the lesson of the master-第5章

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particularly　the　case　on　the　occasion　of　which　I　speak；　his　motive

was　the　vision　of　a　little　direct　talk　with　Henry　St。　George。　　The

〃tremendous〃　communion　of　which　the　great　man　had　held　out　hopes　to

him　earlier　in　the　day　had　not　yet　come　off；　and　this　saddened　him

considerably；　for　the　party　was　to　go　its　several　ways　immediately

after　breakfast　on　the　morrow。　　He　had；　however；　the　disappointment

of　finding　that　apparently　the　author　of　〃Shadowmere〃　was　not

disposed　to　prolong　his　vigil。　　He　wasn't　among　the　gentlemen

assembled　when　Paul　entered；　nor　was　he　one　of　those　who　turned　up；

in　bright　habiliments；　during　the　next　ten　minutes。　　The　young　man

waited　a　little；　wondering　if　he　had　only　gone　to　put　on　something

extraordinary；　this　would　account　for　his　delay　as　well　as

contribute　further　to　Overt's　impression　of　his　tendency　to　do　the

approved　superficial　thing。　　But　he　didn't　arrive　…　he　must　have

been　putting　on　something　more　extraordinary　than　was　probable。

Our　hero　gave　him　up；　feeling　a　little　injured；　a　little　wounded；

at　this　loss　of　twenty　coveted　words。　　He　wasn't　angry；　but　he

puffed　his　cigarette　sighingly；　with　the　sense　of　something　rare

possibly　missed。　　He　wandered　away　with　his　regret　and　moved　slowly

round　the　room；　looking　at　the　old　prints　on　the　walls。　　In　this

attitude　he　presently　felt　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　a　friendly

voice　in　his　ear　〃This　is　good。　　I　hoped　I　should　find　you。　　I　came

down　on　purpose。〃　　St。　George　was　there　without　a　change　of　dress

and　with　a　fine　face　…　his　graver　one　…　to　which　our　young　man　all

in　a　flutter　responded。　　He　explained　that　it　was　only　for　the

Master　…　the　idea　of　a　little　talk　…　that　he　had　sat　up；　and　that；

not　finding　him；　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　going　to　bed。



〃Well；　you　know；　I　don't　smoke　…　my　wife　doesn't　let　me；〃　said　St。

George；　looking　for　a　place　to　sit　down。　　〃It's　very　good　for　me　…

very　good　for　me。　　Let　us　take　that　sofa。〃



〃Do　you　mean　smoking's　good　for　you？〃



〃No　no　…　her　not　letting　me。　　It's　a　great　thing　to　have　a　wife

who's　so　sure　of　all　the　things　one　can　do　without。　　One　might

never　find　them　out　one's　self。　　She　doesn't　allow　me　to　touch　a

cigarette。〃　　They　took　possession　of　a　sofa　at　a　distance　from　the

group　of　smokers；　and　St。　George　went　on：　　〃Have　you　got　one

yourself？〃



〃Do　you　mean　a　cigarette？〃



〃Dear　no　…　a　wife。〃



〃No；　and　yet　I'd　give　up　my　cigarette　for　one。〃



〃You'd　give　up　a　good　deal　more　than　that；〃　St。　George　returned。

〃However；　you'd　get　a　great　deal　in　return。　　There's　a　something　to

be　said　for　wives；〃　he　added；　folding　his　arms　and　crossing　his

outstretched　legs。　　He　declined　tobacco　altogether　and　sat　there

without　returning　fire。　　His　companion　stopped　smoking；　touched　by

his　courtesy；　and　after　all　they　were　out　of　the　fumes；　their　sofa

was　in　a　far…away　corner。　　It　would　have　been　a　mistake；　St。　George

went　on；　a　great　mistake　for　them　to　have　separated　without　a

little　chat；　〃for　I　know　all　about　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　you're

very　remarkable。　　You've　written　a　very　distinguished　book。〃



〃And　how　do　you　know　it？〃　Paul　asked。



〃Why；　my　dear　fellow；　it's　in　the　air；　it's　in　the　papers；　it's

everywhere。〃　　St。　George　spoke　with　the　immediate　familiarity　of　a

confrere　…　a　tone　that　seemed　to　his　neighbour　the　very　rustle　of

the　laurel。　　〃You're　on　all　men's　lips　and；　what's　better；　on　all

women's。　　And　I've　just　been　reading　your　book。〃



〃Just？　　You　hadn't　read　it　this　afternoon；〃　said　Overt。



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃



〃I　think　you　should　know　how　I　know　it；〃　the　young　man　laughed。



〃I　suppose　Miss　Fancourt　told　you。〃



〃No　indeed　…　she　led　me　rather　to　suppose　you　had。〃



〃Yes　…　that's　much　more　what　she'd　do。　　Doesn't　she　shed　a　rosy

glow　over　life？　　But　you　didn't　believe　her？〃　asked　St。　George。



〃No；　not　when　you　came　to　us　there。〃



〃Did　I　pretend？　did　I　pretend　badly？〃　　But　without　waiting　for　an

answer　to　this　St。　George　went　on：　　〃You　ought　always　to　believe

such　a　girl　as　that　…　always；　always。　　Some　women　are　meant　to　be

taken　with　allowances　and　reserves；　but　you　must　take　HER　just　as

she　is。〃



〃I　like　her　very　much；〃　said　Paul　Overt。



Something　in　his　tone　appeared　to　excite　on　his　companion's　part　a

momentary　sense　of　the　absurd；　perhaps　it　was　the　air　of

deliberation　attending　this　judgement。　　St。　George　broke　into　a

laugh　to　reply。　　〃It's　the　best　thing　you　can　do　with　her。　　She's　a

rare　young　lady！　　In　point　of　fact；　however；　I　confess　I　hadn't

read　you　this　afternoon。〃



〃Then　you　see　how　right　I　was　in　this　particular　case　not　to

believe　Miss　Fancourt。〃



〃How　right？　how　can　I　agree　to　that　when　I　lost　credit　by　it？〃



〃Do　you　wish　to　pass　exactly　for　what　she　represents　you？

Certainly　you　needn't　be　afraid；〃　Paul　said。



〃Ah；　my　dear　young　man；　don't　talk　about　passing　…　for　the　likes　of

me！　　I'm　passing　away　…　nothing　else　than　that。　　She　has　a　better

use　for　her　young　imagination　（isn't　it　fine？）　than　in

'representing'　in　any　way　such　a　weary　wasted　used…up　animal！〃　　The

Master　spoke　with　a　sudden　sadness　that　produced　a　protest　on

Paul's　part；　but　before　the　protest　could　be　uttered　he　went　on；

reverting　to　the　latter's　striking　novel：　　〃I　had　no　idea　you　were

so　good　…　one　hears　of　so　many　things。　　But　you're　surprisingly

good。〃



〃I'm　going　to　be　surprisingly　better；〃　Overt　made　bold　to　reply。



〃I　see　that；　and　it's　what　fetches　me。　　I　don't　see　so　much　else　…

as　one　looks　about　…　that's　going　to　be　surprisingly　better。

They're　going　to　be　consistently　worse　…　most　of　the　things。　　It's

so　much　easier　to　be　worse　…　heaven　knows　I've　found　it　so。　　I'm

not　in　a　great　glow；　you　know；　about　what's　breaking　out　all　over

the　place。　　But　you　MUST　be　better　…　you　really　must　keep　it　up。　　I

haven't　of　course。　　It's　very　difficult　…　that's　the　devil　of　the

whole　thing；　keeping　it　up。　　But　I　see　you'll　be　able　to。　　It　will

be　a　great　disgrace　if　you　don't。〃



〃It's　very　interesting　to　hear　you　speak　of　yourself；　but　I　don't

know　what　you　mean　by　your　allusions　to　your　having　fallen　off；〃

Paul　Overt　observed　with　pardonable　hypocrisy。　　He　liked　his

companion　so　much　now　that　the　fact　of　any　decline　of　talent　or　of

care　had　ceased　for　the　moment　to　be　vivid　to　him。



〃Don't　say　that　…　don't　say　that；〃　St。　George　returned　gravely；　his

head　resting　on　the　top　of　the　sofa…back　and　his　eyes　on　the

ceiling。　　〃You　know　perfectly　what　I　mean。　　I　haven't　read　twenty

pages　of　your　book　without　seeing　that　you　can't　help　it。〃



〃You　make　me　very　miserable；〃　Paul　ecstatically　breathed。



〃I'm　glad　of　that；　for　it　may　serve　as　a　kind　of　warning。　　Shocking

enough　it　must　be；　especially　to　a　young　fresh　mind；　full　of　faith

…　the　spectacle　of　a　man　meant　for　better　things　sunk　at　my　age　in

such　dishonour。〃　　St。　George；　in　the　same　contemplative　attitude；

spoke　softly　but　deliberately；　and　without　perceptible　emotion。

His　tone　indeed　suggested　an　impersonal　lucidity　that　was

practically　cruel　…　cruel　to　himself　…　and　made　his　young　friend

lay　an　argumentative　hand　on　his　arm。　　But　he　went　on　while　his

eyes　seemed　to　follow　the　graces　of　the　eighteenth…century　ceiling：

〃Look　at　me　well；　take　my　lesson　to　heart　…　for　it　IS　a　lesson。

Let　that　good　come　of　it　at　least　that　you　shudder　with　your

pitiful　impression；　and　that　this　may　help　to　keep　you　straight　in

the　future。　　Don't　become　in　your　old　age　what　I　have　in　mine　…　the

depressing；　the　deplorable　illustration　of　the　worship　of　false

gods！〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　your　old　age？〃　the　young　man　asked。



〃It　has　made　me　old。　　But　I　like　your　youth。〃



Paul　answered　nothing　…　they　sat　for　a　minute　in　silence。　　They

heard　the　others　going　on　about　the　governmental　majority。　　Then

〃What　do　you　mean　by　false　gods？〃　he　enquired。



His　companion　had　no　difficulty　whatever　in　saying；　〃The　idols　of

the　market；　money　and　luxury　and　'the　world；'　placing　one's

children　and　dressing　one's　wife；　everything　that　drives　one　to　the

short　and　easy　way。　　Ah　the　vile　things　they　make　one　do！〃



〃But　surely　one's　right　to　want　to　place　one's　children。〃



〃One　has　no　business　to　have　any　children；〃　St。　George　placidly

declared。　　〃I　mean　of　course　if　one　wants　to　do　anything　good。〃



〃But　aren't　they　an　inspiration　…　an　incentive？〃



〃An　incentive　to　damnation；　artistically　speaking。〃



〃You　touch　on　very　deep　things　…　things　I　should　like　to　discuss

with　you；〃　Paul　said。　　〃I　should　like　you　to　tell　me　volumes　about

yourself。　　This　is　a　great　feast　for　ME！〃



〃Of　course　it　is；　cruel　youth。　　But　to　show　you　I'm　still　not

incapable；　degraded　as　I　am；　of　an　act　of　faith；　I'll　tie　my　vanity

to　the　stake　for　you　and　burn　it　to　ashes。　　You　must　come　and　see

me　…　you　must　come　and　see　us；〃　the　Master　quickly　substituted。

〃Mrs。　St。　George　is　charming；　I　don't　know　whether　you've　had　any

opportunity　to　talk　with　her。　　She'll　be　delighted　to　see　you；　she

likes　great　celebrities；　whether　incipient　or　predominant。　　You

must　come　and　dine　…　my　wife　will　write　to　you。　　Where　are　you　to

be　found？〃



〃This　is　my　little　address〃　…　and　Overt　drew　out　his　pocketbook　and

extracted　a　visiting…card。　　On　second　thoughts；　however；　he　kept　it

back；　remarking　that　he　wouldn't　trouble　his　friend　to　take　charge

of　it　but　would　come　and　see　him　straightway　in　London　and　leave　it

at　his　door　if　he　should　fail　to　obtain　entrance。



〃Ah　you'll　probably　fail；　my　wife's　always　out　…　or　when　she　isn't

out　is　knocked　up　from　having　been　out。　　You　must　come　and　dine　…

though　that　won't　do　much　good　either；　for　my　wife　insists　on　big

dinners。〃　　St。　George　turned　it　over　further；　but　then　went　on：

〃You　must　come　down　and　see　us　in　the　country；　that's　the　best　way；

we've　plenty　of　room；　and　it　isn't　bad。〃



〃You've　a　house　in　the　country？〃　Paul　asked　enviously。



〃Ah　not　like　this！　　But　we　have　a　sort　of　place　we　go　to　…　an　hour

from　Euston。　　That's　one　of　the　reasons。〃



〃One　of　the　reasons？〃



〃Why　my　books　are　so　bad。〃



〃You　must　tell　me　all　the　others！〃　Paul　longingly　laughed。



His　friend　made　no　direct　rejoinder　to　this；　but　spoke　again

abruptly。　　〃Why　have　I　never　seen　you　before？〃



The　tone　of　the　question　was　singularly　flattering　to　our　hero；　who

felt　it　to　imply　the　great　man's　now　perceiving　he　had　for　years

missed　something。　　〃Partly；　I　suppose；　because　there　has　been　no

particular　reason　why　you　should　see　me。　　I　haven't　lived　in　the

world　…　in　your　world。　　I've　spent　many　years　out　of　England；　in

different　places　abroad。〃



〃Well；　please　don't　do　it　any　more。　　You　must　do　England　…　there's

such　a　lot　of　it。〃



〃Do　you　mean　I　must　write　about　it？〃　and　Paul　struck　the　note　of

the　listening　candour　of　a　child。



〃Of　course　you　must。　　And　tremendously　well；　do　you　mind？　　That

takes