the lesson of the master-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



whole　thing；　keeping　it　up。　　But　I　see　you'll　be　able　to。　　It　will

be　a　great　disgrace　if　you　don't。〃



〃It's　very　interesting　to　hear　you　speak　of　yourself；　but　I　don't

know　what　you　mean　by　your　allusions　to　your　having　fallen　off；〃

Paul　Overt　observed　with　pardonable　hypocrisy。　　He　liked　his

companion　so　much　now　that　the　fact　of　any　decline　of　talent　or　of

care　had　ceased　for　the　moment　to　be　vivid　to　him。



〃Don't　say　that　…　don't　say　that；〃　St。　George　returned　gravely；　his

head　resting　on　the　top　of　the　sofa…back　and　his　eyes　on　the

ceiling。　　〃You　know　perfectly　what　I　mean。　　I　haven't　read　twenty

pages　of　your　book　without　seeing　that　you　can't　help　it。〃



〃You　make　me　very　miserable；〃　Paul　ecstatically　breathed。



〃I'm　glad　of　that；　for　it　may　serve　as　a　kind　of　warning。　　Shocking

enough　it　must　be；　especially　to　a　young　fresh　mind；　full　of　faith

…　the　spectacle　of　a　man　meant　for　better　things　sunk　at　my　age　in

such　dishonour。〃　　St。　George；　in　the　same　contemplative　attitude；

spoke　softly　but　deliberately；　and　without　perceptible　emotion。

His　tone　indeed　suggested　an　impersonal　lucidity　that　was

practically　cruel　…　cruel　to　himself　…　and　made　his　young　friend

lay　an　argumentative　hand　on　his　arm。　　But　he　went　on　while　his

eyes　seemed　to　follow　the　graces　of　the　eighteenth…century　ceiling：

〃Look　at　me　well；　take　my　lesson　to　heart　…　for　it　IS　a　lesson。

Let　that　good　come　of　it　at　least　that　you　shudder　with　your

pitiful　impression；　and　that　this　may　help　to　keep　you　straight　in

the　future。　　Don't　become　in　your　old　age　what　I　have　in　mine　…　the

depressing；　the　deplorable　illustration　of　the　worship　of　false

gods！〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　your　old　age？〃　the　young　man　asked。



〃It　has　made　me　old。　　But　I　like　your　youth。〃



Paul　answered　nothing　…　they　sat　for　a　minute　in　silence。　　They

heard　the　others　going　on　about　the　governmental　majority。　　Then

〃What　do　you　mean　by　false　gods？〃　he　enquired。



His　companion　had　no　difficulty　whatever　in　saying；　〃The　idols　of

the　market；　money　and　luxury　and　'the　world；'　placing　one's

children　and　dressing　one's　wife；　everything　that　drives　one　to　the

short　and　easy　way。　　Ah　the　vile　things　they　make　one　do！〃



〃But　surely　one's　right　to　want　to　place　one's　children。〃



〃One　has　no　business　to　have　any　children；〃　St。　George　placidly

declared。　　〃I　mean　of　course　if　one　wants　to　do　anything　good。〃



〃But　aren't　they　an　inspiration　…　an　incentive？〃



〃An　incentive　to　damnation；　artistically　speaking。〃



〃You　touch　on　very　deep　things　…　things　I　should　like　to　discuss

with　you；〃　Paul　said。　　〃I　should　like　you　to　tell　me　volumes　about

yourself。　　This　is　a　great　feast　for　ME！〃



〃Of　course　it　is；　cruel　youth。　　But　to　show　you　I'm　still　not

incapable；　degraded　as　I　am；　of　an　act　of　faith；　I'll　tie　my　vanity

to　the　stake　for　you　and　burn　it　to　ashes。　　You　must　come　and　see

me　…　you　must　come　and　see　us；〃　the　Master　quickly　substituted。

〃Mrs。　St。　George　is　charming；　I　don't　know　whether　you've　had　any

opportunity　to　talk　with　her。　　She'll　be　delighted　to　see　you；　she

likes　great　celebrities；　whether　incipient　or　predominant。　　You

must　come　and　dine　…　my　wife　will　write　to　you。　　Where　are　you　to

be　found？〃



〃This　is　my　little　address〃　…　and　Overt　drew　out　his　pocketbook　and

extracted　a　visiting…card。　　On　second　thoughts；　however；　he　kept　it

back；　remarking　that　he　wouldn't　trouble　his　friend　to　take　charge

of　it　but　would　come　and　see　him　straightway　in　London　and　leave　it

at　his　door　if　he　should　fail　to　obtain　entrance。



〃Ah　you'll　probably　fail；　my　wife's　always　out　…　or　when　she　isn't

out　is　knocked　up　from　having　been　out。　　You　must　come　and　dine　…

though　that　won't　do　much　good　either；　for　my　wife　insists　on　big

dinners。〃　　St。　George　turned　it　over　further；　but　then　went　on：

〃You　must　come　down　and　see　us　in　the　country；　that's　the　best　way；

we've　plenty　of　room；　and　it　isn't　bad。〃



〃You've　a　house　in　the　country？〃　Paul　asked　enviously。



〃Ah　not　like　this！　　But　we　have　a　sort　of　place　we　go　to　…　an　hour

from　Euston。　　That's　one　of　the　reasons。〃



〃One　of　the　reasons？〃



〃Why　my　books　are　so　bad。〃



〃You　must　tell　me　all　the　others！〃　Paul　longingly　laughed。



His　friend　made　no　direct　rejoinder　to　this；　but　spoke　again

abruptly。　　〃Why　have　I　never　seen　you　before？〃



The　tone　of　the　question　was　singularly　flattering　to　our　hero；　who

felt　it　to　imply　the　great　man's　now　perceiving　he　had　for　years

missed　something。　　〃Partly；　I　suppose；　because　there　has　been　no

particular　reason　why　you　should　see　me。　　I　haven't　lived　in　the

world　…　in　your　world。　　I've　spent　many　years　out　of　England；　in

different　places　abroad。〃



〃Well；　please　don't　do　it　any　more。　　You　must　do　England　…　there's

such　a　lot　of　it。〃



〃Do　you　mean　I　must　write　about　it？〃　and　Paul　struck　the　note　of

the　listening　candour　of　a　child。



〃Of　course　you　must。　　And　tremendously　well；　do　you　mind？　　That

takes　off　a　little　of　my　esteem　for　this　thing　of　yours　…　that　it

goes　on　abroad。　　Hang　'abroad！'　　Stay　at　home　and　do　things　here　…

do　subjects　we　can　measure。〃



〃I'll　do　whatever　you　tell　me；〃　Overt　said；　deeply　attentive。　　〃But

pardon　me　if　I　say　I　don't　understand　how　you've　been　reading　my

book；〃　he　added。　　〃I've　had　you　before　me　all　the　afternoon；　first

in　that　long　walk；　then　at　tea　on　the　lawn；　till　we　went　to　dress

for　dinner；　and　all　the　evening　at　dinner　and　in　this　place。〃



St。　George　turned　his　face　about　with　a　smile。　　〃I　gave　it　but　a

quarter　of　an　hour。〃



〃A　quarter　of　an　hour's　immense；　but　I　don't　understand　where　you

put　it　in。　　In　the　drawing…room　after　dinner　you　weren't　reading　…

you　were　talking　to　Miss　Fancourt。〃



〃It　comes　to　the　same　thing；　because　we　talked　about　'Ginistrella。'

She　described　it　to　me　…　she　lent　me　her　copy。〃



〃Lent　it　to　you？〃



〃She　travels　with　it。〃



〃It's　incredible；〃　Paul　blushed。



〃It's　glorious　for　you；　but　it　also　turned　out　very　well　for　me。

When　the　ladies　went　off　to　bed　she　kindly　offered　to　send　the　book

down　to　me。　　Her　maid　brought　it　to　me　in　the　hall　and　I　went　to　my

room　with　it。　　I　hadn't　thought　of　coming　here；　I　do　that　so

little。　　But　I　don't　sleep　early；　I　always　have　to　read　an　hour　or

two。　　I　sat　down　to　your　novel　on　the　spot；　without　undressing；

without　taking　off　anything　but　my　coat。　　I　think　that's　a　sign　my

curiosity　had　been　strongly　roused　about　it。　　I　read　a　quarter　of

an　hour；　as　I　tell　you；　and　even　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　I　was

greatly　struck。〃



〃Ah　the　beginning　isn't　very　good　…　it's　the　whole　thing！〃　said

Overt；　who　had　listened　to　this　recital　with　extreme　interest。

〃And　you　laid　down　the　book　and　came　after　me？〃　he　asked。



〃That's　the　way　it　moved　me。　　I　said　to　myself　'I　see　it's　off　his

own　bat；　and　he's　there；　by　the　way；　and　the　day's　over　and　I

haven't　said　twenty　words　to　him。'　　It　occurred　to　me　that　you'd

probably　be　in　the　smoking…room　and　that　it　wouldn't　be　too　late　to

repair　my　omission。　　I　wanted　to　do　something　civil　to　you；　so　I

put　on　my　coat　and　came　down。　　I　shall　read　your　book　again　when　I

go　up。〃



Our　friend　faced　round　in　his　place　…　he　was　touched　as　he　had

scarce　ever　been　by　the　picture　of　such　a　demonstration　in　his

favour。　　〃You're　really　the　kindest　of　men。　　Cela　s'est　passe　comme

ca？　…　and　I've　been　sitting　here　with　you　all　this　time　and　never

apprehended　it　and　never　thanked　you！〃



〃Thank　Miss　Fancourt　…　it　was　she　who　wound　me　up。　　She　has　made　me

feel　as　if　I　had　read　your　novel。〃



〃She's　an　angel　from　heaven！〃　Paul　declared。



〃She　is　indeed。　　I've　never　seen　any　one　like　her。　　Her　interest　in

literature's　touching　…　something　quite　peculiar　to　herself；　she

takes　it　all　so　seriously。　　She　feels　the　arts　and　she　wants　to

feel　them　more。　　To　those　who　practise　them　it's　almost　humiliating

…　her　curiosity；　her　sympathy；　her　good　faith。　　How　can　anything　be

as　fine　as　she　supposes　it？〃



〃She's　a　rare　organisation；〃　the　younger　man　sighed。



〃The　richest　I've　ever　seen　…　an　artistic　intelligence　really　of

the　first　order。　　And　lodged　in　such　a　form！〃　St。　George　exclaimed。



〃One　would　like　to　represent　such　a　girl　as　that；〃　Paul　continued。



〃Ah　there　it　is　…　there's　nothing　like　life！〃　said　his　companion。

〃When　you're　finished；　squeezed　dry　and　used　up　and　you　think　the

sack's　empty；　you're　still　appealed　to；　you　still　get　touches　and

thrills；　the　idea　springs　up　…　out　of　the　lap　of　the　actual　…　and

shows　you　there's　always　something　to　be　done。　　But　I　shan't　do　it

…　she's　not　for　me！〃



〃How　do　you　mean；　not　for　you？〃



〃Oh　it's　all　over　…　she's　for　you；　if　you　like。〃



〃Ah　much　less！〃　said　Paul。　　〃She's　not　for　a　dingy　little　man　of

letters；　she's　for　the　world；　the　bright　rich　world　of　bribes　and

rewards。　　And　the　world　will　take　hold　of　her　…　it　will　carry　her

away。〃



〃It　will　try　…　but　it's　just　a　case　in　which　there　may　be　a　fight。

It　would　be　worth　fighting；　for　a　man　who　had　it　in　him；　with　youth

and　talent　on　his　side。〃



These　words　rang　not　a　little　in　Paul　Overt's　consciousness　…　they

held　him　briefly　silent。　　〃It's　a　wonder　she　has　remained　as　she

is；　giving　herself　away　so　…　with　so　much　to　give　away。〃



〃Remaining；　you　mean；　so　ingenuous　…　so　natural？　　Oh　she　doesn't

care　a　straw　…　she　gives　away　because　she　overflows。　　She　has　her

own　feelings；　her　own　standards；　she　doesn't　keep　remembering　that

she　must　be　proud。　　And　then　she　hasn't　been　here　long　enough　to　be

spoiled；　she　has　picked　up　a　fashion　or　two；　but　only　the　amusing

ones。　　She's　a　provincial　…　a　provincial　of　genius；〃　St。　George

went　on；　〃her　very　blunders　are　charming；　her　mistakes　are

interesting。　　She　has　come　back　from　Asia　with　all　sorts　of　excited

curiosities　and　unappeased　appetities。　　She's　first…rate　herself

and　she　expends　herself　on　the