the lesson of the master-第7部分

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

and　she　expends　herself　on　the　second…rate。　　She's　life　herself　and

she　takes　a　rare　interest　in　imitations。　　She　mixes　all　things　up；

but　there　are　none　in　regard　to　which　she　hasn't　perceptions。　　She

sees　things　in　a　perspective　…　as　if　from　the　top　of　the　Himalayas

…　and　she　enlarges　everything　she　touches。　　Above　all　she

exaggerates　…　to　herself；　I　mean。　　She　exaggerates　you　and　me！〃



There　was　nothing　in　that　description　to　allay　the　agitation　caused

in　our　younger　friend　by　such　a　sketch　of　a　fine　subject。　　It

seemed　to　him　to　show　the　art　of　St。　George's　admired　hand；　and　he

lost　himself　in　gazing　at　the　vision　…　this　hovered　there　before

him　…　of　a　woman's　figure　which　should　be　part　of　the　glory　of　a

novel。　　But　at　the　end　of　a　moment　the　thing　had　turned　into　smoke；

and　out　of　the　smoke　…　　the　last　puff　of　a　big　cigar　…　proceeded

the　voice　of　General　Fancourt；　who　had　left　the　others　and　come　and

planted　himself　before　the　gentlemen　on　the　sofa。　　〃I　suppose　that

when　you　fellows　get　talking　you　sit　up　half　the　night。〃



〃Half　the　night？　…　jamais　de　la　vie！　　I　follow　a　hygiene〃　…　and　St。

George　rose　to　his　feet。



〃I　see　…　you're　hothouse　plants；〃　laughed　the　General。　　〃That's　the

way　you　produce　your　flowers。〃



〃I　produce　mine　between　ten　and　one　every　morning　…　I　bloom　with　a

regularity！〃　St。　George　went　on。



〃And　with　a　splendour！〃　added　the　polite　General；　while　Paul　noted

how　little　the　author　of　〃Shadowmere〃　minded；　as　he　phrased　it　to

himself；　when　addressed　as　a　celebrated　story…teller。　　The　young

man　had　an　idea　HE　should　never　get　used　to　that；　it　would　always

make　him　uncomfortable　…　from　the　suspicion　that　people　would　think

they　had　to　…　and　he　would　want　to　prevent　it。　　Evidently　his　great

colleague　had　toughened　and　hardened　…　had　made　himself　a　surface。

The　group　of　men　had　finished　their　cigars　and　taken　up　their

bedroom　candlesticks；　but　before　they　all　passed　out　Lord

Watermouth　invited　the　pair　of　guests　who　had　been　so　absorbed

together　to　〃have〃　something。　　It　happened　that　they　both　declined；

upon　which　General　Fancourt　said：　　〃Is　that　the　hygiene？　　You　don't

water　the　flowers？〃



〃Oh　I　should　drown　them！〃　St。　George　replied；　but；　leaving　the　room

still　at　his　young　friend's　side；　he　added　whimsically；　for　the

latter's　benefit；　in　a　lower　tone：　　〃My　wife　doesn't　let　me。〃



〃Well　I'm　glad　I'm　not　one　of　you　fellows！〃　the　General　richly

concluded。



The　nearness　of　Summersoft　to　London　had　this　consequence；　chilling

to　a　person　who　had　had　a　vision　of　sociability　in　a　railway…

carriage；　that　most　of　the　company；　after　breakfast；　drove　back　to

town；　entering　their　own　vehicles；　which　had　come　out　to　fetch

them；　while　their　servants　returned　by　train　with　their　luggage。

Three　or　four　young　men；　among　whom　was　Paul　Overt；　also　availed

themselves　of　the　common　convenience；　but　they　stood　in　the　portico

of　the　house　and　saw　the　others　roll　away。　　Miss　Fancourt　got　into

a　victoria　with　her　father　after　she　had　shaken　hands　with　our　hero

and　said；　smiling　in　the　frankest　way　in　the　world；　〃I　MUST　see　you

more。　　Mrs。　St。　George　is　so　nice：　　she　has　promised　to　ask　us　both

to　dinner　together。〃　　This　lady　and　her　husband　took　their　places

in　a　perfectly…appointed　brougham　…　she　required　a　closed　carriage

…　and　as　our　young　man　waved　his　hat　to　them　in　response　to　their

nods　and　flourishes　he　reflected　that；　taken　together；　they　were　an

honourable　image　of　success；　of　the　material　rewards　and　the　social

credit　of　literature。　　Such　things　were　not　the　full　measure；　but

he　nevertheless　felt　a　little　proud　for　literature。







CHAPTER　IV







Before　a　week　had　elapsed　he　met　Miss　Fancourt　in　Bond　Street；　at　a

private　view　of　the　works　of　a　young　artist　in　〃black…and…white〃

who　had　been　so　good　as　to　invite　him　to　the　stuffy　scene。　　The

drawings　were　admirable；　but　the　crowd　in　the　one　little　room　was

so　dense　that　he　felt　himself　up　to　his　neck　in　a　sack　of　wool。　　A

fringe　of　people　at　the　outer　edge　endeavoured　by　curving　forward

their　backs　and　presenting；　below　them；　a　still　more　convex　surface

of　resistance　to　the　pressure　of　the　mass；　to　preserve　an　interval

between　their　noses　and　the　glazed　mounts　of　the　pictures；　while

the　central　body；　in　the　comparative　gloom　projected　by　a　wide

horizontal　screen　hung　under　the　skylight　and　allowing　only　a

margin　for　the　day；　remained　upright　dense　and　vague；　lost　in　the

contemplation　of　its　own　ingredients。　　This　contemplation　sat

especially　in　the　sad　eyes　of　certain　female　heads；　surmounted　with

hats　of　strange　convolution　and　plumage；　which　rose　on　long　necks

above　the　others。　　One　of　the　heads　Paul　perceived；　was　much　the　so

most　beautiful　of　the　collection；　and　his　next　discovery　was　that

it　belonged　to　Miss　Fancourt。　　Its　beauty　was　enhanced　by　the　glad

smile　she　sent　him　across　surrounding　obstructions；　a　smile　that

drew　him　to　her　as　fast　as　he　could　make　his　way。　　He　had　seen　for

himself　at　Summersoft　that　the　last　thing　her　nature　contained　was

an　affectation　of　indifference；　yet　even　with　this　circumspection

he　took　a　fresh　satisfaction　in　her　not　having　pretended　to　await

his　arrival　with　composure。　　She　smiled　as　radiantly　as　if　she

wished　to　make　him　hurry；　and　as　soon　as　he　came　within　earshot　she

broke　out　in　her　voice　of　joy：　　〃He's　here　…　he's　here　…　he's

coming　back　in　a　moment！〃



〃Ah　your　father？〃　Paul　returned　as　she　offered　him　her　hand。



〃Oh　dear　no；　this　isn't　in　my　poor　father's　line。　　I　mean　Mr。　St。

George。　　He　has　just　left　me　to　speak　to　some　one　…　he's　coming

back。　　It's　he　who　brought　me　…　wasn't　it　charming？〃



〃Ah　that　gives　him　a　pull　over　me　…　I　couldn't　have　'brought'　you；

could　I？〃



〃If　you　had　been　so　kind　as　to　propose　it　…　why　not　you　as　well　as

he？〃　the　girl　returned　with　a　face　that；　expressing　no　cheap

coquetry；　simply　affirmed　a　happy　fact。



〃Why　he's　a　pere　de　famille。　　They've　privileges；〃　Paul　explained。

And　then　quickly：　　〃Will　you　go　to　see　places　with　ME？〃　he　asked。



〃Anything　you　like！〃　she　smiled。　　〃I　know　what　you　mean；　that　girls

have　to　have　a　lot　of　people　…　〃　　Then　she　broke　off：　　〃I　don't

know；　I'm　free。　　I've　always　been　like　that　…　I　can　go　about　with

any　one。　　I'm　so　glad　to　meet　you；〃　she　added　with　a　sweet

distinctness　that　made　those　near　her　turn　round。



〃Let　me　at　least　repay　that　speech　by　taking　you　out　of　this

squash；〃　her　friend　said。　　〃Surely　people　aren't　happy　here！〃



〃No；　they're　awfully　mornes；　aren't　they？　　But　I'm　very　happy

indeed　and　I　promised　Mr。　St。　George　to　remain　in　this　spot　till　he

comes　back。　　He's　going　to　take　me　away。　　They　send　him　invitations

for　things　of　this　sort　…　more　than　he　wants。　　It　was　so　kind　of

him　to　think　of　me。〃



〃They　also　send　me　invitations　of　this　kind　…　more　than　I　want。

And　if　thinking　of　YOU　will　do　it　…　！〃　Paul　went　on。



〃Oh　I　delight　in　them　…　everything　that's　life　…　everything　that's

London！〃



〃They　don't　have　private　views　in　Asia；　I　suppose；〃　he　laughed。

〃But　what　a　pity　that　for　this　year；　even　in　this　gorged　city；

they're　pretty　well　over。〃



〃Well；　next　year　will　do；　for　I　hope　you　believe　we're　going　to　be

friends　always。　　Here　he　comes！〃　Miss　Fancourt　continued　before

Paul　had　time　to　respond。



He　made　out　St。　George　in　the　gaps　of　the　crowd；　and　this　perhaps

led　to　his　hurrying　a　little　to　say：　　〃I　hope　that　doesn't　mean　I'm

to　wait　till　next　year　to　see　you。〃



〃No；　no　…　aren't　we　to　meet　at　dinner　on　the　twenty…fifth？〃　she

panted　with　an　eagerness　as　happy　as　his　own。



〃That's　almost　next　year。　　Is　there　no　means　of　seeing　you　before？〃



She　stared　with　all　her　brightness。　　〃Do　you　mean　you'd　COME？〃



〃Like　a　shot；　if　you'll　be　so　good　as　to　ask　me！〃



〃On　Sunday　then　…　this　next　Sunday？〃



〃What　have　I　done　that　you　should　doubt　it？〃　the　young　man　asked

with　delight。



Miss　Fancourt　turned　instantly　to　St。　George；　who　had　now　joined

them；　and　announced　triumphantly：　　〃He's　coming　on　Sunday　…　this

next　Sunday！〃



〃Ah　my　day　…　my　day　too！〃　said　the　famous　novelist；　laughing；　to

their　companion。



〃Yes；　but　not　yours　only。　　You　shall　meet　in　Manchester　Square；　you

shall　talk　…　you　shall　be　wonderful！〃



〃We　don't　meet　often　enough；〃　St。　George　allowed；　shaking　hands

with　his　disciple。　　〃Too　many　things　…　ah　too　many　things！　　But　we

must　make　it　up　in　the　country　in　September。　　You　won't　forget

you've　promised　me　that？〃



〃Why　he's　coming　on　the　twenty…fifth　…　you'll　see　him　then；〃　said

the　girl。



〃On　the　twenty…fifth？〃　St。　George　asked　vaguely。



〃We　dine　with　you；　I　hope　you　haven't　forgotten。　　He's　dining　out

that　day；〃　she　added　gaily　to　Paul。



〃Oh　bless　me；　yes　…　that's　charming！　　And　you're　coming？　　My　wife

didn't　tell　me；〃　St。　George　said　to　him。　　〃Too　many　things　…　too

many　things！〃　he　repeated。



〃Too　many　people　…　too　many　people！〃　Paul　exclaimed；　giving　ground

before　the　penetration　of　an　elbow。



〃You　oughtn't　to　say　that。　　They　all　read　you。〃



〃Me？　　I　should　like　to　see　them！　　Only　two　or　three　at　most；〃　the

young　man　returned。



〃Did　you　ever　hear　anything　like　that？　　He　knows；　haughtily；　how

good　he　is！〃　St。　George　declared；　laughing　to　Miss　Fancourt。　　〃They

read　ME；　but　that　doesn't　make　me　like　them　any　better。　　Come　away

from　them；　come　away！〃　　And　he　led　the　way　out　of　the　exhibition。



〃He's　going　to　take　me　to　the　Park；〃　Miss　Fancourt　observed　to

Overt　with　elation　as　they　passed　along　the　corridor　that　led　to

the　street。



〃Ah　does　he　go　there？〃　Paul　asked；　taking　the　fact　for　a　somewhat

unexpected　illustration　of　St。　George's　moeurs。



〃It's　a　beautiful　day　…　there'll　be　a　great　crowd。　　We're　going　to

look　at　the　people；　to　look　at　types；〃　the　girl　went　on。　　〃We　shall

s