the egoist-第2部分

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line　of　verse　be　not　yet　in　our　literature；

　　　　　　　　　　Through　very　love　of　self　himself　he　slew；

let　it　be　admitted　for　his　epitaph。


CHAPTER　I

A　Minor　Incident　Showing　an　Hereditary　Aptitude　in　the　Use　of　the
Knife

There　was　an　ominously　anxious　watch　of　eyes　visible　and　invisible
over　the　infancy　of　Willoughby；　fifth　in　descent　from　Simon
Patterne；　of　Patterne　Hall；　premier　of　this　family；　a　lawyer；　a
man　of　solid　acquirements　and　stout　ambition；　who　well　understood
the　foundation…work　of　a　House；　and　was　endowed　with　the　power　of
saying　No　to　those　first　agents　of　destruction；　besieging
relatives。　He　said　it　with　the　resonant　emphasis　of　death　to
younger　sons。　For　if　the　oak　is　to　become　a　stately　tree；　we　must
provide　against　the　crowding　of　timber。　Also　the　tree　beset　with
parasites　prospers　not。　A　great　House　in　its　beginning　lives；　we
may　truly　say；　by　the　knife。　Soil　is　easily　got；　and　so　are
bricks；　and　a　wife；　and　children　come　of　wishing　for　them；　but　the
vigorous　use　of　the　knife　is　a　natural　gift　and　points　to　growth。
Pauper　Patternes　were　numerous　when　the　fifth　head　of　the　race　was
the　hope　of　his　county。　A　Patterne　was　in　the　Marines。

The　country　and　the　chief　of　this　family　were　simultaneously　
informed　of　the　existence　of　one　Lieutenant　Crossjay　Patterne；　of
the　corps　of　the　famous　hard　fighters；　through　an　act　of　heroism
of　the　unpretending　cool　sort　which　kindles　British　blood；　on　the
part　of　the　modest　young　officer；　in　the　storming　of　some　eastern
riverain　stronghold；　somewhere　about　the　coast　of　China。　The
officer's　youth　was　assumed　on　the　strength　of　his　rank；　perhaps
likewise　from　the　tale　of　his　modesty：　〃he　had　only　done　his
duty〃。　Our　Willoughby　was　then　at　College；　emulous　of　the　generous
enthusiasm　of　his　years；　and　strangely　impressed　by　the　report；
and　the　printing　of　his　name　in　the　newspapers。　He　thought　over　it
for　several　months；　when；　coming　to　his　title　and　heritage；　he
sent　Lieutenant　Crossjay　Patterne　a　cheque　for　a　sum　of　money
amounting　to　the　gallant　fellow's　pay　per　annum；　at　the　same　time
showing　his　acquaintance　with　the　first；　or　chemical；　principles
of　generosity；　in　the　remark　to　friends　at　home；　that　〃blood　is
thicker　than　water〃。　The　man　is　a　Marine；　but　he　is　a　Patterne。
How　any　Patterne　should　have　drifted　into　the　Marines；　is　of　the
order　of　questions　which　are　senselessly　asked　of　the　great
dispensary。　In　the　complimentary　letter　accompanying　his　cheque；
the　lieutenant　was　invited　to　present　himself　at　the　ancestral
Hall；　when　convenient　to　him；　and　he　was　assured　that　he　had　given
his　relative　and　friend　a　taste　for　a　soldier's　life。　Young　Sir
Willoughby　was　fond　of　talking　of　his　〃military　namesake　and
distant　cousin；　young　Patternethe　Marine〃。　It　was　funny；　and
not　less　laughable　was　the　description　of　his　namesake's　deed　of
valour：　with　the　rescued　British　sailor　inebriate；　and　the　hauling
off　to　captivity　of　the　three　braves　of　the　black　dragon　on　a
yellow　ground；　and　the　tying　of　them　together　back　to　back　by
their　pigtails；　and　driving　of　them　into　our　lines　upon　a　newly
devised　dying…top　style　of　march　that　inclined　to　the　oblique；
like　the　astonished　six　eyes　of　the　celestial　prisoners；　for
straight　they　could　not　go。　The　humour　of　gentlemen　at　home　is
always　highly　excited　by　such　cool　feats。　We　are　a　small　island；
but　you　see　what　we　do。　The　ladies　at　the　Hall；　Sir　Willoughby's
mother；　and　his　aunts　Eleanor　and　Isabel；　were　more　affected　than
he　by　the　circumstance　of　their　having　a　Patterne　in　the　Marines。
But　how　then！　We　English　have　ducal　blood　in　business：　we　have；
genealogists　tell　us；　royal　blood　in　common　trades。　For　all　our
pride　we　are　a　queer　people；　and　you　may　be　ordering　butcher's
meat　of　a　Tudor；　sitting　on　the　cane…bottom　chairs　of　a
Plantagenet。　By　and　by　you　may　。　。　。　but　cherish　your　reverence。
Young　Willoughby　made　a　kind　of　shock…head　or　football　hero　of　his
gallant　distant　cousin；　and　wondered　occasionally　that　the　fellow
had　been　content　to　dispatch　a　letter　of　effusive　thanks　without
availing　himself　of　the　invitation　to　partake　of　the　hospitalities
of　Patterne。

He　was　one　afternoon　parading　between　showers　on　the　stately
garden　terrace　of　the　Hall；　in　company　with　his　affianced；　the
beautiful　and　dashing　Constantia　Durham；　followed　by　knots　of
ladies　and　gentlemen　vowed　to　fresh　air　before　dinner；　while　it
was　to　be　had。　Chancing　with　his　usual　happy　fortune　（we　call
these　things　dealt　to　us　out　of　the　great　hidden　dispensary；
chance）　to　glance　up　the　avenue　of　limes；　as　he　was　in　the　act　of
turning　on　his　heel　at　the　end　of　the　terrace；　and　it　should　be
added；　discoursing　with　passion's　privilege　of　the　passion　of　love
to　Miss　Durham；　Sir　Willoughby；　who　was　anything　but　obtuse；
experienced　a　presentiment　upon　espying　a　thick…set　stumpy　man
crossing　the　gravel　space　from　the　avenue　to　the　front　steps　of
the　Hall；　decidedly　not　bearing　the　stamp　of　the　gentleman　〃on　his
hat；　his　coat；　his　feet；　or　anything　that　was　his；〃　Willoughby
subsequently　observed　to　the　ladies　of　his　family　in　the
Scriptural　style　of　gentlemen　who　do　bear　the　stamp。　His　brief
sketch　of　the　creature　was　repulsive。　The　visitor　carried　a　bag；
and　his　coat…collar　was　up；　his　hat　was　melancholy；　he　had　the
appearance　of　a　bankrupt　tradesman　absconding；　no　gloves；　no
umbrella。

As　to　the　incident　we　have　to　note；　it　was　very　slight。　The　card
of　Lieutenant　Patterne　was　handed　to　Sir　Willoughby；　who　laid　it
on　the　salver；　saying　to　the　footman；　〃Not　at　home。〃

He　had　been　disappointed　in　the　age；　grossly　deceived　in　the
appearance　of　the　man　claiming　to　be　his　relative　in　this
unseasonable　fashion；　and　his　acute　instinct　advised　him　swiftly
of　the　absurdity　of　introducing　to　his　friends　a　heavy
unpresentable　senior　as　the　celebrated　gallant　Lieutenant　of
Marines；　and　the　same　as　a　member　of　his　family！　He　had　talked　of
the　man　too　much；　too　enthusiastically；　to　be　able　to　do　so。　A
young　subaltern；　even　if　passably　vulgar　in　figure；　can　be
shuffled　through　by　the　aid　of　the　heroical　story　humourously
exaggerated　in　apology　for　his　aspect。　Nothing　can　be　done　with　a
mature　and　stumpy　Marine　of　that　rank。　Considerateness　dismisses
him　on　the　spot；　without　parley。　It　was　performed　by　a　gentleman
supremely　advanced　at　a　very　early　age　in　the　art　of　cutting。

Young　Sir　Willoughby　spoke　a　word　of　the　rejected　visitor　to　Miss
Durham；　in　response　to　her　startled　look：　〃I　shall　drop　him　a
cheque；〃　he　said；　for　she　seemed　personally　wounded；　and　had　a
face　of　crimson。

The　young　lady　did　not　reply。

Dating　from　the　humble　departure　of　Lieutenant　Crossjay　Patterne
up　the　limes…avenue　under　a　gathering　rain…cloud；　the　ring　of　imps
in　attendance　on　Sir　Willoughby　maintained　their　station　with
strict　observation　of　his　movements　at　all　hours；　and　were
comparisons　in　quest；　the　sympathetic　eagerness　of　the　eyes　of
caged　monkeys　for　the　hand　about　to　feed　them；　would　supply　one。
They　perceived　in　him　a　fresh　development　and　very　subtle
manifestation　of　the　very　old　thing　from　which　he　had　sprung。


CHAPTER　II

The　Young　Sir　Willoughby

These　little　scoundrel　imps；　who　have　attained　to　some
respectability　as　the　dogs　and　pets　of　the　Comic　Spirit；　had　been
curiously　attentive　three　years　earlier；　long　before　the　public
announcement　of　his　engagement　to　the　beautiful　Miss　Durham；　on
the　day　of　Sir　Willoughby's　majority；　when　Mrs。　Mountstuart
Jenkinson　said　her　word　of　him。　Mrs。　Mountstuart　was　a　lady
certain　to　say　the　remembered；　if　not　the　right；　thing。　Again　and
again　was　it　confirmed　on　days　of　high　celebration；　days　of　birth
or　bridal；　how　sure　she　was　to　hit　the　mark　that　rang　the　bell；
and　away　her　word　went　over　the　county：　and　had　she　been　an
uncharitable　woman　she　could　have　ruled　the　county　with　an　iron
rod　of　caricature；　so　sharp　was　her　touch。　A　grain　of　malice　would
have　sent　county　faces　and　characters　awry　into　the　currency。　She
was　wealthy　and　kindly；　and　resembled　our　mother　Nature　in　her
reasonable　antipathies　to　one　or　two　things　which　none　can　defend；
and　her　decided　preference　of　persons　that　shone　in　the　sun。　Her
word　sprang　out　of　her。　She　looked　at　you；　and　forth　it　came：　and
it　stuck　to　you；　as　nothing　laboured　or　literary　could　have
adhered。　Her　saying　of　Laetitia　Dale：　〃Here　she　comes　with　a
romantic　tale　on　her　eyelashes；〃　was　a　portrait　of　Laetitia。　And
that　of　Vernon　Whitford：　〃He　is　a　Phoebus　Apollo　turned　fasting
friar；〃　painted　the　sunken　brilliancy　of　the　lean　long…walker　and
scholar　at　a　stroke。

Of　the　young　Sir　Willoughby；　her　word　was　brief；　and　there　was　the
merit　of　it　on　a　day　when　he　was　hearing　from　sunrise　to　the
setting　of　the　moon　salutes　in　his　honour；　songs　of　praise　and
Ciceronian　eulogy。　Rich；　handsome；　courteous；　generous；　lord　of
the　Hall；　the　feast　and　the　dance；　he　excited　his　guests　of　both
sexes　to　a　holiday　of　flattery。　And；　says　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　while
grand　phrases　were　mouthing　round　about　him；　〃You　see　he　has　a
leg。〃

That　you　saw；　of　course。　But　after　she　had　spoken　you　saw　much
more。　Mrs。　Mountstuart　said　it　just　as　others　utter　empty
nothings；　with　never　a　hint　of　a　stress。　Her　word　was　taken　up；
and　very　soon；　from　the　extreme　end　of　the　long　drawing…room；　the
circulation　of　something　of　Mrs。　Mountstuart's　was　distinctly
perceptible。　Lady　Patterne　sent　a　little　Hebe　down；　skirting　the
dancers；　for　an　accurate　report　of　it；　and　even　the　inappreciative
lips　of　a　very　young　lady　transmitting　the　word　could　not　damp　the
impression　of　its　weighty　truthfulness。　It　was　perfect！　Adulation
of　the　young　Sir　Willoughby's　beauty　and　wit；　and　aristocratic
bearing　and　mien；　and　of　his　moral　virtues；　was　common；　welcome　if
you　like；　as　a　form　of　homage；　but　common；　almost　vulgar；　beside
Mrs。　Mountstuart's　quiet　little　touch　of　nature。　In　seeming　to　say
infinitely　less　than　others；　as　Miss　Isabel　Patterne　pointed　out
to　Lady　Busshe；　Mrs。　Mountstuart　comprised　all　that　the　others　had
said；　by　showing　the　needlessness　of　allusions　to　the　saliently
evident。　She　was　the　aristocrat　reproving　the　provincial。　〃He　is
everything　you　have　had　the　goodness　to　remark；　ladies　and