the lesson of the master-第6章

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the　listening　candour　of　a　child。



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

takes　off　a　little　of　my　esteem　for　this　thing　of　yours　…　that　it

goes　on　abroad。　　Hang　'abroad！'　　Stay　at　home　and　do　things　here　…

do　subjects　we　can　measure。〃



〃I'll　do　whatever　you　tell　me；〃　Overt　said；　deeply　attentive。　　〃But

pardon　me　if　I　say　I　don't　understand　how　you've　been　reading　my

book；〃　he　added。　　〃I've　had　you　before　me　all　the　afternoon；　first

in　that　long　walk；　then　at　tea　on　the　lawn；　till　we　went　to　dress

for　dinner；　and　all　the　evening　at　dinner　and　in　this　place。〃



St。　George　turned　his　face　about　with　a　smile。　　〃I　gave　it　but　a

quarter　of　an　hour。〃



〃A　quarter　of　an　hour's　immense；　but　I　don't　understand　where　you

put　it　in。　　In　the　drawing…room　after　dinner　you　weren't　reading　…

you　were　talking　to　Miss　Fancourt。〃



〃It　comes　to　the　same　thing；　because　we　talked　about　'Ginistrella。'

She　described　it　to　me　…　she　lent　me　her　copy。〃



〃Lent　it　to　you？〃



〃She　travels　with　it。〃



〃It's　incredible；〃　Paul　blushed。



〃It's　glorious　for　you；　but　it　also　turned　out　very　well　for　me。

When　the　ladies　went　off　to　bed　she　kindly　offered　to　send　the　book

down　to　me。　　Her　maid　brought　it　to　me　in　the　hall　and　I　went　to　my

room　with　it。　　I　hadn't　thought　of　coming　here；　I　do　that　so

little。　　But　I　don't　sleep　early；　I　always　have　to　read　an　hour　or

two。　　I　sat　down　to　your　novel　on　the　spot；　without　undressing；

without　taking　off　anything　but　my　coat。　　I　think　that's　a　sign　my

curiosity　had　been　strongly　roused　about　it。　　I　read　a　quarter　of

an　hour；　as　I　tell　you；　and　even　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　I　was

greatly　struck。〃



〃Ah　the　beginning　isn't　very　good　…　it's　the　whole　thing！〃　said

Overt；　who　had　listened　to　this　recital　with　extreme　interest。

〃And　you　laid　down　the　book　and　came　after　me？〃　he　asked。



〃That's　the　way　it　moved　me。　　I　said　to　myself　'I　see　it's　off　his

own　bat；　and　he's　there；　by　the　way；　and　the　day's　over　and　I

haven't　said　twenty　words　to　him。'　　It　occurred　to　me　that　you'd

probably　be　in　the　smoking…room　and　that　it　wouldn't　be　too　late　to

repair　my　omission。　　I　wanted　to　do　something　civil　to　you；　so　I

put　on　my　coat　and　came　down。　　I　shall　read　your　book　again　when　I

go　up。〃



Our　friend　faced　round　in　his　place　…　he　was　touched　as　he　had

scarce　ever　been　by　the　picture　of　such　a　demonstration　in　his

favour。　　〃You're　really　the　kindest　of　men。　　Cela　s'est　passe　comme

ca？　…　and　I've　been　sitting　here　with　you　all　this　time　and　never

apprehended　it　and　never　thanked　you！〃



〃Thank　Miss　Fancourt　…　it　was　she　who　wound　me　up。　　She　has　made　me

feel　as　if　I　had　read　your　novel。〃



〃She's　an　angel　from　heaven！〃　Paul　declared。



〃She　is　indeed。　　I've　never　seen　any　one　like　her。　　Her　interest　in

literature's　touching　…　something　quite　peculiar　to　herself；　she

takes　it　all　so　seriously。　　She　feels　the　arts　and　she　wants　to

feel　them　more。　　To　those　who　practise　them　it's　almost　humiliating

…　her　curiosity；　her　sympathy；　her　good　faith。　　How　can　anything　be

as　fine　as　she　supposes　it？〃



〃She's　a　rare　organisation；〃　the　younger　man　sighed。



〃The　richest　I've　ever　seen　…　an　artistic　intelligence　really　of

the　first　order。　　And　lodged　in　such　a　form！〃　St。　George　exclaimed。



〃One　would　like　to　represent　such　a　girl　as　that；〃　Paul　continued。



〃Ah　there　it　is　…　there's　nothing　like　life！〃　said　his　companion。

〃When　you're　finished；　squeezed　dry　and　used　up　and　you　think　the

sack's　empty；　you're　still　appealed　to；　you　still　get　touches　and

thrills；　the　idea　springs　up　…　out　of　the　lap　of　the　actual　…　and

shows　you　there's　always　something　to　be　done。　　But　I　shan't　do　it

…　she's　not　for　me！〃



〃How　do　you　mean；　not　for　you？〃



〃Oh　it's　all　over　…　she's　for　you；　if　you　like。〃



〃Ah　much　less！〃　said　Paul。　　〃She's　not　for　a　dingy　little　man　of

letters；　she's　for　the　world；　the　bright　rich　world　of　bribes　and

rewards。　　And　the　world　will　take　hold　of　her　…　it　will　carry　her

away。〃



〃It　will　try　…　but　it's　just　a　case　in　which　there　may　be　a　fight。

It　would　be　worth　fighting；　for　a　man　who　had　it　in　him；　with　youth

and　talent　on　his　side。〃



These　words　rang　not　a　little　in　Paul　Overt's　consciousness　…　they

held　him　briefly　silent。　　〃It's　a　wonder　she　has　remained　as　she

is；　giving　herself　away　so　…　with　so　much　to　give　away。〃



〃Remaining；　you　mean；　so　ingenuous　…　so　natural？　　Oh　she　doesn't

care　a　straw　…　she　gives　away　because　she　overflows。　　She　has　her

own　feelings；　her　own　standards；　she　doesn't　keep　remembering　that

she　must　be　proud。　　And　then　she　hasn't　been　here　long　enough　to　be

spoiled；　she　has　picked　up　a　fashion　or　two；　but　only　the　amusing

ones。　　She's　a　provincial　…　a　provincial　of　genius；〃　St。　George

went　on；　〃her　very　blunders　are　charming；　her　mistakes　are

interesting。　　She　has　come　back　from　Asia　with　all　sorts　of　excited

curiosities　and　unappeased　appetities。　　She's　first…rate　herself

and　she　expends　herself　on　the　second…rate。　　She's　life　herself　and

she　takes　a　rare　interest　in　imitations。　　She　mixes　all　things　up；

but　there　are　none　in　regard　to　which　she　hasn't　perceptions。　　She

sees　things　in　a　perspective　…　as　if　from　the　top　of　the　Himalayas

…　and　she　enlarges　everything　she　touches。　　Above　all　she

exaggerates　…　to　herself；　I　mean。　　She　exaggerates　you　and　me！〃



There　was　nothing　in　that　description　to　allay　the　agitation　caused

in　our　younger　friend　by　such　a　sketch　of　a　fine　subject。　　It

seemed　to　him　to　show　the　art　of　St。　George's　admired　hand；　and　he

lost　himself　in　gazing　at　the　vision　…　this　hovered　there　before

him　…　of　a　woman's　figure　which　should　be　part　of　the　glory　of　a

novel。　　But　at　the　end　of　a　moment　the　thing　had　turned　into　smoke；

and　out　of　the　smoke　…　　the　last　puff　of　a　big　cigar　…　proceeded

the　voice　of　General　Fancourt；　who　had　left　the　others　and　come　and

planted　himself　before　the　gentlemen　on　the　sofa。　　〃I　suppose　that

when　you　fellows　get　talking　you　sit　up　half　the　night。〃



〃Half　the　night？　…　jamais　de　la　vie！　　I　follow　a　hygiene〃　…　and　St。

George　rose　to　his　feet。



〃I　see　…　you're　hothouse　plants；〃　laughed　the　General。　　〃That's　the

way　you　produce　your　flowers。〃



〃I　produce　mine　between　ten　and　one　every　morning　…　I　bloom　with　a

regularity！〃　St。　George　went　on。



〃And　with　a　splendour！〃　added　the　polite　General；　while　Paul　noted

how　little　the　author　of　〃Shadowmere〃　minded；　as　he　phrased　it　to

himself；　when　addressed　as　a　celebrated　story…teller。　　The　young

man　had　an　idea　HE　should　never　get　used　to　that；　it　would　always

make　him　uncomfortable　…　from　the　suspicion　that　people　would　think

they　had　to　…　and　he　would　want　to　prevent　it。　　Evidently　his　great

colleague　had　toughened　and　hardened　…　had　made　himself　a　surface。

The　group　of　men　had　finished　their　cigars　and　taken　up　their

bedroom　candlesticks；　but　before　they　all　passed　out　Lord

Watermouth　invited　the　pair　of　guests　who　had　been　so　absorbed

together　to　〃have〃　something。　　It　happened　that　they　both　declined；

upon　which　General　Fancourt　said：　　〃Is　that　the　hygiene？　　You　don't

water　the　flowers？〃



〃Oh　I　should　drown　them！〃　St。　George　replied；　but；　leaving　the　room

still　at　his　young　friend's　side；　he　added　whimsically；　for　the

latter's　benefit；　in　a　lower　tone：　　〃My　wife　doesn't　let　me。〃



〃Well　I'm　glad　I'm　not　one　of　you　fellows！〃　the　General　richly

concluded。



The　nearness　of　Summersoft　to　London　had　this　consequence；　chilling

to　a　person　who　had　had　a　vision　of　sociability　in　a　railway…

carriage；　that　most　of　the　company；　after　breakfast；　drove　back　to

town；　entering　their　own　vehicles；　which　had　come　out　to　fetch

them；　while　their　servants　returned　by　train　with　their　luggage。

Three　or　four　young　men；　among　whom　was　Paul　Overt；　also　availed

themselves　of　the　common　convenience；　but　they　stood　in　the　portico

of　the　house　and　saw　the　others　roll　away。　　Miss　Fancourt　got　into

a　victoria　with　her　father　after　she　had　shaken　hands　with　our　hero

and　said；　smiling　in　the　frankest　way　in　the　world；　〃I　MUST　see　you

more。　　Mrs。　St。　George　is　so　nice：　　she　has　promised　to　ask　us　both

to　dinner　together。〃　　This　lady　and　her　husband　took　their　places

in　a　perfectly…appointed　brougham　…　she　required　a　closed　carriage

…　and　as　our　young　man　waved　his　hat　to　them　in　response　to　their

nods　and　flourishes　he　reflected　that；　taken　together；　they　were　an

honourable　image　of　success；　of　the　material　rewards　and　the　social

credit　of　literature。　　Such　things　were　not　the　full　measure；　but

he　nevertheless　felt　a　little　proud　for　literature。







CHAPTER　IV







Before　a　week　had　elapsed　he　met　Miss　Fancourt　in　Bond　Street；　at　a

private　view　of　the　works　of　a　young　artist　in　〃black…and…white〃

who　had　been　so　good　as　to　invite　him　to　the　stuffy　scene。　　The

drawings　were　admirable；　but　the　crowd　in　the　one　little　room　was

so　dense　that　he　felt　himself　up　to　his　neck　in　a　sack　of　wool。　　A

fringe　of　people　at　the　outer　edge　endeavoured　by　curving　forward

their　backs　and　presenting；　below　them；　a　still　more　convex　surface

of　resistance　to　the　pressure　of　the　mass；　to　preserve　an　interval

between　their　noses　and　the　glazed　mounts　of　the　pictures；　while

the　central　body；　in　the　comparative　gloom　projected　by　a　wide

horizontal　screen　hung　under　the　skylight　and　allowing　only　a

margin　for　the　day；　remained　upright　dense　and　vague；　lost　in　the

contemplation　of　its　own　ingredients。　　This　contemplation　sat

especially　in　the　sad　eyes　of　certain　female　heads；　surmounted　with

hats　of　strange　convolution　and　plumage；　which　rose　on　long　necks

above　the　others。　　One　of　the　heads　Paul　perceived；　was　much　the　so

most　beautiful　of　the　collection；　and　his　next　discovery　was　that

it　belonged　to　Miss　Fancourt。　　Its　beauty　was　enhanced　by　the　glad

smile　she　sent　him　across　surrounding　obstructions；　a　smile　that

drew　him　to　her　as　fast　as　he　could　make　his　way。　　He　had　seen　for

himself　at　Summersoft　that　the　last　thing　her　nature　contained　was

an　affectation　of　indifference；　yet　even　with　this　circumspection

he　took　a　fresh　satisfaction　in　her　not　having　pretended　to　await

his　arrival　with　composure。　　She　smiled　as　radiantly　as　if　she

wished　to　make　him　hurry；　and　as　soon　as　he　came　within　earshot　she

broke　out　in　her　voice　of　joy：　　〃He's　here　…　he's　here　…　he's

coming　back　in　a　moment！〃



〃Ah　your　father？〃　Paul　returned　as　she　offered　him　her　hand。



〃Oh　dear　no；　this　isn't　in　my　poor　father's　line。　　I　mean　Mr。　St。

George。　　He　has　just　left　me　to　speak　to　some　one　…　he's　coming

back。　　It's　he　who　brought　me　…　wasn't　it　charming？〃



〃Ah　that　gives　him　a　pull　over　me　…　I　couldn't　have　'brought'　you；

could　I？〃



〃If　you　had　been　so　kind　as　to　propose　it　…　why　not　you　as　well　as

he？〃　the　girl　returned　with　a　face　that；　expressing　no　cheap

coquet