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perfection； self…preservation； the survival of the fittest！ 〃The
part of the good citizen；〃 he thought： 〃no； if we were all alike；
this would n't be a world！〃
CHAPTER VI
MARRIAGE SETTLEMENT
My dear Richard〃 （wrote Shelton's uncle the next day）； 〃I shall be
glad to see you at three o'clock to…morrow afternoon upon the
question of your marriage settlement。。。。〃 At that hour accordingly
Shelton made his way to Lincoln's Inn Fields； where in fat black
letters the names 〃Paramor and Herring （Commissioners for Oaths）〃
were written on the wall of a stone entrance。 He ascended the solid
steps with nervousness； and by a small red…haired boy was introduced
to a back room on the first floor。 Here； seated at a table in the
very centre； as if he thereby better controlled his universe； a pug…
featured gentleman； without a beard； was writing。 He paused。
〃Ow； Mr。 Richard！〃 he said； 〃glad to see you； sir。 Take a chair。
Your uncle will be disengaged in 'arf a minute〃； and in the tone of
his allusion to his employer was the satirical approval that comes
with long and faithful service。 〃He will do everything himself；〃 he
went on； screwing up his sly； greenish； honest eyes； 〃and he 's not a
young man。〃
Shelton never saw his uncle's clerk without marvelling at the
prosperity deepening upon his face。 In place of the look of
harassment which on most faces begins to grow after the age of fifty；
his old friend's countenance； as though in sympathy with the nation；
had expandeda little greasily； a little genially； a little
coarselyevery time he met it。 A contemptuous tolerance for people
who were not getting on was spreading beneath its surface； it left
each time a deeper feeling that its owner could never be in the
wrong。
〃I hope you're well； sir；〃 he resumed： 〃most important for you to
have your health now you're going…to〃and； feeling for the delicate
way to put it； he involuntarily winked〃to become a family man。 We
saw it in the paper。 My wife said to me the other morning at
breakfast： 'Bob； here's a Mr。 Richard Paramor Shelton goin' to be
married。 Is that any relative of your Mr。 Shelton？' ' My dear；' I
said to her； ' it's the very man！'〃
It disquieted Shelton to perceive that his old friend did not pass
the whole of his life at that table writing in the centre of the
room； but that somewhere （vistas of little grey houses rose before
his eyes） he actually lived another life where someone called him
〃Bob。〃 Bob！ And this； too； was a revelation。 Bob！ Why； of course；
it was the only name for him！ A bell rang。
〃That's your uncle〃； and again the head clerk's voice sounded
ironical。 〃Good…bye； sir。〃
He seemed to clip off intercourse as one clips off electric light。
Shelton left him writing； and preceded the red…haired boy to an
enormous room in the front where his uncle waited。
Edmund Paramor was a medium…sized and upright man of seventy； whose
brown face was perfectly clean…shaven。 His grey； silky hair was
brushed in a cock's comb from his fine forehead； bald on the left
side。 He stood before the hearth facing the room； and his figure had
the springy abruptness of men who cannot fatten。 There was a certain
youthfulness； too； in his eyes； yet they had a look as though he had
been through fire； and his mouth curled at the corners in surprising
smiles。 The room was like the manmorally large； void of red…tape
and almost void of furniture； no tin boxes were ranged against the
walls； no papers littered up the table； a single bookcase contained a
complete edition of the law reports； and resting on the Law Directory
was a single red rose in a glass of water。 It looked the room of one
with a sober magnanimity； who went to the heart of things； despised
haggling； and before whose smiles the more immediate kinds of humbug
faded。
〃Well； Dick；〃 said he； 〃how's your mother？〃
Shelton replied that his mother was all right。
〃Tell her that I'm going to sell her Easterns after all； and put into
this Brass thing。 You can say it's safe； from me。〃
Shelton made a face。
〃Mother；〃 said he； 〃always believes things are safe。〃
His uncle looked through him with his keen； half…suffering glance；
and up went the corners of his mouth。
〃She's splendid；〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 said Shelton； 〃splendid。〃
The transaction； however； did not interest him； his uncle's judgment
in such matters had a breezy soundness he would never dream of
questioning。
〃Well； about your settlement〃； and； touching a bell three times； Mr。
Paramor walked up and down the room。 〃Bring me the draft of Mr。
Richard's marriage settlement。〃
The stalwart commissionaire reappearing with a document〃Now then；
Dick；〃 said Mr。 Paramor。 〃She 's not bringing anything into
settlement； I understand； how 's that？〃
〃I did n't want it；〃 replied Shelton； unaccountably ashamed。
Mr。 Paramor's lips quivered； he drew the draft closer； took up a blue
pencil； and； squeezing Shelton's arm； began to read。 The latter；
following his uncle's rapid exposition of the clauses； was relieved
when he paused suddenly。
〃If you die and she marries again；〃 said Mr。 Paramor； 〃she forfeits
her life interestsee？〃
〃Oh！〃 said Shelton； 〃wait a minute； Uncle Ted。〃
Mr。 Paramor waited； biting his pencil； a smile flickered on his
mouth； and was decorously subdued。 It was Shelton's turn to walk
about。
〃If she marries again；〃 he repeated to himself。
Mr。 Paramor was a keen fisherman； he watched his nephew as he might
have watched a fish he had just landed。
〃It's very usual；〃 he remarked。
Shelton took another turn。
〃She forfeits；〃 thought he； 〃exactly。〃
When he was dead； he would have no other way of seeing that she
continued to belong to him。 Exactly！
Mr。 Paramor's haunting eyes were fastened on his nephew's face。
〃Well； my dear；〃 they seemed to say； 〃what 's the matter？〃
Exactly！ Why should she have his money if she married again？ She
would forfeit it。 There was comfort in the thought。 Shelton came
back and carefully reread the clause； to put the thing on a purely
business basis； and disguise the real significance of what was
passing in his mind。
〃If I die and she marries again；〃 he repeated aloud； 〃she forfeits。〃
What wiser provision for a man passionately in love could possibly
have been devised？ His uncle's eye travelled beyond him； humanely
turning from the last despairing wriggles of his fish。
〃I don't want to tie her；〃 said Shelton suddenly。
The corners of Mr。 Paramour's mouth flew up。
〃You want the forfeiture out？〃 he asked。
The blood rushed into Shelton's face； he felt he had been detected in
a piece of sentiment。
〃Ye…es；〃 he stammered。
〃Sure？〃
〃Quite！〃 The answer was a little sulky。
Her uncle's pencil descended on the clause； and he resumed the
reading of the draft； but Shelton could not follow it