the egoist-第28部分

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ever；　never　giving。　or　if　giving；　giving　only　of　our　waste；　as　it
were　（sauf　votre　respect）；　by　form　of　perspiration；　radiation；　if
you　like；　unconscious　poral　bountifulness；　and　it　is　a　beneficent
process　for　the　system。　Our　possession　of　an　adoring　female's
worship　is　this　instance。

The　soft　cherishable　Parsee　is　hardly　at　any　season　other　than
prostrate。　She　craves　nothing　save　that　you　continue　in　being
her　sun：　which　is　your　firm　constitutional　endeavour：　and　thus
you　have　a　most　exact　alliance；　she　supplying　spirit　to　your
matter；　while　at　the　same　time　presenting　matter　to　your
spirit；　verily　a　comfortable　apposition。　The　Gods　do　bless　it。

That　they　do　so　indeed　is　evident　in　the　men　they　select　for　such
a　felicitous　crown　and　aureole。　Weak　men　would　be　rendered　nervous
by　the　flattery　of　a　woman's　worship；　or　they　would　be　for
returning　it；　at　least　partially；　as　though　it　could　be　bandied　to
and　fro　without　emulgence　of　the　poetry；　or　they　would　be
pitiful；　and　quite　spoil　the　thing。　Some　would　be　for
transforming　the　beautiful　solitary　vestal　flame　by　the　first
effort　of　the　multiplication…table　into　your　hearth…fire　of
slippered　affection。　So　these　men　are　not　they　whom　the　Gods　have
ever　selected；　but　rather　men　of　a　pattern　with　themselves；　very
high　and　very　solid　men；　who　maintain　the　crown　by　holding
divinely　independent　of　the　great　emotion　they　have　sown。

Even　for　them　a　pass　of　danger　is　ahead；　as　we　shall　see　in　our
sample　of　one　among　the　highest　of　them。

A　clear　approach　to　felicity　had　long　been　the　portion　of　Sir
Willoughby　Patterne　in　his　relations　with　Laetitia　Dale。　She
belonged　to　him；　he　was　quite　unshackled　by　her。　She　was
everything　that　is　good　in　a　parasite；　nothing　that　is　bad。　His
dedicated　critic　she　was；　reviewing　him　with　a　favour　equal　to
perfect　efficiency　in　her　office；　and　whatever　the　world　might　say
of　him；　to　her　the　happy　gentleman　could　constantly　turn　for　his
refreshing　balsamic　bath。　She　flew　to　the　soul　in　him；　pleasingly
arousing　sensations　of　that　inhabitant；　and　he　allowed　her　the
right　to　fly；　in　the　manner　of　kings；　as　we　have　heard；　consenting
to　the　privileges　acted　on　by　cats。　These　may　not　address　their
Majesties；　but　they　may　stare；　nor　will　it　be　contested　that　the
attentive　circular　eyes　of　the　humble　domestic　creatures　are　an
embellishment　to　Royal　pomp　and　grandeur；　such　truly　as　should　one
day　gain　for　them　an　inweaving　and　figurementin　the　place　of
bees；　ermine　tufts；　and　their　various　present　decorationsupon
the　august　great　robes　back…flowing　and　foaming　over　the　gaspy
page…boys。

Further　to　quote　from　the　same　volume　of　The　Book：　There　is　pain
in　the　surrendering　of　that　we　are　fain　to　relinquish。

The　idea　is　too　exquisitely　attenuate；　as　are　those　of　the　whole
body…guard　of　the　heart　of　Egoism；　and　will　slip　through　you
unless　you　shall　have　made　a　study　of　the　gross　of　volumes　of　the
first　and　second　sections　of　The　Book；　and　that　will　take　you　up
to　senility；　or　you　must　make　a　personal　entry　into　the　pages；
perchance；　or　an　escape　out　of　them。　There　was　once　a　venerable
gentleman　for　whom　a　white　hair　grew　on　the　cop　of　his　nose；
laughing　at　removals。　He　resigned　himself　to　it　in　the　end；　and
lastingly　contemplated　the　apparition。　It　does　not　concern　us　what
effect　was　produced　on　his　countenance　and　his　mind；　enough　that
he　saw　a　fine　thing；　but　not　so　fine　as　the　idea　cited　above；
which　has　been　between　the　two　eyes　of　humanity　ever　since　women
were　sought　in　marriage。　With　yonder　old　gentleman　it　may　have
been　a　ghostly　hair　or　a　disease　of　the　optic　nerves；　but　for　us
it　is　a　real　growth；　and　humanity　might　profitably　imitate　him　in
his　patient　speculation　upon　it。

Sir　Willoughby　Patterne；　though　ready　in　the　pursuit　of　duty　and
policy　（an　oft…united　couple）　to　cast　Miss　Dale　away；　had　to
consider　that　he　was　not　simply；　so　to　speak；　casting　her　over　a
hedge；　he　was　casting　her　for　a　man　to　catch　her；　and　this　was　a
much　greater　trial　than　it　had　been　on　the　previous　occasion；　when
she　went　over　bump　to　the　ground。　In　the　arms　of　a　husband；　there
was　no　knowing　how　soon　she　might　forget　her　soul's　fidelity。　It
had　not　hurt　him　to　sketch　the　project　of　the　conjunction；
benevolence　assisted　him；　but　he　winced　and　smarted　on　seeing　it
take　shape。　It　sullied　his　idea　of　Laetitia。

Still；　if；　in　spite　of　so　great　a　change　in　her　fortune；　her
spirit　could　be　guaranteed　changeless；　he；　for　the　sake　of
pacifying　his　bride；　and　to　keep　two　serviceable　persons　near　him。
at　command；　might　resolve　to　join　them。　The　vision　of　his
resolution　brought　with　it　a　certain　pallid　contempt　of　the
physically　faithless　woman；　no　wonder　he　betook　himself　to　The
Book；　and　opened　it　on　the　scorching　chapters　treating　of　the　sex；
and　the　execrable　wiles　of　that　foremost　creature　of　the　chase；
who　runs　for　life。　She　is　not　spared　in　the　Biggest　of　Books。　But
close　it。

The　writing　in　it　having　been　done　chiefly　by　men；　men　naturally
receive　their　fortification　from　its　wisdom；　and　half　a　dozen　of
the　popular　sentences　for　the　confusion　of　women　（cut　in　brass
worn　to　a　polish　like　sombre　gold）；　refreshed　Sir　Willoughby　for
his　undertaking。

An　examination　of　Laetitia's　faded　complexion　braced　him　very
cordially。

His　Clara；　jealous　of　this　poor　leaf！

He　could　have　desired　the　transfusion　of　a　quality　or　two　from
Laetitia　to　his　bride；　but　you　cannot；　as　in　cookery；　obtain　a
mixture　of　the　essences　of　these　creatures；　and　if；　as　it　is
possible　to　do；　and　as　he　had　been　doing　recently　with　the　pair　of
them　at　the　Hall；　you　stew　them　in　one　pot；　you　are　far　likelier
to　intensify　their　little　birthmarks　of　individuality。　Had　they
a　tendency　to　excellence　it　might　be　otherwise；　they　might　then
make　the　exchanges　we　wish　for；　or　scientifically　concocted　in　a
harem　for　a　sufficient　length　of　time　by　a　sultan　anything　but
obtuse；　they　might。　It　is；　however；　fruitless　to　dwell　on　what　was
only　a　glimpse　of　a　wild　regret；　like　the　crossing　of　two　express
trains　along　the　rails　in　Sir　Willoughby's　head。

The　ladies　Eleanor　and　Isabel　were　sitting　with　Miss　Dale；　all
three　at　work　on　embroideries。　He　had　merely　to　look　at　Miss
Eleanor。　She　rose。　She　looked　at　Miss　Isabel；　and　rattled　her
chatelaine　to　account　for　her　departure。　After　a　decent　interval　
Miss　Isabel　glided　out。　Such　was　the　perfect　discipline　of　the
household。

Sir　Willoughby　played　an　air　on　the　knee　of　his　crossed　leg。

Laetitia　grew　conscious　of　a　meaning　in　the　silence。　She　said；
〃You　have　not　been　vexed　by　affairs　to…day？〃

〃Affairs；〃　he　replied；　〃must　be　peculiarly　vexatious　to　trouble
me。　Concerning　the　country　or　my　personal　affairs？〃

〃I　fancy　I　was　alluding　to　the　country。〃

〃I　trust　I　am　as　good　a　patriot　as　any　man　living；〃　said　he；　〃but
I　am　used　to　the　follies　of　my　countrymen；　and　we　are　on　board　a
stout　ship。　At　the　worst　it's　no　worse　than　a　rise　in　rates　and
taxes；　soup　at　the　Hall　gates；　perhaps；　license　to　fell　timber　in
one　of　the　outer　copses；　or　some　dozen　loads　of　coal。　You　hit　my
feudalism。〃

〃The　knight　in　armour　has　gone；〃　said　Laetitia；　〃and　the　castle
with　the　draw…bridge。　Immunity　for　our　island　has　gone　too　since
we　took　to　commerce。〃

〃We　bartered　independence　for　commerce。　You　hit　our　old
controversy。　Ay；　but　we　do　not　want　this　overgrown　population！　
However；　we　will　put　politics　and　sociology　and　the　pack　of　their
modern　barbarous　words　aside。　You　read　me　intuitively。　I　have
been；　I　will　not　say　annoyed；　but　ruffled。　I　have　much　to　do；　and
going　into　Parliament　would　make　me　almost　helpless　if　I　lose
Vernon。　You　know　of　some　absurd　notion　he　has？literary　fame；
and　bachelor's　chambers；　and　a　chop…house；　and　the　rest　of　it。〃

She　knew；　and　thinking　differently　in　the　matter　of　literary　fame；
she　flushed；　and；　ashamed　of　the　flush；　frowned。

He　bent　over　to　her　with　the　perusing　earnestness　of　a　gentleman
about　to　trifle。

〃You　cannot　intend　that　frown？〃

〃Did　I　frown？〃

〃You　do。〃

〃Now？〃

〃Fiercely。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃Will　you　smile　to　reassure　me？〃

〃Willingly；　as　well　as　I　can。〃

A　gloom　overcame　him。　With　no　woman　on　earth　did　he　shine　so　as　to
recall　to　himself　seigneur　and　dame　of　the　old　French　Court　as　he
did　with　Laetitia　Dale。　He　did　not　wish　the　period　revived；　but
reserved　it　as　a　garden　to　stray　into　when　he　was　in　the　mood　for
displaying　elegance　and　brightness　in　the　society　of　a　lady；　and
in　speech　Laetitia　helped　him　to　the　nice　delusion。　She　was　not
devoid　of　grace　of　bearing　either。

Would　she　preserve　her　beautiful　responsiveness　to　his　ascendency？
Hitherto　she　had；　and　for　years；　and　quite　fresh。　But　how　of　her
as　a　married　woman？　Our　souls　are　hideously　subject　to　the
conditions　of　our　animal　nature！　A　wife；　possibly　mother；　it　was
within　sober　calculation　that　there　would　be　great　changes　in　her。
And　the　hint　of　any　change　appeared　a　total　change　to　one　of　the
lofty　order　who；　when　they　are　called　on　to　relinquish　possession
instead　of　aspiring　to　it；　say；　All　or　nothing！

Well；　but　if　there　was　danger　of　the　marriage…tie　effecting　the
slightest　alteration　of　her　character　or　habit　of　mind；　wherefore
press　it　upon　a　tolerably　hardened　spinster！

Besides；　though　he　did　once　put　her　hand　in　Vernon's　for　the
dance；　he　remembered　acutely　that　the　injury　then　done　by　his
generosity　to　his　tender　sensitiveness　had　sickened　and　tarnished
the　effulgence　of　two　or　three　successive　anniversaries　of　his
coming　of　age。　Nor　had　he　altogether　yet　got　over　the　passion　of
greed　for　the　whole　group　of　the　well…favoured　of　the　fair　sex；
which　in　his　early　youth　had　made　it　bitter　for　him　to　submit　to
the　fickleness；　not　to　say　the　modest　fickleness；　of　any　handsome
one　of　them　in　yielding　her　hand　to　a　man　and　suffering　herself
to　be　led　away。　Ladies　whom　he　had　only　heard　of　as　ladies　of　some
beauty　incurred　his　wrath　for　having　lovers　or　taking　husbands。　He
was　of　a　vast　embrace；　and　do　not　exclaim；　in　covetousness；for
well　he　knew　that　even　under　Moslem　law　he　could　not　have　them　all
but　as　the　enamoured　custodian　of　the　sex's　purity；　that　blushes
at　such　big　spots　as　lovers　and　husbands；　and　it　was　u