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〃Your system was the cause of my absurd marriage。 My wife
acquired a degree of culture and reasonableness from her training
here which made her seem a superior being among the chatterers
who form the female seasoning in ordinary society。 I admired her
dark eyes； and was only too glad to seize the excuse her
education offered me for believing her a match for me in mind as
well as in body。〃
Miss Wilson； astonished； determined to tell him coldly that her
time was valuable。 But curiosity took possession of her in the
act of utterance； and the words that came were； 〃Who was she？〃
〃Henrietta Jansenius。 She is Henrietta Trefusis； and I am Sidney
Trefusis； at your mercy。 I see I have aroused your compassion at
last。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 said Miss Wilson hastily； for her surprise was indeed
tinged by a feeling that he was thrown away on Henrietta。
〃I ran away from her and adopted this retreat and this disguise
in order to avoid her。 The usual rebuke to human forethought
followed。 I ran straight into her armsor rather she ran into
mine。 You remember the scene； and were probably puzzled by it。〃
〃You seem to think your marriage contract a very light matter；
Mr。 Trefusis。 May I ask whose fault was the separation？ Hers； of
course。〃
〃I have nothing to reproach her with。 I expected to find her
temper hasty； but it was not soher behavior was
unexceptionable。 So was mine。 Our bliss was perfect； but
unfortunately； I was not made for domestic blissat all events I
could not endure itso I fled； and when she caught me again I
could give no excuse for my flight； though I made it clear to her
that I would not resume our connubial relations just yet。 We
parted on bad terms。 I fully intended to write her a sweet letter
to make her forgive me in spite of herself； but somehow the weeks
have slipped away and I am still fully intending。 She has never
written； and I have never written。 This is a pretty state of
things； isn't it； Miss Wilson； after all her advantages under the
influence of moral force and the movement for the higher
education of women？〃
〃By your own admission； the fault seems to lie upon your moral
training and not upon hers。〃
〃The fault was in the conditions of our association。 Why they
should have attracted me so strongly at first； and repelled me so
horribly afterwards； is one of those devil's riddles which will
not be answered until we shall have traced all the yet
unsuspected reactions of our inveterate dishonesty。 But I am
wasting your time； I fear。 You sent for Smilash； and I have
responded by practically annihilating him。 In public； however；
you must still bear with his antics。 One moment more。 I had
forgotten to ask you whether you are interested in the shepherd
whose wife you sheltered on the night of the storm？〃
〃He assured me； before he took his wife away； that he was
comfortably settled in a lodging in Lyvern。〃
〃Yes。 Very comfortably settled indeed。 For half…a…crown a week he
obtained permission to share a spacious drawing…room with two
other families in a ten…roomed house in not much better repair
than his blown…down hovel。 This house yields to its landlord over
two hundred a year； or rather more than the rent of a commodious
mansion in South Kensington。 It is a troublesome rent to collect；
but on the other hand there is no expenditure for repairs or
sanitation； which are not considered necessary in tenement
houses。 Our friend has to walk three miles to his work and three
miles back。 Exercise is a capital thing for a student or a city
clerk； but to a shepherd who has been in the fields all day； a
long walk at the end of his work is somewhat too much of a good
thing。 He begged for an increase of wages to compensate him for
the loss of the hut； but Sir John pointed out to him that if he
was not satisfied his place could be easily filled by less
exorbitant shepherds。 Sir John even condescended to explain that
the laws of political economy bind employers to buy labor in the
cheapest market； and our poor friend； just as ignorant of
economics as Sir John； of course did not know that this was
untrue。 However； as labor is actually so purchased everywhere
except in Downing Street and a few other privileged spots； I
suggested that our friend should go to some place where his
market price would be higher than in merry England。 He was
willing enough to do so； but unable from want of means。 So I lent
him a trifle； and now he is on his way to Australia。 Workmen are
the geese that lay the golden eggs； but they fly away sometimes。
I hear a gong sounding； to remind me of the fight of time and the
value of your share of it。 Good…morning！〃
Miss Wilson was suddenly moved not to let him go without an
appeal to his better nature。 〃Mr。 Trefusis；〃 she said； 〃excuse
me； but are you not； in your generosity to others a little
forgetful of your duty to yourself； and〃
〃The first and hardest of all duties！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I beg your
pardon for interrupting you。 It was only to plead guilty。〃
〃I cannot admit that it is the first of all duties； but it is
sometimes perhaps the hardest； as you say。 Still； you could
surely do yourself more justice without any great effort。 If you
wish to live humbly； you can do so without pretending to be an
uneducated man and without taking an irritating and absurd name。
Why on earth do you call yourself Smilash？〃
〃I confess that the name has been a failure。 I took great pains；
in constructing it； to secure a pleasant impression。 It is not a
mere invention； but a compound of the words smile and eyelash。 A
smile suggests good humor； eyelashes soften the expression and
are the only features that never blemish a face。 Hence Smilash is
a sound that should cheer and propitiate。 Yet it exasperates。 It
is really very odd that it should have that effect； unless it is
that it raises expectations which I am unable to satisfy。〃
Miss Wilson looked at him doubtfully。 He remained perfectly
grave。 There was a pause。 Then； as if she had made up her mind to
be offended； she said； 〃Good…morning；〃 shortly。
〃Good…morning； Miss Wilson。 The son of a millionaire； like the
son of a king； is seldom free from mental disease。 I am just mad
enough to be a mountebank。 If I were a little madder； I should
perhaps really believe myself Smilash instead of merely acting
him。 Whether you ask me to forget myself for a moment； or to
remember myself for a moment； I reply that I am the son of my
father； and cannot。 With my egotism； my charlatanry； my tongue；
and my habit of having my own way； I am fit for no calling but
that of saviour of mankindjust of the sort they like。〃 After an
impressive pause he turned slowly and left the room。
〃I wonder；〃 he said； as he crossed the landing； 〃whether； by
judiciously losing my way； I can catch a glimpse of that girl who
is like a golden idol？〃
Downstairs； on his way to the door； he saw Agatha coming towards
him； occupied with a book which she was tossing up to the ceiling
and catching。 Her melancholy expression； habitual in her lonely
moments； showed that she was not amusing herself； but giving vent
to her restlessness。 As her gaze travelled upward； following the
flight of the volume； i