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第8章

the lesson of the master-第8章

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〃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 

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