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answered。 〃But don't take things too hard； now or ever。 Your long
confinement makes you think the world better worth knowing than you
are likely to find it。 A man with as good a head and heart as yours
has a very ample world within himself； and I am no believer in art
for art； nor in what's called 'life' for life's sake。 Nevertheless；
take your plunge； and come and tell me whether you have found the
pearl of wisdom。〃 He frowned a little； as if he thought my sympathy
a trifle meagre。 I shook him by the hand and laughed。 〃The pearl of
wisdom；〃 I cried； 〃is love； honest love in the most convenient
concentration of experience！ I advise you to fall in love。〃 He gave
me no smile in response； but drew from his pocket the letter of which
I have spoken； held it up； and shook it solemnly。 〃What is it？〃 I
asked。
〃It is my sentence！〃
〃Not of death； I hope！〃
〃Of marriage。〃
〃With whom？〃
〃With a person I don't love。〃
This was serious。 I stopped smiling； and begged him to explain。
〃It is the singular part of my story；〃 he said at last。 〃It will
remind you of an old…fashioned romance。 Such as I sit here； talking
in this wild way； and tossing off provocations to destiny； my destiny
is settled and sealed。 I am engaged； I am given in marriage。 It's a
bequest of the pastthe past I had no hand in！ The marriage was
arranged by my father； years ago； when I was a boy。 The young girl's
father was his particular friend； he was also a widower； and was
bringing up his daughter； on his side； in the same severe seclusion
in which I was spending my days。 To this day I am unacquainted with
the origin of the bond of union between our respective progenitors。
Mr。 Vernor was largely engaged in business； and I imagine that once
upon a time he found himself in a financial strait and was helped
through it by my father's coming forward with a heavy loan； on which；
in his situation； he could offer no security but his word。 Of this
my father was quite capable。 He was a man of dogmas； and he was sure
to have a rule of lifeas clear as if it had been written out in his
beautiful copper…plate handadapted to the conduct of a gentleman
toward a friend in pecuniary embarrassment。 What is more； he was
sure to adhere to it。 Mr。 Vernor； I believe； got on his feet； paid
his debt； and vowed my father an eternal gratitude。 His little
daughter was the apple of his eye； and he pledged himself to bring
her up to be the wife of his benefactor's son。 So our fate was
fixed； parentally； and we have been educated for each other。 I have
not seen my betrothed since she was a very plain…faced little girl in
a sticky pinafore； hugging a one…armed dollof the male sex； I
believeas big as herself。 Mr。 Vernor is in what is called the
Eastern trade； and has been living these many years at Smyrna。
Isabel has grown up there in a white…walled garden； in an orange
grove； between her father and her governess。 She is a good deal my
junior； six months ago she was seventeen； when she is eighteen we are
to marry。〃
He related all this calmly enough； without the accent of complaint；
drily rather and doggedly； as if he were weary of thinking of it。
〃It's a romance； indeed； for these dull days；〃 I said； 〃and I
heartily congratulate you。 It's not every young man who finds； on
reaching the marrying age； a wife kept in a box of rose…leaves for
him。 A thousand to one Miss Vernor is charming； I wonder you don't
post off to Smyrna。〃
〃You are joking；〃 he answered； with a wounded air； 〃and I am terribly
serious。 Let me tell you the rest。 I never suspected this superior
conspiracy till something less than a year ago。 My father； wishing
to provide against his death； informed me of it very solemnly。 I was
neither elated nor depressed； I received it； as I remember； with a
sort of emotion which varied only in degree from that with which I
could have hailed the announcement that he had ordered me a set of
new shirts。 I supposed that was the way that all marriages were
made； I had heard of their being made in heaven； and what was my
father but a divinity？ Novels and poems； indeed； talked about
falling in love； but novels and poems were one thing and life was
another。 A short time afterwards he introduced me to a photograph of
my predestined； who has a pretty； but an extremely inanimate； face。
After this his health failed rapidly。 One night I was sitting； as I
habitually sat for hours； in his dimly…lighted room； near his bed； to
which he had been confined for a week。 He had not spoken for some
time； and I supposed he was asleep； but happening to look at him I
saw his eyes wide open； and fixed on me strangely。 He was smiling
benignantly； intensely； and in a moment he beckoned to me。 Then； on
my going to him'I feel that I shall not last long；' he said； 'but I
am willing to die when I think how comfortably I have arranged your
future。' He was talking of death； and anything but grief at that
moment was doubtless impious and monstrous； but there came into my
heart for the first time a throbbing sense of being over…governed。 I
said nothing； and he thought my silence was all sorrow。 'I shall not
live to see you married；' he went on； 'but since the foundation is
laid； that little signifies； it would be a selfish pleasure； and I
have never thought of myself but in you。 To foresee your future； in
its main outline； to know to a certainty that you will be safely
domiciled here； with a wife approved by my judgment； cultivating the
moral fruit of which I have sown the seedthis will content me。
But； my son； I wish to clear this bright vision from the shadow of a
doubt。 I believe in your docility； I believe I may trust the
salutary force of your respect for my memory。 But I must remember
that when I am removed you will stand here alone； face to face with a
hundred nameless temptations to perversity。 The fumes of unrighteous
pride may rise into your brain and tempt you； in the interest of a
vulgar theory which it will call your independence； to shatter the
edifice I have so laboriously constructed。 So I must ask you for a
promisethe solemn promise you owe my condition。' And he grasped my
hand。 'You will follow the path I have marked； you will be faithful
to the young girl whom an influence as devoted as that which has
governed your own young life has moulded into everything amiable； you
will marry Isabel Vernor。' This was pretty 'steep；' as we used to
say at school。 I was frightened； I drew away my hand and asked to be
trusted without any such terrible vow。 My reluctance startled my
father into a suspicion that the vulgar theory of independence had
already been whispering to me。 He sat up in his bed and looked at me
with eyes which seemed to foresee a lifetime of odious ingratitude。
I felt the reproach； I feel it now。 I promised！ And even now I
don't regret my promise nor complain of my father's tenacity。 I
feel； somehow； as if the seeds of ultimate repose had been sown in
those unsuspecting yearsas if after many days I might gather the
mellow fruit。 But after many days！ I will keep my promise； I will
obey； but I want to LIVE first！〃
〃My dear fellow； you are living now。 All this passionate
consciousness of your situation is a very ardent life。 I wish I
could say as much for my own。〃
〃I want to forget my situation。 I want to spend three months without
thinking of the past or the future； grasping whatever the present
offers me。 Yesterday I thought I was in a fair way to sail with the
tide。 But this morning comes this memento！〃 And he held up his
letter again。
〃What is it？〃
〃A letter from Smyrna。〃
〃I see you have not yet broken the seal。〃
〃No； nor do I mean to； for the present。 It contains bad news。〃
〃What do you call bad news？〃
〃News that I am expected in Smyrna in three weeks。 News that Mr。
Vernor disapproves of my roving about the world。 News that his
daughter is standing expectant at the altar。〃
〃Is not this pure conjecture？〃
〃Conjecture； possibly； but safe conjecture。 As soon as I looked at
the letter something smote me at the heart。 Look at the device on
the seal； and I am sure you will find it's TARRY NOT！〃 And he flung
the letter on the grass。
〃Upon my word； you had better open it；〃 I said。
〃If I were to open it and read my summons； do you know what I should
do？ I should march home and ask the Oberkellner how one gets to
Smyrna； pack my trunk； take my ticket； and not stop till I arrived。
I know I should； it would be the fascination of habit。 The only way；
therefore； to wander to my rope's end is to leave the letter unread。〃
〃In your place；〃 I said； 〃curiosity would make me open it。〃
He shook his head。 〃I have no curiosity！ For a long time now the
idea of my marriage has ceased to be a novelty； and I have
contemplated it mentally in every possible light。 I fear nothi