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sorely he had needed comfort。 And anon； by the big bright fireside of that
small dark smoking…room where； a year ago； on the last evening of my
stay here； he and I had at length spoken to each other； I reviewed in detail
the tragic experience he had told me； and I simply reveled in reminiscent
sympathy with him。
A。 V。 LAIDERI had looked him up in the visitors'…book on the night
of his arrival。 I myself had arrived the day before； and had been rather
sorry there was no one else staying here。 A convalescent by the sea likes to
have some one to observe； to wonder about； at meal…time。 I was glad when；
on my second evening； I found seated at the table opposite to mine another
guest。 I was the gladder because he was just the right kind of guest。 He
was enigmatic。 By this I mean that he did not look soldierly or financial or
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artistic or anything definite at all。 He offered a clean slate for speculation。
And； thank heaven！ he evidently wasn't going to spoil the fun by engaging
me in conversation later on。 A decently unsociable man； anxious to be left
alone。
The heartiness of his appetite； in contrast with his extreme fragility of
aspect and limpness of demeanor； assured me that he； too； had just had
influenza。 I liked him for that。 Now and again our eyes met and were
instantly parted。 We managed； as a rule； to observe each other indirectly。 I
was sure it was not merely because he had been ill that he looked
interesting。 Nor did it seem to me that a spiritual melancholy； though I
imagined him sad at the best of times； was his sole asset。 I conjectured that
he was clever。 I thought he might also be imaginative。 At first glance I had
mistrusted him。 A shock of white hair； combined with a young face and
dark eyebrows； does somehow make a man look like a charlatan。 But it is
foolish to be guided by an accident of color。 I had soon rejected my first
impression of my fellow…diner。 I found him very sympathetic。
Anywhere but in England it would be impossible for two solitary men；
howsoever much reduced by influenza； to spend five or six days in the
same hostel and not exchange a single word。 That is one of the charms of
England。 Had Laider and I been born and bred in any other land than Eng
we should have become acquainted before the end of our first evening in
the small smoking…room； and have found ourselves irrevocably committed
to go on talking to each other throughout the rest of our visit。 We might； it
is true； have happened to like each other more than any one we had ever
met。 This off chance may have occurred to us both。 But it counted for
nothing against the certain surrender of quietude and liberty。 We slightly
bowed to each other as we entered or left the dining…room or smoking…
room； and as we met on the wide…spread sands or in the shop that had a
small and faded circulating library。 That was all。 Our mutual aloofness was
a positive bond between us。
Had he been much older than I； the responsibility for our silence
would of course have been his alone。 But he was not； I judged； more than
five or six years ahead of me； and thus I might without impropriety have
taken it on myself to perform that hard and perilous feat which English
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people call； with a shiver； 〃breaking the ice。〃 He had reason； therefore； to
be as grateful to me as I to him。 Each of us； not the less frankly because
silently； recognized his obligation to the other。 And when； on the last
evening of my stay； the ice actually was broken there was no ill…will
between us： neither of us was to blame。
It was a Sunday evening。 I had been out for a long last walk and had
come in very late to dinner。 Laider had left his table almost directly after I
sat down to mine。 When I entered the smoking…room I found him reading
a weekly review which I had bought the day before。 It was a crisis。 He
could not silently offer nor could I have silently accepted； six…pence。 It
was a crisis。 We faced it like men。 He made； by word of mouth； a graceful
apology。 Verbally； not by signs； I besought him to go on reading。 But this；
of course； was a vain counsel of perfection。 The social code forced us to
talk now。 We obeyed it like men。 To reassure him that our position was not
so desperate as it might seem； I took the earliest opportunity to mention
that I was going away early next morning。 In the tone of his 〃Oh； are
you？〃 he tried bravely to imply that he was sorry； even now； to hear that。
In a way； perhaps； he really was sorry。 We had got on so well together； he
and I。 Nothing could efface the memory of that。 Nay； we seemed to be
hitting it off even now。 Influenza was not our sole theme。 We passed from
that to the aforesaid weekly review； and to a correspondence that was
raging therein on faith and reason。
This correspondence had now reached its fourth and penultimate
stageits Australian stage。 It is hard to see why these correspondences
spring up； one only knows that they do spring up； suddenly； like street
crowds。 There comes； it would seem； a moment when the whole English…
speaking race is unconsciously bursting to have its say about some one
thingthe split infinitive； or the habits of migratory birds； or faith and
reason； or what…not。 Whatever weekly review happens at such a moment
to contain a reference； however remote； to the theme in question reaps the
storm。 Gusts of letters come in from all corners of the British Isles。 These
are presently reinforced by Canada in full blast。 A few weeks later the
Anglo…Indians weigh in。 In due course we have the help of our Australian
cousins。 By that time； however； we of the mother country have got our
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second wind； and so determined are we to make the most of it that at last
even the editor suddenly loses patience and says； 〃This correspondence
must now cease。Ed。〃 and wonders why on earth he ever allowed
anything so tedious and idiotic to begin。