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safest from in personal dealings with the writer。'
'O； I don't mean to call her warmth of feeling a vice or virtue
exactly'
'I agree with you；' said Neigh to the last speaker but one； in tones
as emphatic as they possibly could be without losing their proper
character of indifference to the whole matter。 'Warm sentiment of
any sort； whenever we have it； disturbs us too much to leave us
repose enough for writing it down。'
'I am sure； when I was at the ardent age；' said the mistress of the
house； in a tone of pleasantly agreeing with every one； particularly
those who were diametrically opposed to each other； 'I could no more
have printed such emotions and made them public than Icould have
helped privately feeling them。'
'I wonder if she has gone through half she says？ If so； what an
experience！'
'O nonot at all likely；' said Mr。 Neigh。 'It is as risky to
calculate people's ways of living from their writings as their
incomes from their way of living。'
'She is as true to nature as fashion is false；' said the painter； in
his warmth becoming scarcely complimentary； as sometimes happens
with young persons。 'I don't think that she has written a word more
than what every woman would deny feeling in a society where no woman
says what she means or does what she says。 And can any praise be
greater than that？'
'Ha…ha！ Capital！'
'All her verses seem to me；' said a rather stupid person； 'to be
simply
〃Tral'…la…la…lal'…la…la…la'；
Tral'…la…la…lal'…la…la…lu'；
Tral'…la…la…lal'…la…la…lalla'；
Tral'…la…la…lu'。〃
When you take away the music there is nothing left。 Yet she is
plainly a woman of great culture。'
'Have you seen what the London Light says about themone of the
finest things I have ever read in the way of admiration？' continued
Ladywell； paying no attention to the previous speaker。 He lingered
for a reply； and then impulsively quoted several lines from the
periodical he had named； without aid or hesitation。 'Good； is it
not？' added Ladywell。
They assented； but in such an unqualified manner that half as much
readiness would have meant more。 But Ladywell； though not
experienced enough to be quite free from enthusiasm； was too
experienced to mind indifference for more than a minute or two。
When the ladies had withdrawn； the young man went on
'Colonel Staff said a funny thing to me yesterday about these very
poems。 He asked me if I knew her； and'
'Her？ Why； he knows that it is a lady all the time； and we were
only just now doubting whether the sex of the writer could be really
what it seems。 Shame； Ladywell！' said his friend Neigh。
'Ah； Mr。 Ladywell；' said another； 'now we have found you out。 You
know her！'
'NowI sayha…ha！' continued the painter； with a face expressing
that he had not at all tried to be found out as the man possessing
incomparably superior knowledge of the poetess。 'I beg pardon
really； but don't press me on the matter。 Upon my word the secret
is not my own。 As I was saying； the Colonel said； 〃Do you know
her？〃but you don't care to hear？'
'We shall be delighted！'
'So the Colonel said； 〃Do you know her？〃 adding； in a most comic
way； 〃Between U。 and E。； Ladywell； I believe there is a close
affinity〃meaning me； you know； by U。 Just like the Colonelha…
ha…ha！'
The older men did not oblige Ladywell a second time with any attempt
at appreciation； but a weird silence ensued； during which the smile
upon Ladywell's face became frozen to painful permanence。
'Meaning by E。； you know； the 〃E〃 of the poemsheh…heh！' he added。
'It was a very humorous incident certainly；' said his friend Neigh；
at which there was a laughnot from anything connected with what he
said； but simply because it was the right thing to laugh when Neigh
meant you to do so。
'Now don't； Neighyou are too hard upon me。 But； seriously； two or
three fellows were there when I said it； and they all began
laughingbut； then； the Colonel said it in such a queer way； you
know。 But you were asking me about her？ Well； the fact is； between
ourselves； I do know that she is a lady； and I don't mind telling a
word'
'But we would not for the world be the means of making you betray
her confidencewould we； Jones？'
'No； indeed； we would not。'
'No； no； it is not that at allthis is really too bad！you must
listen just for a moment'
'Ladywell； don't betray anybody on our account。'
'Whoever the illustrious young lady may be she has seen a great deal
of the world；' said Mr。 Doncastle blandly； 'and puts her experience
of the comedy of its emotions； and of its method of showing them； in
a very vivid light。'
'I heard a man say that the novelty with which the ideas are
presented is more noticeable than the originality of the ideas
themselves；' observed Neigh。 'The woman has made a great talk about
herself； and I am quite weary of people asking of her condition；
place of abode； has she a father； has she a mother； or dearer one
yet than all other。'
'I would have burlesque quotation put down by Act of Parliament； and
all who dabble in it placed with him who can cite Scripture for his
purposes；' said Ladywell； in retaliation。
After a pause Neigh remarked half…privately to their host； who was
his uncle： 'Your butler Chickerel is a very intelligent man； as I
have heard。'
'Yes； he does very well；' said Mr。 Doncastle。
'But is he not avery extraordinary man？'
'Not to my knowledge；' said Doncastle； looking up surprised。 'Why
do you think that； Alfred？'
'Well； perhaps it was not a matter to mention。 He reads a great
deal； I dare say？'
'I don't think so。'
'I noticed how wonderfully his face kindled when we began talking
about the poems during dinner。 Perhaps he is a poet himself in
disguise。 Did you observe it？'
'No。 To the best of my belief he is a very trustworthy and
honourable man。 He has been with uslet me see； how long？five
months； I think； and he was fifteen years in his last place。 It
certainly is a new side to his character if he publicly showed any
interest in the conversation； whatever he might have felt。'
'Since the matter has been mentioned；' said Mr。 Jones； 'I may say
that I too noticed the singularity of it。'
'If you had not said otherwise；' replied Doncastle somewhat warmly；
'I should have asserted him to be the last man…servant in London to
infringe such an elementary rule。 If he did so this evening； it is
certainly for the first time； and I sincerely hope that no annoyance
was caused'
'O no； nonot at allit might have been a mistake of mine；' said
Jones。 'I should quite have forgotten the circumstance if Mr。
Neigh's words had not brought it to my mind。 It was really nothing
to notice； and I beg that you will not say a word to him about it on
my account。'
'He has a taste that way； my dear uncle； nothing more； depend upon
it；' said Neigh。 'If I had such a man belonging to me I should only
be too proud。 Certainly do not mention it。'
'Of course Chickerel is Chickerel；' Mr。 Doncastle rejoined。 'We all
know what that means。 And really； on reflecting； I do remember that
he is of a literary turn of mindnot further by an inch than is
comme