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listened a while； courteously； then he said； laying his hand on his
visitor's： 〃That's all very well； and if your idea's to do nothing
better there's no reason you shouldn't have as many good things as
I … as many human and material appendages； as many sons or
daughters； a wife with as many gowns； a house with as many
servants； a stable with as many horses； a heart with as many
aches。〃 The Master got up when he had spoken thus … he stood a
moment … near the sofa looking down on his agitated pupil。 〃Are
you possessed of any property？〃 it occurred to him to ask。
〃None to speak of。〃
〃Oh well then there's no reason why you shouldn't make a goodish
income … if you set about it the right way。 Study ME for that …
study me well。 You may really have horses。〃
Paul sat there some minutes without speaking。 He looked straight
before him … he turned over many things。 His friend had wandered
away； taking up a parcel of letters from the table where the roll
of proofs had lain。 〃What was the book Mrs。 St。 George made you
burn … the one she didn't like？〃 our young man brought out。
〃The book she made me burn … how did you know that？〃 The Master
looked up from his letters quite without the facial convulsion the
pupil had feared。
〃I heard her speak of it at Summersoft。〃
〃Ah yes … she's proud of it。 I don't know … it was rather good。〃
〃What was it about？〃
〃Let me see。〃 And he seemed to make an effort to remember。 〃Oh
yes … it was about myself。〃 Paul gave an irrepressible groan for
the disappearance of such a production； and the elder man went on：
〃Oh but YOU should write it … YOU should do me。〃 And he pulled up
… from the restless motion that had come upon him； his fine smile a
generous glare。 〃There's a subject； my boy： no end of stuff in
it！〃
Again Paul was silent； but it was all tormenting。 〃Are there no
women who really understand … who can take part in a sacrifice？〃
〃How can they take part？ They themselves are the sacrifice。
They're the idol and the altar and the flame。〃
〃Isn't there even ONE who sees further？〃 Paul continued。
For a moment St。 George made no answer； after which； having torn up
his letters； he came back to the point all ironic。 〃Of course I
know the one you mean。 But not even Miss Fancourt。〃
〃I thought you admired her so much。〃
〃It's impossible to admire her more。 Are you in love with her？〃
St。 George asked。
〃Yes；〃 Paul Overt presently said。
〃Well then give it up。〃
Paul stared。 〃Give up my 'love'？〃
〃Bless me； no。 Your idea。〃 And then as our hero but still gazed：
〃The one you talked with her about。 The idea of a decent
perfection。〃
〃She'd help it … she'd help it！〃 the young man cried。
〃For about a year … the first year； yes。 After that she'd be as a
millstone round its neck。〃
Paul frankly wondered。 〃Why she has a passion for the real thing；
for good work … for everything you and I care for most。〃
〃'You and I' is charming； my dear fellow！〃 his friend laughed。
〃She has it indeed； but she'd have a still greater passion for her
children … and very proper too。 She'd insist on everything's being
made comfortable； advantageous； propitious for them。 That isn't
the artist's business。〃
〃The artist … the artist！ Isn't he a man all the same？〃
St。 George had a grand grimace。 〃I mostly think not。 You know as
well as I what he has to do： the concentration； the finish； the
independence he must strive for from the moment he begins to wish
his work really decent。 Ah my young friend； his relation to women；
and especially to the one he's most intimately concerned with； is
at the mercy of the damning fact that whereas he can in the nature
of things have but one standard； they have about fifty。 That's
what makes them so superior；〃 St。 George amusingly added。 〃Fancy
an artist with a change of standards as you'd have a change of
shirts or of dinner…plates。 To DO it … to do it and make it divine
… is the only thing he has to think about。 'Is it done or not？' is
his only question。 Not 'Is it done as well as a proper solicitude
for my dear little family will allow？' He has nothing to do with
the relative … he has only to do with the absolute； and a dear
little family may represent a dozen relatives。〃
〃Then you don't allow him the common passions and affections of
men？〃 Paul asked。
〃Hasn't he a passion； an affection； which includes all the rest？
Besides； let him have all the passions he likes … if he only keeps
his independence。 He must be able to be poor。〃
Paul slowly got up。 〃Why then did you advise me to make up to
her？〃
St。 George laid his hand on his shoulder。 〃Because she'd make a
splendid wife！ And I hadn't read you then。〃
The young man had a strained smile。 〃I wish you had left me
alone！〃
〃I didn't know that that wasn't good enough for you；〃 his host
returned。
〃What a false position； what a condemnation of the artist； that
he's a mere disfranchised monk and can produce his effect only by
giving up personal happiness。 What an arraignment of art！〃 Paul
went on with a trembling voice。
〃Ah you don't imagine by chance that I'm defending art？
'Arraignment' … I should think so！ Happy the societies in which it
hasn't made its appearance； for from the moment it comes they have
a consuming ache； they have an incurable corruption； in their
breast。 Most assuredly is the artist in a false position！ But I
thought we were taking him for granted。 Pardon me；〃 St。 George
continued： 〃'Ginistrella' made me！〃
Paul stood looking at the floor … one o'clock struck； in the
stillness； from a neighbouring church…tower。 〃Do you think she'd
ever look at me？〃 he put to his friend at last。
〃Miss Fancourt … as a suitor？ Why shouldn't I think it？ That's
why I've tried to favour you … I've had a little chance or two of
bettering your opportunity。〃
〃Forgive my asking you； but do you mean by keeping away yourself？〃
Paul said with a blush。
〃I'm an old idiot … my place isn't there；〃 St。 George stated
gravely。
〃I'm nothing yet； I've no fortune； and there must be so many
others；〃 his companion pursued。
The Master took this considerably in； but made little of it。
〃You're a gentleman and a man of genius。 I think you might do
something。〃
〃But if I must give that up … the genius？〃
〃Lots of people； you know； think I've kept mine；〃 St。 George
wonderfully grinned。
〃You've a genius for mystification！〃 Paul declared； but grasping
his hand gratefully in attenuation of this judgement。
〃Poor dear boy； I do worry you！ But try； try； all the same。 I
think your chances are good and you'll win a great prize。〃
Paul held fast the other's hand a minute； he looked into the
strange deep face。 〃No； I AM an artist … I can't help it！〃
〃Ah show it then！〃 St。 George pleadingly broke out。 〃Let me see
before I die the thing I most want； the thing I yearn for： a life
in which the passion … ours … is really intense。 If you can be
rare don't fail of it！ Think what it is … how it counts … how it
lives！〃
They had moved to the door and he had closed both his hands over
his companion's。 Here they paused again and our hero breathed
deep。 〃I want to live！〃
〃In what sense？〃
〃In the greatest。〃
〃Well then stick to it … see it through。〃
〃With your sympathy … your help？〃
〃Count on that … you'll be a great figure to me。 Count on my
highest appreciation； my devotion。 You'll give me satisfaction …
if that has any weight with you。〃 After which； as Paul appeared
still to waver； his host added： 〃Do you remember what you said to
me at Summersoft？〃
〃Something infatuated； no doubt！〃
〃'I'll do anything in the world you tell me。' You said that。〃
〃And you hold me to it？〃
〃Ah what am I？〃 the Master expressively sighed。
〃Lord； what things I shall have to do！〃 Paul almost moaned as be
departed。
CHAPTER VI
〃It goes on too much abroad … hang abroad！〃 These or something
like them had been the Master's remarkable words in relation to the
action of 〃Ginistrella〃； and yet； though they had made a sharp
impression on the author of that work； like almost all spoken words
from the same source； he a week after the conversation I have noted
left England for a long absence and full of brave intentions。 It
is not a perversion of the truth to pronounce that encounter the
direct cause of his departure。 If the oral utterance of the
eminent writer had the privilege of moving him deeply it was
especially on his turning it over at leisure； hours and days later；
that it appeared to yield him its full meaning and exhibit its
extreme importance。 He spent the summer in Switzerland and； having
in September begun a new task； determined not to cross the Alps
till he should have made a good start。 To