some short stories-第12部分

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〃I　daresay　I'm　ridiculous；〃　Mrs。　Blessingbourne　conceded　without
heeding　it；　〃but　that's　the　way　we　express　ourselves　in　my　part　of
the　country。〃

〃I　only　alluded；〃　said　Voyt；　〃to　the　tremendous　conscience　of　your
sex。　　It's　more　than　mine　can　keep　up　with。　　You　take　everything
too　hard。　　But　if　you　can't　read　the　novel　of　British　and　American
manufacture；　heaven　knows　I'm　at　one　with　you。　　It　seems　really　to
show　our　sense　of　life　as　the　sense　of　puppies　and　kittens。〃

〃Well；〃　　Maud　more　patiently　returned；　〃I'm　told　all　sorts　of
people　are　now　doing　wonderful　things；　but　somehow　I　remain
outside。〃

〃Ah　it's　THEY；　it's　our　poor　twangers　and　twaddlers　who　remain
outside。　　They　pick　up　a　living　in　the　street。　　And　who　indeed
would　want　them　in？〃

Mrs。　Blessingbourne　seemed　unable　to　say；　and　yet　at　the　same　time
to　have　her　idea。　　The　subject；　in　truth；　she　evidently　found；　was
not　so　easy　to　handle。　　〃People　lend　me　things；　and　I　try；　but　at
the　end　of　fifty　pages〃

〃There　you　are！　　Yesheaven　help　us！〃

〃But　what　I　mean；〃　she　went　on；　〃isn't　that　I　don't　get　woefully
weary　of　the　eternal　French　thing。　　What's　THEIR　sense　of　life？〃

〃Ah　voila！〃　Mrs。　Dyott　softly　sounded。

〃Oh　but　it　IS　one；　you　can　make　it　out；〃　Voyt　promptly　declared。
〃They　do　what　they　feel；　and　they　feel　more　things　than　we。　　They
strike　so　many　more　notes；　and　with　so　different　a　hand。　　When　it
comes　to　any　account　of　a　relation　say　between　a　man　and　a　womanI
mean　an　intimate　or　a　curious　or　a　suggestive　onewhere　are　we
compared　to　them？　　They　don't　exhaust　the　subject；　no　doubt；〃　he
admitted；　〃but　we　don't　touch　it；　don't　even　skim　it。　　It's　as　if
we　denied　its　existence；　its　possibility。　　You'll　doubtless　tell
me；　however；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　as　all　such　relations　ARE　for　us　at
the　most　much　simpler　we　can　only　have　all　round　less　to　say　about
them。〃

She　met　this　imputation　with　the　quickest　amusement。　　〃I　beg　your
pardon。　　I　don't　think　I　shall　tell　you　anything　of　the　sort。　　I
don't　know　that　I　even　agree　with　your　premiss。〃

〃About　such　relations？〃　　He　looked　agreeably　surprised。　　〃You　think
we　make　them　larger？or　subtler？〃

Mrs。　Blessingbourne　leaned　back；　not　looking；　like　Mrs。　Dyott；　at
the　fire；　but　at　the　ceiling。　　〃I　don't　know　what　I　think。〃

〃It's　not　that　she　doesn't　know；〃　Mrs。　Dyott　remarked。　　〃It's　only
that　she　doesn't　say。〃

But　Voyt　had　this　time　no　eye　for　their　hostess。　　For　a　moment　he
watched　Maud。　　〃It　sticks　out　of　you；　you　know；　that　you've
yourself　written　something。　　Haven't　youand　published？　　I've　a
notion　I　could　read　YOU。〃

〃When　I　do　publish；〃　she　said　without　moving；　〃you'll　be　the　last
one　I　shall　tell。　　I　HAVE；〃　she　went　on；　〃a　lovely　subject；　but　it
would　take　an　amount　of　treatment！〃

〃Tell　us　then　at　least　what　it　is。〃

At　this　she　again　met　his　eyes。　　〃Oh　to　tell　it　would　be　to　express
it；　and　that's　just　what　I　can't　do。　　What　I　meant　to　say　just
now；〃　she　added；　〃was　that　the　French；　to　my　sense；　give　us　only
again　and　again；　for　ever　and　ever；　the　same　couple。　　There　they
are　once　more；　as　one　has　had　them　to　satiety；　in　that　yellow
thing；　and　there　I　shall　certainly　again　find　them　in　the　blue。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　keep　reading　about　them？〃　Mrs。　Dyott　demanded。

Maud　cast　about。　　〃I　don't！〃　she　sighed。　　〃At　all　events；　I　shan't
any　more。　　I　give　it　up。〃

〃You've　been　looking　for　something；　I　judge；〃　said　Colonel　Voyt；
〃that　you're　not　likely　to　find。　　It　doesn't　exist。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　Mrs。　Dyott　desired　to　know。

〃I　never　look；〃　Maud　remarked；　〃for　anything　but　an　interest。〃

〃Naturally。　　But　your　interest；〃　Voyt　replied；　〃is　in　something
different　from　life。〃

〃Ah　not　a　bit！　　I　LOVE　life　in　art；　though　I　hate　it　anywhere　else。
It's　the　poverty　of　the　life　those　people　show；　and　the　awful
bounders；　of　both　sexes；　that　they　represent。〃

〃Oh　now　we　have　you！〃　her　interlocutor　laughed。　　〃To　me；　when　all's
said　and　done；　they　seem　to　beas　near　as　art　can　comein　the
truth　of　the　truth。　　It　can　only　take　what　life　gives　it；　though　it
certainly　may　be　a　pity　that　that　isn't　better。　　Your　complaint　of
their　monotony　is　a　complaint　of　their　conditions。　　When　you　say　we
get　always　the　same　couple　what　do　you　mean　but　that　we　get　always
the　same　passion？　　Of　course　we　do！〃　Voyt　pursued。　　〃If　what　you're
looking　for　is　another；　that's　what　you　won't　anywhere　find。〃

Maud　for　a　while　said　nothing；　and　Mrs。　Dyott　seemed　to　wait。
〃Well；　I　suppose　I'm　looking；　more　than　anything　else；　for　a　decent
woman。〃

〃Oh　then　you　mustn't　look　for　her　in　pictures　of　passion。　　That's
not　her　element　nor　her　whereabouts。〃

Mrs。　Blessingbourne　weighed　the　objection。　　〃Does　it　not　depend　on
what　you　mean　by　passion？〃

〃I　think　I　can　mean　only　one　thing：　　the　enemy　to　behaviour。〃

〃Oh　I　can　imagine　passions　that　are　on　the　contrary　friends　to　it。〃

Her　fellow…guest　thought。　　〃Doesn't　it　depend　perhaps　on　what　you
mean　by　behaviour？〃

〃Dear　no。　　Behaviour's　just　behaviourthe　most　definite　thing　in
the　world。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　mean　by　the　'interest'　you　just　now　spoke　of？
The　picture　of　that　definite　thing？〃

〃Yescall　it　that。　　Women　aren't　ALWAYS　vicious；　even　when
they're〃

〃When　they're　what？〃　Voyt　pressed。

〃When　they're　unhappy。　　They　can　be　unhappy　and　good。〃

〃That　one　doesn't　for　a　moment　deny。　　But　can　they　be　'good'　and
interesting？〃

〃That　must　be　Maud's　subject！〃　Mrs。　Dyott　interposed。　　〃To　show　a
woman　who　IS。　　I'm　afraid；　my　dear；〃　she　continued；　〃you　could　only
show　yourself。〃

〃You'd　show　then　the　most　beautiful　specimen　conceivable〃and　Voyt
addressed　himself　to　Maud。　　〃But　doesn't　it　prove　that　life　is；
against　your　contention；　more　interesting　than　art？　　Life　you
embellish　and　elevate；　but　art　would　find　itself　able　to　do　nothing
with　you；　and；　on　such　impossible　terms；　would　ruin　you。〃

The　colour　in　her　faint　consciousness　gave　beauty　to　her　stare。
〃'Ruin'　me？〃

〃He　means；〃　Mrs。　Dyott　again　indicated；　〃that　you'd　ruin　'art。'〃

〃Without　on　the　other　hand〃Voyt　seemed　to　assent〃its　giving　at
all　a　coherent　impression　of　you。〃

〃She　wants　her　romance　cheap！〃　said　Mrs。　Dyott。

〃Oh　noI　should　be　willing　to　pay　for　it。　　I　don't　see　why　the
romancesince　you　give　it　that　nameshould　be　all；　as　the　French
inveterately　make　it；　for　the　women　who　are　bad。〃

〃Oh　they　pay　for　it！〃　said　Mrs。　Dyott。

〃DO　they？〃

〃So　at　least〃Mrs。　Dyott　a　little　corrected　herself〃one　has
gathered　（for　I　don't　read　your　books；　you　know！）　that　they're
usually　shown　as　doing。〃

Maud　wondered；　but　looking　at　Voyt；　〃They're　shown　often；　no　doubt；
as　paying　for　their　badness。　　But　are　they　shown　as　paying　for
their　romance？〃

〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　Voyt；　〃their　romance　is　their　badness。　　There
isn't　any　other。　　It's　a　hard　law；　if　you　will；　and　a　strange；　but
goodness　has　to　go　without　that　luxury。　　Isn't　to　BE　good　just
exactly；　all　round；　to　go　without？〃　　He　put　it　before　her　kindly
and　clearlyregretfully　too；　as　if　he　were　sorry　the　truth　should
be　so　sad。　　He　and　she；　his　pleasant　eyes　seemed　to　say；　would；　had
they　had　the　making　of　it；　have　made　it　better。　　〃One　has　heard　it
beforeat　least　I　have；　one　has　heard　your　question　put。　　But
always；　when　put　to　a　mind　not　merely　muddled；　for　an　inevitable
answer。　　'Why　don't　you；　cher　monsieur；　give　us　the　drama　of
virtue？'　　'Because；　chere　madame；　the　high　privilege　of　virtue　is
precisely　to　avoid　drama。'　　The　adventures　of　the　honest　lady？　　The
honest　lady　hasn't；　can't　possibly　have；　adventures。〃

Mrs。　Blessingbourne　only　met　his　eyes　at　first；　smiling　with　some
intensity。　　〃Doesn't　it　depend　a　little　on　what　you　call
adventures？〃

〃My　poor　Maud；〃　said　Mrs。　Dyott　as　if　in　compassion　for　sophistry
so　simple；　〃adventures　are　just　adventures。　　That's　all　you　can
make　of　them！〃

But　her　friend　talked　for　their　companion　and　as　if　without
hearing。　　〃Doesn't　it　depend　a　good　deal　on　what　you　call　drama？〃
Maud　spoke　as　one　who　had　already　thought　it　out。　　〃Doesn't　it
depend　on　what　you　call　romance？〃

Her　listener　gave　these　arguments　his　very　best　attention。　　〃Of
course　you　may　call　things　anything　you　likespeak　of　them　as　one
thing　and　mean　quite　another。　　But　why　should　it　depend　on
anything？　　Behind　these　words　we　usethe　adventure；　the　novel；　the
drama；　the　romance；　the　situation；　in　short；　as　we　most
comprehensively　saybehind　them　all　stands　the　same　sharp　fact
which　they　all　in　their　different　ways　represent。〃

〃Precisely！〃　Mrs。　Dyott　was　full　of　approval。

Maud　however　was　full　of　vagueness。　　〃What　great　fact？〃

〃The　fact　of　a　relation。　　The　adventure's　a　relation；　the
relation's　an　adventure。　　The　romance；　the　novel；　the　drama　are　the
picture　of　one。　　The　subject　the　novelist　treats　is　the　rise；　the
formation；　the　development；　the　climax　and　for　the　most　part　the
decline　of　one。　　And　what　is　the　honest　lady　doing　on　that　side　of
the　town？〃

Mrs。　Dyott　was　more　pointed。　　〃She　doesn't　so　much　as　FORM　a
relation。〃

But　Maud　bore　up。　　〃Doesn't　it　depend　again　on　what　you　call　a
relation？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Mrs。　Dyott；　〃if　a　gentleman　picks　up　her　pocket…
handkerchief〃

〃Ah　even　that's　one；〃　their　friend　laughed；　〃if　she　has　thrown　it
to　him。　　We　can　only　deal　with　one　that　is　one。〃

〃Surely；〃　Maud　replied。　　〃But　if　it's　an　innocent　one〃

〃Doesn't　it　depend　a　good　deal；〃　Mrs。　Dyott　asked；　〃on　what　you
call　innocent？〃

〃You　mean　that　the　adventures　of　innocence　have　so　often　been　the
material　of　fiction？　　Yes；〃　Voyt　replied；　〃that's　exactly　what　the
bored　reader　complains　of。　　He　has　asked　for　bread　and　been　given　a
stone。　　What　is　it　but；　with　absolute　directness；　a　question　of
interest　or；　as　people　say；　of　the　story？　　What's　a　situation
undeveloped　but　a　subject　lost？　　If　a　relation　stops；　where's　the
story？　　If　it　doesn't　stop；　where's　the　innocence？　　It　seems　to　me
you　must　choose。　　It　would　be　very　pretty　if　it　were　otherwise；　but
that's　how　we　flounder。　　Art　is　our　flounderings　shown。〃

Mrs。　Blessingbourneand　with　an　air　of　deference　scarce　supported
perhaps　by　its　sketchinesskept　her　deep　eyes　on　this　definition。
〃But　sometimes　we　flounder　out。〃

It　immediately　touched　in　Colonel　Voyt　the　spri