CHAPTER X.
關燈
小
中
大
iththeidealandcarryingtherealasameremake-weight.ThestrongpointoftheEnglishgentlemanpureistheeasystyleofhisfigureandclothingheobjectstomarkedinsandoutsinhiscostume,andhealsoobjectstolookinginspired.
Fancyanassemblagewherethemenhadallthatordinarystampofthewell-bredEnglishman,watchingtheentranceofHerrKlesmer—hismaneofhairfloatingbackwardinmassiveinconsistencywiththechimney-pothat,whichhadthelookofhavingbeenputonforajokeabovehispronouncedbutwell-modeledfeaturesandpowerfulclear-shavenmouthandchinhistall,thinfigurecladinawaywhich,notbeingstrictlyEnglish,wasalltheworseforitsapparentemphasisofintention.DrapedinaloosegarmentwithaFlorentineberrettaonhishead,hewouldhavebeenfittostandbythesideofLeonardodeVincibuthowwhenhepresentedhimselfintrouserswhichwerenotwhatEnglishfeelingdemandedabouttheknees?—andwhenthefirethatshoweditselfinhisglancesandthemovementsofhishead,ashelookedroundhimwithcuriosity,wasturnedintocomedybyahatwhichruledthatmankindshouldhavewell-croppedhairandastaiddemeanor,such,forexample,asMr.Arrowsmith’s,whosenullityoffaceandperfecttailoringmightpasseverywherewithoutridicule?Onefeelswhyitisoftenbetterforgreatnesstobedead,andtohavegotridoftheoutwardman.
ManypresentknewKlesmer,orknewofhimbuttheyhadonlyseenhimoncandle-lightoccasionswhenheappearedsimplyasamusician,andhehadnotyetthatsupreme,world-widecelebritywhichmakesanartistgreattothemostordinarypeoplebytheirknowledgeofhisgreatexpensiveness.Itwasliterallyanewlightforthemtoseehimin—presentedunexpectedlyonthisJulyafternooninanexclusivesociety:somewereinclinedtolaugh,othersfeltalittledisgustatthewantofjudgmentshownbytheArrowpointsinthisuseofanintroductorycard.
“Whatextremeguysthoseartisticfellowsusuallyare!”saidyoungClintocktoGwendolen.“Dolookatthefigurehecuts,bowingwithhishandonhishearttoLadyBrackenshaw—andMrs.Arrowpoint’sfeatherjustreachinghisshoulder.”
“Youareoneoftheprofane,”saidGwendolen.“Youareblindtothemajestyofgenius.HerrKlesmersmitesmewithaweIfeelcrushedinhispresencemycouragealloozesfromme.”
“Ah,youunderstandallabouthismusic.”
“No,indeed,”saidGwendolen,withalightlaugh“itishewhounderstandsallaboutmineandthinksitpitiable.”Klesmer’sverdictonhersinginghadbeenaneasierjoketohersincehehadbeenstruckbyherplastik.
“Itisnotaddressedtotheearsofthefuture,Isuppose.I’mgladofthat:itsuitsmine.”
“Oh,youareverykind.ButhowremarkablywellMissArrowpointlooksto-day!Shewouldmakequiteafinepictureinthatgold-coloreddress.”
“Toosplendid,don’tyouthink?”
“Well,perhapsalittletoosymbolical—toomuchlikethefigureofWealthinanallegory.”
ThisspeechofGwendolen’shadratheramalicioussound,butitwasnotreallymorethanabubbleoffun.ShedidnotwishMissArrowpointoranyoneelsetobeoutoftheway,believinginherowngoodfortuneevenmorethaninherskill.Thebeliefinbothnaturallygrewstrongerastheshootingwenton,forshepromisedtoachieveoneofthebestscores—asuccesswhichastonishedeveryoneinanewmemberandtoGwendolen’stemperamentonesuccessdeterminedanother.Shetrodonair,andallthingspleasantseemedpossible.Thehourwasenoughforher,andshewasnotobligedtothinkwhatsheshoulddonexttokeepherlifeattheduepitch.
“Howdoesthescoringstand,Iwonder?”saidLadyBrackenshaw,agraciouspersonagewho,adornedwithtwolittlegirlsandaboyofstoutmake,satasladyparamount.Herlordhadcomeuptoherinoneoftheintervalsofshooting.“ItseemstomethatMissHarlethislikelytowinthegoldarrow.”
“Gad,Ithinkshewill,ifshecarriesiton
