CHAPTER III.
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good-looking,”assentedLordHenry.
“Ihopehewillfallintoproperhands,”continuedtheoldman.“HeshouldhaveapotofmoneywaitingforhimifKelsodidtherightthingbyhim.Hismotherhadmoney,too.AlltheSelbypropertycametoher,throughhergrandfather.HergrandfatherhatedKelso,thoughthimameandog.Hewas,too.CametoMadridoncewhenIwasthere.Egad,Iwasashamedofhim.TheQueenusedtoaskmeabouttheEnglishnoblewhowasalwaysquarrellingwiththecabmenabouttheirfares.Theymadequiteastoryofit.Ididn’tdareshowmyfaceatCourtforamonth.Ihopehetreatedhisgrandsonbetterthanhedidthejarvies.”
“Idon’tknow,”answeredLordHenry.“Ifancythattheboywillbewelloff.Heisnotofageyet.HehasSelby,Iknow.Hetoldmeso.And...hismotherwasverybeautiful?”
“MargaretDevereuxwasoneoftheloveliestcreaturesIeversaw,Harry.Whatonearthinducedhertobehaveasshedid,Inevercouldunderstand.Shecouldhavemarriedanybodyshechose.Carlingtonwasmadafterher.Shewasromantic,though.Allthewomenofthatfamilywere.Themenwereapoorlot,but,egad!thewomenwerewonderful.Carlingtonwentonhiskneestoher.Toldmesohimself.Shelaughedathim,andtherewasn’tagirlinLondonatthetimewhowasn’tafterhim.Andbytheway,Harry,talkingaboutsillymarriages,whatisthishumbugyourfathertellsmeaboutDartmoorwantingtomarryanAmerican?Ain’tEnglishgirlsgoodenoughforhim?”
“ItisratherfashionabletomarryAmericansjustnow,UncleGeorge.”
“I’llbackEnglishwomenagainsttheworld,Harry,”saidLordFermor,strikingthetablewithhisfist.
“ThebettingisontheAmericans.”
“Theydon’tlast,Iamtold,”mutteredhisuncle.
“Alongengagementexhauststhem,buttheyarecapitalatasteeplechase.Theytakethingsflying.Idon’tthinkDartmoorhasachance.”
“Whoareherpeople?”grumbledtheoldgentleman.“Hasshegotany?”
LordHenryshookhishead.“Americangirlsareascleveratconcealingtheirparents,asEnglishwomenareatconcealingtheirpast,”hesaid,risingtogo.
“Theyarepork-packers,Isuppose?”
“Ihopeso,UncleGeorge,forDartmoor’ssake.Iamtoldthatpork-packingisthemostlucrativeprofessioninAmerica,afterpolitics.”
“Isshepretty?”
“Shebehavesasifshewasbeautiful.MostAmericanwomendo.Itisthesecretoftheircharm.”
“Whycan’ttheseAmericanwomenstayintheirowncountry?Theyarealwaystellingusthatitistheparadiseforwomen.”
“Itis.Thatisthereasonwhy,likeEve,theyaresoexcessivelyanxioustogetoutofit,”saidLordHenry.“Good-bye,UncleGeorge.Ishallbelateforlunch,ifIstopanylonger.ThanksforgivingmetheinformationIwanted.Ialwaysliketoknoweverythingaboutmynewfriends,andnothingaboutmyoldones.”
“Whereareyoulunching,Harry?”
“AtAuntAgatha’s.IhaveaskedmyselfandMr.Gray.Heisherlatestprotégé.”
“Humph!tellyourAuntAgatha,Harry,nottobothermeanymorewithhercharityappeals.Iamsickofthem.Why,thegoodwomanthinksthatIhavenothingtodobuttowritechequesforhersillyfads.”
“Allright,UncleGeorge,I’lltellher,butitwon’thaveanyeffect.Philanthropicpeopleloseallsenseofhumanity.Itistheirdistinguishingcharacteristic.”
Theoldgentlemangrowledapprovinglyandrangthebellforhisservant.LordHenrypassedupthelowarcadeintoBurlingtonStreetandturnedhisstepsinthedirectionofBerkeleySquare.
SothatwasthestoryofDorianGray’sparentage.Crudelyasithadbeentoldtohim,ithadyetstirredhimbyitssuggestionofastrange,almostmodernromance.Abeautifulwomanriskingeverythingforamadpassion.Afewwildweeksofhappinesscutshortbyahideous,treacherouscrime.Monthsofvoicelessagony,andthenachildborninpain.Themothersnatchedawaybydeath,theboylefttosolitudeandthetyrannyofanoldandlovelessman.Yesitwasaninterestingbackground.Itposedthelad,madehimmoreperfect,asitwere.Behindeveryexquisitethingthatexisted,therewassomethingtragic.Worldshadtobeintravail,thatthemeanestflowermightblow....Andhowcharminghehadbeenatdinnerthenightbefore,aswithstartledeyesandlipspartedinfrightenedpleasurehehadsatoppositetohimattheclub,theredcandleshadesstainingtoaricherrosethewakeningwonderofhisface.Talkingtohimwaslikeplayinguponanexquisiteviolin.Heansweredtoeverytouchandthrillofthebow....Therewassomethingterriblyenthrallingintheexerciseofinfluence.Nootheractivitywaslikeit.Toprojectone’ssoulintosomegraciousform,andletittarrythereforamomenttohearone’sownintellectualviewsechoedbacktoonewithalltheaddedmusicofpassionandyouthtoconveyone’stemperamentintoanotherasthoughitwere
