death of the lion-第6章

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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　books？〃

〃They've　been　everything　to　me　and　a　little　more　beside　…　I　know　
them　by　heart。　　They've　completely　taken　hold　of　me。　　There's　no　
author　about　whom　I'm　in　such　a　state　as　I'm　in　about　Neil　
Paraday。〃

〃Permit　me　to　remark　then；〃　I　presently　returned；　〃that　you're　one　
of　the　right　sort。〃

〃One　of　the　enthusiasts？　　Of　course　I　am！〃

〃Oh　there　are　enthusiasts　who　are　quite　of　the　wrong。　　I　mean　
you're　one　of　those　to　whom　an　appeal　can　be　made。〃

〃An　appeal？〃　　Her　face　lighted　as　if　with　the　chance　of　some　great　
sacrifice。

If　she　was　ready　for　one　it　was　only　waiting　for　her；　and　in　a　
moment　I　mentioned　it。　　〃Give　up　this　crude　purpose　of　seeing　him！　　
Go　away　without　it。　　That　will　be　far　better。〃

She　looked　mystified；　then　turned　visibly　pale。　　〃Why；　hasn't　he　
any　personal　charm？〃　　The　girl　was　terrible　and　laughable　in　her　
bright　directness。

〃Ah　that　dreadful　word　'personally'！〃　I　wailed；　〃we're　dying　of　it；　
for　you　women　bring　it　out　with　murderous　effect。　　When　you　meet　
with　a　genius　as　fine　as　this　idol　of　ours　let　him　off　the　dreary　
duty　of　being　a　personality　as　well。　　Know　him　only　by　what's　best　
in　him　and　spare　him　for　the　same　sweet　sake。〃

My　young　lady　continued　to　look　at　me　in　confusion　and　mistrust；　
and　the　result　of　her　reflexion　on　what　I　had　just　said　was　to　make　
her　suddenly　break　out：　　〃Look　here；　sir　…　what's　the　matter　with　
him？〃

〃The　matter　with　him　is　that　if　he　doesn't　look　out　people　will　eat　
a　great　hole　in　his　life。〃

She　turned　it　over。　　〃He　hasn't　any　disfigurement？〃

〃Nothing　to　speak　of！〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　social　engagements　interfere　with　his　
occupations？〃

〃That　but　feebly　expresses　it。〃

〃So　that　he　can't　give　himself　up　to　his　beautiful　imagination？〃

〃He's　beset；　badgered；　bothered　…　he's　pulled　to　pieces　on　the　
pretext　of　being　applauded。　　People　expect　him　to　give　them　his　
time；　his　golden　time；　who　wouldn't　themselves　give　five　shillings　
for　one　of　his　books。〃

〃Five？　　I'd　give　five　thousand！〃

〃Give　your　sympathy　…　give　your　forbearance。　　Two…thirds　of　those　
who　approach　him　only　do　it　to　advertise　themselves。〃

〃Why　it's　too　bad！〃　the　girl　exclaimed　with　the　face　of　an　angel。　　
〃It's　the　first　time　I　was　ever　called　crude！〃　she　laughed。

I　followed　up　my　advantage。　　〃There's　a　lady　with　him　now　who's　a　
terrible　complication；　and　who　yet　hasn't　read；　I'm　sure；　ten　pages　
he　ever　wrote。〃

My　visitor's　wide　eyes　grew　tenderer。　　〃Then　how　does　she　talk　…　？〃

〃Without　ceasing。　　I　only　mention　her　as　a　single　case。　　Do　you　
want　to　know　how　to　show　a　superlative　consideration？　　Simply　avoid　
him。〃

〃Avoid　him？〃　she　despairingly　breathed。

〃Don't　force　him　to　have　to　take　account　of　you；　admire　him　in　
silence；　cultivate　him　at　a　distance　and　secretly　appropriate　his　
message。　　Do　you　want　to　know；〃　I　continued；　warming　to　my　idea；　
〃how　to　perform　an　act　of　homage　really　sublime？〃　　Then　as　she　hung　
on　my　words：　　〃Succeed　in　never　seeing　him　at　all！〃

〃Never　at　all？〃　…　she　suppressed　a　shriek　for　it。

〃The　more　you　get　into　his　writings　the　less　you'll　want　to；　and　
you'll　be　immensely　sustained　by　the　thought　of　the　good　you're　
doing　him。〃

She　looked　at　me　without　resentment　or　spite；　and　at　the　truth　I　
had　put　before　her　with　candour；　credulity；　pity。　　I　was　afterwards　
happy　to　remember　that　she　must　have　gathered　from　my　face　the　
liveliness　of　my　interest　in　herself。　　〃I　think　I　see　what　you　
mean。〃

〃Oh　I　express　it　badly；　but　I　should　be　delighted　if　you'd　let　me　
come　to　see　you　…　to　explain　it　better。〃

She　made　no　response　to　this；　and　her　thoughtful　eyes　fell　on　the　
big　album；　on　which　she　presently　laid　her　hands　as　if　to　take　it　
away。　　〃I　did　use　to　say　out　West　that　they　might　write　a　little　
less　for　autographs　…　to　all　the　great　poets；　you　know　…　and　study　
the　thoughts　and　style　a　little　more。〃

〃What　do　they　care　for　the　thoughts　and　style？　　They　didn't　even　
understand　you。　　I'm　not　sure；〃　I　added；　〃that　I　do