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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
commendable； you know。 I am quite aware as I glance down the papers
and prints any morning that Chickerel's eyes have been over the
ground before mine； and that he generally forestalls the rest of us
by a chapter or so in the last new book sent home； but in these
vicious days that particular weakness is really virtue； just because
it is not quite a vice。'
'Yes；' said Mr。 Jones； the reflective man in spectacles； 'positive
virtues are getting moved off the stage： negative ones are moved on
to the place of positives； we thank bare justice as we used only to
thank generosity； call a man honest who steals only by law； and
consider him a benefactor if he does not steal at all。'
'Hear； hear！' said Neigh。 'We will decide that Chickerel is even a
better trained fellow than if he had shown no interest at all in his
face。'
'The action being like those trifling irregularities in art at its
vigorous periods； which seemed designed to hide the unpleasant
monotony of absolute symmetry；' said Ladywell。
'On the other hand； an affected want of training of that sort would
be even a better disguise for an artful man than a perfectly
impassible demeanour。 He is two removes from discovery in a hidden
scheme； whilst a neutral face is only one。'
'You quite alarm me by these subtle theories；' said Mr。 Doncastle；
laughing； and the subject then became compounded with other matters；
till the speakers rose to rejoin the charming flock upstairs。
In the basement story at this hour Mr。 Chickerel the butler； who had
formed the subject of discussion on the floor above； was busily
engaged in looking after his two subordinates as they bustled about
in the operations of clearing away。 He was a man of whom； if the
shape of certain bones and muscles of the face is ever to be taken
as a guide to the character； one might safely have predicated
conscientiousness in the performance of duties； a thorough knowledge
of all that appertained to them； a general desire to live on without
troubling his mind about anything which did not concern him。 Any
person interested in the matter would have assumed without
hesitation that the estimate his employer had given of Chickerel was
a true onemore； that not only would the butler under all ordinary
circumstances resolutely prevent his face from showing curiosity in
an unbecoming way； but that； with the soul of a true gentleman； he
would； if necessary； equivocate as readily as the noblest of his
betters to remove any stain upon his honour in such trifles。 Hence
it is apparent that if Chickerel's countenance really appeared； as
Neigh had asserted； full of curiosity with regard to the gossip that
was going on； the feelings which led to the exhibition must have
been of a very unusual and irrepressible kind。
His hair was of that peculiar bluish…white which is to be observed
when the oncoming years； instead of singling out special locks of a
man's head for operating against； advance uniformly over the whole
field； and enfeeble the colour at all points before absolutely
extinguishing it anywhere； his nose was of the knotty shape in the
gristle and earthward tendency in the flesh which is commonly said
to carry sound judgment above it； his eyes were thoughtful； and his
face was thina contour which； if it at once abstracted from his
features that cheerful assurance of single…minded honesty which
adorns the exteriors of so many of his brethren； might have raised a
presumption in the minds of some beholders that perhaps in this case
the quality might not be altogether wanting within。
The coffee having been served to the people upstairs； one of the
footmen rushed into his bedroom on the lower floor； and in a few
minutes emerged again in the dress of a respectable clerk who had
been born for better things； with the trifling exceptions that he
wore a low…crowned hat； and instead of knocking his heels on the
pavement walked with a gait as delicate as a lady's。 Going out of
the area…door with a cigar in his mouth； he mounted the steps
hastily to keep an appointment round the cornerthe keeping of
which as a private gentleman necessitated the change of the greater
part of his clothes twice within a quarter of an hourthe limit of
his time of absence。 The other footman was upstairs； and the
butler； finding that he had a few minutes to himself； sat down at
the table and wrote：
'MY DEAR ETHELBERTA；I did not intend to write to you for some few
days to come； but the way in which you have been talked about here
this evening makes me anxious to send a line or two at once； though
I have very little time to spare； as usual。 We have just had a
dinner…partyindeed the carriages have not yet been brought round
and the talk at dinner was about your verses； of course。 The thing
was brought up by a young fellow named Ladywelldo you know him？
He is a painter by profession； but he has a pretty good private
income beyond what he gets by practising his line of business among
the nobility； and that I expect is not little； for he is well known；
and encouraged because he is young； and good…looking； and so forth。
His family own a good bit of land somewhere out Aldbrickham way。
However； I am before my story。 From what they all said it is pretty
clear that you are thought a great deal of in fashionable society as
a poetessbut perhaps you know this as well as Imoving in it as
you do yourself； my dear。
'The ladies afterwards got very curious about your age； so curious；
in fact； and so full of certainty that you were thirty…five and a
blighted existence； if an hour； that I felt inclined to rap out
there and then； and hang what came of it： 〃My daughter； ladies； was
to my own and her mother's certain knowledge only twenty…one last
birthday； and has as bright a heart as anybody in London。〃 One of
them actually said that you must be fifty to have got such an
experience。 Her guess was a very shrewd one in the bottom of it；
however； for it was grounded upon the way you use those strange
experiences of mine in the society that I tell you of； and dress
them up as if they were yours； and； as you see； she hit off my own
age to a year。 I thought it was very sharp of her to be so right；
although so wrong。
'I do not want to influence your plans in any way about things which
your school learning fits you to understand much better than I； who
never had such opportunities； but I think that if I were in your
place； Berta； I would not let my name be known just yet； for people
always want what's kept from them； and don't value what's given。 I
am not sure； but I think that after the women had gone upstairs the
others turned their thoughts upon you again； what they said about
you I don't know； for if there's one thing I hate 'tis hanging about
the doors when the men begin to get moved by their wine； which they
did to a large extent to…night； and spoke very loud。 They always do
here； for old Don is a hearty giver in his way。 However； as you see
these people from their own level now； it is not much that I can
tell you in se