death of the lion-第4章

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where；　it　may　be　veraciously　recorded　he　was　the　king　of　the　beasts　
of　the　year。　　No　advancement　was　ever　more　rapid；　no　exaltation　
more　complete；　no　bewilderment　more　teachable。　　His　book　sold　but　
moderately；　though　the　article　in　THE　EMPIRE　had　done　unwonted　
wonders　for　it；　but　he　circulated　in　person　to　a　measure　that　the　
libraries　might　well　have　envied。　　His　formula　had　been　found　…　he　
was　a　〃revelation。〃　　His　momentary　terror　had　been　real；　just　as　
mine　had　been　…　the　overclouding　of　his　passionate　desire　to　be　
left　to　finish　his　work。　　He　was　far　from　unsociable；　but　he　had　
the　finest　conception　of　being　let　alone　that　I've　ever　met。　　For　
the　time；　none　the　less；　he　took　his　profit　where　it　seemed　most　to　
crowd　on　him；　having　in　his　pocket　the　portable　sophistries　about　
the　nature　of　the　artist's　task。　　Observation　too　was　a　kind　of　
work　and　experience　a　kind　of　success；　London　dinners　were　all　
material　and　London　ladies　were　fruitful　toil。　　〃No　one　has　the　
faintest　conception　of　what　I'm　trying　for；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃and　
not　many　have　read　three　pages　that　I've　written；　but　I　must　dine　
with　them　first　…　they'll　find　out　why　when　they've　time。〃　　It　was　
rather　rude　justice　perhaps；　but　the　fatigue　had　the　merit　of　being　
a　new　sort；　while　the　phantasmagoric　town　was　probably　after　all　
less　of　a　battlefield　than　the　haunted　study。　　He　once　told　me　that　
he　had　had　no　personal　life　to　speak　of　since　his　fortieth　year；　
but　had　had　more　than　was　good　for　him　before。　　London　closed　the　
parenthesis　and　exhibited　him　in　relations；　one　of　the　most　
inevitable　of　these　being　that　in　which　he　found　himself　to　Mrs。　
Weeks　Wimbush；　wife　of　the　boundless　brewer　and　proprietress　of　the　
universal　menagerie。　　In　this　establishment；　as　everybody　knows；　on　
occasions　when　the　crush　is　great；　the　animals　rub　shoulders　freely　
with　the　spectators　and　the　lions　sit　down　for　whole　evenings　with　
the　lambs。

It　had　been　ominously　clear　to　me　from　the　first　that　in　Neil　
Paraday　this　lady；　who；　as　all　the　world　agreed；　was　tremendous　
fun；　considered　that　she　had　secured　a　prime　attraction；　a　creature　
of　almost　heraldic　oddity。　　Nothing　could　exceed　her　enthusiasm　
over　her　capture；　and　nothing　could　exceed　the　confused　
apprehensions　it　excited　in　me。　　I　had　an　instinctive　fear　of　her　
which　I　tried　without　effect　to　conceal　from　her　victim；　but　which　
I　let　her　notice　with　perfect　impunity。　　Paraday　heeded　it；　but　she　
never　did；　for　her　conscience　was　that　of　a　romping　child。　　She　was　
a　blind　violent　force　to　which　I　could　attach　no　more　idea　of　
responsibility　than　to　the　creaking　of　a　sign　in　the　wind。　　It　was　
difficult　to　say　what　she　conduced　to　but　circulation。　　She　was　
constructed　of　steel　and　leather；　and　all　I　asked　of　her　for　our　
tractable　friend　was　not　to　do　him　to　death。　　He　had　consented　for　
a　time　to　be　of　india…rubber；　but　my　thoughts　were　fixed　on　the　day　
he　should　resume　his　shape　or　at　least　get　back　into　his　box。　　It　
was　evidently　all　right；　but　I　should　be　glad　when　it　was　well　
over。　　I　had　a　special　fear　…　the　impression　was　ineffaceable　of　
the　hour　when；　after　Mr。　Morrow's　departure；　I　had　found　him　on　the　
sofa　in　his　study。　　That　pretext　of　indisposition　had　not　in　the　
least　been　meant　as　a　snub　to　the　envoy　of　THE　TATLER　…　he　had　gone　
to　lie　down　in　very　truth。　　He　had　felt　a　pang　of　his　old　pain；　the　
result　of　the　agitation　wrought　in　him　by　this　forcing　open　of　a　
new　period。　　His　old　programme；　his　old　ideal　even　had　to　be　
changed。　　Say　what　one　would；　success　was　a　complication　and　
recognition　had　to　be　reciprocal。　　The　monastic　life；　the　pious　
illumination　of　the　missal　in　the　convent　cell　were　things　of　the　
gathered　past。　　It　didn't　engender　despair；　but　at　least　it　
required　adjustment。　　Before　I　left　him　on　that　occasion　we　had　
passed　a　bargain；　my　part　of　which　was　that　I　should　make　it　my　
business　to　take　care　of　him。　　Let　whoever　would　represent　the　
interest　in　his　presence　（I　must　have　had　a　mystical　prevision　of　
Mrs。　Weeks　Wimbush）　I　should　represent　the　interest　in　his　work　…　
or　otherwise　expressed　in　his　absence。　　These　two　interests　were　in　
their　essence　opposed；　and　I　doubt；　as　youth　is　fleeting；　if　I　
shall　ever　again　know　the　intensity　of　joy　with　which　I　felt　that　
in　so　good　a　cause　I　was　willing　to　make　myself　odious。

One　day　in　Sloane　Street　I　found　myself　questioning　Paraday's　
landlord；　who　had　come　to　the　door　in　answer　to　my　knock。　　Two　
vehicles；　a　barouche　and　a　smart　hansom；　were　drawn　up　before　the　
house。

〃In　the　drawing…room；　sir？　　Mrs。　Weeks　Wimbush。〃

〃And　in　the　dining…room？〃

〃A　young　lady；　sir　…　waiting：　　I　think　a　foreigner。〃

It　was　three　o'clock；　and　on　days　when　Paraday　didn't　lunch　out　he　
attached　a　value　to　these　appropriated　hours。　　On　which　days；　
however；　didn't　the　dear　man　lunch　out？　　Mrs。　Wimbush；　at　such　a　
crisis；　would　have　rushed　round　immediately　after　her　own　repast。　　
I　went　into　the　dining…room　first；　postponing　the　pleasure　of　
seeing　how；　upstairs；　the　lady　of　the　barouche　would；　on　my　
arrival；　point　the　moral　of　my　sweet　solicitude。　　No　one　took　such　
an　interest　as　herself　in　his　doing　only　what　was　good　for　him；　and　
she　was　always　on　the　spot　to　see　that　he　did　it。　　She　made　
appointments　with　him　to　discuss　the　best　means　of　economising　his　
time　and　protecting　his　privacy。　　She　further　made　his　health　her　
special　business；　and　had　so　much　sympathy　with　my　own　zeal　for　it　
that　she　was　the　author　of　pleasing　fictions　on　the　subject　of　what　
my　devotion　had　led　me　to　give　up。　　I　gave　up　nothing　（I　don't　
count　Mr。　Pinhorn）　because　I　had　nothing；　and　all　I　had　as　yet　
achieved　was　to　find　myself　also　in　the　menagerie。　　I　had　dashed　in　
to　save　my　friend；　but　I　had　only　got　domesticated　and　wedged；　so　
that　I　could　do　little　more　for　him　than　exchange　with　him　over　
people's　heads　looks　of　intense　but　futile　intelligence。



CHAPTER　VII。



THE　young　lady　in　the　dining…room　had　a　brave　face；　black　hair；　
blue　eyes；　and　in　her　lap　a　big　volume。　　〃I've　come　for　his　
autograph；〃　she　said　when　I　had　explained　to　her　that　I　was　under　
bonds　to　see　people　for　him　when　he　was　occupied。　　〃I've　been　
waiting　half　an　hour；　but　I'm　prepared　to　wait　all　day。〃　　I　don't　
know　whether　it　was　this　that　told　me　she　was　American；　for　the　
propensity　to　wait　all　day　is　not　in　general　characteristic　of　her　
race。　　I　was　enlightened　probably　not　so　much　by　the　spirit　of　the　
utterance　as　by　some　quality　of　its　sound。　　At　any　rate　I　saw　she　
had　an　individual　patience　and　a　lovely　frock；　together　with　an　
expression　that　played　among　her　pretty　features　like　a　breeze　
among　flowers。　　Putting　her　book　on　the　table　she　showed　me　a　
massive　album；　showily　bound　and　full　of　autographs　of　price。　　The　
collection　of　faded　notes；　of　still　more　faded　〃thoughts；〃　of　
quotations；　platitudes；　signatures；　represented　a　formidable　
purpose。

I　could　only　disclose　my　dread　of　it。　　〃Most　people　apply　to　Mr。　
Paraday　by　letter；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　doesn't　answer。　　I've　written　three　times。〃

〃Very　true；〃　I　reflected；　〃the　sort　of　letter　you　mean　goes　
straight　into　the　fire。〃

〃How　do　you　know　the　sort　I　mean？〃　　My　interlocutress　had　blushed　
and　smiled；　and　in　a　moment　she　added：　　〃I　don't　believe　he　gets　
many　like　them！〃

〃I'm　sure　they're　beautiful；　but　he　burns　without　reading。〃　　I　
didn't　add　that　I　had　convinced　him　he　ought　to。

〃Isn't　he　then　in　danger　of　burning　things　of　importance？〃

〃He　would　perhaps　be　so　if　distinguished　men　hadn't　an　infallible　
nose　for　nonsense。〃

She　looked　at　me　a　moment　…　her　face　was　sweet　and　gay。　　〃Do　YOU　
burn　without　reading　too？〃　…　in　answer　to　which　I　assured　her　that　
if　she'd　trust　me　with　her　repository　I'd　see　that　Mr。　Paraday　
should　write　his　name　in　it。

She　considered　a　little。　　〃That's　very　well；　but　it　wouldn't　make　
me　see　him。〃

〃Do　you　want　very　much　to　see　him？〃　　It　seemed　ungracious　to　
catechise　so　charming　a　creature；　but　somehow　I　had　never　yet　taken　
my　duty　to　the　great　author　so　seriously。

〃Enough　to　have　come　from　America　for　the　purpose。〃

I　stared。　　〃All　alone？〃

〃I　don't　see　that　that's　exactly　your　business；　but　if　it　will　make　
me　more　seductive　I'll　confess　that　I'm　quite　by　myself。　　I　had　to　
come　alone　or　not　come　at　all。〃

She　was　interesting；　I　could　imagine　she　had　lost　parents；　natural　
protectors　…　could　conceive　even　she　had　inherited　money。　　I　was　at　
a　pass　of　my　own　fortunes　when　keeping　hansoms　at　doors　seemed　to　
me　pure　swagger。　　As　a　trick　of　this　bold　and　sensitive　girl；　
however；　it　became　romantic　…　a　part　of　the　general　romance　of　her　
freedom；　her　errand；　her　innocence。　　The　confidence　of　young　
Americans　was　notorious；　and　I　speedily　arrived　at　a　conviction　
that　no　impulse　could　have　been　more　generous　than　the　impulse　that　
had　operated　here。　　I　foresaw　at　that　moment　that　it　would　make　her　
my　peculiar　charge；　just　as　circumstances　had　made　Neil　Paraday。　　
She　would　be　another　person　to　look　after；　so　that　one's　honour　
would　be　concerned　in　guiding　her　straight。　　These　things　became　
clearer　to　me　later　on；　at　the　instant　I　had　scepticism　enough　to　
observe　to　her；　as　I　turned　the　pages　of　her　volume；　that　her　net　
had　all　the　same　caught　many　a　big　fish。　　She　appeared　to　have　had　
fruitful　access　to　the　great　ones　of　the　earth；　there　were　people　
moreover　whose　signatures　she　had　presumably　secured　without　a　
personal　interview。　　She　couldn't　have　worried　George　Washington　
and　Friedrich　Schiller　and　Hannah　More。　　She　met　this　argument；　to　
my　surprise；　by　throwing　up　the　album　without　a　pang。　　It　wasn't　
even　her　own；　she　was　responsible　for　none　of　its　treasures。　　It　
belonged　to　a　girl…friend　in　America；　a　young　lady　in　a　western　
city。　　This　young　lady　had　insisted　on　her　bringing　it；　to　pick　up　
more　autographs：　　she　thought　they　might　like　to　see；　in　Europe；　in　
what　company　they　would　be。　　The　〃girl…friend；〃　the　western　city；　
the　immortal　names；　the　curious　errand；　the　idyllic　faith；　all　made　
a　story　as　strange　to　me；　and　as　beguiling；　as　some　tale　in　the　
Arabian　Nights。　　Thus　it　was　that　my　informant　had　encumbered　
herself　with　the　ponderous　tome；　but　she　hastened　to　assure　me　that　
this　was　the　first　time　she　had　brought　it　out。　　For　her　visit　to　
Mr。　Paraday　it　had　simply　been　a　pretext。　　She　didn't　really　care　a　
straw　that　he　should　write　his　name；　what　she　did　want　was　to　look　
straight　into　his　face。

I　demurred　a　little。　　〃And　why　do　you　require　to　do　that？〃

〃Because　I　just　love　him！〃　　Before　I　could　recover　from　the　
agitating　effect　of　this　crystal　ring　my　companion　had　continued：　　
〃Hasn't　there　ever　been　any　face　that　you've　wanted　to　look　into？〃

How　could　I　tell　her　so　soon　how　much　I　appreciated　the　opportunity　
of　looking　into　hers？　　I　could　only　assent　in　general　to　the　
proposition　that　there　were　certainly　for　every　one　such　yearnings；　
and　even　such　faces；　and　I　felt　the　crisis　demand　all　my　lucidity；　
all　my　wisdom。　　〃Oh　yes；　I'm　a　student　of　physiognomy。　　Do　you　
mean；〃　I　pursued；　〃that　you've　a　passion　for　Mr。　Paraday's　boo