CHAPTER I "There Are Heroisms All Round Us"

man!" "Whyshouldyounot?"Icried."Itiswomenlikeyouwhobracemenup.Givemeachance,andseeifIwilltakeit!Besides,asyousay,menoughttoMAKEtheirownchances,andnotwaituntiltheyaregiven.LookatClive—justaclerk,andheconqueredIndia!ByGeorge!I'lldosomethingintheworldyet!" ShelaughedatmysuddenIrisheffervescence."Whynot?"shesaid."Youhaveeverythingamancouldhave,—youth,health,strength,education,energy.Iwassorryyouspoke.AndnowIamglad—soglad—ifitwakensthesethoughtsinyou!" "AndifIdo——" Herdearhandrestedlikewarmvelvetuponmylips."Notanotherword,Sir!YoushouldhavebeenattheofficeforeveningdutyhalfanhouragoonlyIhadn'tthehearttoremindyou.Someday,perhaps,whenyouhavewonyourplaceintheworld,weshalltalkitoveragain." AndsoitwasthatIfoundmyselfthatfoggyNovembereveningpursuingtheCamberwelltramwithmyheartglowingwithinme,andwiththeeagerdeterminationthatnotanotherdayshouldelapsebeforeIshouldfindsomedeedwhichwasworthyofmylady.Butwho—whoinallthiswideworldcouldeverhaveimaginedtheincredibleshapewhichthatdeedwastotake,orthestrangestepsbywhichIwasledtothedoingofit? And,afterall,thisopeningchapterwillseemtothereadertohavenothingtodowithmynarrativeandyettherewouldhavebeennonarrativewithoutit,foritisonlywhenamangoesoutintotheworldwiththethoughtthatthereareheroismsallroundhim,andwiththedesireallaliveinhishearttofollowanywhichmaycomewithinsightofhim,thathebreaksawayasIdidfromthelifeheknows,andventuresforthintothewonderfulmystictwilightlandwhereliethegreatadventuresandthegreatrewards.Beholdme,then,attheofficeoftheDailyGazette,onthestaffofwhichIwasamostinsignificantunit,withthesettleddeterminationthatverynight,ifpossible,tofindthequestwhichshouldbeworthyofmyGladys!Wasithardness,wasitselfishness,thatsheshouldaskmetoriskmylifeforherownglorification?Suchthoughtsmaycometomiddleagebutnevertoardentthree-and-twentyinthefeverofhisfirstlove.