； in the
stillness； from a neighbouring church…tower。 〃Do you think she'd
ever look at me？〃 he put to his friend at last。
〃Miss Fancourt … as a suitor？ Why shouldn't I think it？ That's
why I've tried to favour you … I've had a little chance or two of
bettering your opportunity。〃
〃Forgive my asking you； but do you mean by keeping away yourself？〃
Paul said with a blush。
〃I'm an old idiot … my place isn't there；〃 St。 George stated
gravely。
〃I'm nothing yet； I've no fortune； and there must be so many
others；〃 his companion pursued。
The Master took this considerably in； but made little of it。
〃You're a gentleman and a man of genius。 I think you might do
something。〃
〃But if I must give that up … the genius？〃
〃Lots of people； you know； think I've kept mine；〃 St。 George
wonderfully grinned。
〃You've a genius for mystification！〃 Paul declared； but grasping
his hand gratefully in attenuation of this judgement。
〃Poor dear boy； I do worry you！ But try； try； all the same。 I
think your chances are good and you'll win a great prize。〃
Paul held fast the other's hand a minute； he looked into the
strange deep face。 〃No； I AM an artist … I can't help it！〃
〃Ah show it then！〃 St。 George pleadingly broke out。 〃Let me see
before I die the thing I most want； the thing I yearn for： a life
in which the passion … ours … is really intense。 If you can be
rare don't fail of it！ Think what it is … how it counts … how it
lives！〃
They had moved to the door and he had closed both his hands over
his companion's。 Here they paused again and our hero breathed
deep。 〃I want to live！〃
〃In what sense？〃
〃In the greatest。〃
〃Well then stick to it … see it through。〃
〃With your sympathy … your help？〃
〃Count on that … you'll be a great figure to me。 Count on my
highest appreciation； my devotion。 You'll give me satisfaction …
if that has any weight with you。〃 After which； as Paul appeared
still to waver； his host added： 〃Do you remember what you said to
me at Summersoft？〃
〃Something infatuated； no doubt！〃
〃'I'll do anything in the world you tell me。' You said that。〃
〃And you hold me to it？〃
〃Ah what am I？〃 the Master expressively sighed。
〃Lord； what things I shall have to do！〃 Paul almost moaned as be
departed。
CHAPTER VI
〃It goes on too much abroad … hang abroad！〃 These or something
like them had been the Master's remarkable words in relation to the
action of 〃Ginistrella〃； and yet； though they had made a sharp
impression on the author of that work； like almost all spoken words
from the same source； he a week after the conversation I have noted
left England for a long absence and full of brave intentions。 It
is not a perversion of the truth to pronounce that encounter the
direct cause of his departure。 If the oral utterance of the
eminent writer had the privilege of moving him deeply it was
especially on his turning it over at leisure； hours and days later；
that it appeared to yield him its full meaning and exhibit its
extreme importance。 He spent the summer in Switzerland and； having
in September begun a new task； determined not to cross the Alps
till he should have made a good start。 To this end he returned to
a quiet corner he knew well； on the edge of the Lake of Geneva and
within sight of the towers of Chillon： a region and a view for
which he had an affection that sprang from old associations and was
capable of mysterious revivals and refreshments。 Here he lingered
late； till the snow was on the nearer hills； almost down to the
limit to which he could climb when his stint； on the shortening
afternoons； was performed。 The autumn was fine； the lake was blue
and his book took form and direction。 These felicities； for the
time； embroidered his life； which he suffered to cover him with its
mantle。 At the end of six weeks he felt he had learnt St。 George's
lesson by heart； had tested and proved its doctrine。 Nevertheless
he did a very inconsistent thing： before crossing the Alps he
wrote to Marian Fancourt。 He was aware of the perversity of this
act； and it was only as a luxury； an amusement； the reward of a
strenuous autumn； that he justified it。 She had asked of him no
such favour when； shortly before he left London； three days after
their dinner in Ennismore Gardens； he went to take leave of her。
It was true she had had no ground … he hadn't named his intention
of absence。 He had kept his counsel for want of due assurance： it
was that particular visit that was； the next thing； to settle the
matter。 He had paid the visit to see how much he really cared for
her； and quick departure； without so much as an explicit farewell；
was the sequel to this enquiry； the answer to which had created
within him a deep yearning。 When he wrote her from Clarens he
noted that he owed her an explanation （more than three months
after！） for not having told her what he was doing。
She replied now briefly but promptly； and gave him a striking piece
of news： that of the death； a week before； of Mrs。 St。 George。
This exemplary woman had succumbed； in the country； to a violent
attack of inflammation of the lungs … he would remember that for a
long time she had been delicate。 Miss Fancourt added that she
believed her husband overwhelmed by the blow； he would miss her too
terribly … she had been everything in life to him。 Paul Overt； on
this； immediately wrote to St。 George。 He would from the day of
their parting have been glad to remain in communication with him；
but had hitherto lacked the right excuse for troubling so busy a
man。 Their long nocturnal talk came back to him in every detail；
but this was no bar to an expression of proper sympathy with the
head of the profession； for hadn't that very talk made it clear
that the late accomplished lady was the influence that ruled his
life？ What catastrophe could be more cruel than the extinction of
such an influence？ This was to be exactly the tone taken by St。
George in answering his young friend upwards of a month later。 He
made no allusion of course to their important discussion。 He spoke
of his wife as frankly and generously as if he had quite forgotten
that occasion； and the feeling of deep bereavement was visible in
his words。 〃She took everything off my hands … off my mind。 She
carried on our life with the greatest art； the rarest devotion； and
I was free； as few men can have been； to drive my pen； to shut
myself up with my trade。 This was a rare service … the highest she
could have rendered me。 Would I could have acknowledged it more
fitly！〃
A certain bewilderment； for our hero； disengaged itself from these
remarks： they struck him as a contradiction； a retractation；
strange on the part of a man who hadn't the excuse of witlessness。
He had certainly not expected his correspondent to rejoice in the
death of his wife； and it was perfectly in order that the rupture
of a tie of more than twenty years should have left him sore。 But
if she had been so clear a blessing what in the name of consistency
had the dear man meant by turning him upside down that night
