for you women bring it out with murderous effect。 When you meet
with a genius as fine as this idol of ours let him off the dreary
duty of being a personality as well。 Know him only by what's best
in him and spare him for the same sweet sake。〃
My young lady continued to look at me in confusion and mistrust；
and the result of her reflexion on what I had just said was to make
her suddenly break out： 〃Look here； sir … what's the matter with
him？〃
〃The matter with him is that if he doesn't look out people will eat
a great hole in his life。〃
She turned it over。 〃He hasn't any disfigurement？〃
〃Nothing to speak of！〃
〃Do you mean that social engagements interfere with his
occupations？〃
〃That but feebly expresses it。〃
〃So that he can't give himself up to his beautiful imagination？〃
〃He's beset； badgered； bothered … he's pulled to pieces on the
pretext of being applauded。 People expect him to give them his
time； his golden time； who wouldn't themselves give five shillings
for one of his books。〃
〃Five？ I'd give five thousand！〃
〃Give your sympathy … give your forbearance。 Two…thirds of those
who approach him only do it to advertise themselves。〃
〃Why it's too bad！〃 the girl exclaimed with the face of an angel。
〃It's the first time I was ever called crude！〃 she laughed。
I followed up my advantage。 〃There's a lady with him now who's a
terrible complication； and who yet hasn't read； I'm sure； ten pages
he ever wrote。〃
My visitor's wide eyes grew tenderer。 〃Then how does she talk … ？〃
〃Without ceasing。 I only mention her as a single case。 Do you
want to know how to show a superlative consideration？ Simply avoid
him。〃
〃Avoid him？〃 she despairingly breathed。
〃Don't force him to have to take account of you； admire him in
silence； cultivate him at a distance and secretly appropriate his
message。 Do you want to know；〃 I continued； warming to my idea；
〃how to perform an act of homage really sublime？〃 Then as she hung
on my words： 〃Succeed in never seeing him at all！〃
〃Never at all？〃 … she suppressed a shriek for it。
〃The more you get into his writings the less you'll want to； and
you'll be immensely sustained by the thought of the good you're
doing him。〃
She looked at me without resentment or spite； and at the truth I
had put before her with candour； credulity； pity。 I was afterwards
happy to remember that she must have gathered from my face the
liveliness of my interest in herself。 〃I think I see what you
mean。〃
〃Oh I express it badly； but I should be delighted if you'd let me
come to see you … to explain it better。〃
She made no response to this； and her thoughtful eyes fell on the
big album； on which she presently laid her hands as if to take it
away。 〃I did use to say out West that they might write a little
less for autographs … to all the great poets； you know … and study
the thoughts and style a little more。〃
〃What do they care for the thoughts and style？ They didn't even
understand you。 I'm not sure；〃 I added； 〃that I do myself； and I
dare say that you by no means make me out。〃
She had got up to go； and though I wanted her to succeed in not
seeing Neil Paraday I wanted her also； inconsequently； to remain in
the house。 I was at any rate far from desiring to hustle her off。
As Mrs。 Weeks Wimbush； upstairs； was still saving our friend in her
own way； I asked my young lady to let me briefly relate； in
illustration of my point； the little incident of my having gone
down into the country for a profane purpose and been converted on
the spot to holiness。 Sinking again into her chair to listen she
showed a deep interest in the anecdote。 Then thinking it over
gravely she returned with her odd intonation： 〃Yes； but you do see
him！〃 I had to admit that this was the case； and I wasn't so
prepared with an effective attenuation as I could have wished。 She
eased the situation off； however； by the charming quaintness with
which she finally said： 〃Well； I wouldn't want him to be lonely！〃
This time she rose in earnest； but I persuaded her to let me keep
the album to show Mr。 Paraday。 I assured her I'd bring it back to
her myself。 〃Well； you'll find my address somewhere in it on a
paper！〃 she sighed all resignedly at the door。
CHAPTER VIII。
I BLUSH to confess it； but I invited Mr。 Paraday that very day to
transcribe into the album one of his most characteristic passages。
I told him how I had got rid of the strange girl who had brought it
… her ominous name was Miss Hurter and she lived at an hotel； quite
agreeing with him moreover as to the wisdom of getting rid with
equal promptitude of the book itself。 This was why I carried it to
Albemarle Street no later than on the morrow。 I failed to find her
at home； but she wrote to me and I went again； she wanted so much
to hear more about Neil Paraday。 I returned repeatedly； I may
briefly declare； to supply her with this information。 She had been
immensely taken； the more she thought of it； with that idea of mine
about the act of homage： it had ended by filling her with a
generous rapture。 She positively desired to do something sublime
for him； though indeed I could see that； as this particular flight
was difficult； she appreciated the fact that my visits kept her up。
I had it on my conscience to keep her up： I neglected nothing that
would contribute to it； and her conception of our cherished
author's independence became at last as fine as his very own。
〃Read him； read him … THAT will be an education in decency；〃 I
constantly repeated； while； seeking him in his works even as God in
nature； she represented herself as convinced that； according to my
assurance； this was the system that had； as she expressed it；
weaned her。 We read him together when I could find time； and the
generous creature's sacrifice was fed by our communion。 There were
twenty selfish women about whom I told her and who stirred her to a
beautiful rage。 Immediately after my first visit her sister； Mrs。
Milsom； came over from Paris； and the two ladies began to present；
as they called it； their letters。 I thanked our stars that none
had been presented to Mr。 Paraday。 They received invitations and
dined out； and some of these occasions enabled Fanny Hurter to
perform； for consistency's sake； touching feats of submission。
Nothing indeed would now have induced her even to look at the
object of her admiration。 Once； hearing his name announced at a
party； she instantly left the room by another door and then
straightway quitted the house。 At another time when I was at the
opera with them … Mrs。 Milsom had invited me to their box … I
attempted to point Mr。 Paraday out to her in the stalls。 On this
she asked her sister to change places with her and； while that lady
devoured the great man through a powerful glass； presented； all the
rest of the evening； her inspired back to the house。 To torment
her tenderly I pressed the glass upon her； telling her how
wonderfully near it brought our friend's handsome head。 By way of
answer she simply looked at me in charged silence； letting me see
that tears had gathered in her eyes。 These tears； I may remark；
produced an effect on me of which the end is not yet。 There was a
moment when I felt it my duty to mention them to Neil Paraday； but
I was deterred by the reflexion that there were questions more
relevant to his happiness。
These question indeed； by the end of the season； were reduced to a
single one … the question of reconstituting so far as might be
possible the conditions under which he had produced his best work。
Such conditions could never all come back； for there was a new one
that took up too much place； but some perhaps were not beyond
recall。 I wanted above all things to see him sit down to the
subject he had； on my making his acquaintance； read me that
admirable sketch of。 Something told me there was no security but
in his doing so before the new factor； as we used to say at Mr。
Pinhorn's； should render the problem incalculable。 It only half…
reassured me that the sketch itself was so copious and so eloquent
that even at the worst there would be the making of a small but
complete book； a tiny volume which； for the faithful； might well
become an object of adoration。 There would even not be wanting
critics to declare； I foresaw； that the plan was a thing to be more
thankful for than the structure to have been reared on it。 My
impatience for the structure； none the less； grew and grew with the
interruptions。 He had on coming up to town begun to sit for his
portrait to a young painter； Mr。 Rumble； whose little game； as we
also used to say at Mr。 Pinhorn's； was to be the first to perch on
the shoulders of renown。 Mr。 Rumble's studio was a circus in which
the man of the hour； and still more the woman； leaped through the
hoops of his showy frames almost as electrically as they burst into
telegrams and 〃specials。〃 He pranced into the exhibitions on their
back； he was the reporter on canvas； the Vandyke up to date； and
there was one roaring year in