the lesson of the master-第2章

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

believing　that　she　might　approach　her　fiftieth。　　But　she　somehow　in

this　case　juggled　away　the　excess　and　the　difference　…　you　only　saw

them　in　a　rare　glimpse；　like　the　rabbit　in　the　conjurer's　sleeve。

She　was　extraordinarily　white；　and　her　every　element　and　item　was

pretty；　her　eyes；　her　ears；　her　hair；　her　voice；　her　hands；　her

feet　…　to　which　her　relaxed　attitude　in　her　wicker　chair　gave　a

great　publicity　…　and　the　numerous　ribbons　and　trinkets　with　which

she　was　bedecked。　　She　looked　as　if　she　had　put　on　her　best　clothes

to　go　to　church　and　then　had　decided　they　were　too　good　for　that

and　had　stayed　at　home。　　She　told　a　story　of　some　length　about　the

shabby　way　Lady　Jane　had　treated　the　Duchess；　as　well　as　an

anecdote　in　relation　to　a　purchase　she　had　made　in　Paris　…　on　her

way　back　from　Cannes；　made　for　Lady　Egbert；　who　had　never　refunded

the　money。　　Paul　Overt　suspected　her　of　a　tendency　to　figure　great

people　as　larger　than　life；　until　he　noticed　the　manner　in　which

she　handled　Lady　Egbert；　which　was　so　sharply　mutinous　that　it

reassured　him。　　He　felt　he　should　have　understood　her　better　if　he

might　have　met　her　eye；　but　she　scarcely　so　much　as　glanced　at　him。

〃Ah　here　they　come　…　all　the　good　ones！〃　she　said　at　last；　and　Paul

Overt　admired　at　his　distance　the　return　of　the　church…goers　…

several　persons；　in　couples　and　threes；　advancing　in　a　flicker　of

sun　and　shade　at　the　end　of　a　large　green　vista　formed　by　the　level

grass　and　the　overarching　boughs。



〃If　you　mean　to　imply　that　WE'RE　bad；　I　protest；〃　said　one　of　the

gentlemen　…　〃after　making　one's　self　agreeable　all　the　morning！〃



〃Ah　if　they've　found　you　agreeable　…　！〃　Mrs。　St。　George　gaily

cried。　　〃But　if　we're　good　the　others　are　better。〃



〃They　must　be　angels　then；〃　said　the　amused　General。



〃Your　husband　was　an　angel；　the　way　he　went　off　at　your　bidding；〃

the　gentleman　who　had　first　spoken　declared　to　Mrs。　St。　George。



〃At　my　bidding？〃



〃Didn't　you　make　him　go　to　church？〃



〃I　never　made　him　do　anything　in　my　life　but　once　…　when　I　made　him

burn　up　a　bad　book。　　That's　all！〃　　At　her　〃That's　all！〃　our　young

friend　broke　into　an　irrepressible　laugh；　it　lasted　only　a　second；

but　it　drew　her　eyes　to　him。　　His　own　met　them；　though　not　long

enough　to　help　him　to　understand　her；　unless　it　were　a　step　towards

this　that　he　saw　on　the　instant　how　the　burnt　book　…　　the　way　she

alluded　to　it！　…　would　have　been　one　of　her　husband's　finest

things。



〃A　bad　book？〃　her　interlocutor　repeated。



〃I　didn't　like　it。　　He　went　to　church　because　your　daughter　went；〃

she　continued　to　General　Fancourt。　　〃I　think　it　my　duty　to　call

your　attention　to　his　extraordinary　demonstrations　to　your

daughter。〃



〃Well；　if　you　don't　mind　them　I　don't；〃　the　General　laughed。



〃Il　s'attache　e　ses　pas。　　But　I　don't　wonder　…　she's　so　charming。〃



〃I　hope　she　won't　make　him　burn　any　books！〃　Paul　Overt　ventured　to

exclaim。



〃If　she'd　make　him　write　a　few　it　would　be　more　to　the　purpose；〃

said　Mrs。　St。　George。　　〃He　has　been　of　a　laziness　of　late　…　！〃



Our　young　man　stared　…　he　was　so　struck　with　the　lady's

phraseology。　　Her　〃Write　a　few〃　seemed　to　him　almost　as　good　as　her

〃That's　all。〃　　Didn't　she；　as　the　wife　of　a　rare　artist；　know　what

it　was　to　produce　one　perfect　work　of　art？　　How　in　the　world　did

she　think　they　were　turned　on？　　His　private　conviction　was　that；

admirably　as　Henry　St。　George　wrote；　he　had　written　for　the　last

ten　years；　and　especially　for　the　last　five；　only　too　much；　and

there　was　an　instant　during　which　he　felt　inwardly　solicited　to

make　this　public。　　But　before　he　had　spoken　a　diversion　was

effected　by　the　return　of　the　absentees。　　They　strolled　up

dispersedly　…　there　were　eight　or　ten　of　them　…　and　the　circle

under　the　trees　rearranged　itself　as　they　took　their　place　in　it。

They　made　it　much　larger；　so　that　Paul　Overt　could　feel　…　he　was

always　feeling　that　sort　of　thing；　as　he　said　to　himself　…　that　if

the　company　had　already　been　interesting　to　watch　the　interest

would　now　become　intense。　　He　shook　hands　with　his　hostess；　who

welcomed　him　without　many　words；　in　the　manner　of　a　woman　able　to

trust　him　to　understand　and　conscious　that　so　pleasant　an　occasion

would　in　every　way　speak　for　itself。　　She　offered　him　no　particular

facility　for　sitting　by　her；　and　when　they　had　all　subsided　again

he　found　himself　still　next　General　Fancourt；　with　an　unknown　lady

on　his　other　flank。



〃That's　my　daughter　…　that　one　opposite；〃　the　General　said　to　him

without　lose　of　time。　　Overt　saw　a　tall　girl；　with　magnificent　red

hair；　in　a　dress　of　a　pretty　grey…green　tint　and　of　a　limp　silken

texture；　a　garment　that　clearly　shirked　every　modern　effect。　　It

had　therefore　somehow　the　stamp　of　the　latest　thing；　so　that　our

beholder　quickly　took　her　for　nothing　if　not　contemporaneous。



〃She's　very　handsome　…　very　handsome；〃　he　repeated　while　he

considered　her。　　There　was　something　noble　in　her　head；　and　she

appeared　fresh　and　strong。



Her　good　father　surveyed　her　with　complacency；　remarking　soon：

〃She　looks　too　hot　…　that's　her　walk。　　But　she'll　be　all　right

presently。　　Then　I'll　make　her　come　over　and　speak　to　you。〃



〃I　should　be　sorry　to　give　you　that　trouble。　　If　you　were　to　take

me　over　THERE　…　！〃　the　young　man　murmured。



〃My　dear　sir；　do　you　suppose　I　put　myself　out　that　way？　　I　don't

mean　for　you；　but　for　Marian；〃　the　General　added。



〃I　would　put　myself　out　for　her　soon　enough；〃　Overt　replied；　after

which　he　went　on：　　〃Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　tell　me　which　of

those　gentlemen　is　Henry　St。　George？〃



〃The　fellow　talking　to　my　girl。　　By　Jove；　he　IS　making　up　to　her　…

they're　going　off　for　another　walk。〃



〃Ah　is　that　he　…　really？〃　　Our　friend　felt　a　certain　surprise；　for

the　personage　before　him　seemed　to　trouble　a　vision　which　had　been

vague　only　while　not　confronted　with　the　reality。　　As　soon　as　the

reality　dawned　the　mental　image；　retiring　with　a　sigh；　became

substantial　enough　to　suffer　a　slight　wrong。　　Overt；　who　had　spent

a　considerable　part　of　his　short　life　in　foreign　lands；　made　now；

but　not　for　the　first　time；　the　reflexion　that　whereas　in　those

countries　he　had　almost　always　recognised　the　artist　and　the　man　of

letters　by　his　personal　〃type；〃　the　mould　of　his　face；　the

character　of　his　head；　the　expression　of　his　figure　and　even　the

indications　of　his　dress；　so　in　England　this　identification　was　as

little　as　possible　a　matter　of　course；　thanks　to　the　greater

conformity；　the　habit　of　sinking　the　profession　instead　of

advertising　it；　the　general　diffusion　of　the　air　of　the　gentleman　…

the　gentleman　committed　to　no　particular　set　of　ideas。　　More　than

once；　on　returning　to　his　own　country；　he　had　said　to　himself　about

people　met　in　society：　　〃One　sees　them　in　this　place　and　that；　and

one　even　talks　with　them；　but　to　find　out　what　they　DO　one　would

really　have　to　be　a　detective。〃　　In　respect　to　several　individuals

whose　work　he　was　the　opposite　of　〃drawn　to〃　…　perhaps　he　was　wrong

…　he　found　himself　adding　〃No　wonder　they　conceal　it　…　when　it's　so

bad！〃　　He　noted　that　oftener　than　in　France　and　in　Germany　his

artist　looked　like　a　gentleman　…　that　is　like　an　English　one　…

while；　certainly　outside　a　few　exceptions；　his　gentlemen　didn't

look　like　an　artist。　　St。　George　was　not　one　of　the　exceptions；

that　circumstance　he　definitely　apprehended　before　the　great　man

had　turned　his　back　to　walk　off　with　Miss　Fancourt。　　He　certainly

looked　better　behind　than　any　foreign　man　of　letters　…　showed　for

beautifully　correct　in　his　tall　black　hat　and　his　superior　frock

coat。　　Somehow；　all　the　same；　these　very　garments　…　he　wouldn't

have　minded　them　so　much　on　a　weekday　…　were　disconcerting　to　Paul

Overt；　who　forgot　for　the　moment　that　the　head　of　the　profession

was　not　a　bit　better　dressed　than　himself。　　He　had　caught　a　glimpse

of　a　regular　face；　a　fresh　colour；　a　brown　moustache　and　a　pair　of

eyes　surely　never　visited　by　a　fine　frenzy；　and　he　promised　himself

to　study　these　denotements　on　the　first　occasion。　　His　superficial

sense　was　that　their　owner　might　have　passed　for　a　lucky

stockbroker　…　a　gentleman　driving　eastward　every　morning　from　a

sanitary　suburb　in　a　smart　dog…cart。　　That　carried　out　the

impression　already　derived　from　his　wife。　　Paul's　glance；　after　a

moment；　travelled　back　to　this　lady；　and　he　saw　how　her　own　had

followed　her　husband　as　he　moved　off　with　Miss　Fancourt。　　Overt

permitted　himself　to　wonder　a　little　if　she　were　jealous　when

another　woman　took　him　away。　　Then　he　made　out　that　Mrs。　St。　George

wasn't　glaring　at　the　indifferent　maiden。　　Her　eyes　rested　but　on

her　husband；　and　with　unmistakeable　serenity。　　That　was　the　way　she

wanted　him　to　be　…　　she　liked　his　conventional　uniform。　　Overt

longed　to　hear　more　about　the　book　she　had　induced　him　to　destroy。







CHAPTER　II







As　they　all　came　out　from　luncheon　General　Fancourt　took　hold　of

him　with　an　〃I　say；　I　want　you　to　know　my　girl！〃　as　if　the　idea　had

just　occurred　to　him　and　he　hadn't　spoken　of　it　before。　　With　the

other　hand　he　possessed　himself　all　paternally　of　the　young　lady。

〃You　know　all　about　him。　　I've　seen　you　with　his　books。　　She　reads

everything　…　everything！〃　he　went　on　to　Paul。　　The　girl　smiled　at

him　and　then　laughed　at　her　father。　　The　General　turned　away　and

his　daughter　spoke　…　〃Isn't　papa　delightful？〃



〃He　is　indeed；　Miss　Fancourt。〃



〃As　if　I　read　you　because　I　read　'everything'！〃



〃Oh　I　don't　mean　for　saying　that；〃　said　Paul　Overt。　　〃I　liked　him

from　the　moment　he　began　to　be　kind　to　me。　　Then　he　promised　me

this　privilege。〃



〃It　isn't　for　you　he　means　it　…　it's　for　me。　　If　you　flatter

yourself　that　he　thinks　of　anything　in　life　but　me　you'll　find

you're　mistaken。　　He　introduces　every　one。　　He　thinks　me

insatiable。〃



〃You　speak　just　like　him；〃　laughed　our　youth。



〃Ah　but　sometimes　I　want　to〃　…　and　the　girl　coloured。　　〃I　don't

read　everything　…　I　read　very　little。　　But　I　HAVE　read　you。〃



〃Suppose　we　go　into　the　gallery；〃　said　Paul　Overt。　　She　pleased　him

greatly；　not　so　much　because　of　this　last　remark　…　though　that　of

course　was　not　too　disconcerting　…　as　because；　seated　opposite　to

him　at　luncheon；　she　had　given　him　for　half　an　hour　the　impression

of　her　beautiful　face。　　Something　else　had　come　with　it　…　a　sense

of　generosity；　of　an　enthusiasm　which；　unlike　many　enthusiasms；　was

not　all　manner。　　That　was　not　spoiled　for　him　by　his　seeing　that

the　repast　had　placed　her　again　in　familiar　contact　with　Henry　St。

George。　　Sitting　next　her　this　celebrity　was　also　opposite　our

young　man；　who　had　been　able　to　note　that　he　multiplied　the

attentions　lately　brought　by　his　wife　to　the　General's　notice。

Paul　Overt　had　gathered　as　well　that　this　lady　was　not　in　the　least

dis