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entrance to this structure was a wide plain band of crimson cloth；
as straight as a garden…path and almost as long； where； in his
mind's eye； Paul at once beheld the Master pace to and fro during
vexed hours … hours； that is； of admirable composition。 The
servant gave him a coat； an old jacket with a hang of experience；
from a cupboard in the wall； retiring afterwards with the garment
he had taken off。 Paul Overt welcomed the coat； it was a coat for
talk； it promised confidences … having visibly received so many …
and had tragic literary elbows。 〃Ah we're practical … we're
practical！〃 St。 George said as he saw his visitor look the place
over。 〃Isn't it a good big cage for going round and round？ My
wife invented it and she locks me up here every morning。〃
Our young man breathed … by way of tribute … with a certain
oppression。 〃You don't miss a window … a place to look out？〃
〃I did at first awfully； but her calculation was just。 It saves
time； it has saved me many months in these ten years。 Here I
stand； under the eye of day … in London of course； very often； it's
rather a bleared old eye … walled in to my trade。 I can't get away
… so the room's a fine lesson in concentration。 I've learnt the
lesson； I think； look at that big bundle of proof and acknowledge
it。〃 He pointed to a fat roll of papers； on one of the tables；
which had not been undone。
〃Are you bringing out another …？〃 Paul asked in a tone the fond
deficiencies of which he didn't recognise till his companion burst
out laughing； and indeed scarce even then。
〃You humbug； you humbug！〃 … St。 George appeared to enjoy caressing
him； as it were； with that opprobrium。 〃Don't I know what you
think of them？〃 he asked； standing there with his hands in his
pockets and with a new kind of smile。 It was as if he were going
to let his young votary see him all now。
〃Upon my word in that case you know more than I do！〃 the latter
ventured to respond； revealing a part of the torment of being able
neither clearly to esteem nor distinctly to renounce him。
〃My dear fellow；〃 said the more and more interesting Master； 〃don't
imagine I talk about my books specifically； they're not a decent
subject … il ne manquerait plus que ca！ I'm not so bad as you may
apprehend！ About myself； yes； a little； if you like； though it
wasn't for that I brought you down here。 I want to ask you
something … very much indeed； I value this chance。 Therefore sit
down。 We're practical； but there IS a sofa； you see … for she does
humour my poor bones so far。 Like all really great administrators
and disciplinarians she knows when wisely to relax。〃 Paul sank
into the corner of a deep leathern couch； but his friend remained
standing and explanatory。 〃If you don't mind； in this room； this
is my habit。 From the door to the desk and from the desk to the
door。 That shakes up my imagination gently； and don't you see what
a good thing it is that there's no window for her to fly out of？
The eternal standing as I write （I stop at that bureau and put it
down； when anything comes； and so we go on） was rather wearisome at
first； but we adopted it with an eye to the long run； you're in
better order … if your legs don't break down！ … and you can keep it
up for more years。 Oh we're practical … we're practical！〃 St。
George repeated； going to the table and taking up all mechanically
the bundle of proofs。 But； pulling off the wrapper； he had a
change of attention that appealed afresh to our hero。 He lost
himself a moment； examining the sheets of his new book； while the
younger man's eyes wandered over the room again。
〃Lord； what good things I should do if I had such a charming place
as this to do them in！〃 Paul reflected。 The outer world； the world
of accident and ugliness； was so successfully excluded； and within
the rich protecting square； beneath the patronising sky； the dream…
figures； the summoned company； could hold their particular revel。
It was a fond prevision of Overt's rather than an observation on
actual data； for which occasions had been too few； that the Master
thus more closely viewed would have the quality； the charming gift；
of flashing out； all surprisingly； in personal intercourse and at
moments of suspended or perhaps even of diminished expectation。 A
happy relation with him would be a thing proceeding by jumps； not
by traceable stages。
〃Do you read them … really？〃 he asked； laying down the proofs on
Paul's enquiring of him how soon the work would be published。 And
when the young man answered 〃Oh yes； always；〃 he was moved to mirth
again by something he caught in his manner of saying that。 〃You go
to see your grandmother on her birthday … and very proper it is；
especially as she won't last for ever。 She has lost every faculty
and every sense； she neither sees； nor hears； nor speaks； but all
customary pieties and kindly habits are respectable。 Only you're
strong if you DO read 'em！ I couldn't； my dear fellow。 You are
strong； I know； and that's just a part of what I wanted to say to
you。 You're very strong indeed。 I've been going into your other
things … they've interested me immensely。 Some one ought to have
told me about them before … some one I could believe。 But whom can
one believe？ You're wonderfully on the right road … it's awfully
decent work。 Now do you mean to keep it up？ … that's what I want
to ask you。〃
〃Do I mean to do others？〃 Paul asked； looking up from his sofa at
his erect inquisitor and feeling partly like a happy little boy
when the school…master is gay； and partly like some pilgrim of old
who might have consulted a world…famous oracle。 St。 George's own
performance had been infirm； but as an adviser he would be
infallible。
〃Others … others？ Ah the number won't matter； one other would do；
if it were really a further step … a throb of the same effort。
What I mean is have you it in your heart to go in for some sort of
decent perfection？〃
〃Ah decency； ah perfection …！〃 the young man sincerely sighed。 〃I
talked of them the other Sunday with Miss Fancourt。〃
It produced on the Master's part a laugh of odd acrimony。 〃Yes；
they'll 'talk' of them as much as you like！ But they'll do little
to help one to them。 There's no obligation of course； only you
strike me as capable；〃 he went on。 〃You must have thought it all
over。 I can't believe you're without a plan。 That's the sensation
you give me； and it's so rare that it really stirs one up … it
makes you remarkable。 If you haven't a plan； if you DON'T mean to
keep it up； surely you're within your rights； it's nobody's
business； no one can force you； and not more than two or three
people will notice you don't go straight。 The others … ALL the
rest； every blest soul in England； will think you do … will think
you are keeping it up： upon my honour they will！ I shall be one
of the two or three who know better。 Now the question is whether
you can do it for two or three。 Is that the stuff you're made of？〃
It locked his guest a minute as in closed throbbing arms。 〃I could
do it for one； if you were the one。〃
〃Don't say that； I don't deserve it； it scorches me；〃 he protested
with eyes suddenly grave and glowing。 〃The 'one' is of course
one's self； one's conscience； one's idea； the singleness of one's
aim。 I think of that pure spirit as a man thinks of a woman he has
in some detested hour of his youth loved and forsaken。 She haunts
him with reproachful eyes； she lives for ever before him。 As an
artist； you know； I've married for money。〃 Paul stared and even
blushed a little； confounded by this avowal； whereupon his host；
observing the expression of his face； dropped a quick laugh and
pursued： 〃You don't follow my figure。 I'm not speaking of my dear
wife； who had a small fortune … which； however； was not my bribe。
I fell in love with her； as many other people have done。 I refer
to the mercenary muse whom I led to the altar of literature。
Don't； my boy； put your nose into THAT yoke。 The awful jade will
lead you a life！〃
Our hero watched him； wondering and deeply touched。 〃Haven't you
been happy！〃
〃Happy？ It's a kind of hell。〃
〃There are things I should like to ask you；〃 Paul said after a
pause。
〃Ask me anything in all the world。 I'd turn myself inside out to
save you。〃
〃To 'save' me？〃 he quavered。
〃To make you stick to it … to make you see it through。 As I said
to you the other night at Summersoft； let my example be vivid to
you。〃
〃Why your books are not so bad as that；〃 said Paul； fairly laughing
and feeling that if ever a fellow had breathed the air of art … ！
〃So bad as what？〃
〃Your talent's so great that it's in everything you do； in what's
less good as well as in what's best。 You've some forty volumes to
show for it … forty volumes of wonderful life； of rare observation；
of magnificent ability。〃