the lesson of the master-第13章

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happy　with　an　aggressive　splendour。　　But　she　wouldn't　speak　to　him

of　that；　she　would　speak　only　of　himself。



〃I'm　so　delighted；　my　father　told　me。　　How　kind　of　you　to　come！〃

She　struck　him　as　so　fresh　and　brave；　while　his　eyes　moved　over

her；　that　he　said　to　himself　irresistibly：　　〃Why　to　him；　why　not　to

youth；　to　strength；　to　ambition；　to　a　future？　　Why；　in　her　rich

young　force；　to　failure；　to　abdication　to　superannuation？〃　　In　his

thought　at　that　sharp　moment　he　blasphemed　even　against　all　that

had　been　left　of　his　faith　in　the　peccable　Master。　　〃I'm　so　sorry　I

missed　you；〃　she　went　on。　　〃My　father　told　me。　　How　charming　of　you

to　have　come　so　soon！〃



〃Does　that　surprise　you？〃　Paul　Overt　asked。



〃The　first　day？　　No；　from　you　…　nothing　that's　nice。〃　　She　was

interrupted　by　a　lady　who　bade　her　good…night；　and　he　seemed　to

read　that　it　cost　her　nothing　to　speak　to　him　in　that　tone；　it　was

her　old　liberal　lavish　way；　with　a　certain　added　amplitude　that

time　had　brought；　and　if　this　manner　began　to　operate　on　the　spot；

at　such　a　juncture　in　her　history；　perhaps　in　the　other　days　too　it

had　meant　just　as　little　or　as　much　…　a　mere　mechanical　charity；

with　the　difference　now　that　she　was　satisfied；　ready　to　give　but

in　want　of　nothing。　　Oh　she　was　satisfied　…　and　why　shouldn't　she

be？　　Why　shouldn't　she　have　been　surprised　at　his　coming　the　first

day　…　for　all　the　good　she　had　ever　got　from　him？　　As　the　lady

continued　to　hold　her　attention　Paul　turned　from　her　with　a　strange

irritation　in　his　complicated　artistic　soul　and　a　sort　of

disinterested　disappointment。　　She　was　so　happy　that　it　was　almost

stupid　…　a　disproof　of　the　extraordinary　intelligence　he　had

formerly　found　in　her。　　Didn't　she　know　how　bad　St。　George　could

be；　hadn't　she　recognised　the　awful　thinness　…？　　If　she　didn't　she

was　nothing；　and　if　she　did　why　such　an　insolence　of　serenity？

This　question　expired　as　our　young　man's　eyes　settled　at　last　on

the　genius　who　had　advised　him　in　a　great　crisis。　　St。　George　was

still　before　the　chimney…piece；　but　now　he　was　alone　…　fixed；

waiting；　as　if　he　meant　to　stop　after　every　one　…　and　he　met　the

clouded　gaze　of　the　young　friend　so　troubled　as　to　the　degree　of

his　right　（the　right　his　resentment　would　have　enjoyed）　to　regard

himself　as　a　victim。　　Somehow　the　ravage　of　the　question　was

checked　by　the　Master's　radiance。　　It　was　as　fine　in　its　way　as

Marian　Fancourt's；　it　denoted　the　happy　human　being；　but　also　it

represented　to　Paul　Overt　that　the　author　of　〃Shadowmere〃　had　now

definitely　ceased　to　count　…　ceased　to　count　as　a　writer。　　As　he

smiled　a　welcome　across　the　place　he　was　almost　banal；　was　almost

smug。　　Paul　fancied　that　for　a　moment　he　hesitated　to　make　a

movement；　as　if　for　all　the　world　he　HAD　his　bad　conscience；　then

they　had　already　met　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　had　shaken　hands

…　expressively；　cordially　on　St。　George's　part。　　With　which　they

had　passed　back　together　to　where　the　elder　man　had　been　standing；

while　St。　George　said：　　〃I　hope　you're　never　going　away　again。

I've　been　dining　here；　the　General　told　me。〃　　He　was　handsome；　he

was　young；　he　looked　as　if　he　had　still　a　great　fund　of　life。　　He

bent　the　friendliest；　most　unconfessing　eyes　on　his　disciple　of　a

couple　of　years　before；　asked　him　about　everything；　his　health；　his

plans；　his　late　occupations；　the　new　book。　　〃When　will　it　be　out　…

soon；　soon；　I　hope？　　Splendid；　eh？　　That's　right；　you're　a　comfort；

you're　a　luxury！　　I've　read　you　all　over　again　these　last　six

months。〃　　Paul　waited　to　see　if　he　would　tell　him　what　the　General

had　told　him　in　the　afternoon　and　what　Miss　Fancourt；　verbally　at

least；　of　course　hadn't。　　But　as　it　didn't　come　out　he　at　last　put

the　question。



〃Is　it　true；　the　great　news　I　hear　…　that　you're　to　be　married？〃



〃Ah　you　have　heard　it　then？〃



〃Didn't　the　General　tell　you？〃　Paul　asked。



The　Master's　face　was　wonderful。　　〃Tell　me　what？〃



〃That　he　mentioned　it　to　me　this　afternoon？〃



〃My　dear　fellow；　I　don't　remember。　　We've　been　in　the　midst　of

people。　　I'm　sorry；　in　that　case；　that　I　lose　the　pleasure；　myself；

of　announcing　to　you　a　fact　that　touches　me　so　nearly。　　It　IS　a

fact；　strange　as　it　may　appear。　　It　has　only　just　become　one。

Isn't　it　ridiculous？〃　　St。　George　made　this　speech　without

confusion；　but　on　the　other　hand；　so　far　as　our　friend　could　judge；

without　latent　impudence。　　It　struck　his　interlocutor　that；　to　talk

so　comfortably　and　coolly；　he　must　simply　have　forgotten　what　had

passed　between　them。　　His　next　words；　however；　showed　he　hadn't；

and　they　produced；　as　an　appeal　to　Paul's　own　memory；　an　effect

which　would　have　been　ludicrous　if　it　hadn't　been　cruel。　　〃Do　you

recall　the　talk　we　had　at　my　house　that　night；　into　which　Miss

Fancourt's　name　entered？　　I've　often　thought　of　it　since。〃



〃Yes；　no　wonder　you　said　what　you　did〃　…　Paul　was　careful　to　meet

his　eyes。



〃In　the　light　of　the　present　occasion？　　Ah　but　there　was　no　light

then。　　How　could　I　have　foreseen　this　hour？〃



〃Didn't　you　think　it　probable？〃



〃Upon　my　honour；　no；〃　said　Henry　St。　George。　　〃Certainly　I　owe　you

that　assurance。　　Think　how　my　situation　has　changed。〃



〃I　see　…　I　see；〃　our　young　man　murmured。



His　companion　went　on　as　if；　now　that　the　subject　had　been

broached；　he　was；　as　a　person　of　imagination　and　tact；　quite　ready

to　give　every　satisfaction　…　being　both　by　his　genius　and　his

method　so　able　to　enter　into　everything　another　might　feel。　　〃But

it's　not　only　that；　for　honestly；　at　my　age；　I　never　dreamed　…　a

widower　with　big　boys　and　with　so　little　else！　　It　has　turned　out

differently　from　anything　one　could　have　dreamed；　and　I'm　fortunate

beyond　all　measure。　　She　has　been　so　free；　and　yet　she　consents。

Better　than　any　one　else　perhaps　…　for　I　remember　how　you　liked　her

before　you　went　away；　and　how　she　liked　you　…　you　can　intelligently

congratulate　me。〃



〃She　has　been　so　free！〃　　Those　words　made　a　great　impression　on

Paul　Overt；　and　he　almost　writhed　under　that　irony　in　them　as　to

which　it　so　little　mattered　whether　it　was　designed　or　casual。　　Of

course　she　had　been　free；　and　appreciably　perhaps　by　his　own　act；

for　wasn't　the　Master's　allusion　to　her　having　liked　him　a　part　of

the　irony　too？　　〃I　thought　that　by　your　theory　you　disapproved　of　a

writer's　marrying。〃



〃Surely　…　surely。　　But　you　don't　call　me　a　writer？〃



〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed；〃　said　Paul。



〃Ashamed　of　marrying　again？〃



〃I　won't　say　that　…　but　ashamed　of　your　reasons。〃



The　elder　man　beautifully　smiled。　　〃You　must　let　me　judge　of　them；

my　good　friend。〃



〃Yes；　why　not？　　For　you　judged　wonderfully　of　mine。〃



The　tone　of　these　words　appeared　suddenly；　for　St。　George；　to

suggest　the　unsuspected。　　He　stared　as　if　divining　a　bitterness。

〃Don't　you　think　I've　been　straight？〃



〃You　might　have　told　me　at　the　time　perhaps。〃



〃My　dear　fellow；　when　I　say　I　couldn't　pierce　futurity　…！〃



〃I　mean　afterwards。〃



The　Master　wondered。　　〃After　my　wife's　death？〃



〃When　this　idea　came　to　you。〃



〃Ah　never；　never！　　I　wanted　to　save　you；　rare　and　precious　as　you

are。〃



Poor　Overt　looked　hard　at　him。　　〃Are　you　marrying　Miss　Fancourt　to

save　me？〃



〃Not　absolutely；　but　it　adds　to　the　pleasure。　　I　shall　be　the

making　of　you；〃　St。　George　smiled。　　〃I　was　greatly　struck；　after

our　talk；　with　the　brave　devoted　way　you　quitted　the　country；　and

still　more　perhaps　with　your　force　of　character　in　remaining

abroad。　　You're　very　strong　…　you're　wonderfully　strong。〃



Paul　tried　to　sound　his　shining　eyes；　the　strange　thing　was　that　he

seemed　sincere　…　not　a　mocking　fiend。　　He　turned　away；　and　as　he

did　so　heard　the　Master　say　something　about　his　giving　them　all　the

proof；　being　the　joy　of　his　old　age。　　He　faced　him　again；　taking

another　look。　　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you've　stopped　writing？〃



〃My　dear　fellow；　of　course　I　have。　　It's　too　late。　　Didn't　I　tell

you？〃



〃I　can't　believe　it！〃



〃Of　course　you　can't　…　with　your　own　talent！　　No；　no；　for　the　rest

of　my　life　I　shall　only　read　YOU。〃



〃Does　she　know　that　…　Miss　Fancourt？〃



〃She　will　…　she　will。〃　　Did　he　mean　this；　our　young　man　wondered；

as　a　covert　intimation　that　the　assistance　he　should　derive　from

that　young　lady's　fortune；　moderate　as　it　was；　would　make　the

difference　of　putting　it　in　his　power　to　cease　to　work　ungratefully

an　exhausted　vein？　　Somehow；　standing　there　in　the　ripeness　of　his

successful　manhood；　he　didn't　suggest　that　any　of　his　veins　were

exhausted。　　〃Don't　you　remember　the　moral　I　offered　myself　to　you

that　night　as　pointing？〃　St。　George　continued。　　〃Consider　at　any

rate　the　warning　I　am　at　present。〃



This　was　too　much　…　he　WAS　the　mocking　fiend。　　Paul　turned　from　him

with　a　mere　nod　for　goodnight　and　the　sense　in　a　sore　heart　that　he

might　come　back　to　him　and　his　easy　grace；　his　fine　way　of

arranging　things；　some　time　in　the　far　future；　but　couldn't

fraternise　with　him　now。　　It　was　necessary　to　his　soreness　to

believe　for　the　hour　in　the　intensity　of　his　grievance　…　all　the

more　cruel　for　its　not　being　a　legal　one。　　It　was　doubtless　in　the

attitude　of　hugging　this　wrong　that　he　descended　the　stairs　without

taking　leave　of　Miss　Fancourt；　who　hadn't　been　in　view　at　the

moment　he　quitted　the　room。　　He　was　glad　to　get　out　into　the　honest

dusky　unsophisticating　night；　to　move　fast；　to　take　his　way　home　on

foot。　　He　walked　a　long　time；　going　astray；　paying　no　attention。

He　was　thinking　of　too　many　other　things。　　His　steps　recovered

their　direction；　however；　and　at　the　end　of　an　hour　he　found

himself　before　his　door　in　the　small　inexpensive　empty　street。　　He

lingered；　questioning　himself　still　before　going　in；　with　nothing

around　and　above　him　but　moonless　blackness；　a　bad　lamp　or　two　and

a　few　far…away　dim　stars。　　To　these　last　faint　features　he　raised

his　eyes；　he　had　been　saying　to　himself　that　he　should　have　been

〃sold〃　indeed；　diabolically　sold；　if　now；　on　his　new　foundation；　at

the　end　of　a　year；　St。　George　were　to　put　forth　something　of　his

prime　quality　…　something　of　the　type　of　〃Shadowmere〃　and　finer

than　his　finest。　　Greatly　as　he　admired　his　talent　Paul　literally

hoped　such　an　incident　wouldn't　occur；　it　seemed　to　him　just　then

that　he　shouldn't　be　able　to　bear　it。　　His　late　adviser's　words

were　still　in　his　ears　…　〃You're　very　strong；　wonderfully　strong。〃

Was　he　really？　　Certainly　he　would　have　to　be；　and　it　might　a

little　serve　for　revenge。　　IS　he？　the　reader　may　ask　in　turn；　if

his　interest　has　followed　the　perplexed　young　man　so　far。　　The　best

answer　to　that　perhaps　is　that　he's　doing　his　best；　but　that　it's

too　soon　to　say。　　When　the　new　book　came　out　in　the　autumn　Mr。　and

Mrs。　St。　George　found　it　really　magnificent。　　The　former　still　has

published　nothing　but　Paul　doesn't　even　yet　feel　safe。　　I　may　say

for　hi