an unsocial socialist-第39章

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〃Oh；　yes；　it's　all　right；〃　said　Lady　Brandon；　who　had　given
orders　that　luncheon　was　not　to　be　served　until　the　arrival　of
another　gentleman。　〃Show　Agatha　the　picture　of　the　man　in　the〃

〃Mr。　Trefusis；〃　said　a　servant。

Mr。　Trefusis；　still　in　snuff　color；　entered；　coat　unbuttoned　and
attention　unconstrained；　exasperatingly　unconscious　of　any
occasion　for　ceremony。

〃Here　you　are　at　last；〃　said　Lady　Brandon。　〃You　know　everybody；
don't　you？〃

〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Sir　Charles；　offering　his　hand　as　a　severe
expression　of　his　duty　to　his　wife's　guest；　who　took　it
cordially；　nodded　to　Erskine；　looked　without　recognition　at
Gertrude；　whose　frosty　stillness　repudiated　Lady　Brandon's
implication　that　the　stranger　was　acquainted　with　her；　and　turned
to　Agatha；　to　whom　he　bowed。　She　made　no　sign；　she　was　paralyzed。
Lady　Brandon　reddened　with　anger。　Sir　Charles　noted　his　guest's
reception　with　secret　satisfaction；　but　shared　the　embarrassment
which　oppressed　all　present　except　Trefusis；　who　seemed　quite
indifferent　and　assured；　and　unconsciously　produced　an　impression
that　the　others　had　not　been　equal　to　the　occasion；　as　indeed
they　had　not。

〃We　were　looking　at　some　etchings　when　you　came　in；〃　said　Sir
Charles；　hastening　to　break　the　silence。　〃Do　you　care　for　such
things？〃　And　he　handed　him　a　proof。

Trefusis　looked　at　it　as　if　he　had　never　seen　such　a　thing　before
and　did　not　quite　know　what　to　make　of　it。　〃All　these　scratches
seem　to　me　to　have　no　meaning；〃　he　said　dubiously。

Sir　Charles　stole　a　contemptuous　smile　and　significant　glance　at
Erskine。　He；　seized　already　with　an　instinctive　antipathy　to
Trefusis；　said　emphatically：

〃There　is　not　one　of　those　scratches　that　has　not　a　meaning。〃

〃That　one；　for　instance；　like　the　limb　of　a　daddy…long…legs。　What
does　that　mean？〃

Erskine　hesitated　a　moment；　recovered　himself；　and　said：
〃Obviously　enoughto　me　at　leastit　indicates　the　marking　of
the　roadway。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃There　never　was　such　a　mark　as
that　on　a　road。　It　may　be　a　very　bad　attempt　at　a　briar；　but
briars　don't　straggle　into　the　middle　of　roads　frequented　as　that
one　seems　to　bejudging　by　those　overdone　ruts。〃　He　put　the
etching　away；　showing　no　disposition　to　look　further　into　the
portfolio；　and　remarked；　〃The　only　art　that　interests　me　is
photography。〃

Erskine　and　Sir　Charles　again　exchanged　glances；　and　the　former
said：

〃Photography　is　not　an　art　in　the　sense　in　which　I　understand　the
term。　It　is　a　process。〃

〃And　a　much　less　troublesome　and　more　perfect　process　than　that；〃
said　Trefusis；　pointing　to　the　etching。　〃The　artists　are　sticking
to　the　old　barbarous；　difficult；　and　imperfect　processes　of
etching　and　portrait　painting　merely　to　keep　up　the　value　of
their　monopoly　of　the　required　skill。　They　have　left　the　new；
more　complexly　organized；　and　more　perfect；　yet　simple　and
beautiful　method　of　photography　in　the　hands　of　tradesmen；
sneering　at　it　publicly　and　resorting　to　its　aid　surreptitiously。
The　result　is　that　the　tradesmen　are　becoming　better　artists　than
they；　and　naturally　so；　for　where；　as　in　photography；　the　drawing
counts　for　nothing；　the　thought　and　judgment　count　for
everything；　whereas　in　the　etching　and　daubing　processes；　where
great　manual　skill　is　needed　to　produce　anything　that　the　eye　can
endure；　the　execution　counts　for　more　than　the　thought；　and　if　a
fellow　only　fit　to　carry　bricks　up　a　ladder　or　the　like　has
ambition　and　perseverance　enough　to　train　his　hand　and　push　into
the　van；　you　cannot　afford　to　put　him　back　into　his　proper　place；
because　thoroughly　trained　hands　are　so　scarce。　Consider　the
proof　of　this　that　you　have　in　literature。　Our　books　are　manually
the　work　of　printers　and　papermakers；　you　may　cut　an　author's
hand　off　and　he　is　as　good　an　author　as　before。　What　is　the
result？　There　is　more　imagination　in　any　number　of　a　penny
journal　than　in　half…a…dozen　of　the　Royal　Academy　rooms　in　the
season。　No　author　can　live　by　his　work　and　be　as　empty…headed　as
an　average　successful　painter。　Again；　consider　our　implements　of
musicour　pianofortes；　for　example。　Nobody　but　an　acrobat　will
voluntarily　spend　years　at　such　a　difficult　mechanical　puzzle　as
the　keyboard；　and　so　we　have　to　take　our　impressions　of
Beethoven's　sonatas　from　acrobats　who　vie　with　each　other　in　the
rapidity　of　their　prestos；　or　the　staying　power　of　their　left
wrists。　Thoughtful　men　will　not　spend　their　lives　acquiring
sleight…of…hand。　Invent　a　piano　which　will　respond　as　delicately
to　the　turning　of　a　handle　as　our　present　ones　do　to　the　pressure
of　the　fingers；　and　the　acrobats　will　be　driven　back　to　their
carpets　and　trapezes；　because　the　sole　faculty　necessary　to　the
executant　musician　will　be　the　musical　faculty；　and　no　other　will
enable　him　to　obtain　a　hearing。〃

The　company　were　somewhat　overcome　by　this　unexpected　lecture。
Sir　Charles；　feeling　that　such　views　bore　adversely　on　him；　and
were　somehow　iconoclastic　and　low…lived；　was　about　to　make　a
peevish　retort；　when　Erskine　forestalled　him　by　asking　Trefusis
what　idea　he　had　formed　of　the　future　of　the　arts。　He　replied
promptly。　〃Photography　perfected　in　its　recently　discovered　power
of　reproducing　color　as　well　as　form！　Historical　pictures
replaced　by　photographs　of　tableaux　vivants　formed　and　arranged
by　trained　actors　and　artists；　and　used　chiefly　for　the
instruction　of　children。　Nine…tenths　of　painting　as　we　understand
it　at　present　extinguished　by　the　competition　of　these
photographs；　and　the　remaining　tenth　only　holding　its　own　against
them　by　dint　of　extraordinary　excellence！　Our　mistuned　and
unplayable　organs　and　pianofortes　replaced　by　harmonious
instruments；　as　manageable　as　barrel　organs！　Works　of　fiction
superseded　by　interesting　company　and　conversation；　and　made
obsolete　by　the　human　mind　outgrowing　the　childishness　that
delights　in　the　tales　told　by　grownup　children　such　as　novelists
and　their　like！　An　end　to　the　silly　confusion；　under　the　one　name
of　Art；　of　the　tomfoolery　and　make…believe　of　our　play…hours　with
the　higher　methods　of　teaching　men　to　know　themselves！　Every
artist　an　amateur；　and　a　consequent　return　to　the　healthy　old
disposition　to　look　on　every　man　who　makes　art　a　means　of
money…getting　as　a　vagabond　not　to　be　entertained　as　an　equal　by
honest　men！〃

〃In　which　case　artists　will　starve；　and　there　will　be　no　more
art。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Trefusis；　excited　by　the　word；　〃I；　as　a　Socialist；
can　tell　you　that　starvation　is　now　impossible；　except　where；　as
in　England；　masterless　men　are　forcibly　prevented　from　producing
the　food　they　need。　And　you；　as　an　artist；　can　tell　me　that　at
present　great　artists　invariably　do　starve；　except　when　they　are
kept　alive　by　charity；　private　fortune；　or　some　drudgery　which
hinders　them　in　the　pursuit　of　their　vocation。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Erskine。　〃Then　Socialists　have　some　little　sympathy
with　artists　after　all。〃

〃I　fear；〃　said　Trefusis；　repressing　himself　and　speaking　quietly
again；　〃that　when　a　Socialist　hears　of　a　hundred　pounds　paid　for
a　drawing　which　Andrea　del　Sarto　was　glad　to　sell　for　tenpence；
his　heart　is　not　wrung　with　pity　for　the　artist's　imaginary　loss
as　that　of　a　modern　capitalist　is。　Yet　that　is　the　only　way
nowadays　of　enlisting　sympathy　for　the　old　masters。　Frightful
disability；　to　be　out　of　the　reach　of　the　dearest　market　when　you
want　to　sell　your　drawings！　But；〃　he　added；　giving　himself　a
shake；　and　turning　round　gaily；　〃I　did　not　come　here　to　talk
shop。　Sopending　the　delugelet　us　enjoy　ourselves　after　our
manner。〃

〃No；〃　said　Jane。　〃Please　go　on　about　Art。　It's　such　a　relief　to
hear　anyone　talking　sensibly　about　it。　I　hate　etching。　It　makes
your　eyes　soreat　least　the　acid　gets　into　Sir　Charles's；　and
the　difference　between　the　first　and　second　states　is　nothing　but
imagination；　except　that　the　last　state　is　worse　than　thehere's
luncheon！〃

They　went　downstairs　then。　Trefusis　sat　between　Agatha　and　Lady
Brandon；　to　whom　he　addressed　all　his　conversation。　They　chatted
without　much　interruption　from　the　business　of　the　table；　for
Jane；　despite　her　amplitude；　had　a　small　appetite；　and　was
fearful　of　growing　fat；　whilst　Trefus