the lesson of the master-第9章

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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

coquetry；　simply　affirmed　a　happy　fact。



〃Why　he's　a　pere　de　famille。　　They've　privileges；〃　Paul　explained。

And　then　quickly：　　〃Will　you　go　to　see　places　with　ME？〃　he　asked。



〃Anything　you　like！〃　she　smiled。　　〃I　know　what　you　mean；　that　girls

have　to　have　a　lot　of　people　…　〃　　Then　she　broke　off：　　〃I　don't

know；　I'm　free。　　I've　always　been　like　that　…　I　can　go　about　with

any　one。　　I'm　so　glad　to　meet　you；〃　she　added　with　a　sweet

distinctness　that　made　those　near　her　turn　round。



〃Let　me　at　least　repay　that　speech　by　taking　you　out　of　this

squash；〃　her　friend　said。　　〃Surely　people　aren't　happy　here！〃



〃No；　they're　awfully　mornes；　aren't　they？　　But　I'm　very　happy

indeed　and　I　promised　Mr。　St。　George　to　remain　in　this　spot　till　he

comes　back。　　He's　going　to　take　me　away。　　They　send　him　invitations

for　things　of　this　sort　…　more　than　he　wants。　　It　was　so　kind　of

him　to　think　of　me。〃



〃They　also　send　me　invitations　of　this　kind　…　more　than　I　want。

And　if　thinking　of　YOU　will　do　it　…　！〃　Paul　went　on。



〃Oh　I　delight　in　them　…　everything　that's　life　…　everything　that's

London！〃



〃They　don't　have　private　views　in　Asia；　I　suppose；〃　he　laughed。

〃But　what　a　pity　that　for　this　year；　even　in　this　gorged　city；

they're　pretty　well　over。〃



〃Well；　next　year　will　do；　for　I　hope　you　believe　we're　going　to　be

friends　always。　　Here　he　comes！〃　Miss　Fancourt　continued　before

Paul　had　time　to　respond。



He　made　out　St。　George　in　the　gaps　of　the　crowd；　and　this　perhaps

led　to　his　hurrying　a　little　to　say：　　〃I　hope　that　doesn't　mean　I'm

to　wait　till　next　year　to　see　you。〃



〃No；　no　…　aren't　we　to　meet　at　dinner　on　the　twenty…fifth？〃　she

panted　with　an　eagerness　as　happy　as　his　own。



〃That's　almost　next　year。　　Is　there　no　means　of　seeing　you　before？〃



She　stared　with　all　her　brightness。　　〃Do　you　mean　you'd　COME？〃



〃Like　a　shot；　if　you'll　be　so　good　as　to　ask　me！〃



〃On　Sunday　then　…　this　next　Sunday？〃



〃What　have　I　done　that　you　should　doubt　it？〃　the　young　man　asked

with　delight。



Miss　Fancourt　turned　instantly　to　St。　George；　who　had　now　joined

them；　and　announced　triumphantly：　　〃He's　coming　on　Sunday　…　this

next　Sunday！〃



〃Ah　my　day　…　my　day　too！〃　said　the　famous　novelist；　laughing；　to

their　companion。



〃Yes；　but　not　yours　only。　　You　shall　meet　in　Manchester　Square；　you

shall　talk　…　you　shall　be　wonderful！〃



〃We　don't　meet　often　enough；〃　St。　George　allowed；　shaking　hands

with　his　disciple。　　〃Too　many　things　…　ah　too　many　things！　　But　we

must　make　it　up　in　the　country　in　September。　　You　won't　forget

you've　promised　me　that？〃



〃Why　he's　coming　on　the　twenty…fifth　…　you'll　see　him　then；〃　said

the　girl。



〃On　the　twenty…fifth？〃　St。　George　asked　vaguely。



〃We　dine　with　you；　I　hope　you　haven't　forgotten。　　He's　dining　out

that　day；〃　she　added　gaily　to　Paul。



〃Oh　bless　me；　yes　…　that's　charming！　　And　you're　coming？　　My　wife

didn't　tell　me；〃　St。　George　said　to　him。　　〃Too　many　things　…　too

many　things！〃　he　repeated。



〃Too　many　people　…　too　many　people！〃　Paul　exclaimed；　giving　ground

before　the　penetration　of　an　elbow。



〃You　oughtn't　to　say　that。　　They　all　read　you。〃



〃Me？　　I　should　like　to　see　them！　　Only　two　or　three　at　most；〃　the

young　man　returned。



〃Did　you　ever　hear　anything　like　that？　　He　knows；　haughtily；　how

good　he　is！〃　St。　George　declared；　laughing　to　Miss　Fancourt。　　〃They

read　ME；　but　that　doesn't　make　me　like　them　any　better。　　Come　away

from　them；　come　away！〃　　And　he　led　the　way　out　of　the　exhibition。



〃He's　going　to　take　me　to　the　Park；〃　Miss　Fancourt　observed　to

Overt　with　elation　as　they　passed　along　the　corridor　that　led　to

the　street。



〃Ah　does　he　go　there？〃　Paul　asked；　taking　the　fact　for　a　somewhat

unexpected　illustration　of　St。　George's　moeurs。



〃It's　a　beautiful　day　…　there'll　be　a　great　crowd。　　We're　going　to

look　at　the　people；　to　look　at　types；〃　the　girl　went　on。　　〃We　shall

sit　under　the　trees；　we　shall　walk　by　the　Row。〃



〃I　go　once　a　year　…　on　business；〃　said　St。　George；　who　had

overheard　Paul's　question。



〃Or　with　a　country　cousin；　didn't　you　tell　me？　　I'm　the　country

cousin！〃　she　continued　over　her　shoulder　to　Paul　as　their　friend

drew　her　toward　a　hansom　to　which　he　had　signalled。　　The　young　man

watched　them　get　in；　he　returned；　as　he　stood　there；　the　friendly

wave　of　the　hand　with　which；　ensconced　in　the　vehicle　beside　her；

St。　George　took　leave　of　him。　　He　even　lingered　to　see　the　vehicle

start　away　and　lose　itself　in　the　confusion　of　Bond　Street。　　He

followed　it　with　his　eyes；　it　put　to　him　embarrassing　things。

〃She's　not　for　ME！〃　the　great　novelist　had　said　emphatically　at

Summersoft；　but　his　manner　of　conducting　himself　toward　her

appeared　not　quite　in　harmony　with　such　a　conviction。　　How　could　he

have　behaved　differently　if　she　HAD　been　for　him？　　An　indefinite

envy　rose　in　Paul　Overt's　heart　as　he　took　his　way　on　foot　alone；　a

feeling　addressed　alike　strangely　enough；　to　each　of　the　occupants

of　the　hansom。　　How　much　he　should　like　to　rattle　about　London　with

such　a　girl！　　How　much　he　should　like　to　go　and　look　at　〃types〃

with　St。　George！



The　next　Sunday　at　four　o'clock　he　called　in　Manchester　Square；

where　his　secret　wish　was　gratified　by　his　finding　Miss　Fancourt

alone。　　She　was　in　a　large　bright　friendly　occupied　room；　which　was

painted　red　all　over；　draped　with　the　quaint　cheap　florid　stuffs

that　are　represented　as　coming　from　southern　and　eastern　countries；

where　they　are　fabled　to　serve　as　the　counterpanes　of　the

peasantry；　and　bedecked　with　pottery　of　vivid　hues；　ranged　on

casual　shelves；　and　with　many　water…colour　drawings　from　the　hand

（as　the　visitor　learned）　of　the　young　lady　herself；　commemorating

with　a　brave　breadth　the　sunsets；　the　mountains；　the　temples　and

palaces　of　India。　　He　sat　an　hour　…　more　than　an　h