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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I fell in love with her； as many other people have done。 I refer
to the mercenary muse whom I led to the altar of literature。
Don't； my boy； put your nose into THAT yoke。 The awful jade will
lead you a life！〃
Our hero watched him； wondering and deeply touched。 〃Haven't you
been happy！〃
〃Happy？ It's a kind of hell。〃
〃There are things I should like to ask you；〃 Paul said after a
pause。
〃Ask me anything in all the world。 I'd turn myself inside out to
save you。〃
〃To 'save' me？〃 he quavered。
〃To make you stick to it … to make you see it through。 As I said
to you the other night at Summersoft； let my example be vivid to
you。〃
〃Why your books are not so bad as that；〃 said Paul； fairly laughing
and feeling that if ever a fellow had breathed the air of art … ！
〃So bad as what？〃
〃Your talent's so great that it's in everything you do； in what's
less good as well as in what's best。 You've some forty volumes to
show for it … forty volumes of wonderful life； of rare observation；
of magnificent ability。〃
〃I'm very clever； of course I know that〃 … but it was a thing； in
fine； this author made nothing of。 〃Lord； what rot they'd all be
if I hadn't been I'm a successful charlatan；〃 he went on … 〃I've
been able to pass off my system。 But do you know what it is？ It's
cartonpierre。〃
〃Carton…pierre？〃 Paul was struck； and gaped。
〃Lincrusta…Walton！〃
〃Ah don't say such things … you make me bleed！〃 the younger man
protested。 〃I see you in a beautiful fortunate home； living in
comfort and honour。〃
〃Do you call it honour？〃 … his host took him up with an intonation
that often comes back to him。 〃That's what I want YOU to go in
for。 I mean the real thing。 This is brummagem。〃
〃Brummagem？〃 Paul ejaculated while his eyes wandered； by a movement
natural at the moment； over the luxurious room。
〃Ah they make it so well to…day … it's wonderfully deceptive！〃
Our friend thrilled with the interest and perhaps even more with
the pity of it。 Yet he wasn't afraid to seem to patronise when he
could still so far envy。 〃Is it deceptive that I find you living
with every appearance of domestic felicity … blest with a devoted；
accomplished wife； with children whose acquaintance I haven't yet
had the pleasure of making； but who MUST be delightful young
people； from what I know of their parents？〃
St。 George smiled as for the candour of his question。 〃It's all
excellent； my dear fellow … heaven forbid I should deny it。 I've
made a great deal of money； my wife has known how to take care of
it； to use it without wasting it； to put a good bit of it by； to
make it fructify。 I've got a loaf on the shelf； I've got
everything in fact but the great thing。〃
〃The great thing？〃 Paul kept echoing。
〃The sense of having done the best … the sense which is the real
life of the artist and the absence of which is his death； of having
drawn from his intellectual instrument the finest music that nature
had hidden in it； of having played it as it should be played。 He
either does that or he doesn't … and if he doesn't he isn't worth
speaking of。 Therefore； precisely； those who really know DON'T
speak of him。 He may still hear a great chatter； but what he hears
most is the incorruptible silence of Fame。 I've squared her； you
may say； for my little hour … but what's my little hour？ Don't
imagine for a moment；〃 the Master pursued； 〃that I'm such a cad as
to have brought you down here to abuse or to complain of my wife to
you。 She's a woman of distinguished qualities； to whom my
obligations are immense； so that； if you please； we'll say nothing
about her。 My boys … my children are all boys … are straight and
strong； thank God； and have no poverty of growth about them； no
penury of needs。 I receive periodically the most satisfactory
attestation from Harrow； from Oxford； from Sandhurst … oh we've
done the best for them！ … of their eminence as living thriving
consuming organisms。〃
〃It must be delightful to feel that the son of one's loins is at
Sandhurst；〃 Paul remarked enthusiastically。
〃It is … it's charming。 Oh I'm a patriot！〃
The young man then could but have the greater tribute of questions
to pay。 〃Then what did you mean … the other night at Summersoft …
by saying that children are a curse？〃
〃My dear youth； on what basis are we talking？〃 and St。 George
dropped upon the sofa at a short distance from him。 Sitting a
little sideways he leaned back against the opposite arm with his
hands raised and interlocked behind his head。 〃On the supposition
that a certain perfection's possible and even desirable … isn't it
so？ Well； all I say is that one's children interfere with
perfection。 One's wife interferes。 Marriage interferes。〃
〃You think then the artist shouldn't marry？〃
〃He does so at his peril … he does so at his cost。〃
〃Not even when his wife's in sympathy with his work？〃
〃She never is … she can't be！ Women haven't a conception of such
things。〃
〃Surely they on occasion work themselves；〃 Paul objected。
〃Yes； very badly indeed。 Oh of course； often； they think they
understand； they think they sympathise。 Then it is they're most
dangerous。 Their idea is that you shall do a great lot and get a
great lot of money。 Their great nobleness and virtue； their
exemplary conscientiousness as British females； is in keeping you
up to that。 My wife makes all my bargains with my publishers for
me； and has done so for twenty years。 She does it consummately
well … that's why I'm really pretty well off。 Aren't you the
father of their innocent babes； and will you withhold from them
their natural sustenance？ You asked me the other night if they're
not an immense incentive。 Of course they are … there's no doubt of
that！〃
Paul turned it over： it took； from eyes he had never felt open so
wide； so much looking at。 〃For myself I've an idea I need
incentives。〃
〃Ah well then； n'en parlons plus！〃 his companion handsomely smiled。
〃YOU are an incentive； I maintain；〃 the young man went on。 〃You
don't affect me in the way you'd apparently like to。 Your great
success is what I see … the pomp of Ennismore Gardens！〃
〃Success？〃 … St。 George's eyes had a cold fine light。 〃Do you call
it success to be spoken of as you'd speak of me if you were sitting
here with another artist … a young man intelligent and sincere like
yourself？ Do you call it success to make you blush … as you would
blush！ … if some foreign critic （some fellow； of course I mean； who
should know what he was talking about and should have shown you he
did； as foreign critics like to show it） were to say to you： 'He's
the one； in this country； whom they consider the most perfect；
isn't he？' Is it success to be the occasion of a young
Englishman's having to stammer as you would have to stammer at such
a moment for old England？ No； no； success is to h