tales and fantasies-第21节

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transaction。



Among　resident　artists　he　enjoyed　celebrity　of　a　non…

professional　sort。　　He　had　spent　more　money　…　no　less　than

three　individual　fortunes；　it　was　whispered　…　than　any　of　his

associates　could　ever　hope　to　gain。　　Apart　from　his　colonial

career；　he　had　been　to　Greece　in　a　brigantine　with　four　brass

carronades；　he　had　travelled　Europe　in　a　chaise　and　four；

drawing　bridle　at　the　palace…doors　of　German　princes；　queens

of　song　and　dance　had　followed　him　like　sheep　and　paid　his

tailor's　bills。　　And　to　behold　him　now；　seeking　small　loans

with　plaintive　condescension；　sponging　for　breakfast　on　an

art…student　of　nineteen；　a　fallen　Don　Juan　who　had　neglected

to　die　at　the　propitious　hour；　had　a　colour　of　romance　for

young　imaginations。　　His　name　and　his　bright　past；　seen

through　the　prism　of　whispered　gossip；　had　gained　him　the

nickname　of　THE　ADMIRAL。



Dick　found　him　one　day　at　the　receipt　of　custom；　rapidly

painting　a　pair　of　hens　and　a　cock　in　a　little　water…colour

sketching　box；　and　now　and　then　glancing　at　the　ceiling　like

a　man　who　should　seek　inspiration　from　the　muse。　　Dick

thought　it　remarkable　that　a　painter　should　choose　to　work

over　an　absinthe　in　a　public　cafe；　and　looked　the　man　over。

The　aged　rakishness　of　his　appearance　was　set　off　by　a

youthful　costume；　he　had　disreputable　grey　hair　and　a

disreputable　sore；　red　nose；　but　the　coat　and　the　gesture；

the　outworks　of　the　man；　were　still　designed　for　show。　　Dick

came　up　to　his　table　and　inquired　if　he　might　look　at　what

the　gentleman　was　doing。　　No　one　was　so　delighted　as　the

Admiral。



'A　bit　of　a　thing；'　said　he。　　'I　just　dash　them　off　like

that。　　I　…　I　dash　them　off；'　he　added　with　a　gesture。



'Quite　so；'　said　Dick；　who　was　appalled　by　the　feebleness　of

the　production。



'Understand　me；'　continued　Van　Tromp；　'I　am　a　man　of　the

world。　　And　yet　…　once　an　artist　always　an　artist。　　All　of　a

sudden　a　thought　takes　me　in　the　street；　I　become　its　prey：

it's　like　a　pretty　woman；　no　use　to　struggle；　I　must　…　dash

it　off。'



'I　see；'　said　Dick。



'Yes；'　pursued　the　painter；　'it　all　comes　easily；　easily　to

me；　it　is　not　my　business；　it's　a　pleasure。　　Life　is　my

business　…　life　…　this　great　city；　Paris　…　Paris　after　dark　…

its　lights；　its　gardens；　its　odd　corners。　　Aha！'　he　cried；

'to　be　young　again！　　The　heart　is　young；　but　the　heels　are

leaden。　　A　poor；　mean　business；　to　grow　old！　　Nothing　remains

but　the　COUP　D'OEIL；　the　contemplative　man's　enjoyment；　Mr。　…

；'　and　he　paused　for　the　name。



'Naseby；'　returned　Dick。



The　other　treated　him　at　once　to　an　exciting　beverage；　and

expatiated　on　the　pleasure　of　meeting　a　compatriot　in　a

foreign　land；　to　hear　him；　you　would　have　thought　they　had

encountered　in　Central　Africa。　　Dick　had　never　found　any　one

take　a　fancy　to　him　so　readily；　nor　show　it　in　an　easier　or

less　offensive　manner。　　He　seemed　tickled　with　him　as　an

elderly　fellow　about　town　might　be　tickled　by　a　pleasant　and

witty　lad；　he　indicated　that　he　was　no　precision；　but　in　his

wildest　times　had　never　been　such　a　blade　as　he　thought　Dick。

Dick　protested；　but　in　vain。　　This　manner　of　carrying　an

intimacy　at　the　bayonet's　point　was　Van　Tromp's　stock…in…

trade。　　With　an　older　man　he　insinuated　himself；　with　youth

he　imposed　himself；　and　in　the　same　breath　imposed　an　ideal

on　his　victim；　who　saw　that　he　must　work　up　to　it　or　lose　the

esteem　of　this　old　and　vicious　patron。　　And　what　young　man

can　bear　to　lose　a　character　for　vice？



At　last；　as　it　grew　towards　dinner…time；　'Do　you　know　Paris？'

asked　Van　Tromp。



'Not　so　well　as　you；　I　am　convinced；'　said　Dick。



'And　so　am　I；'　returned　Van　Tromp　gaily。　　'Paris！　　My　young

friend　…　you　will　allow　me？　…　when　you　know　Paris　as　I　do；

you　will　have　seen　Strange　Things。　　I　say　no　more；　all　I　say

is；　Strange　Things。　　We　are　men　of　the　world；　you　and　I；　and

in　Paris；　in　the　heart　of　civilised　existence。　　This　is　an

opportunity；　Mr。　Naseby。　　Let　us　dine。　　Let　me　show　you　where

to　dine。'



Dick　consented。　　On　the　way　to　dinner　the　Admiral　showed　him

where　to　buy　gloves；　and　made　him　buy　them；　where　to　buy

cigars；　and　made　him　buy　a　vast　store；　some　of　which　he

obligingly　accepted。　　At　the　restaurant　he　showed　him　what　to

order；　with　surprising　consequences　in　the　bill。　　What　he

made　that　night　by　his　percentages　it　would　be　hard　to

estimate。　　And　all　the　while　Dick　smilingly　consented；

understanding　well　that　he　was　being　done；　but　taking　his

losses　in　the　pursuit　of　character　as　a　hunter　sacrifices　his

dogs。　　As　for　the　Strange　Things；　the　reader　will　be　relieved

to　hear　that　they　were　no　stranger　than　might　have　been

expected；　and　he　may　find　things　quite　as　strange　without　the

expense　of　a　Van　Tromp　for　guide。　　Yet　he　was　a　guide　of　no

mean　order；　who　made　up　for　the　poverty　of　what　he　had　to

show　by　a　copious；　imaginative　commentary。



'And　such；'　said　he；　with　a　hiccup；　'such　is　Paris。'



'Pooh！'　said　Dick；　who　was　tired　of　the　performance。



The　Admiral　hung　an　ear；　and　looked　up　sidelong　with　a

glimmer　of　suspicion。



'Good　night；'　said　Dick；　'I'm　tired。'



'So　English！'　cried　Van　Tromp；　clutching　him　by　the　hand。

'So　English！　　So　BLASE！　　Such　a　charming　companion！　　Let　me

see　you　home。'



'Look　here；'　returned　Dick；　'I　have　said　good　night；　and　now

I'm　going。　　You're　an　amusing　old　boy：　I　like　you；　in　a

sense；　but　here's　an　end　of　it　for　to…night。　　Not　another

cigar；　not　another　grog；　not　another　percentage　out　of　me。'



'I　beg　your　pardon！'　cried　the　Admiral　with　dignity。



'Tut；　man！'　said　Dick；　'you're　not　offended；　you're　a　man　of

the　world；　I　thought。　　I've　been　studying　you；　and　it's　over。

Have　I　not　paid　for　the　lesson？　　AU　REVOIR。'



Van　Tromp　laughed　gaily；　shook　hands　up　to　the　elbows；　hoped

cordially　they　would　meet　again　and　that　often；　but　looked

after　Dick　as　he　departed　with　a　tremor　of　indignation。

After　that　they　two　not　unfrequently　fell　in　each　other's

way；　and　Dick　would　often　treat　the　old　boy　to　breakfast　on　a

moderate　scale　and　in　a　restaurant　of　his　own　selection。

Often；　too；　he　would　lend　Van　Tromp　the　matter　of　a　pound；　in

view　of　that　gentleman's　contemplated　departure　for

Australia；　there　would　be　a　scene　of　farewell　almost　touching

in　character；　and　a　week　or　a　month　later　they　would　meet　on

the　same　boulevard　without　surprise　or　embarrassment。　　And　in

the　meantime　Dick　learned　more　about　his　acquaintance　on　all

sides：　heard　of　his　yacht；　his　chaise　and　four；　his　brief

season　of　celebrity　amid　a　more　confiding　population；　his

daughter；　of　whom　he　loved　to　whimper　in　his　cups；　his

sponging；　parasitical；　nameless　way　of　life；　and　with　each

new　detail　something　that　was　not　merely　interest　nor　yet

altogether　affection　grew　up　in　his　mind　towards　this

disreputable　stepson　of　the　arts。　　Ere　he　left　Paris　Van

Tromp　was　one　of　those　whom　he　entertained　to　a　farewell

supper；　and　the　old　gentleman　made　the　speech　of　the　evening；

and　then　fell　below　the　table；　weeping；　smiling；　paralysed。







CHAPTER　II　…　A　LETTER　TO　THE　PAPERS







OLD　Mr。　Naseby　had　the　sturdy；　untutored　nature　of　the　upper

middle　class。　　The　universe　seemed　plain　to　him。　　'The

thing's　right；'　he　would　say；　or　'the　thing's　wrong'；　and

there　was　an　end　of　it。　　There　was　a　contained；　prophetic

energy　in　his　utterances；　even　on　the　slightest　affairs；　he

SAW　the　damned　thing；　if　you　did　not；　it　must　be　from

perversity　of　will；　and　this　sent　the　blood　to　his　head。

Apart　from　this；　which　made　him　an　exacting　companion；　he　was

one　of　the　most　upright；　hot…tempered；　hot…headed　old

gentlemen　in　England。　　Florid；　with　white　hair；　the　face　of

an　old　Jupiter；　and　the　figure　of　an　old　fox…hunter；　he

enlivened　the　vale　of　Thyme　from　end　to　end　on　his　big；

cantering　chestnut。



He　had　a　hearty　respect　for　Dick　as　a　lad　of　parts。　　Dick　had

a　respect　for　his　father　as　the　best　of　men；　tempered　by　the

politic　revolt　of　a　youth　who　has　to　see　to　his　own

independence。　　Whenever　the　pair　argued；　they　came　to　an　open

rupture；　and　arguments　were　frequent；　for　they　were　both

positive；　and　both　loved　the　work　of　the　intelligence。　　It

was　a　treat　to　hear　Mr。　Naseby　defending　the　Church　of

England　in　a　volley　of　oaths；　or　supporting　ascetic　morals

with　an　enthusiasm　not　entirely　innocent　of　port　wine。　　Dick

used　to　wax　indignant；　and　none　the　less　so　because；　as　his

father　was　a　skilful　disputant；　he　found　himself　not　seldom

in　the　wrong。　　On　these　occasions；　he　would　redouble　in

energy；　and　declare　that　black　was　white；　and　blue　yellow；

with　much　conviction　and　heat　of　manner；　but　in　the　morning

such　a　licence　of　debate　weighed　upon　him　like　a　crime；　and

he　would　seek　out　his　father；　where　he　walked　before

breakfast　on　a　terrace　overlooking　all　the　vale　of　Thyme。



'I　have　to　apologise；　sir；　for　last　night　…　'　he　would　begin。



'Of　cours