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note。 I shall attempt here no record of where we went or of what we
saw。 We kept to the fields and copses and commons； and breathed the
same sweet air as the nibbling donkeys and the browsing sheep； whose
woolliness seemed to me； in those early days of acquaintance with
English objects； but part of the general texture of the small dense
landscape； which looked as if the harvest were gathered by the shears
and with all nature bleating and braying for the violence。
Everything was full of expression for Mark Ambient's visitorfrom
the big bandy…legged geese whose whiteness was a 〃note〃 amid all the
tones of green as they wandered beside a neat little oval pool； the
foreground of a thatched and whitewashed inn； with a grassy approach
and a pictorial signfrom these humble wayside animals to the crests
of high woods which let a gable or a pinnacle peep here and there and
looked even at a distance like trees of good company； conscious of an
individual profile。 I admired the hedge…rows； I plucked the faint…
hued heather； and I was for ever stopping to say how charming I
thought the thread…like footpaths across the fields； which wandered
in a diagonal of finer grain from one smooth stile to another。 Mark
Ambient was abundantly good…natured and was as much struck； dear man；
with some of my observations as I was with the literary allusions of
the landscape。 We sat and smoked on stiles； broaching paradoxes in
the decent English air； we took short cuts across a park or two where
the bracken was deep and my companion nodded to the old woman at the
gate； we skirted rank coverts which rustled here and there as we
passed； and we stretched ourselves at last on a heathery hillside
where if the sun wasn't too hot neither was the earth too cold； and
where the country lay beneath us in a rich blue mist。 Of course I
had already told him what I thought of his new novel； having the
previous night read every word of the opening chapters before I went
to bed。
〃I'm not without hope of being able to make it decent enough；〃 he
said as I went back to the subject while we turned up our heels to
the sky。 〃At least the people who dislike my stuffand there are
plenty of them； I believewill dislike this thing （if it does turn
out well） most。〃 This was the first time I had heard him allude to
the people who couldn't read hima class so generally conceived to
sit heavy on the consciousness of the man of letters。 A being
organised for literature as Mark Ambient was must certainly have had
the normal proportion of sensitiveness； of irritability； the artistic
ego； capable in some cases of such monstrous development； must have
been in his composition sufficiently erect and active。 I won't
therefore go so far as to say that he never thought of his detractors
or that he had any illusions with regard to the number of his
admirershe could never so far have deceived himself as to believe
he was popular； but I at least then judged （and had occasion to be
sure later on） that stupidity ruffled him visibly but little； that he
had an air of thinking it quite natural he should leave many simple
folk； tasting of him； as simple as ever he found them； and that he
very seldom talked about the newspapers； which； by the way； were
always even abnormally vulgar about him。 Of course he may have
thought them overthe newspapersnight and day； the only point I
make is that he didn't show it while at the same time he didn't
strike one as a man actively on his guard。 I may add that； touching
his hope of making the work on which he was then engaged the best of
his books； it was only partly carried out。 That place belongs
incontestably to 〃Beltraffio；〃 in spite of the beauty of certain
parts of its successor。 I quite believe； however； that he had at the
moment of which I speak no sense of having declined； he was in love
with his idea； which was indeed magnificent； and though for him； as I
suppose for every sane artist； the act of execution had in it as much
torment as joy； he saw his result grow like the crescent of the young
moon and promise to fill the disk。 〃I want to be truer than I've
ever been；〃 he said； settling himself on his back with his hands
clasped behind his head； 〃I want to give the impression of life
itself。 No； you may say what you will； I've always arranged things
too much； always smoothed them down and rounded them off and tucked
them indone everything to them that life doesn't do。 I've been a
slave to the old superstitions。〃
〃You a slave； my dear Mark Ambient？ You've the freest imagination of
our day！〃
〃All the more shame to me to have done some of the things I have！
The reconciliation of the two women in 'Natalina；' for instance；
which could never really have taken place。 That sort of thing's
ignobleI blush when I think of it！ This new affair must be a
golden vessel； filled with the purest distillation of the actual； and
oh how it worries me； the shaping of the vase； the hammering of the
metal！ I have to hammer it so fine； so smooth； I don't do more than
an inch or two a day。 And all the while I have to be so careful not
to let a drop of the liquor escape！ When I see the kind of things
Life herself； the brazen hussy； does； I despair of ever catching her
peculiar trick。 She has an impudence； Life！ If one risked a
fiftieth part of the effects she risks！ It takes ever so long to
believe it。 You don't know yet； my dear youth。 It isn't till one
has been watching her some forty years that one finds out half of
what she's up to！ Therefore one's earlier things must inevitably
contain a mass of rot。 And with what one sees； on one side； with its
tongue in its cheek； defying one to be real enough； and on the other
the bonnes gens rolling up their eyes at one's cynicism； the
situation has elements of the ludicrous which the poor reproducer
himself is doubtless in a position to appreciate better than any one
else。 Of course one mustn't worry about the bonnes gens；〃 Mark
Ambient went on while my thoughts reverted to his ladylike wife as
interpreted by his remarkable sister。
〃To sink your shaft deep and polish the plate through which people
look into itthat's what your work consists of；〃 I remember
ingeniously observing。
〃Ah polishing one's platethat's the torment of execution！〃 he
exclaimed； jerking himself up and sitting forward。 〃The effort to
arrive at a surface； if you think anything of that decent sort
necessarysome people don't； happily for them！ My dear fellow； if
you could see the surface I dream of as compared with the one with
which I've to content myself。 Life's really too short for artone
hasn't time to make one's shell ideally hard。 Firm and bright； firm
and bright is very well to saythe devilish thing has a way
sometimes of being bright； and even of being hard； as mere tough
frozen pudding is hard； without being firm。 When I rap it with my
knuckles it doesn't give the right sound。 There are horrible sandy
stretches where I've taken the wrong turn because I couldn't for the
life of me find the right。 If you knew what a dunce I am sometimes！
Such things figure to me now base pimples and ulcers on the brow of
beauty！〃
〃They're very bad； very bad；〃 I said as gravely as I could。
〃Very bad？ They're the highest social offence I know； it oughtit
absolutely ought； I'm quite seriousto be capital。 If I knew I
should be publicly thrashed else I'd manage to find the true word。
The people who can'tsome of them don't so much as know it when they
see itwould shut their inkstands； and we shouldn't be deluged by
this flood of rubbish！〃
I shall not attempt to repeat everything that passed between us； nor
to explain just how it was that； every moment I spent in his company；
Mark Ambient revealed to me more and more the consistency of his
creative spirit； the spirit in him that felt all life as plastic
material。 I could but envy him the force of that passion； and it was
at any rate through the receipt of this impression that by the time
we returned I had gained the sense of intimacy with him that I have
noted。 Before we got up for the homeward stretch he alluded to his
wife's having onceor perhaps more than onceasked him whether he
should like Dolcino to read 〃Beltraffio。〃 He must have been unaware
at the moment of all that this conveyed to meas well doubtless of
my extreme curiosity to hear what he had replied。 He had said how
much he hoped Dolcino would read ALL his workswhen he was twenty；
he should like him to know what his father had done。 Before twenty
it would be useless； he wouldn't understand them。
〃And meanwhile do you propose to hide themto lock them up in a
drawer？〃 Mrs。 Ambient had proceeded。
〃Oh nowe must simply tell him they're not intended for small boys。
If you bring him up properly after that he won't touch them。〃
To this Mrs。 Ambient had made answer that it might be very awkward
when he was about fifteen； say； and I asked her husband if it were
his opinion in general； then； that young people shouldn't read
novels。
〃Good onescertainly not！〃 said my companion。 I suppose I had had
other views； for I remember saying that for myself I wasn't sure it
was bad for them if the novels were 〃