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remembered the indisposed child above and the possibility of parents
nervously or fussily anxious。
〃What has that infant to do with ideas？〃 I asked。 〃Surely he can't
tell one from another。 Has he read his father's novels？〃
〃He's very precocious and very sensitive； and his mother thinks she
can't begin to guard him too early。〃 Miss Ambient's head drooped a
little to one side and her eyes fixed themselves on futurity。 Then
of a sudden came a strange alteration； her face lighted to an effect
more joyless than any gloom； to that indeed of a conscious insincere
grimace； and she added 〃When one has children what one writes becomes
a great responsibility。〃
〃Children are terrible critics；〃 I prosaically answered。 〃I'm really
glad I haven't any。〃
〃Do you also write； then？ And in the same style as my brother？ And
do you like that style？ And do people appreciate it in America？ I
don't write； but I think I feel。〃 To these and various other
inquiries and observations my young lady treated me till we heard her
brother's step in the hall again and Mark Ambient reappeared。 He was
so flushed and grave that I supposed he had seen something
symptomatic in the condition of his child。 His sister apparently had
another idea； she gazed at him from afaras if he had been a burning
ship on the horizonand simply murmured 〃Poor old Mark！〃
〃I hope you're not anxious；〃 I as promptly pronounced。
〃No； but I'm disappointed。 She won't let me in。 She has locked the
door； and I'm afraid to make a noise。〃 I daresay there might have
been a touch of the ridiculous in such a confession； but I liked my
new friend so much that it took nothing for me from his dignity。
〃She tells mefrom behind the doorthat she'll let me know if he's
worse。〃
〃It's very good of her；〃 said Miss Ambient with a hollow sound。
I had exchanged a glance with Mark in which it's possible he read
that my pity for him was untinged with contempt； though I scarce know
why he should have cared； and as his sister soon afterward got up and
took her bedroom candlestick he proposed we should go back to his
study。 We sat there till after midnight； he put himself into his
slippers and an old velvet jacket； he lighted an ancient pipe； but he
talked considerably less than before。 There were longish pauses in
our communion； but they only made me feel we had advanced in
intimacy。 They helped me further to understand my friend's personal
situation and to imagine it by no means the happiest possible。 When
his face was quiet it was vaguely troubled； showing； to my increase
of interestif that was all that was wanted！that for him too life
was the same struggle it had been for so many another man of genius。
At last I prepared to leave him； and then； to my ineffable joy； he
gave me some of the sheets of his forthcoming bookwhich； though
unfinished； he had indulged in the luxury； so dear to writers of
deliberation； of having 〃set up；〃 from chapter to chapter； as he
advanced。 These early pages； the premices； in the language of
letters； of that new fruit of his imagination； I should take to my
room and look over at my leisure。 I was in the act of leaving him
when the door of the study noiselessly opened and Mrs。 Ambient stood
before us。 She observed us a moment； her candle in her hand； and
then said to her husband that as she supposed he hadn't gone to bed
she had come down to let him know Dolcino was more quiet and would
probably be better in the morning。 Mark Ambient made no reply； he
simply slipped past her in the doorway； as if for fear she might
seize him in his passage； and bounded upstairs to judge for himself
of his child's condition。 She looked so frankly discomfited that I
for a moment believed her about to give him chase。 But she resigned
herself with a sigh and her eyes turned； ruefully and without a ray；
to the lamplit room where various books at which I had been looking
were pulled out of their places on the shelves and the fumes of
tobacco hung in mid…air。 I bade her good…night and then； without
intention； by a kind of fatality； a perversity that had already made
me address her overmuch on that question of her husband's powers； I
alluded to the precious proof…sheets with which Ambient had entrusted
me and which I nursed there under my arm。 〃They're the opening
chapters of his new book；〃 I said。 〃Fancy my satisfaction at being
allowed to carry them to my room！〃
She turned away； leaving me to take my candlestick from the table in
the hall； but before we separated； thinking it apparently a good
occasion to let me know once for all since I was beginning； it would
seem； to be quite 〃thick〃 with my hostthat there was no fitness in
my appealing to her for sympathy in such a case； before we separated；
I say； she remarked to me with her quick fine well…bred inveterate
curtness： 〃I daresay you attribute to me ideas I haven't got。 I
don't take that sort of interest in my husband's proof…sheets。 I
consider his writings most objectionable！〃
CHAPTER III
I had an odd colloquy the next morning with Miss Ambient； whom I
found strolling in the garden before breakfast。 The whole place
looked as fresh and trim； amid the twitter of the birds； as if； an
hour before； the housemaids had been turned into it with their dust…
pans and feather…brushes。 I almost hesitated to light a cigarette
and was doubly startled when； in the act of doing so； I suddenly saw
the sister of my host； who had； at the best； something of the
weirdness of an apparition； stand before me。 She might have been
posing for her photograph。 Her sad…coloured robe arranged itself in
serpentine folds at her feet； her hands locked themselves listlessly
together in front； her chin rested on a cinque…cento ruff。 The first
thing I did after bidding her good…morning was to ask her for news of
her little nephewto express the hope she had heard he was better。
She was able to gratify this trustshe spoke as if we might expect
to see him during the day。 We walked through the shrubberies
together and she gave me further light on her brother's household；
which offered me an opportunity to repeat to her what his wife had so
startled and distressed me with the night before。 WAS it the sorry
truth that she thought his productions objectionable？
〃She doesn't usually come out with that so soon！〃 Miss Ambient
returned in answer to my breathlessness。
〃Poor lady；〃 I pleaded； 〃she saw I'm a fanatic。〃
〃Yes； she won't like you for that。 But you mustn't mind； if the rest
of us like you！ Beatrice thinks a work of art ought to have a
'purpose。' But she's a charming womandon't you think her charming？
I find in her quite the grand air。〃
〃She's very beautiful；〃 I produced with an effort； while I reflected
that though it was apparently true that Mark Ambient was mismated it
was also perceptible that his sister was perfidious。 She assured me
her brother and his wife had no other difference but thisone that
she thought his writings immoral and his influence pernicious。 It
was a fixed idea； she was afraid of these things for the child。 I
answered that it was in all conscience enough； the trifle of a
woman's regarding her husband's mind as a well of corruption； and she
seemed much struck with the novelty of my remark。 〃But there hasn't
been any of the sort of trouble that there so often is among married
people；〃 she said。 〃I suppose you can judge for yourself that
Beatrice isn't at allwell； whatever they call it when a woman kicks
over！ And poor Mark doesn't make love to other people either。 You
might think he would； but I assure you he doesn't。 All the same of
course； from her point of view； you know； she has a dread of my
brother's influence on the child on the formation of his character；
his 'ideals；' poor little brat； his principles。 It's as if it were a
subtle poison or a contagionsomething that would rub off on his
tender sensibility when his father kisses him or holds him on his
knee。 If she could she'd prevent Mark from even so much as touching
him。 Every one knows itvisitors see it for themselves； so there's
no harm in my telling you。 Isn't it excessively odd？ It comes from
Beatrice's being so religious and so tremendously moralso a cheval
on fifty thousand riguardi。 And then of course we mustn't forget；〃
my companion added； a little unexpectedly； to this polyglot
proposition； 〃that some of Mark's ideas arewell； reallyrather
impossible； don't you know？〃
I reflected as we went into the house； where we found Ambient
unfolding The Observer at the breakfast…table； that none of them were
probably quite so 〃impossible； don't you know？〃 as his sister。 Mrs。
Ambient； a little 〃the worse；〃 as was mentioned； for her
ministrations； during the night； to Dolcino； didn't appear at
breakfast。 Her husband described her； however； as hoping to go to
church。 I afterwards learnt that she did go； but nothing naturally
was less on the cards than that we should accompany her。 It was
while the church…bell droned near at hand that the author of
〃Beltraffio〃 led me forth for the ramble he had spoken of in his
note。 I shall attempt here no record of where we went or of what we
saw。 We kept to