\"Theyareanoddfamily。\"
\"Theyareindeed。\"
Herbert，withunusualsweetness，bentdownandkissedher。
Shethankedhim。
Theirtendernesssoonpassed。Theyexchangeditwithavertedeyes。Itembarrassedthem。Therearemomentsforallofuswhenweseemobligedtospeakinanewunprofitabletongue。Onemightfancyaseraph，vexedwithournormallanguage，whotouchesthepioustoblasphemy，theblasphemoustopiety。Theseraphpasses，andweproceedunaltered——conscious，however，thatwehavenotbeenourselves，andthatwemayfailinthisfunctionyetagain。
SoAgnesandHerbert，astheyproceededtodiscusstheJackson’ssupper—party，hadanuneasymemoryofspiritualdeserts，spiritualstreams。
XXVI
PoorMr。AnsellwasactuallysittinginthegardenofDunwoodHouse。ItwasSundaymorning。Theairwasfullofroastingbeef。
Thesoundofamanlyhymn，takenveryfast，floatedovertheroadfromtheschoolchapel。Hefrowned，forhewasreadingabook，theEssaysofAnthonyEustaceFailing。
Hewashereonaccountofthisbook——atleastsohetoldhimself。
Ithadjustbeenpublished，andtheJacksonsweresurethatMr。
Elliotwouldhaveacopy。Forabookonemaygoanywhere。ItwouldnothavebeenlogicaltoenterDunwoodHouseforthepurposeofseeingRickie，whenRickiehadnotcometosupperyesterdaytoseehim。HewasatSawstontoassurehimselfofhisfriend’sgrave。Withquieteyeshehadintendedtoviewthesods，withunfalteringfingerstoinscribetheepitaph。Loveremained。
Butinhighmattershewaspractical。Heknewthatitwouldbeuselesstorevealit。
\"Morning！\"saidavoicebehindhim。
Hesawnoreasontoreplytothissuperfluousstatement，andwentonwithhisreading。
\"Morning！\"saidthevoiceagain。
AsfortheEssays，thethoughtwassomewhatold—fashioned，andhepickedmanyholesinit;norwasheanythingbutboredbytheprospectofthebrotherhoodofman。However，Mr。Failingstucktohisguns，suchastheywere，andfiredfromthemseveralgoodremarks。Verynotablewashisdistinctionbetweencoarsenessandvulgarity（coarseness，revealingsomething;vulgarity，concealingsomething），andhisavowedpreferenceforcoarseness。Vulgarity，tohim，hadbeentheprimalcurse，theshoddyreticencethatpreventsmanopeninghishearttoman，thepowerthatmakesagainstequality。Fromitsprangallthethingsthathehated——
classshibboleths，ladies，lidies，thegamelaws，theConservativeparty——allthethingsthataccentthedivergenciesratherthanthesimilaritiesinhumannature。Whereascoarseness——
ButatthispointHerbertPembrokehadscrawledwithabluepencil:\"Childish。Onereadsnofurther。\"
\"Morning！\"repeatedthevoice。
Ansellreadfurther，forherewasthebookofamanwhohadtried，howeverunsuccessfully，topracticewhathepreached。Mrs。
Failing，inherIntroduction，describedwithdelicateironyhisdifficultiesasalandlord;butshedidnotrecordtheloveinwhichhisnamewasheld。Norcouldherironytouchhimwhenhecried:\"Attainthepracticalthroughtheunpractical。Thereisnootherroad。\"Ansellwasinclinedtothinkthattheunpracticalisitsownreward，butherespectedthosewhoattemptedtojourneybeyondit。Wemustallofusgooverthemountains。Thereiscertainlynootherroad。
\"Nicemorning！\"saidthevoice。
Itwasnotanicemorning，soAnsellfeltboundtospeak。Heanswered:\"No。Why？\"Aclodofearthimmediatelystruckhimontheback。Heturnedroundindignantly，forhehatedphysicalrudeness。Asquaremanofruddyaspectwaspacingthegravelpath，hishandsdeepinhispockets。Hewasveryangry。Thenhesawthattheclodofearthnourishedabluelobelia，andthatawoundofcorrespondingsizeappearedonthepie—shapedbed。Hewasnotsoangry。\"Iexpecttheywillmindit，\"hereflected。
Lastnight，attheJacksons’，Agneshaddisplayedabriskpitythatmadehimwishtowringherneck。Maudehadnotexaggerated。
Mr。Pembrokehadpatronizedthroughasorrowfulvoiceandlargeroundeyes。Tillhemetthesepeoplehehadneverbeentoldthathiscareerwasafailure。Apparentlyitwas。Theywouldneverhavebeenciviltohimifithadbeenasuccess，iftheyortheirshadanythingtofearfromhim。
InmanywaysAnsellwasaconceitedman;buthewasneverproudofbeingright。HehadforeseenRickie’scatastrophefromthefirst，butderivedfromthisnoconsolation。Inmanywayshewaspedantic;buthispedantrylayclosetothevineyardsoflife——
farcloserthanthatfetichExperienceoftheinnumerabletea—
cups。Hehadagreatmanyfactstolearn，andbeforehediedhelearntasuitablequantity。Butheneverforgotthattheholinessoftheheart’simaginationcanaloneclassifythesefacts——canalonedecidewhichisanexception，whichanexample。\"Howunpracticalitallis！\"ThatwashiscommentonDunwoodHouse。
\"Howunbusiness—like！Theylivetogetherwithoutlove。Theyworkwithoutconviction。Theyseekmoneywithoutrequiringit。
Theydie，andnothingwillhavehappened，eitherforthemselvesorforothers。\"Itisacommentthattheacademicmindwilloftenmakewhenfirstconfrontedwiththeworld。
Buthewasbecomingillogical。Theclodofearthhaddisturbedhim。Brushingthedirtoffhisback，hereturnedtothebook。
Whatacuriousaffairwastheessayon\"Gaps\"！Solitude，star—crowned，pacingthefieldsofEngland，hasadialoguewithSeclusion。He，poorlittleman，livesinthechoicestscenery——
amongrocks，forests，emeraldlawns，azurelakes。Tokeeppeopleouthehasbuiltroundhisdomainahighwall，onwhichisgravenhismotto——\"Proculesteprofani。\"Buthecannotenjoyhimself。
HisonlypleasureisinmockingtheabsentProfane。Theyareinhismindnightandday。Theirblemishesandstupiditiesformthesubjectofhisgreatpoem，\"IntheHeartofNature。\"ThenSolitudetellshimthatsoitalwayswillbeuntilhemakesagapinthewall，andpermitshisseclusiontobethesportofcircumstance。Heobeys。TheProfaneinvadehim;butforshortintervalstheywanderelsewhere，andduringthoseintervalstheheartofNatureisrevealedtohim。
ThisdialoguehadreallybeensuggestedtoMr。Failingbyatalkwithhisbrother—in—law。ItalsotouchedAnsell。Helookedatthemanwhohadthrowntheclod，andwasnowpacingwithobviousyouthandimpudenceuponthelawn。\"ShallIimprovemysoulathisexpense？\"hethought。\"IsupposeIhadbetter。\"Infriendlytonesheremarked，\"WereyouwaitingforMr。Pembroke？\"
\"No，\"saidtheyoungman。\"Why？\"
Ansell，afteramoment’sadmiration，flungtheEssaysathim。
Theyhithimintheback。Thenextmomenthelayonhisownbackinthelobeliapie。
\"Butithurts！\"hegasped，inthetonesofapuzzledcivilization。\"Whatyoudohurts！\"Fortheyoungmanwasnickinghimovertheshinswiththerimofthebookcover。\"Littlebrute—
ee——ow！\"
\"ThensayPax！\"
SomethingrevoltedinAnsell。WhyshouldhesayPax？Freeinghishand，hecaughtthelittlebruteunderthechin，andwasagainknockedintothelobeliasbyablowonthemouth。
\"SayPax！\"herepeated，pressingthephilosopher’sskullintothemould;andheadded，withananxietythatwassomehownotoffensive，\"Idoadviseyou。You’dreallybetter。\"
Ansellswallowedalittleblood。Hetriedtomove，andhecouldnot。Helookedcarefullyintotheyoungman’seyesandintothepalmofhisrighthand，whichatpresentswungunclenched，andhesaid\"Pax！\"
\"Shakehands！\"saidtheother，helpinghimup。TherewasnothingAnsellloathedsomuchastheheartyBritisher;butheshookhands，andtheystaredateachotherawkwardly。Withcivilmurmurstheypickedthelittleblueflowersoffeachother’sclothes。Ansellwastryingtorememberwhytheyhadquarrelled，andtheyoungmanwaswonderingwhyhehadnotguardedhischinproperly。Inthedistanceahymnswungoff——
\"Fightthegood。Fightwith。Allthy。Might。\"
Theywouldbeacrossfromthechapelsoon。
\"Yourbook，sir？\"
\"Thankyou，sir——yes。\"
\"Why！\"criedtheyoungman——\"why，it’s’WhatWeWant’！Atleastthebinding’sexactlythesame。\"
\"It’scalled’Essays，’\"saidAnsell。
\"Thenthat’sit。Mrs。Failing，yousee，shewouldn’tca11itthat，becausethreeW’s，yousee，inarow，shesaid，arevulgar，andsoundlikeTolstoy，ifyou’veheardofhim。\"
Ansellconfessedtoanacquaintance，andthensaid，\"Doyouthink’WhatWeWant’vulgar？\"Hewasnotatallinterested，buthedesiredtoescapefromtheatmosphereofpugilisticcourtesy，morepainfultohimthanblowsthemselves。
\"ItISthesamebook，\"saidtheother——\"sametitle，samebinding。\"Heweigheditlikeabrickinhismuddyhands。
\"Openittoseeiftheinsidecorresponds，\"saidAnsell，swallowingalaughandalittlemorebloodwithit。
Withaliberalallowanceofthumb—marks，heturnedthepagesoverandread，\"’theruralsilencethatisnotapoet’sluxurybutapracticalneedforallmen。’Yes，itisthesamebook。\"Smilingpleasantlyoverthediscovery，hehandeditbacktotheowner。
\"Andisittrue？\"
\"Ibegyourpardon？\"
\"Isittruethatruralsilenceisapracticalneed？\"
\"Don’taskme！\"
\"Haveyouevertriedit？\"
\"What？\"
\"Ruralsilence。\"
\"Afieldwithnonoiseinit，Isupposeyoumean。Idon’tunderstand。\"
Ansellsmiled，butaslightfireintheman’seyecheckedhim。
Afterall，thiswasapersonwhocouldknockonedown。Moreover，therewasnoreasonwhyheshouldbeteased。Hehaditinhimtoretort\"No。Why？\"Hewasnotstupidinessentials。Hewasirritable——inAnsell’seyesafrequentsignofgrace。Sittingdownontheupturnedseat，heremarked，\"Ilikethebookinmanyways。Idon’tthink’WhatWeWant’wouldhavebeenavulgartitle。ButIdon’tintendtospoilmyselfonthechanceofmendingtheworld，whichiswhatthecreedamountsto。NoramI
keenonruralsilences。\"
\"Curse！\"hesaidthoughtfully，suckingatanemptypipe。
\"Tobacco？\"
\"Please。\"
\"Rickie’sisinvariably——filthy。\"
\"WhosaysIknowRickie？\"
\"Well，youknowhisaunt。It’sapossiblelink。BegentlewithRickie。Don’tknockhimdownifhedoesn’tthinkit’sanicemorning。\"
Theotherwassilent。
\"Doyouknowhimwell？\"
\"Kindof。\"Hewasnotinclinedtotalk。Thewishtosmokewasveryviolentinhim，andAnsellnoticedhowhegazedatthewreathsthatascendedfrombowlandstem，andhow，whenthestemwasinhismouth，hebitit。Hegavetheideaofananimalwithjustenoughsoultocontemplateitsownbliss。Unitedwithrefinement，suchatypewascommoninGreece。Itisnotcommontoday，andAnsellwassurprisedtofinditinafriendofRickie’s。Rickie，ifhecouldeven\"kindofknow\"suchacreature，mustbestirringinhisgrave。
\"Doyouknowhiswifetoo？\"
\"Ohyes。InawayIknowAgnes。Butthankyouforthistobacco。
LastnightInearlydied。Ihavenomoney。\"
\"Takethewholepouch——do。\"
Afteramoment’shesitationhedid。\"Fightthegood\"hadscarcelyended，soquicklyhadtheirintimacygrown。
\"Isupposeyou’reafriendofRickie’s？\"
Ansellwastemptedtoreply，\"Idon’tknowhimatall。\"Butitseemednomomentfortheseverertruths，sohesaid，\"IknewhimwellatCambridge，butIhaveseenverylittleofhimsince。\"
\"Isittruethathisbabywaslame？\"
\"Ibelieveso。\"
Histeethclosedonhispipe。Chapelwasover。Theorganistwasprancingthroughthevoluntary，andthefirstrippleofboyshadalreadyreachedDunwoodHouse。Inafewminutesthemasterswouldbeheretoo，andAnsell，whowasbecominginterested，hurriedtheconversationforward。
\"Haveyoucomefar？\"
\"FromWiltshire。DoyouknowWiltshire？\"Andforthefirsttimetherecameintohisfacetheshadowofasentiment，thepassingtributetosomemystery。\"It’sagoodcountry。IliveinoneofthefinestvalleysoutofSalisburyPlain。Imean，Ilived。\"
\"HaveyoubeendismissedfromCadover，withoutapennyinyourpocket？\"
Hewasalarmedatthis。Suchknowledgeseemedsimplydiabolical。
Ansellexplainedthatifhisbootswerechalky，ifhisclotheshadobviouslybeensleptin，ifheknewMrs。Failing，ifheknewWiltshire，andifhecouldbuynotobacco——thenthedeductionwaspossible。\"Youdojustattend，\"hemurmured。
Thehousewasfillingwithboys，andAnsellsaw，tohisregret，theheadofAgnesoverthethuyiahedgethatseparatedthesmallfrontgardenfromthesidelawnwherehewassitting。AfterafewminutesitwasfollowedbytheheadsofRickieandMr。Pembroke。
Alltheheadswereturnedtheotherway。Buttheywouldfindhiscardinthehall，andifthemanhadleftanymessagetheywouldfindthattoo。\"Whatareyou？\"hedemanded。\"Whoareyou——yourname——Idon’tcareaboutthat。Butitinterestsmetoclasspeople，anduptonowIhavefailedwithyou。\"
\"I——\"Hestopped。Ansellreflectedthatthereareworseanswers。
\"Ireallydon’tknowwhatIam。UsedtothinkIwassomethingspecial，butstrikesmenowIfeelmuchlikeotherchaps。Usedtolookdownonthelabourers。UsedtotakeforgrantedIwasagentleman，butreallyIdon’tknowwhereIdobelong。\"
\"Onebelongstotheplaceonesleepsinandtothepeopleoneeatswith。\"
\"AsoftenasnotIsleepoutofdoorsandeatbymyself，sothatdoesn’tgetyouanyfurther。\"
Asilence，akintopoetry，invadedAnsell。Wasitonlyaposetolikethisman，orwashereallywonderful？Hewasnotromantic，forRomanceisafigurewithoutstretchedhands，yearningfortheunattainable。CertainfiguresoftheGreeks，towhomwecontinuallyreturn，suggestedhimalittle。Oneexpectednothingofhim——nopurityofphrasenorswiftedgedthought。Yettheconvictiongrewthathehadbeenbacksomewhere——backtosometableofthegods，spreadinafieldwherethereisnonoise，andthathebelongedforevertotheguestswithwhomhehadeaten。
Meanwhilehewassimpleandfrank，andwhathecouldtellhewouldtelltoanyone。Hehadnotthesuburbanreticence。Ansellaskedhim，\"WhydidMrs。FailingturnyououtofCadover？I
shouldliketohearthattoo。\"
\"Becauseshewastiredofme。Because，again，Icouldn’tkeepquietoverthefarmhands。Iaskyou，isitright？\"Hebecameincoherent。Ansellcaught，\"Andtheygrowold——theydon’tplaygames——itendstheycan’tplay。\"Anillustrationemerged。\"Takeakitten——ifyoufoolaboutwithher，shegoesonplayingwellintoacat。\"
\"ButMrs。Failingmindednomicebeingcaught。\"
\"Mice？\"saidtheyoungmanblankly。\"WhatIwasgoingtosayis，thatsomeonewasjealousofmybeingatCadover。I’llmentionnonames，butIfancyitwasMrs。Silt。I’msorryforherifitwas。
Anyhow，shesetMrs。Failingagainstme。Itcameonthetopofotherthings——andoutIwent。\"
\"WhatdidMrs。Silt，whosenameIdon’tmention，say？\"
Helookedguilty。\"Idon’tknow。Easyenoughtofindsomethingtosay。Thepointisthatshesaidsomething。Youknow，Mr。——Idon’tknowyourname，mine’sWonham，butI’mmoregratefulthanIcanputitoverthistobacco。Imean，yououghttoknowthereisanothersidetothisquarrel。It’swrong，butit’sthere。\"
Anselltoldhimnottobeuneasy:heladalreadyguessedthattheremightbeanotherside。ButhecouldnotmakeoutwhyMr。
Wonhamshouldhavecomestraightfromtheaunttothenephew。
Theywerenowsittingontheupturnedseat。\"WhatWeWant，\"agooddealshattered，laybetweenthem。
\"Onaccountofabove—mentionedreasons，therewasarow。Idon’tknow——youcanguessthestyleofthing。Shewantedtotreatmetothecolonies，andhaduptheparsontotalksoft—sawderandmakeoutthataboundlesscontinentwastheplaceforaladlikeme。Isaid，’Ican’trunuptotheRingswithoutgettingtired，norgallopahorseoutofthisviewwithouttiringit，sowhatisthepointofaboundlesscontinent？’ThenIsawthatshewasfrightenedofme，andbluffedabitmore，andintheendIwasnipped。Shecaughtme——justlikeher！whenIhadnothingonbutflannels，andwascomingintothehouse，havinglickedtheCadchurchteam。Shestoodupinthedoorwaybetweenthosestonepilastersandsaid，’No！Neveragain！’andbehindherwasWilbraham，whomItriedtoturnout，andthegardener，andpooroldLeighton，whohatesbeinghurt。Shesaid，’There’sahundredpoundsforyouattheLondonbank，andasmuchmoreinDecember。
Go！’Isaid，’Keepyour——money，andtellmewhosesonIam。’I
didn’tcarereally。Ionlysaiditontheoff—chanceofhurtingher。Sureenough，shecaughtontothedoorhandle（beinglame）
andsaid，’Ican’t——Ipromised——Idon’treallywantto，’andWilbrahamdidstare。Then——she’sveryqueer——sheburstoutlaughing，andwentforthepacketafterall，andweheardherlaughthroughthewindowasshegotit。Sherolleditatmedownthesteps，andshesays，’Aleafoutoftheeternalcomedyforyou，Stephen，’orsomethingofthatsort。IopeneditasIwalkeddownthedrive，shelaughingalwaysandcatchingontothehandleofthefrontdoor。Ofcourseitwasn’tcomicatall。Butdowninthevillagetherewerebothcricketteams，alreadyalittletight，andthemadplumbershouting’RightsofMan！’TheyknewI
wasturnedout。Wedidhavearow，andkeptituptoo。Theydaren’ttouchWilbraham’swindows，butthereisn’tmuchglassleftupatCadover。Whenyoustart，it’sworthgoingon，butintheendIhadtocut。Theysubscribedabobhereandabobthere，andtheseareFleaThompson’sSundays。IsentalinetoLeightonnottoforwardmyownthings:Idon’tfancythem。Theyaren’treallymine。\"Hedidnotmentionhisgreatsymbolicact，performed，itistobefeared，whenhewasratherdrunkandthefriendlypolicemanwaslookingtheotherway。Hehadcastallhisflannelsintothelittlemillpond，andthenwadedhimselfthroughthedarkcoldwatertothenewclothesontheotherside。Someonehadflunghispipeandhispacketafterhim。Thepackethadfallenshort。ForthisreasonitwaswetwhenhehandedittoAnsell，andinkthathadbeendryfortwenty—threeyearshadbeguntorunagain。
\"Iwonderedifyou’rerightaboutthehundredpounds，\"saidAnsellgravely。\"Itispleasanttobeproud，butitisunpleasanttodieinthenightthroughnothavinganytobacco。\"
\"ButI’mnotproud。LookhowI’vetakenyourpouch！Thehundredpoundswas——well，can’tyouseeyourself，itwasquitedifferent？
Itwas，sotospeak，inconvenientformetotakethehundredpounds。OrlookagainhowItookashillingfromaboywhoearnsnineboba—week！ProvesprettyconclusivelyI’mnotproud。\"
Ansellsawitwasuselesstoargue。Heperceived，beneaththeslatternlyuseofwords，theman，buttonedupinthem，justashisbodywasbuttonedupinashoddysuit，——andhewonderedmorethaneverthatsuchamanshouldknowtheElliots。Helookedattheface，whichwasfrank，proud，andbeautiful，iftruthisbeauty。Ofmercyortactsuchafaceknewlittle。Itmightbecoarse，butithadinitnothingvulgarorwantonlycruel。\"MayI
readthesepapers？\"hesaid。
\"Ofcourse。Ohyes;didn’tIsay？I’mRickie’shalf—brother，comeheretotellhimthenews。Hedoesn’tknow。Thereitis，putshortlyforyou。Iwassaying，though，thatIboltedinthedark，sleptintherifle—buttsaboveSalisbury，theshedswheretheykeepthecardboardmen，youknow，neverlockedupastheyoughttobe。Iturnedthewholeplaceupsidedowntoteachthem。\"
\"Hereisyourpacketagain，\"saidAnsell。\"Thankyou。Howinteresting！\"HerosefromtheseatandturnedtowardsDunwoodHouse。Helookedatthebow—windows，thecheappicturesquegables，theterracottadragonsclawingadirtysky。HelistenedtotheclinkofplatesandtothevoiceofMr。Pembroketakingoneofhisinnumerableroll—calls。Helookedatthebedoflobelias。Howinteresting！Whatelsewastheretosay？
\"Onemustbethesonofsomeone，\"remarkedStephen。Andthatwasallhehadtosay。Tohimthosenamesonthemoistenedpaperweremereantiquities。Hewasneitherproudofthemnorashamed。Amanmusthaveparents，orhecannotenterthedelightfulworld。A
man，ifhehasabrother，mayreasonablyvisithim，fortheymayhaveinterestsincommon。Hecontinuedhisnarrative，howinthenighthehadheardtheclocks，howatdaybreak，insteadofenteringthecity，hehadstruckeastwardtosavemoney，——whileAnsellstilllookedatthehouseandfoundthatallhisimaginationandknowledgecouldleadhimnofartherthanthis:
howinteresting！
\"——Andwhatdoyouthinkofthatforaholyhorror？\"
\"Forawhat？\"saidAnsell，histhoughtsfaraway。
\"ThismanIamtellingyouabout，whogavemealifttowardsAndover，whosaidIwasablotonGod’searth。\"
Oneo’clockstruck。Itwasstrangethatneitherofthemhadhadanysummonsfromthehouse。
\"HesaidIoughttobeashamedofmyself。Hesaid，’I’llnotbethemeansofbringingshametoanhonestgentlemanandlady。’I
toldhimnottobeafool。IsaidIknewwhatIwasabout。RickieandAgnesareproperlyeducated，whichleadspeopletolookatthingsstraight，andnotgoscreamingaboutblots。Amanlikeme，withjustalittlereadingatoddhours——I’vegotsofar，andRickiehasbeenthroughCambridge。\"
\"AndMrs。Elliot？\"
\"Oh，shewon’tmind，andItoldthemanso;buthekeptonsaying，’I’llnotbethemeansofbringingshametoanhonestgentlemanandlady，’untilIgotoutofhisrottencart。\"HiseyewatchedthemanaNonconformist，drivingawayoverGod’searth。
\"Icaughtthetrainbyrunning。IgottoWaterlooat——\"
Heretheparlour—maidflutteredtowardsthem，WouldMr。Wonhamcomein？Mrs。Elliotwouldbegladtoseehimnow。
\"Mrs。Elliot？\"criedAnsell。\"NotMr。Elliot？\"
\"It’sallthesame，\"saidStephen，andmovedtowardsthehouse。
\"Yousee，Ionlyleftmyname。Theydon’tknowwhyI’vecome。\"
\"PerhapsMr。Elliotseesmemeanwhile？\"
Theparlour—maidlookedblank。Mr。Elliothadnotsaidso。HehadbeenwithMrs。ElliotandMr。Pembrokeinthestudy。Nowthegentlemenhadgoneupstairs。
\"Allright，Icanwait。\"Afterall，RickiewastreatinghimashehadtreatedRickie，asoneinthegrave，towhomitisfutiletomakeanylovingmotion。Goneupstairs——tobrushhishairfordinner！Theironyofthesituationappealedtohimstrongly。ItremindedhimoftheGreekDrama，wheretheactorsknowsolittleandthespectatorssomuch。
\"But，bythebye，\"hecalledafterStephen，\"IthinkIoughttotellyou——don’t——\"
\"Whatisit？\"
\"Don’t——\"Thenhewassilent。Hehadbeentemptedtoexplaineverything，totellthefellowhowthingsstood，thathemustavoidthisifhewantedtoattainthat;thathemustbreakthenewstoRickiegently;thathemusthaveatleastonebattleroyalwithAgnes。Butitwascontrarytohisownspirittocoachpeople:heheldthehumansoultobeaverydelicatething，whichcanreceiveeternaldamagefromalittlepatronage。Stephenmustgointothehousesimplyashimself，forthusalonewouldheremainthere。
\"Ioughttoknockmypipeout？Wasthatit？\"\"Bynomeans。Goin，yourpipeandyou。\"
Hehesitated，tornbetweenproprietyanddesire。Thenhefollowedtheparlour—maidintothehousesmoking。Asheenteredthedinner—bellrang，andtherewasthesoundofrushingfeet，whichdiedawayintoshufflingandsilence。Throughthewindowoftheboys’dining—hallcamethecolourlessvoiceofRickie—
\"’Benedictusbenedicat。’\"
Ansellpreparedhimselftowitnessthesecondactofthedrama;
forgettingthatallthisworld，andnotpartofit，isastage。
XXVII
Theparlour—maidtookMr。Wonhamtothestudy。Hehadbeeninthedrawing—roombefore，buthadgotbored，andsohadstrolledoutintothegarden。Nowhewasinbetterspirits，asamanoughttobewhohasknockeddownaman。Ashepassedthroughthehallhesparredattheteakmonkey，andhunghiscaponthebustofHermes。AndhegreetedMrs。Elliotwithapleasantclapoflaughter。\"Oh，I’vecomewiththemosttremendousnews！\"hecried。
Shebowed，butdidnotshakehands，whichrathersurprisedhim。
Buthenevertroubledover\"details。\"Heseldomwatchedpeople，andneverthoughtthattheywerewatchinghim。Norcouldheguesshowmuchitmeanttoherthatheshouldenterherpresencesmok—
ing。HadshenotsaidonceatCadover，\"Oh，pleasesmoke;Ilovethesmellofapipe\"？
\"Wouldyousitdown？Exactlythere，please。\"Sheplacedhimatalargetable，oppositeaninkpotandapadofblotting—paper。
\"Willyoutellyour’tremendousnews’tome？Mybrotherandmyhusbandaregivingtheboystheirdinner。\"
\"Ah！\"saidStephen，whohadhadneithertimenormoneyforbreakfastinLondon。
\"Itoldthemnottowaitforme。\"
Sohecametothepointatonce。Hetrustedthishandsomewoman。