CHAPTER V.

nyonlynaturalthatsheshouldhavewhatarecalledliterarytendencies.Alittlecomparisonwouldhaveshownthatallthesepointsaretobefoundapartdaughtersofaldermenbeingoftenwell-grownandwell-featured,prettywomenhavingsometimesharshorhuskyvoices,andtheproductionoffeebleliteraturebeingfoundcompatiblewiththemostdiverseformsofphysique,masculineaswellasfeminine. Gwendolen,whohadakeensenseofabsurdityinothers,butwaskindlydisposedtowardanyonewhocouldmakelifeagreeabletoher,meanttowinMrs.Arrowpointbygivingheraninterestandattentionbeyondwhatotherswereprobablyinclinedtoshow.Butself-confidenceisapttoaddressitselftoanimaginarydullnessinothersaspeoplewhoarewelloffspeakinacajolingtonetothepoor,andthosewhoareintheprimeofliferaisetheirvoiceandtalkartificiallytoseniors,hastilyconceivingthemtobedeafandratherimbecile.Gwendolen,withallherclevernessandpurposetobeagreeable,couldnotescapethatformofstupidity:itfollowedinhermind,unreflectingly,thatbecauseMrs.Arrowpointwasridiculousshewasalsolikelytobewantinginpenetration,andshewentthroughherlittlesceneswithoutsuspicionthatthevariousshadesofherbehaviorwereallnoted. “Youarefondofbooksaswellasofmusic,riding,andarchery,Ihear,”Mrs.Arrowpointsaid,goingtoherforatête-à-têteinthedrawing-roomafterdinner.“Catherinewillbeverygladtohavesosympatheticaneighbor.”Thislittlespeechmighthaveseemedthemostgracefulpoliteness,spokeninalow,melodioustonebutwithatwang,fatallyloud,itgaveGwendolenasenseofexercisingpatronagewhensheanswered,gracefully: “ItisIwhoamfortunate.MissArrowpointwillteachmewhatgoodmusicis.Ishallbeentirelyalearner.Ihearthatsheisathoroughmusician.” “Catherinehascertainlyhadeveryadvantage.Wehaveafirst-ratemusicianinthehousenow—HerrKlesmerperhapsyouknowallhiscompositions.Youmustallowmetointroducehimtoyou.Yousing,Ibelieve.Catherineplaysthreeinstruments,butshedoesnotsing.Ihopeyouwillletushearyou.Iunderstandyouareanaccomplishedsinger.” “Oh,no!—‘dieKraftistschwach,alleindieLustistgross,’asMephistophelessays.” “Ah,youareastudentofGoethe.Youngladiesaresoadvancednow.Isupposeyouhavereadeverything.” “No,really.Ishallbesogladifyouwilltellmewhattoread.IhavebeenlookingintoallthebooksinthelibraryatOffendene,butthereisnothingreadable.Theleavesallsticktogetherandsmellmusty.IwishIcouldwritebookstoamusemyself,asyoucan!Howdelightfulitmustbetowritebooksafterone’sowntasteinsteadofreadingotherpeople’s!Home-madebooksmustbesonice.” ForaninstantMrs.Arrowpoint’sglancewasalittlesharper,buttheperilousresemblancetosatireinthelastsentencetookthehueofgirlishsimplicitywhenGwendolenadded, “Iwouldgiveanythingtowriteabook!” “Andwhyshouldyounot?”saidMrs.Arrowpoint,encouragingly.“YouhavebuttobeginasIdid.Pen,ink,andpaperareateverybody’scommand.ButIwillsendyouallIhavewrittenwithpleasure.” “Thanks.Ishallbesogladtoreadyourwritings.Beingacquaintedwithauthorsmustgiveapeculiarunderstandingoftheirbooks:onewouldbeabletotellthenwhichpartswerefunnyandwhichserious.IamsureIoftenlaughinthewrongplace.”HereGwendolenherselfbecameawareofdanger,andaddedquickly,“InShakespeare,youknow,andothergreatwritersthatwecanneversee.ButIalwayswanttoknowmorethanthereisinthebooks.” “IfyouareinterestedinanyofmysubjectsIcanlendyoumanyextrasheetsinmanuscript,”saidMrs.Arrowpoint—whileGwendolenfeltherselfpainfullyinthepositionoftheyoungladywhopr