按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
November。〃
Sir Charles laughed at the trouble Trefusis took to prove his
case； and said soothingly； 〃My dear fellow； kings are used to it；
and expect it； and like it。〃
〃And probably do not see themselves as I see them； any more than
common people do；〃 assented Trefusis。
〃What an exquisite face！〃 exclaimed Erskine suddenly； catching
sight of a photograph in a rich gold and coral frame on a
miniature easel draped with ruby velvet。 Trefusis turned quickly；
so evidently gratified that Sir Charles hastened to say；
〃Charming！〃 Then； looking at the portrait； he added； as if a
little startled； 〃It certainly is an extraordinarily attractive
face。〃
〃Years ago；〃 said Trefusis； 〃when I saw that face for the first
time； I felt as you feel now。〃
Silence ensued； the two visitors looking at the portrait；
Trefusis looking at them。
〃Curious style of beauty；〃 said Sir Charles at last； not quite so
assuredly as before。
Trefusis laughed unpleasantly。 〃Do you recognize the artistthe
enthusiastic amateurin her？〃 he said； opening another drawer
and taking out a bundle of drawings； which he handed to be
examined。
〃Very clever。 Very clever indeed；〃 said Sir Charles。 〃I should
like to meet the lady。〃
〃I have often been on the point of burning them；〃 said Trefusis；
〃but there they are； and there they are likely to remain。 The
portrait has been much admired。〃
〃Can you give us an introduction to the original； old fellow？〃
said Erskine。
〃No； happily。 She is dead。〃
Disagreeably shocked； they looked at him for a moment with
aversion。 Then Erskine； turning with pity and disappointment to
the picture； said； 〃Poor girl！ Was she married？〃
〃Yes。 To me。〃
〃Mrs。 Trefusis！〃 exclaimed Sir Charles。 〃Ah！ Dear me！〃
Erskine； with proof before him that it was possible for a
beautiful girl to accept Trefusis； said nothing。
〃I keep her portrait constantly before me to correct my natural
amativeness。 I fell in love with her and married her。 I have
fallen in love once or twice since but a glance at my lost Hetty
has cured me of the slightest inclination to marry。〃
Sir Charles did not reply。 It occurred to him that Lady Brandon's
portrait； if nothing else were left of her； might be useful in
the same way。
〃Come； you will marry again one of these days；〃 said Erskine； in
a forced tone of encouragement。
〃It is possible。 Men should marry； especially rich men。 But I
assure you I have no present intention of doing so。〃
Erskine's color deepened； and he moved away to the table where
the albums lay。
〃This is the collection of photographs I spoke of；〃 said
Trefusis； following him and opening one of the books。 〃I took
many of them myself under great difficulties with regard to
lightthe only difficulty that money could not always remove。
This is a view of my father's houseor rather one of his houses。
It cost seventy…five thousand pounds。〃
〃Very handsome indeed；〃 said Sir Charles； secretly disgusted at
being invited to admire a photograph； such as house agents
exhibit； of a vulgarly designed country house； merely because it
had cost seventy…five thousand pounds。 The figures were actually
written beneath the picture。
〃This is the drawing…room； and this one of the best bedrooms。 In
the right…hand corner of the mount you will see a note of the
cost of the furniture； fittings； napery； and so forth。 They were
of the most luxurious description。〃
〃Very interesting；〃 said Sir Charles； hardly disguising the irony
of the comment。
〃Here is a viewthis is the first of my own attemptsof the
apartment of one of the under servants。 It is comfortable and
spacious； and solidly furnished。〃
〃So I perceive。〃
〃These are the stables。 Are they not handsome？〃
〃Palatial。 Quite palatial。〃
〃There is every luxury that a horse could desire； including
plenty of valets to wait on him。 You are noting the figures； I
hope。 There is the cost of the building and the expenditure per
horse per annum。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Here is the exterior of a house。 What do you think of it？〃
〃It is rather picturesque in its dilapidation。〃
〃Picturesque！ Would you like to live in it？〃
〃No；〃 said Erskine。 〃I don't see anything very picturesque about
it。 What induced you to photograph such a wretched old rookery？〃
〃Here is a view of the best room in it。 Photography gives you a
fair idea of the broken flooring and patched windows； but you
must imagine the dirt and the odor of the place。 Some of the
stains are weather stains； others came from smoke and filth。 The
landlord of the house holds it from a peer and lets it out in
tenements。 Three families occupied that room when I photographed
it。 You will see by the figures in the corner that it is more
profitable to the landlord than an average house in Mayfair。 Here
is the cellar； let to a family for one and sixpence a week； and
considered a bargain。 The sun never shines there； of course。 I
took it by artificial light。 You may add to the rent the cost of
enough bad beer to make the tenant insensible to the filth of the
place。 Beer is the chloroform that enables the laborer to endure
the severe operation of living； that is why we can always assure
one another over our wine that the rascal's misery is due to his
habit of drinking。 We are down on him for it； because； if he
could bear his life without beer； we should save his
beer…moneyget him for lower wages。 In short； we should be
richer and he soberer。 Here is the yard； the arrangements are
indescribable。 Seven of the inhabitants of that house had worked
for years in my father's mill。 That is； they had created a
considerable part of the vast sums of money for drawing your
attention to which you were disgusted with me just now。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Sir Charles faintly。
〃You can see how their condition contrasts with that of my
father's horses。 The seven men to whom I have alluded； with three
hundred others； were thrown destitute upon the streets by this。〃
（Here he turned over a leaf and displayed a photograph of an
elaborate machine。） 〃It enabled my father to dispense with their
services； and to replace them by a handful of women and children。
He had bought the patent of the machine for fifty pounds from the
inventor； who was almost ruined by the expenses of his ingenuity；
and would have sacrificed anything for a handful of ready money。
Here is a portrait of my father in his masonic insignia。 He
believed that freemasons generally get on in the world； and as
the main object of his life was to get on； he joined them； and
wanted me to do the same。 But I object to pretended secret
societies and hocus pocus； and would not。 You see what he wasa
portly； pushing； egotistical tradesman。 Mark the successful man；
the merchant prince with argosies on every sea； the employer of
thousands of hands； the munificent contributor to public
charities； the churchwarden； the member of parliament； and the
generous patron of his relatives his self…approbation struggling
with the instinctive sense of baseness in the money…hunter； the
ignorant and greedy filcher of the labor of others； the seller of
his own mind and manhood for luxuries and delicacies that he was
too lowlived to enjoy； and for