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〃My dear fellow；〃 Mr。 Moreen demanded； 〃what use can you have；
leading the quiet life we all do； for such a lot of money？〃 … a
question to which Pemberton made no answer； occupied as he was in
noting that what passed in the mind of his patrons was something
like： 〃Oh then； if we've felt that the child； dear little angel；
has judged us and how he regards us； and we haven't been betrayed；
he must have guessed … and in short it's GENERAL！〃 an inference
that rather stirred up Mr。 and Mrs。 Moreen； as Pemberton had
desired it should。 At the same time； if he had supposed his threat
would do something towards bringing them round； he was disappointed
to find them taking for granted … how vulgar their perception HAD
been！ … that he had already given them away。 There was a mystic
uneasiness in their parental breasts； and that had been the
inferior sense of it。 None the less however； his threat did touch
them； for if they had escaped it was only to meet a new danger。
Mr。 Moreen appealed to him； on every precedent； as a man of the
world； but his wife had recourse； for the first time since his
domestication with them； to a fine hauteur； reminding him that a
devoted mother； with her child； had arts that protected her against
gross misrepresentation。
〃I should misrepresent you grossly if I accused you of common
honesty！〃 our friend replied； but as he closed the door behind him
sharply； thinking he had not done himself much good； while Mr。
Moreen lighted another cigarette； he heard his hostess shout after
him more touchingly
〃Oh you do； you DO； put the knife to one's throat！〃
The next morning； very early； she came to his room。 He recognised
her knock； but had no hope she brought him money； as to which he
was wrong； for she had fifty francs in her hand。 She squeezed
forward in her dressing…gown； and he received her in his own；
between his bath…tub and his bed。 He had been tolerably schooled
by this time to the 〃foreign ways〃 of his hosts。 Mrs。 Moreen was
ardent； and when she was ardent she didn't care what she did； so
she now sat down on his bed； his clothes being on the chairs； and；
in her preoccupation； forgot； as she glanced round； to be ashamed
of giving him such a horrid room。 What Mrs。 Moreen's ardour now
bore upon was the design of persuading him that in the first place
she was very good…natured to bring him fifty francs； and that in
the second； if he would only see it； he was really too absurd to
expect to be paid。 Wasn't he paid enough without perpetual money …
wasn't he paid by the comfortable luxurious home he enjoyed with
them all； without a care； an anxiety； a solitary want？ Wasn't he
sure of his position； and wasn't that everything to a young man
like him； quite unknown； with singularly little to show； the ground
of whose exorbitant pretensions it had never been easy to discover？
Wasn't he paid above all by the sweet relation he had established
with Morgan … quite ideal as from master to pupil … and by the
simple privilege of knowing and living with so amazingly gifted a
child； than whom really （and she meant literally what she said）
there was no better company in Europe？ Mrs。 Moreen herself took to
appealing to him as a man of the world； she said 〃Voyons； mon
cher；〃 and 〃My dear man； look here now〃； and urged him to be
reasonable； putting it before him that it was truly a chance for
him。 She spoke as if； according as he SHOULD be reasonable； he
would prove himself worthy to be her son's tutor and of the
extraordinary confidence they had placed in him。
After all； Pemberton reflected； it was only a difference of theory
and the theory didn't matter much。 They had hitherto gone on that
of remunerated； as now they would go on that of gratuitous；
service； but why should they have so many words about it？ Mrs。
Moreen at all events continued to be convincing； sitting there with
her fifty francs she talked and reiterated； as women reiterate； and
bored and irritated him； while he leaned against the wall with his
hands in the pockets of his wrapper； drawing it together round his
legs and looking over the head of his visitor at the grey negations
of his window。 She wound up with saying： 〃You see I bring you a
definite proposal。〃
〃A definite proposal？〃
〃To make our relations regular； as it were … to put them on a
comfortable footing。〃
〃I see … it's a system；〃 said Pemberton。 〃A kind of organised
blackmail。〃
Mrs。 Moreen bounded up； which was exactly what he wanted。 〃What do
you mean by that？〃
〃You practise on one's fears … one's fears about the child if one
should go away。〃
〃And pray what would happen to him in that event？〃 she demanded；
with majesty。
〃Why he'd be alone with YOU。〃
〃And pray with whom SHOULD a child be but with those whom he loves
most？〃
〃If you think that； why don't you dismiss me？〃
〃Do you pretend he loves you more than he loves US？〃 cried Mrs。
Moreen。
〃I think he ought to。 I make sacrifices for him。 Though I've
heard of those YOU make I don't see them。〃
Mrs。 Moreen stared a moment； then with emotion she grasped her
inmate's hand。 〃WILL you make it … the sacrifice？〃
He burst out laughing。 〃I'll see。 I'll do what I can。 I'll stay
a little longer。 Your calculation's just … I DO hate intensely to
give him up； I'm fond of him and he thoroughly interests me； in
spite of the inconvenience I suffer。 You know my situation
perfectly。 I haven't a penny in the world and； occupied as you see
me with Morgan； am unable to earn money。〃
Mrs。 Moreen tapped her undressed arm with her folded bank…note。
〃Can't you write articles？ Can't you translate as I do？〃
〃I don't know about translating； it's wretchedly paid。〃
〃I'm glad to earn what I can；〃 said Mrs。 Moreen with prodigious
virtue。
〃You ought to tell me who you do it for。〃 Pemberton paused a
moment； and she said nothing； so he added： 〃I've tried to turn off
some little sketches； but the magazines won't have them … they're
declined with thanks。〃
〃You see then you're not such a phoenix；〃 his visitor pointedly
smiled … 〃to pretend to abilities you're sacrificing for our sake。〃
〃I haven't time to do things properly；〃 he ruefully went on。 Then
as it came over him that he was almost abjectly good…natured to
give these explanations he added： 〃If I stay on longer it must be
on one condition … that Morgan shall know distinctly on what
footing I am。〃
Mrs。 Moreen demurred。 〃Surely you don't want to show off to a
child？〃
〃To show YOU off； do you mean？〃
Again she cast about； but this time it was to produce a still finer
flower。 〃And YOU talk of blackmail！〃
〃You can easily prevent it；〃 said Pemberton。
〃And YOU talk of practising on fears；〃 she bravely pushed on。
〃Yes； there's no doubt I'm a great scoundrel。〃
His patroness met his eyes … it was clear she was in straits。 Then
she thrust out her money at him