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influence of moral force and the movement for the higher
education of women？〃
〃By your own admission； the fault seems to lie upon your moral
training and not upon hers。〃
〃The fault was in the conditions of our association。 Why they
should have attracted me so strongly at first； and repelled me so
horribly afterwards； is one of those devil's riddles which will
not be answered until we shall have traced all the yet
unsuspected reactions of our inveterate dishonesty。 But I am
wasting your time； I fear。 You sent for Smilash； and I have
responded by practically annihilating him。 In public； however；
you must still bear with his antics。 One moment more。 I had
forgotten to ask you whether you are interested in the shepherd
whose wife you sheltered on the night of the storm？〃
〃He assured me； before he took his wife away； that he was
comfortably settled in a lodging in Lyvern。〃
〃Yes。 Very comfortably settled indeed。 For half…a…crown a week he
obtained permission to share a spacious drawing…room with two
other families in a ten…roomed house in not much better repair
than his blown…down hovel。 This house yields to its landlord over
two hundred a year； or rather more than the rent of a commodious
mansion in South Kensington。 It is a troublesome rent to collect；
but on the other hand there is no expenditure for repairs or
sanitation； which are not considered necessary in tenement
houses。 Our friend has to walk three miles to his work and three
miles back。 Exercise is a capital thing for a student or a city
clerk； but to a shepherd who has been in the fields all day； a
long walk at the end of his work is somewhat too much of a good
thing。 He begged for an increase of wages to compensate him for
the loss of the hut； but Sir John pointed out to him that if he
was not satisfied his place could be easily filled by less
exorbitant shepherds。 Sir John even condescended to explain that
the laws of political economy bind employers to buy labor in the
cheapest market； and our poor friend； just as ignorant of
economics as Sir John； of course did not know that this was
untrue。 However； as labor is actually so purchased everywhere
except in Downing Street and a few other privileged spots； I
suggested that our friend should go to some place where his
market price would be higher than in merry England。 He was
willing enough to do so； but unable from want of means。 So I lent
him a trifle； and now he is on his way to Australia。 Workmen are
the geese that lay the golden eggs； but they fly away sometimes。
I hear a gong sounding； to remind me of the fight of time and the
value of your share of it。 Good…morning！〃
Miss Wilson was suddenly moved not to let him go without an
appeal to his better nature。 〃Mr。 Trefusis；〃 she said； 〃excuse
me； but are you not； in your generosity to others a little
forgetful of your duty to yourself； and〃
〃The first and hardest of all duties！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I beg your
pardon for interrupting you。 It was only to plead guilty。〃
〃I cannot admit that it is the first of all duties； but it is
sometimes perhaps the hardest； as you say。 Still； you could
surely do yourself more justice without any great effort。 If you
wish to live humbly； you can do so without pretending to be an
uneducated man and without taking an irritating and absurd name。
Why on earth do you call yourself Smilash？〃
〃I confess that the name has been a failure。 I took great pains；
in constructing it； to secure a pleasant impression。 It is not a
mere invention； but a compound of the words smile and eyelash。 A
smile suggests good humor； eyelashes soften the expression and
are the only features that never blemish a face。 Hence Smilash is
a sound that should cheer and propitiate。 Yet it exasperates。 It
is really very odd that it should have that effect； unless it is
that it raises expectations which I am unable to satisfy。〃
Miss Wilson looked at him doubtfully。 He remained perfectly
grave。 There was a pause。 Then； as if she had made up her mind to
be offended； she said； 〃Good…morning；〃 shortly。
〃Good…morning； Miss Wilson。 The son of a millionaire； like the
son of a king； is seldom free from mental disease。 I am just mad
enough to be a mountebank。 If I were a little madder； I should
perhaps really believe myself Smilash instead of merely acting
him。 Whether you ask me to forget myself for a moment； or to
remember myself for a moment； I reply that I am the son of my
father； and cannot。 With my egotism； my charlatanry； my tongue；
and my habit of having my own way； I am fit for no calling but
that of saviour of mankindjust of the sort they like。〃 After an
impressive pause he turned slowly and left the room。
〃I wonder；〃 he said； as he crossed the landing； 〃whether； by
judiciously losing my way； I can catch a glimpse of that girl who
is like a golden idol？〃
Downstairs； on his way to the door； he saw Agatha coming towards
him； occupied with a book which she was tossing up to the ceiling
and catching。 Her melancholy expression； habitual in her lonely
moments； showed that she was not amusing herself； but giving vent
to her restlessness。 As her gaze travelled upward； following the
flight of the volume； it was arrested by Smilash。 The book fell
to the floor。 He picked it up and handed it to her； saying：
〃And； in good time； here is the golden idol！〃
〃What？〃 said Agatha； confused。
〃I call you the golden idol；〃 he said。 〃When we are apart I
always imagine your face as a face of gold； with eyes and teeth
of bdellium； or chalcedony； or agate； or any wonderful unknown
stones of appropriate colors。〃
Agatha； witless and dumb； could only look down deprecatingly。
〃You think you ought to be angry with me； and you do not know
exactly how to make me feel that you are so。 Is that it？〃
〃No。 Quite the contrary。 At leastI mean that you are wrong。 I
am the most commonplace person you can imagineif you only knew。
No matter what I may look； I mean。〃
〃How do you know that you are commonplace？〃
〃Of course I know；〃 said Agatha； her eyes wandering uneasily。
〃Of course you do not know； you cannot see yourself as others see
you。 For instance； you have never thought of yourself as a golden
idol。〃
〃But that is absurd。 You are quite mistaken about me。〃
〃Perhaps so。 I know； however； that your face is not really made
of gold and that it has not the same charm for you that it has
for othersfor me。〃
〃I must go；〃 said Agatha； suddenly in haste。
〃When shall we meet again？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said； with a growing sense of alarm。 〃I
really must go。〃
〃Believe me； your hurry is only imaginary。 Do you fancy that you
are behaving in a manner quite ubdued ardor that affected Agatha
strangely。 〃But first tell me whether it is new to you or not。〃
〃It is not an emotion at all。 I did not say that it was。〃
〃Do not be afraid of it。 It is only being alone with a man whom
you have bewitched。 You would be mistress of the situation if you
only knew how to manage a lover。 It is far easier than managing a
horse； or skating； or playing the piano； or half a dozen other
feats of which you think nothing。〃
Agatha colored and raised her head。
〃Forgive me；〃 he said； interrupting the action。 〃I am trying to
offend you in order to save myself from falling in love with you；
and I have not the heart to let myself succeed。 On your life； do
not listen to me or believe me。 I have no right to say these
things to you。 Some fiend enters into me when I am at your side。
You should wear a veil； Agatha。〃
She blushed； and stood burning and tingling； her presence of mind
gone； and her chief sensation one of relief to hearfor she did
not dare to seethat he was departing。 Her consciousness was in
a delicious confusion； with the one definite thought in it that
she had won her lover at last。 The tone of Trefusis's voice； rich
with truth and earnestness； his quick insight； and his passionate
warning to her not to heed him； convinced her that she had
entered into a relation destined to influence her whole life。
〃And yet；〃 she said remorsefully； 〃I cannot love him as he loves
me。 I am selfish； cold； calculating； worldly； and have doubted
until now whether such a thing as love really existed。 If I could
only love him recklessly and wholly； as he loves me！〃
Smilash was also soliloquizing as he went on his way。
〃Now I have made the poor childwho was so anxious that I should
not mistake her for a supernaturally gifted and lovely woman as
happy as an angel； and so is that fine girl whom they call Jane
Carpenter。 I hope they won't exchange confidences on the
subject。〃
CHAPTER VIII
Mrs。 Trefusis found her parents so unsympathetic on the subject
of her marriage that she left their house shortly after her visit
to Lyvern； and went to reside with a hospitable friend。 Unable to
remain silent upon the matter constantly in her thoughts； she
discussed her husband's flight with this friend； and elicited an
opinion that the behavior of Trefusis was scandalous and wicked。
Henrietta could not bear this； and sought shelter with a
relative。 The same discussion arising； the relative said：
〃Well； Hetty； if I am to speak candidly； I must say that I have
known Sidney Tref