death of the lion-第3章
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gone into the house； and the woman … the second London post had
come in … had placed my letters and a newspaper on a bench。 I sat
down there to the letters； which were a brief business； and then；
without heeding the address； took the paper from its envelope。 It
was the journal of highest renown； THE EMPIRE of that morning。 It
regularly came to Paraday； but I remembered that neither of us had
yet looked at the copy already delivered。 This one had a great
mark on the 〃editorial〃 page； and； uncrumpling the wrapper； I saw
it to be directed to my host and stamped with the name of his
publishers。 I instantly divined that THE EMPIRE had spoken of him；
and I've not forgotten the odd little shock of the circumstance。
It checked all eagerness and made me drop the paper a moment。 As I
sat there conscious of a palpitation I think I had a vision of what
was to be。 I had also a vision of the letter I would presently
address to Mr。 Pinhorn； breaking； as it were； with Mr。 Pinhorn。 Of
course； however； the next minute the voice of THE EMPIRE was in my
ears。
The article wasn't； I thanked heaven； a review； it was a 〃leader；〃
the last of three； presenting Neil Paraday to the human race。 His
new book； the fifth from his hand； had been but a day or two out；
and THE EMPIRE； already aware of it； fired； as if on the birth of a
prince； a salute of a whole column。 The guns had been booming
these three hours in the house without our suspecting them。 The
big blundering newspaper had discovered him； and now he was
proclaimed and anointed and crowned。 His place was assigned him as
publicly as if a fat usher with a wand had pointed to the topmost
chair； he was to pass up and still up； higher and higher； between
the watching faces and the envious sounds … away up to the dais and
the throne。 The article was 〃epoch…making；〃 a landmark in his
life； he had taken rank at a bound； waked up a national glory。 A
national glory was needed； and it was an immense convenience he was
there。 What all this meant rolled over me； and I fear I grew a
little faint … it meant so much more than I could say 〃yea〃 to on
the spot。 In a flash； somehow； all was different； the tremendous
wave I speak of had swept something away。 It had knocked down； I
suppose； my little customary altar； my twinkling tapers and my
flowers； and had reared itself into the likeness of a temple vast
and bare。 When Neil Paraday should come out of the house he would
come out a contemporary。 That was what had happened： the poor man
was to be squeezed into his horrible age。 I felt as if he had been
overtaken on the crest of the hill and brought back to the city。 A
little more and he would have dipped down the short cut to
posterity and escaped。
CHAPTER IV。
WHEN he came out it was exactly as if he had been in custody； for
beside him walked a stout man with a big black beard； who； save
that he wore spectacles； might have been a policeman； and in whom
at a second glance I recognised the highest contemporary
enterprise。
〃This is Mr。 Morrow；〃 said Paraday； looking； I thought； rather
white： 〃he wants to publish heaven knows what about me。〃
I winced as I remembered that this was exactly what I myself had
wanted。 〃Already？〃 I cried with a sort of sense that my friend had
fled to me for protection。
Mr。 Morrow glared； agreeably； through his glasses： they suggested
the electric headlights of some monstrous modem ship； and I felt as
if Paraday and I were tossing terrified under his bows。 I saw his
momentum was irresistible。 〃I was confident that I should be the
first in the field。 A great interest is naturally felt in Mr。
Paraday's surroundings；〃 he heavily observed。
〃I hadn't the least idea of it；〃 said Paraday； as if he had been
told he had been snoring。
〃I find he hasn't read the article in THE EMPIRE；〃 Mr。 Morrow
remarked to me。 〃That's so very interesting … it's something to
start with；〃 he smiled。 He had begun to pull off his gloves； which
were violently new； and to look encouragingly round the little
garden。 As a 〃surrounding〃 I felt how I myself had already been
taken in； I was a little fish in the stomach of a bigger one。 〃I
represent；〃 our visitor continued； 〃a syndicate of influential
journals； no less than thirty…seven； whose public … whose publics；
I may say … are in peculiar sympathy with Mr。 Paraday's line of
thought。 They would greatly appreciate any expression of his views
on the subject of the art he so nobly exemplifies。 In addition to
my connexion with the syndicate just mentioned I hold a particular
commission from THE TATLER； whose most prominent department；
'Smatter and Chatter' … I dare say you've often enjoyed it …
attracts such attention。 I was honoured only last week； as a
representative of THE TATLER； with the confidence of Guy
Walsingham； the brilliant author of 'Obsessions。' She pronounced
herself thoroughly pleased with my sketch of her method； she went
so far as to say that I had made her genius more comprehensible
even to herself。〃
Neil Paraday had dropped on the garden…bench and sat there at once
detached and confounded； he looked hard at a bare spot in the lawn；
as if with an anxiety that had suddenly made him grave。 His
movement had been interpreted by his visitor as an invitation to
sink sympathetically into a wicker chair that stood hard by； and
while Mr。 Morrow so settled himself I felt he had taken official
possession and that there was no undoing it。 One had heard of
unfortunate people's having 〃a man in the house；〃 and this was just
what we had。 There was a silence of a moment； during which we
seemed to acknowledge in the only way that was possible the
presence of universal fate； the sunny stillness took no pity； and
my thought； as I was sure Paraday's was doing； performed within the
minute a great distant revolution。 I saw just how emphatic I
should make my rejoinder to Mr。 Pinhorn； and that having come； like
Mr。 Morrow； to betray； I must remain as long as possible to save。
Not because I had brought my mind back； but because our visitors
last words were in my ear； I presently enquired with gloomy
irrelevance if Guy Walsingham were a woman。
〃Oh yes； a mere pseudonym … rather pretty； isn't it？ … and
convenient； you know； for a lady who goes in for the larger
latitude。 'Obsessions； by Miss So…and…so；' would look a little
odd； but men are more naturally indelicate。 Have you peeped into
'Obsessions'？〃 Mr。 Morrow continued sociably to our companion。
Paraday； still absent； remote； made no answer； as if he hadn't
heard the question： a form of intercourse that appeared to suit
the cheerful Mr。 Morrow as well as any other。 Imperturbably bland；
he was a man of resources … he only needed to be on the spot。 He
had pocketed the whole poor place while Paraday and I were wool…
gathering； and I could imagine that he had already got his 〃heads。〃
His system； at any rate； was justified by the inevitability with
which I replied； to save my friend the trouble： 〃Dear no … he
hasn't read it。 He doesn't read such things！〃 I unwarily added。
〃Things that are TOO far over the fence； eh？〃 I was indeed a
godsend to Mr。 Morrow。 It was the psychological moment； it
determined the appearance of his note…book； which； however； he at
first kept slightly behind him； even as the dentist approaching his
victim keeps the horrible forceps。 〃Mr。 Paraday holds with the
good old proprieties … I see！〃 And thinking of the thirty…seven
influential journals； I found myself； as I found poor Paraday；
helplessly assisting at the promulgation of this ineptitude。
〃There's no point on which distinguished views are so acceptable as
on this question … raised perhaps more strikingly than ever by Guy
Walsingham … of the permissibility of the larger latitude。 I've an
appointment； precisely in connexion with it； next week； with Dora
Forbes； author of 'The Other Way Round；' which everybody's talking
about。 Has Mr。 Paraday glanced at 'The Other Way Round'？〃 Mr。
Morrow now frankly appealed to me。 I took on myself to repudiate
