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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 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