CHAPTER V.
關燈
小
中
大
ofessedtolikepottedsprats.
“ThesearethingsIdaresayIshallpublisheventually:severalfriendshaveurgedmetodoso,andonedoesn’tliketobeobstinate.MyTasso,forexample—Icouldhavemadeittwicethesize.”
“IdoteonTasso,”saidGwendolen.
“Well,youshallhaveallmypapers,ifyoulike.Somany,youknow,havewrittenaboutTassobuttheyareallwrong.Astotheparticularnatureofhismadness,andhisfeelingsforLeonora,andtherealcauseofhisimprisonment,andthecharacterofLeonora,who,inmyopinion,wasacold-heartedwoman,elseshewouldhavemarriedhiminspiteofherbrother—theyareallwrong.Idifferfromeverybody.”
“Howveryinteresting!”saidGwendolen.“Iliketodifferfromeverybody.Ithinkitissostupidtoagree.Thatistheworstofwritingyouropinionsyoumakepeopleagreewithyou.”ThisspeechrenewedaslightsuspicioninMrs.Arrowpoint,andagainherglancebecameforamomentexamining.ButGwendolenlookedveryinnocent,andcontinuedwithadocileair:
“IknownothingofTassoexcepttheGerusalemmeLiberata,whichwereadandlearnedbyheartatschool.”
“Ah,hislifeismoreinterestingthanhispoetry,Ihaveconstructedtheearlypartofhislifeasasortofromance.WhenonethinksofhisfatherBernardo,andsoon,thereismuchthatmustbetrue.”
“Imaginationisoftentruerthanfact,”saidGwendolen,decisively,thoughshecouldnomorehaveexplainedtheseglibwordsthaniftheyhadbeenCopticorEtruscan.“IshallbesogladtolearnallaboutTasso—andhismadnessespecially.Isupposepoetsarealwaysalittlemad.”
“Tobesure—‘thepoet’seyeinafinefrenzyrolling’andsomebodysaysofMarlowe,
‘Forthatfinemadnessstillhedidmaintain,
Whichalwaysshouldpossessthepoet’sbrain.’”
“Butitwasnotalwaysfoundout,wasit?”saidGwendoleninnocently.“Isupposesomeofthemrolledtheireyesinprivate.Madpeopleareoftenverycunning.”
AgainashadeflittedoverMrs.Arrowpoint’sfacebuttheentranceofthegentlemenpreventedanyimmediatemischiefbetweenherandthistooquickyounglady,whohadover-actedherna?veté.
“Ah,herecomesHerrKlesmer,”saidMrs.Arrowpoint,risingandpresentlybringinghimtoGwendolen,sheleftthemtoadialoguewhichwasagreeableonbothsides,HerrKlesmerbeingafelicitouscombinationoftheGerman,theSclaveandtheSemite,withgrandfeatures,brownhairfloatinginartisticfashion,andbrowneyesinspectacles.HisEnglishhadlittleforeignnessexceptitsfluencyandhisalarmingclevernesswasmadelessformidablejustthenbyacertainsofteningairofsillinesswhichwillsometimesbefallevenGeniusinthedesireofbeingagreeabletoBeauty.
Musicwassoonbegun.MissArrowpointandHerrKlesmerplayedafour-handedpieceontwopianos,whichconvincedthecompanyingeneralthatitwaslong,andGwendoleninparticularthattheneutral,placid-facedMissArrowpointhadamasteryoftheinstrumentwhichputherownexecutionoutofquestion—thoughshewasnotdiscouragedastoheroften-praisedtouchandstyle.AfterthiseveryonebecameanxioustohearGwendolensingespeciallyMr.Arrowpointaswasnaturalinahostandaperfectgentleman,ofwhomnoonehadanythingtosaybutthathemarriedMissCuttlerandimportedthebestcigarsandheledhertothepianowitheasypoliteness.HerrKlesmerclosedtheinstrumentinreadinessforher,andsmiledwithpleasureatherapproachthenplacedhimselfatadistanceofafewfeetsothathecouldseeherasshesang.
Gwendolenwasnotnervouswhatsheundertooktodoshedidwithouttrembling,andsingingwasanenjoymenttoher.Hervoicewasamoderatelypowerfulsoprano(someonehadtoldheritwaslikeJennyLind’s),hereargood,andshewasabletokeepintune,sothathersinginggavepleasuretoord
