Chapter 15 of Our Friend the Charlotin. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Our Friend the Charlotin by George Gissing. Chapter 15. Lord Dim Church was at a critical moment of his life. His content, the malady of the age, had taken hold upon him, no ignoble form of the disease, for his mind naturally in accord with generous thoughts, repelled every suggestion which he recognized as of unworthy origin, and no man saw more clearly how much there was of vanity and of evil in the unrest which rules our time. He was possessed by that turbid idealism which, in the tumult of a day without conscious guidance, is the pearl of gentle souls. Looking out upon the world, he seemed to himself to be the one idle man in a toiling and aspiring multitude, for however astray the energy of most activity was visible on every side, and in activity so he told himself lay man's only hope. He alone did nothing, wearing his title like a fool's cap. He mooned in by-paths which had become a maze. Was it not the foolish title that bemused and disabled him? Without it would he not long ago have gone to work like other men and had his part in the onward struggle, discontented with himself ill at ease in his social position, reproachfully minded towards the ancestors who had ruined him, he fell into that most dangerous mood of the cultured and conscientious man, a feverish inclination for practical experiment in life. His age was two and thirty a decade ago, he had dreamt of distinguishing himself in the chamber of peers. Why should poverty bar the way of intellect and zeal? Experience taught him that though money might not be indispensable to such a career as he imagined, the lack of it was only to be supplied by powers such as he certainly did not possess. Abashed at the thought of his presumption, he withdrew altogether from the seat to which his birth entitled him and at the same time ceased to appear in society. He had the temper of a student and among his books he soon found consolation for the first disappointments of youth. Study however led him by degrees to all the questions right in the world about him, with the inevitable result that his mature thought turned back upon things he fancied himself to have outgrown. His time had been wasted at thirty-two all he had clearly learnt was a regret for vanished years. He resisted as a temptation to philosophic quietism which had been his strength and his pride from the pages of Marcus Aurelius which he had almost by heart one passage only was allowed to dwell with him when thou art hard to be stirred up and await out of thy sleep, admonish thyself and call to mind that to perform actions tending to the common good is that which thine own proper constitution and that which the nature of man do require. In the morning and night the question with him became what could he do in the cause of civilization and about this time a chance that he made the acquaintance of Dice Lashmar. He listened presently to the bio-sociological theory of human life believing it to be Lashmar's own and finding in it a great deal that was not only intellectually fruitful but strong in appeal to his sympathies. Here he saw the reconciliation of his aristocratic prejudices which he had little hope of ever overcoming with the humanitarian emotion and conviction which were also a natural part of his being. All this did but contribute to his disquiet no longer occupied with definite studies he often felt time heavy on his hands and saw himself more obnoxious than ever to the charge of idleness. Lashmar though possibly his ambition had some alloy of self-seeking gave an example of intellect applied to the world's behoove especially to his views on education developed in a recent talk at the club strike dim church as commendable and likely to have influence. He asked nothing better than an opportunity of devoting himself to a movement of educational reform. The abstract now disgusted him well not as much as the two grossly actual thus chancing to open Shelley he found with surprise that the poet of his adolescence not merely left him cold but seemed verbose and tedious. Some anxiety about his private affairs aided this mental tendency. Some time ago he had been appealed to by the tenant of his Kentish farm for a reduction of rent which on consideration of the facts submitted to him he felt unable to refuse. The farmer was now dead and it was not without trouble that the land had been leased again on the same reduced terms. Moreover the new tenant seemed to be a not very satisfactory man and dim church had to consider the possibility that this part of his small income might become uncertain or fail him altogether. Now and then he entertained the thought of studying agriculture living upon his farm and earning bread in the sweat of his brow but a little talk with practical men showed him all the difficulties of such an undertaking. So far as his own day-to-day life was concerned he felt small need of money but it constantly worried him to think of his sisters down in summer set their best years going by not indeed in actual want but with so little of the brightness or hope natural to ladies of their birth. They did not appear unhappy like him they had a preference for the tranquil mode of life. Nonetheless he saw how different everything would have been with them but for their narrow means and after each visit to the silent meadow circled house he came away reproaching himself for his inertness. The invitation to Lashmar's restaurant dinner annoyed him a little for casual company was by no means to his taste. When it was over he felt glad that he had come and more than ever fretted in spirit about his personal insignificance his uselessness in the scheme of things he was going to hate the meaningless symbol which distinguished him from ordinary men the sight of an envelope addressed to him stirred his spleen for it looked like deliberate mockery how if he cast away this empty lordship might it not be the breaking down of a barrier between him and real life in doing so what duty would he renounce who cared a snap of the fingers whether he signed himself dim church or Walter Fallow field it was long enough since the barony of dim church had justified its existence by any public service and as most people knew its private record had small dignity the likelihood was that he would never marry and unless either of his sisters did so every day a more improbable thing the title might fall into happy oblivion what indeed did such titles mean nowadays they were a silly anachronism absurdly in contradiction with that scientific teaching which rules our lives Lashmore of course was right in his demand for a new aristocracy to oust the old an aristocracy of nature of the born leaders of men it might be that he had some claim to a humble position in that spiritual hierarchy and perhaps the one manifest way to make proof of it was by flinging aside his tinsel privilege an example a precedent to the like-minded of his caste Mrs. Toplady had begged him to come and see her Mrs. Toplady vaguely known to him by name would but a short time ago have turned him to flight having talked with her at the restaurant he inclined to think her a very intelligent and bright-witted woman the kind of woman who did a service to society by keeping it in touch with modern ideas after a little uneasy hesitation he but took himself to Pond Street next he accepted an invitation to dine there and found himself in the company of an old lady of whom he had never heard and a girl with an odd name her niece who rather amused him calling presently in Pond Street to discharge his obligation of ceremony he found Mrs. Toplady alone and heard from her in easy half-confidential chat a great deal about Lady Orgram and Miss Tomlin information such as he would never himself have sought but which set off by his hostess's pleasant manner entertained and somewhat interested him for the young lady and her aged relative shown in no common light as Mrs. Toplady exhibited them the Baronette's widow became one of the most remarkable women of her time all the more remarkable because of lowly origin Miss Tomlin heiress of a great fortune had pure colonial blood in her veins yet pursued with delightful zeal the finest culture of an old civilization as Mrs. Toplady talked thus the door open to admit Mr. Lashmar and there was an end of confidences for that day so far dim church had yielded without much reflection to the friendly pressure which brought him among strangers and disturbed his habits of seclusion these dinners and afternoon calls had no importance very soon he would be going down into Somerset where it might be hoped that he would think out the problems which worried him and arrive at some clear decision about the future but when he found himself reluctantly yet as it seemed inevitably setting forth to Mrs. Toplady's at home the reasonable man and him grew rested why was he guilty of this weakness years had passed since he did anything so foolish as to leave home towards the middle of the night for the purpose of hustling amid a crowd of unknown people in staircases and drawing rooms he saw himself as the victim of sudden fatuity own brother to the longest ear of fashion's worshippers assuredly this should be the last of his concessions inwardly pitching and poshawing he drifted about the rooms till brought up beside Mrs. Tomlin then his mood changed this girl with her queer mixture of naivete and conceit and examination room pedantry decidedly amused him was she a type of the young Canadian he knew nothing of her life at Northampton and thought she'd come over from Canada only a year or two ago yes she amused him by contrast with the drawing room young lady of whom he'd always been afraid she seemed to have originality of character spontaneity of talk of course her learning was not exactly profound the quality of her mind left something to be desired her reading fell short of what is demanded by the fastidious but there was something healthy and genuine about her which made these deficiencies a matter for indulgence rather than for a censure and then she was by no means ill-looking once or twice he caught an aspect of her features which had a certain impressiveness with nature cast in a more serious mold she might have become a really beautiful woman just as he had found courage to turn the talk in a personal direction with an inquiry about Canadian life he saw the approach of Dice Lashmar a glance at Mrs. Tomlin showed him that she had perceived a young politician who was looking with manifest interest at her abruptly he rose he had thought of asking the girl to let him take her to the supper room but at the side of Lashmar he did not hesitate for a moment about retreating and at once he quitted the house dim church had never inclined to tender experiences his life so far was without romance women more often amused and interested him his humorous disposition found play among their lighter characteristics on the other hand natural compliment of humor he felt a certain awe of the mysterious in their being accept his own sisters whom naturally enough he regarded as quite exceptional persons he had never been on terms of intimacy with any woman of the educated world regarding marriage as impracticable for he had always shrunk from the thought of accepting money with a wife he gave as little heat as possible to the other sex tried to leave it all together out of account in his musings and reasonings upon existence frankly he said to himself that he knew nothing about women and that he was just as likely to be wrong as right in any theory he might form about their place in the world their dues their possibilities by temper he leaned to the old way of regarding them women militant women in the public eye were on the whole unpleasing to him but he was satisfied with an occasional laugh at these extravagances and heard with tolerable patience anyone who pleaded the cause of female emancipation in brief women lay beyond the circle of his interests the explanation of his abrupt withdrawal on Lashmar's appearance was simply that he all at once imagined a private understanding between his political friend and Miss Tomlin the possibility had not hitherto occurred to him he had given too little thought to Lady Ogrem's niece now of a sudden it flashed upon him that Lashmar were seeking the girl in marriage perhaps had already won her favor the thought that Lashmar might per chance regard him as a rival pricked his pride not for a moment could he rest under that misconstruction he left the field clear and drew breath like a man who has shaken off an embarrassment on the way home he saw how natural it was that such a man as Lashmar should woo Miss Tomlin he might be a little too good for her yet there was no knowing that half grim half grotesque Lady Ogrem had evidently taken Lashmar under her wing and probably would make no objection to the alliance perhaps she had even projected it utterly without idle self-consciousness dim church had perceived no special significance in Mrs. Toplady's social advances to him the sense of poverty was so persistent in his mind that he had never seen himself as a possible object of matrimonial intrigue nor had he ever come in contact with a social rank where such designs must have been forced on his notice well his season was over he laughed as he looked back upon it when Lashmar and Miss Tomlin were married he might or might not see something of them the man had ideas that remained to be proved whether his strength was equal to his ambitions a few days later dim church heard that one of his sisters was not very well she had caught a cold and could not shake it off this decided him to plan a summer holiday he wrote and asked whether the girls would go with him to a certain quiet spot high in the Alps and how soon they could leave home the answer came that they would prefer not to go away until the middle of July as a friend was about to visit them whom they hoped to keep for two or three weeks disappointed at the delay dim church tried to settle down to his books but books had lost their savor he was consumed by dreary indolence then came a note from Mrs. Toplady he knew the writing and opened the envelope with a petulant grimace muttering no no no dear lord dim church wrote his correspondent I wonder whether you are going to the performance of as you like it at Lady Honeyborn's on the 24th it promises to be very good if only they have fine weather the play will be a real delight in that exquisite Surrey Woodland I do so hope we may meet you there by we I mean Miss Tomlin and myself Lady Orgum has gone back into the country her health being unequal to London's strain and her knee stays with me for a little you've heard in our doubt of the engagement of Mr. Lashmar and Miss Bride I knew it was coming they are admirably suited to each other today Mr. Lashmar gives his address at Hollingford and I hope for good news tomorrow the reader hung suspended at this point Miss Bride who is Miss Bride though the lady whom he had seen once or twice with Lady Orgum her secretary had he not heard why then he was altogether wrong in his conjecture about Lashmar and Miss Tomlin he smiled at the error characteristic of such an acute observer of social life he'd received a card of invitation to Lady Honeyborn's but had by no means thought of going down into Surrey to see an amateur open-air performance of as you like it after all was it not a way of passing an afternoon and would not Miss Tomlin's running comment have a pecan see all its own she would have gotten up to play would be prepared with various readings and philological and archaeological illustrations dim church smiled again as he thought of it and already was half decided to go a copy of the Hollingford Express posted no doubt by Lashmar informed him that the private meeting of Liberals at the Saracen's head had resulted in acceptance of his friend's candidature there was a long report of Lashmar's speech which he read critically and not without envy whether he came to be elected or not Lashmar was doing something he knew the joy of activity of putting out his strength of moving others by the energy of his mind this morning his high gate lodging seemed to dim church a very cave in the wilderness the comforts and the graceful things amid which he lived had lost all meaning unless indeed they symbolized a dilettante decadence of which he ought to be heartily ashamed he ran over the contents of the provincial newspaper and in every column found something that rebuked him these municipal proceedings what zeal and capability they implied was it not better a thousand times to be excited about the scheme for paving Burgess Lane than to sit here amid books and pictures and do nothing at all but smoke one's favorite mixture the world hummed about him with industry with triumphant effort and he alone of all men could put his hand to nothing his thought somehow turned upon Miss Tomlin what was it that he found so pecan in that half educated, indifferently bred girl might it not be that she represented an order of society with which she had no acquaintance that vague multitude between the refined middle class and the rude toilers which as he knew theoretically played such an important part in modern civilization among these people energy was naked motives were direct there the strength and desires of the people became vocal they must be studied if one wished to know the trend of things had he not seen it remarked somewhere that from this class sprang nearly all the younger representatives of literature and art the poets, novelists, journalists of today all the vigorous young workers in science Lash Murray felt sure was but one removed from it that busy and aspiring multitude would furnish most likely by far the greater part of the spiritual aristocracy for which our world was waiting from this point of view the girl had a new interest she was destined perhaps to be the mother of some great man he hoped she would not marry foolishly the wealth she must soon inherit hardly favored her chances in this respect doubtless she would be surrounded by unprincipled money hunters on the whole it seemed rather a pity that Lash Murray had not chosen and won her there would have been a fitness one felt in that alliance at the same time Lash Murray selection of an undoward mate spoke well for him for it was to be presumed that Lady Ogrum's secretary had no very brilliant prospects certainly she did not make much impression at the first glance one would take her for a sensible thoughtful woman nothing more after a lapse of 24 hours he replied to Mrs. Toplady yes if the weather were not too discouraging he hoped to be at Lady Honeyborn's he added that the fact of Lash Murray's engagement had come as news to him so after all his season was not yet over but perhaps kind Jupiter would send rain and make the murdering of Shakespeare an impossibility now and then he tapped his barometer which for some days had hovered about change the sky meanwhile being clouded on the eve of mid-summer day there was every sign of unseasonable weather dim church told himself with a certain persistency that he was glad yet the morrow broke fair and at midday was steadily bright throughout the morning dim church held himself at remorseless study and was rewarded by the approval of his conscience whence perhaps the cheerfulness of resignation with which he made ready to keep his engagement at the Surrey House with a half smile on his meditative face he went out into the sunshine he was thinking of Rosalind in Arden Lord Honeyborn and he had been school fellows they were together at Oxford but not in the same set for dim church red and the other ostentatiously idled what was the use of exerting oneself in any way asked the Honorable L. F. T. Medwin Burton when a man had only an income of four or five thousand in prospect fruit of a wretchedly encumbered estate which every year depreciated having left the university without a degree his only notable performance a very amusing speech at the union proposing the abolition of the House of Lords he allied himself with young Sir Evan Hungerford in a journalistic enterprise and for a year or two the bimonthly skylark supplied matter for public mirth not without occasional scandal then came his succession to the title and by count Honeyborn as the papers made known presently set forth on travel which was to cover all British territory he came back with an American wife and incalculable fortune and much knowledge of greater Britain moreover he gained a serious spirit and henceforth devoted himself to colonial affairs his young wife she was seventeen at the time of her marriage straightway took a conspicuous place in English society her note being intellectual and social earnestness the play was to begin at three o'clock arriving half an hour before dim church found his hostess in the open-air theater beset with managerial cares whilst her company already dressed for their part sat together under the Greenwood tree and a few guests strayed about the grass he had met Lady Honeyborn only once and about a couple of years ago with difficulty they recognized each other Lord Honeyborn she told him had hoped to be here but the missing of a steamer he had run over just for a day or two to Jamaica would make him too late you know Miss Tomlin the lady added with a bright smile she has been lunching with me and we are great friends I wish I had known her sooner she would have had a part there she is talking with Miss Dollby yes of course we have had to cut the play down it's shocking but there was no choice dim church got away from this chatter and stood aside then Miss Tomlin's radiant glance discovered him she broke from the lady with whom she was conversing and stepped in his direction with a look of frank pleasure how do you do Lord dim church I came early to lunch with Lady Honeyborn and some of her actors we've been getting on together splendidly let us settle our places Mrs. Top Lady may be a little late we must keep a chair for her which do you prefer isn't it admirably managed this big tree will give shade all the time suppose we take these chairs of course we needn't sit down at once put your cane across to an altar my handkerchief on the third there now we're safe did you ever see an open air play before charming idea isn't it you don't know Lady Honeyborn very well I think oh she's very bright and has lots of ideas I think we shall be real friends she must come down to Ribbon Oak in August I'm sorry interposed dim church as soon as there came a pause that Lady Ogrem had to leave town so soon oh it was too much for her I advised her very seriously as soon as she began to feel exhausted not to stay another day I couldn't have allowed it I'm convinced it was dangerous in her state of health I hear from her that she is already much better Ribbon Oak is such a delightfully quiet place and such excellent air did you see a report of Mr. Lashmar speech rather good I thought perhaps just a little too vague the fault I hoped he would avoid but of course it's very difficult to adapt oneself all at once to electioneering necessities Mr. Lashmar is theoretical of course that is his strong point dim church listened with an air of respectful though smiling attention the girl amused him more than ever really she had such a pleasant voice that her limitless flow of words might well be pardoned even enjoy Lady Honeybourne and I have been talking about the condition of the poor she has capital ideas but not much experience of course I'm able to speak with some authority I saw so much of the poor at Northampton once or twice dim church had heard mention of Northampton in May's talk but his extreme discretion had withheld him from putting a question on the subject catching his look she saw inquiry in it you know that I lived at Northampton before I made my home at Rivernook though I thought that I told you all about that acting on her arms council approved by Mrs. Toplady may was careful not to let it be perceived by casual acquaintances that until a month ago she had been an absolute stranger to her titled relative at the same time it was necessary to avoid any appearance of mystery and people were given to understand that she had passed some years with her family in the Midland town and what work did you take part in asked her companion it was a scheme of my own mainly educational I'll tell you all about it when we have time but a lot of people all at once now it's the 240 train that brings them you came by the one before there's Mrs. Toplady so she isn't late after all the audience began to seat itself a string band under Marquis aside from the plot of smooth turf which represented the stage began to discourse old English music on this subject as soon as they were seated side by side dim church had the full benefit of May's recently acquired learning how quick the girl was in gathering any kind of information and how intelligently she gave it forth babble as she might one could never thought the amuse pier detect a note of vulgarity at worst there was excessive ingenuousness a fault after all in the right direction she was very young and had little experience of society in a year or two these surface blemishes would be polished away the important thing was that she did sincerely care for things of the mind and had a mind to apply to them he sat on Miss Tomlin's right hand on her left was Mrs. Toplady the humorist of Pond Street as she listened to the talk beside her smiled very rugishly indeed seldom had anything so surprised and entertained her as the progress of intimacy between May and Lord dim church but she was vexed as well as puzzled by Lashmar's recent step which seemed to deprive the comedy of an element on which she had counted perhaps not however it might be that the real complication was only just beginning as you like it was time for a couple of hours intervals including Miss Tomlin did not fail to whisper her neighbors at every noteworthy omission from the text and once she moved to a pained protest her criticism of the actors was indulgent she felt the value of her praise but was equally aware of the weight of her censure so the sunny afternoon went by here and there a spectator nodded drowsily others conversed under their breath not of the bard of a bomb the air was full of that insect humming which is nature's music of high summertime upon the final applause followed welcome refreshment a table laden with dainties gleamed upon the sword dim church looked after his ladies but the elder of them soon wandered off amid the friendly throng and may who ate and drank with enjoyment was able to give for companion a promise description of her activity at Northampton the listener smiled and smiled had much to do indeed not to exhibit open gaiety but ever again his eyes rested on the girl's countenance and its animation so pleased him that he saw even in her absurdities a spirit of good you never did any work of that sort inquired may regarding him from a good natured height never I'm sorry to say but don't you sometimes feel as if it were a duty I often feel I ought to do something answered dim church in a graver voice but whether I could be of any use among the poor is doubtful no I hardly think you could said may reflectively your social position doesn't allow of that of course you help to make laws which is more important if I really did so but I don't I have no more part in lawmaking than you have but why not us may gazing at him in surprise surely that is a duty about which you can have no doubt I neglect all duties he answered how strange is it your principle you are not an anarchist lord dim church practically I fancy that's just what I am theoretically no suppose he added with his pleasantest smile you advise me as to what use I can make of my life the man was speaking without control of his tongue he had sunk into a limp passivity in part it might be the result of the drowsy humming air in part a sort of hypnotism due to May's talk and the feminine perfume which breathed from her he understood the idleness of what fell from his lips but it pleased him to be idle there with all strange contradiction he was trying to persuade himself that more likely than not this chattering girl had it in her power to make him an active man to draw him out of his moldy hermitage and set him in the world's broad daylight the analogy of lord honey born came into his mind or honey born whose marriage had been the turning point of his career and his wife in many respects brought resemblance to May Tomlin I shall have to think very seriously about it May was replying but nothing could interest me more you don't feel at all inclined for public life their dialogue was interrupted by the hostess who came forward with a gentleman she wished to present to Ms. Tomlin hearing the name Mr. Langtoth dim church regarded him with curiosity and moving aside with lady honey born as she withdrew he inquired whether this was the Mr. Langtoth it is the hostess answered do you take an interest in his work would you like to know him dim church declined the introduction for the present but he was glad to have seen the man just now frequently spoken up in newspapers much lauded and vehemently attacked a wealthy manufacturer practically lord of a swarming township in Lancashire Mr. Langtoth was trying to get into his own hands the education of all the lower class children growing up around his mill chimneys he disapproved of this board school he looked with still less favor on the schools of the clergy and regardless of expense was establishing schools of his own where what he calls civic instruction was gratuitously imparted the idea closely resembled that which Dice Lashmore had borrowed from his French sociologist and Dice had lately been in correspondence with Mr. Langtoth Lashmore's name indeed was now passing between the reformer and Miss Tomlin his work said dim church to himself yes everybody has his work except me and the impulse to experiment in life grew so strong with him that he had to go apart under the trees and pace nervously about idle talk being no longer indurable the gathering began to thin he had noted the train by which he would return to London and a glance at his watch told him that he must start if he would reach the station in time moving towards the group of people about the hostess he encountered Mrs. Toplady have you a cab she asked if not there's plenty of room in ours dim church would have liked to refuse but hesitation undid him face to face with Mrs. Toplady in May he drove to the station and as was inevitable performed the rest of the journey in their company the afternoon had tired him alone he would have closed his eyes and tried to shut out the chlidoscopic sensation which resulted from theatrical costumes brilliant illustrations of the feminine mode blue sky and sunny glades but May Tomlin was as fresh as if new risen and still talk talk enthusiastic in admiration of Lady Honeybourne she heard with much interest that dim church's acquaintance with the bicount went back to Harrow days that's what I envy you she exclaimed your public school and university education they make us feel our inferiority and it isn't fair admission of inferiority was so unexpected a thing on Ms. Tomlin's lips that her interlocutor glanced at her Mrs. Toplady in her corner of the railway carriage seemed to be smiling over newspaper article the feeling must be very transitory said dim church with humorous arch of brows oh it doesn't trouble me very often I know I should have done just as much as men do if I had had the chance considerably more no doubt than either Honeybourne or I you've never really put out your strength I'm afraid Lord dim church said May regarding him with her candid smile never in anything heavy no he responded in that light tone a trifle always a trifle but if you know it something in his look made her pause she looked out of the window before adding still I don't think it's quite true the first time I saw you I felt you were very serious and that you had thought much you rather overawed me dim church left in her corner Mrs. Toplady still found matter for ironic smiling as she wrestled over the evening journal and the train swept on towards London end of chapter 15 chapter 16 of our friend the charlatan this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our friend the charlatan by George Gissing chapter 16 for a week after Lady Ogrum's return Dr. Baldwin called daily at Rivenoke his patient he said was suffering from over exertion had she listened to his advice she would never have gone to London the marvel was that such an imprudence had had no worse results Lady Ogrum herself of course refused to take this view of the matter she was perfectly well only a little tired and as the hot nights interfered with her sleep just now she rested during the greater part of the day seeing lash mark for half an hour each afternoon in the little drawing room upstairs her friend the Nisbeth Dice had much increased when he entered the room she greeted him almost affectionately and their talk was always of his brilliant future I want to see you safely in Parliament she said one day I can't expect to live till you've made your name that isn't done so quickly but I shall see you squash rob and that's something of his success of howling forth she seemed never to entertain a doubt and lash mark though by no means so sanguine said nothing to discourage her his eye noted and as changes in her aspect and her way of talking even the sound of her voice made plain to him that she was very rapidly losing the reserve of force which kept her alive Constance who was on friendly terms with the doctor learned enough of the true state of things to make her significantly grave after each visit she and Dice naturally exchanged no remark on this subject what do your parents say of lash mark during one of their conversations they're delighted especially my mother who's always been very ambitious for me but I mean about your engagement Dice had of course omitted all mention of Constance and his letters to Oliver Holm they give their approval he replied because they have confidence in my judgment I fancy he added with a modest smile that their ambition in this respect is not altogether satisfied but I have said nothing whatever to them about the peculiarity of Constance's position I didn't feel justified in doing so you may tell them everything said Lady Ogrum graciously she one day received a letter from Mrs. Toplady which gave her great satisfaction it seemed to reestablish her vigor of mind and body she came downstairs lunched with her young friends and talked to going to Wales May is enjoying herself greatly the day before yesterday she was at a garden party at Lady Honeybourne's where they acted as you like it in the open air there was mention of it yesterday in the papers remarked lash mark yes yes I saw and May's name among the guests of course of course I noticed that Lord Dimchurch was there too she ended with a quavering laugh unexpected and rather uncanny and the much discussed Mr. Langtoft put in Constance's after a keen look at the mirthful Hippocratic face Langtoft yes said Dice I don't quite know what to think of that fellow there seems to be something not quite genuine about him what is he doing at Lady Honeybourne's garden party it looks like tough hunting don't you think Constance Dice was secretly annoyed that an idea of his own that is to say from his own French philosopher should be put into practice by someone else before he could assert his claim to it very vexatious that Langtoft's activity was dragged into public notice just at this moment I don't at all like the tone of his last letter to you said Constance he writes in a very flippant way not a bit like a man in earnest not long ago Miss Bride's opinion of Langtoft would have been quite different now she was disposed to say things that Dice lash mark like to hear Dice had remarked the change in her it flattered him but caused him at the same time some uneasiness inevitably they pass much time together on the journey from London Constance had asked him whether he would not like to begin cycling he received the suggestion with careless good humor had written out Constance returned to it insisted upon it and as he had little to do Dice went into howling forward for lessons in a week's time he could ride and on a brand new bicycle of the most approved make accompanied his nominally betrothed about the country ways Constance evidently enjoyed their rides together she was much more amiable and her demeanor more cheerful in mind she dropped the habit of irony and talked hopefully of lash mark's prospects what's the news from Break Spear she inquired as they were peddling softly along an easy road one afternoon Dice having spent the morning in Hollingford oh he's a prancing optimist Dice replied he sees everything rose color or pretends to I'm not quite sure which if Dobbin the grocer meets him in the street and says he's going to vote liberal at next election Break Spear sings the peon I noticed that you seem rather doubtful lately said Constance her eyes upon him well you know there is a good deal of doubt it depends so much on what happens between now and the dissolution he entered into political detail knowing the forces arrayed against him dwelling on the ingrained tourism of Hollingford or as he called it the Burgess's rubbish mind there's no use is there in blinking facts of course not it's what I never do as I think you are aware we must remember that to contest the seat is something it makes you known if you don't win you will wait for the next chance not necessarily here Dice had observed that the pronoun we was rather frequently on Constance's lips she was identifying their interests true he admitted look at that magnificent sycamore yes but I shouldn't have known it was a sycamore how is it you know trees so well that's my father's doing replied dice he used to teach me them when I was a youngster mine was thinking more about social statistics I knew the number of paupers in London before I had learned to distinguish between an ashen and oak do you ever hear from your father now and then said Lashmar his machine wobbling a little for he had not yet perfect command of it and fell into some peril if his thoughts strayed they want me to run over to Alvar home presently perhaps I may go next week Constance was silent they wheeled on without speaking for some minutes then Dice asked how long does Lady Ogram wish me to stay here I don't quite know are you in any hurry to get away not at all only if I'm soon going back to London I should take Alvar home on the journey would you probe our friend for me I'll try at this time they were both reading a book of Nietzsche that philosopher had only just fallen into their hands though of course they had heard much of him Lashmar found the matter considerably to his taste or he ridiculed the form Nietzsche's individualism was up to a certain point in full harmony with the tone of his mind he enjoyed this frank contempt of the average man persuaded that his own place was on the seat of the lofty and that disdain of the humdrum in life or in speculation had always been his strong point to be sure he counted himself Nietzsche superior as a moralist as a thinker he imagined himself much more scientific but having regard to his circumstances and his hopes this glorification of unscrupulous strength came opportunity refining away its grosser aspects dice took the philosophy to heart much more sincerely than he had taken to himself the humanitarian bio sociology in which he sought to build his reputation and Constance for her part was hardly less interested in Nietzsche she too secretly liked this insistence on the right of the strong for she felt herself one of them she too for all her occupation with social reform was at core a thorough individualist desiring far less the general good than her own attainment of celebrity as a public benefactress Nietzsche spoke to her instincts as he does to those of a multitude of men and women hungry for fame avid of popular applause but she like Lashmark criticized her philosopher from a moral height she did not own to herself the intimacy of his appeal to her he'll do a great deal of harm in the world she said this same afternoon as dice and she drank tea together the Djingo impulse and all sorts of forces making for animalism will get strength from him directly or indirectly it's the negation of all we are working for you and I of course it is dice replied in a voice of conviction we have to fight against him he added after a pause there is a truth in him of course but it's one of those truths which are dangerous to the generality of men Constance assented with a certain vagueness of course and he delivers his message so brutally that no doubt increases its chance of acceptance the weak who don't know how else to assert themselves tend naturally to brutality Carlisle talked pretty much the same thing at bottom but his humor and his puritanism made the effect different besides the time wasn't right then for the doctrine of irresponsible of course religion hadn't utterly perished in the masses of men as it has now given a world without religious faith in full social revolution with possibilities of wealth and power dangled before every man's eyes what can you expect but the prevalences of a more or less ferocious egoism we who are not egoists he looked into his companion's eyes yet our conscious of unusual strength may it seems to me that our selfs of the truth in Nietzsche which after all is very much the same as my own theory of the selection of a fit for rule the difference is that we wish to use our power for the common good whilst Nietzsche's teaching results and not return to sheer barbarism the weak trampled because of their weakness Constance approved yes their aim undoubtedly was the common good and whilst keeping this in view perhaps be over fastidies as to the means they employed she had for years regarded herself as that war with society in the narrow sense of the word its creeds great or small had no validity for her she had striven for what she deemed her rights the rights of a woman born with intellect and will and imagination yet condemned by poverty to rank among subordinates the struggle appeared to have brought her within view of triumph and was it not to herself her natural powers and qualities that she owed all at this moment she felt her right to pursue any object which seemed to her desirable what was good for her was good for the world at large the next morning they started at the usual hour for their ride but the sky was cloudy and as they were leaving the park spots of rain fell it was not by the lodge gates that they usually set forth this was a post turn in the wall which enclosed the greater part of Rivenoch the approach to it was from the back of the house across a paddock and through a birch cop's where a student old summer house now rarely entered Constance with her own key had just unlocked the door in the wall she paused and glanced cloudward I think it will be a shower said Lashmar suppose we shelter in the summer house they did so and stood talking with tiles what have you worked at this morning Constance nothing particular I've been thinking I wish you would try to tell me how you worked out your biosociology you must have had a great deal of trouble to get together your scientific proofs and illustrations a good deal of course answered dice modestly I had read for years all sorts of scientific and historical books I rather wonder you didn't write a book of your own I think it might be well we have spoken of that you know was Dice's careless reply I prefer oral teaching still a solid book such a one as you could easily write would do you a great deal of good do you think about it will you her voice had an unusual quality it was persuasive and almost gentle in speaking she looked at him with eyes of unfamiliar expressiveness and all the lines of her face had softened she really think began lash more affecting to ponder the matter I should so like you to do it Constance pursued still with the markedly feminine accent which she certainly did not assume will you please me her eyes fell before the others quick startle look there was a silence rain patted on the tiles I'll think about it dice replied at length moving and speaking uneasily it's raining quite hard you know he added moving into the doorway the roads will be no good after this no we had better go in said Constance with sudden return to dry Kurt's speech it was evident that in his anomalous situation lash Mars method with women could not have fair play he was in no small degree behold him to Constance and her odd behavior of late kept him in mind of his obligation doubtless he thought she intended that and his annoyance at what he considered a lack of generosity outweighed the satisfaction his vanity might have found in her new manner towards him that manner especially this morning reminded him of six years ago was Constance capable of exacting payment of a debt which she imagined him to have incurred at Alvar home women think clearly and are no less unaccountable in their procedure his curiosity busied itself with the vaguely indicated compact between Constance and Lady Ogrem but no word on the subject not even a distant illusion to it ever fell from his nominally betrothed and the old lady herself however amiable spoke not at all of the things he desired to know was it not grossly unjust to him until he clearly understood Constance's future position how could he decide upon his course with regard to her conceivably the proposed marriage might carry advantages which it behooved him to examine with all care conceivably also it might at a given moment be his soul rescued from embarrassment or worse meanwhile ignorance of the essential factors of the problem put him at a grave disadvantage Constance was playing a game so Dice saw it with all the cards visible before her and to such a profound observer as he was not unnatural to suppose that she played for something worth the while curiously enough Dice did not presume to believe that he himself his person his mind his probable career were gain sufficient a singular modesty ruled his meditations at this juncture other things were happening which interfered with their confident calm essential to his comfort since the vexatious little incident was as top ladies he had not seen iris will stand on the eve of his departure for ribbon oak he wrote to her a friendly letter in the usual strain just to acquaint her with his movements and to this letter there came no reply it was unlikely that iris' answer had somehow failed to reach him of course she would address to ribbon oak no doubt she had discovered his little deception and took a deal iris was quite absurd enough to feel to see and to show it of all the women he knew she had the most essentially feminine character fortunately she was as weak as foolish at any time he could get the upper hand of her in a private interview but his sensibility made him restless in the thought that she was accusing him of ingratitude perhaps of behavior unworthy a gentleman yes there was the true sting dice lashmar prided himself on his intellectual lucidity but still more on his possession of the instincts of the mental and moral tone which are called gentlemanly it really hurt him to think that anyone could plausibly assail his claims in this respect when he had been a week at ribbon oak he again wrote to mrs. will stand of her failure to answer his last letter he said nothing she had of course received the hollingford express with a report of his speech on the 20th how did she like it could she suggest any improvement she knew that he valued her opinion right he concluded as soon as you have leisure I shall be here I think for another week or so by the by I've taken to cycling I fancy it will be physically good for me to this communication mrs. will stand reply she began with a few formal commendations of his speech you are so kind as to ask if I can suggest any way in which you could have been improved but of course I know that that is certainly a polite phrase I should not venture to criticize anything of yours now even if I have the presumption to think that I was capable of saying anything worth your attention I'm sure you need no advice from me or from anyone else now that you have the advantages of miss brides councils I regret very much that I have so slight an acquaintance with that lady the mrs. top lady tells me that she is admirably suited to be your companion have the pleasure of watching you from a distance and of sincerely wishing you happiness as well as success the formal style of this letter so different from Iris's ordinary effusions made sufficient proof of the mood in which it was written dice bit his lips over it he had foreseen that mrs. will stand would hear of his engagement but had hoped it would not be just yet there was for the present no help in her eyes he stood condemned of something more than in delicacy fortunately she was not the kind of woman he felt sure to be led into any vulgar retaliation all he could do was to write a very brief note in which he expressed a hope of seeing her very soon I shall have much to tell you he added and tried to think that Iris would accept this as a significant promise after all were not men and women disguised the fact as one might condemn by nature to mutual hostility useless to attempt rational methods with beings to whom reason was fundamentally repugnant dice fell from mortification into anger and cursed the poverty which forbade him to act in full accordance with his ideal of conduct he had spent nearly a fortnight at Rivenoch when Lady Ogrum now seemingly restored to her ordinary health summoned him at 11 in the morning to the green drawing room I hope I didn't disturb your work she began kindly as you are leaving so soon dice has said nothing whatever about departure I should like to have a quiet word with you whilst Constance is in the town all goes well at Holling Ford doesn't it very well indeed I think break spear gets more hopeful every day Lady Ogrum nodded and smiled then a fit of abstraction came upon her she amused for several minutes dice respectfully awaiting her next words what are your own wishes about the date imagining that she referred to the election and that this was merely another example of failing intelligence dice answered that for his own party was ready at any time if a dissolution poo Lady Ogrum interrupted I'm talking about your marriage ah yes yes I haven't asked Constance suppose we say the end of October you could get away for a month or two one thing is troubling me Lady Ogrum said dice in tone of graceful hesitancy I feel that it will be a very ill return for all your kindness to rob you of Constance's help and society which you prize so the keen old eyes were fixed upon him do you think I am going to live forever sounded abruptly and harshly though it was evident with no harsh intention I'm sure I hope well we won't talk about it I must do without Constance that's all you'll of course have a house in London but both of you will often be down here it's understood about the end of October time enough to make arrangements I'll settle it with Constance so tomorrow morning you leave us on a visit to your parents I suppose you'll spend a couple of days there in his confused mind dice could only fix the thought Constance had evidently told Lady Ogrum of his intention to go to Alvar home it was plain that those two held very intimate colloquies a couple of days he murmured in reply good of course you'll write to me when you're in town again at luncheon Lady Ogrum talked of last Mars departure Constance he felt sure already knew about it really he was treated with somewhat scant ceremony Constance at mood fell upon him he resolved that he would say not a word to Constance of what had passed this morning if she wished to speak of the proposed date of their marriage let her approach the subject herself through the meal he was taciturn Miss Bride and he dined alone together that evening they had not met since midday dice was still disinclined for talk Constance on the other hand fell into a cheerful vein of chat and seemed not at all to notice the lack of amiability I shall go by the 827 said dice abruptly towards the end of the meal yes that's your best train you'll be at Alvar home before 10 o'clock after dinner they sat together for scarcely a quarter of an hour Constance talking of politics dice absolutely silent then Miss Bride rose and offered her hand so goodbye she spoke so pleasantly and looked so kindly that Lashmar for a moment felt ashamed of himself he pressed her hand in endeavor to speak cordially shall I hear from you Constance asked trying to meet his eyes why of course very soon thank you I shall be very glad thus they parted and dice for a couple of hours sat smoking and brooding on the morrow at luncheon Lady Ogrem mentioned to Constance that May Tomlin would arrive on the following afternoon she added presently that Lord Dimchurch accepted an invitation to Rivernoke for a day or two in the ensuing week that morning the post had brought Constance a letter and a packet the letter was from Mrs. Toplady who wrote thus Dear Miss Bride this morning I came across an article in an American magazine which it struck me would interest you the subject is recent sociological speculations it reviews several books among them one by a French author which seems to be very interesting when I showed the article to Miss Tomlin she agreed with me that there seemed a striking resemblance between the theories of this French sociologist and those which Mr. Lashmar has independently formed probably Mr. Lashmar would like to see the book in any case you and he will I am sure be interested in reading this article together to my great regret Miss Tomlin or may as I have come to call her leaves me the day after tomorrow but the advantage is yours at Rivernoke please give my love to Dear Lady Ogrum who is I hope now quite well again with kindest regards sincerely yours Geraldine Toplady Constance had read the article in question and immediately after doing so had dispatched an order to London for the French sociological work there in discussed end of chapter 16 chapter 17 of our friend the charlatan this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our friend the charlatan by George Gissing chapter 17 pillow propped at her morning studies the humorist of Pond Street as she glanced rapidly over the close printed pages of a transatlantic monthly had her eye caught by the word biosociological whom had she heard using that sonorous term it sounded to her with the Oxford accent and she saw Lashmar the reading of a few lines in the reading to remind her very strongly of Lashmar's philosophic eloquence she looked closer found that there was question of a French book of some importance recently published and smilingly asked herself whether it could be that Lashmar knew this book that he was capable of reticence regarding the source of his ideas she had little doubt and what would be more amusing than to see the coming man convicted of audacious terrorism she wished him no harm then whatever it delighted her to see a man make his way in the stupid world by superiority of wits and Lashmar was a favorite of hers she had by no means yet done with him all the same this chance of entertainment must not be lost having gone down rather earlier than usual she found Miss Tomlin also studiously engaged a solid tone open before her my dear made what waste of time that is if you would only believe me that all the substance of big books is to be found in little ones one gets on so much more quickly and has a much clearer view of things why no end of poor people nowadays make their living by boiling down these monsters to essence it's really a social duty to make use of their work look for instance at this time reading recent sociological speculations here the good man gives us all that is important in half a dozen expensive and heavy volumes here's all about bio sociology haven't I heard you talk of bio sociology but quite made that's Mr Lashmar's theory has he been publishing it knows someone else seems to have got hold of the same idea perhaps it's like Darwin and wallets that kind of thing may took the periodical in red but this is astonishing she exclaimed there's a passage quoted which is exactly like Mr Lashmar almost the very words I've heard him use yet you see it's from a French book this would certainly interest him perhaps he doesn't see the American reviews suppose I sent it to Miss Bride they can read it together and it will amuse them may have sent it and the periodical was addressed to note friends came to lunch with them in the afternoon they made three calls at dinner some score persons were Mrs Toplady's guests only as the clock pointed towards midnight did they find an opportunity of returning to the subject of bio sociology Mrs Toplady wished for an intimate chat with her guest who was soon to leave her she reclined comfortably in a setee and looked at the girl who made a pretty picture in a high back chair I hear that Mr Lashmar leaves Revenoke tomorrow she said referring to a letter that had arrived from Lady Ogrem this evening I hope he won't be gone when the magazine arrives indeed he comes back tomorrow said may not to London he goes to spend a day or two with his people it seems you don't know them not at all I only know that his father is a rural clergyman Mrs Toplady had observed that May's tone in speaking of Lashmar lacked something of its former vivacity the change had been noticeable since the announcement of the philosopher's betrothal more than that the decline of interest was accompanied by a tendency to speak of Lashmar as though pittingly or perhaps even slidingly and this it was that manifested itself in May's last remark I don't think it's very common Mrs Toplady let fall for the country clergy or indeed the clergy anywhere to have brilliant sons it certainly isn't May agreed and after reflecting she added I suppose one may call Mr Lashmar brilliant Miss Tomlin had continued to profit by her opportunities before coming to London it would have been impossible for her to phrase a thought thus and so uttered that easy superciliousness smack not at all provincial breeding on the whole I think so was Mrs Toplady's modulated reply he has very striking ideas how odd that somebody else should have appeared upon his theory of civilization he ought to have written a book as I told him but suppose suggested May with some uneasiness that he knew about that French book oh my dear we can't suppose that besides we haven't read the book it may really be quite different in its tendency for Mr Lashmar's view I don't see how it can be Mrs Toplady judging from those quotations on the article it's Mr Lashmar from beginning to end then it's a most curious case of coincidence poor Mr Lashmar will naturally be vexed it's hard upon him isn't it May did not at once respond the friend watching her with the rogue-ish smile let fall another piece of intelligence I hear that his marriage is to be in the autumn indeed said May, indifferently between ourselves pursued the other didn't you feel just a little surprised surprised at his choice oh don't misunderstand me I quite appreciate Ms Bride's cleverness and seriousness but one couldn't help thinking that a man of Mr Lashmar's promise perhaps you don't see it in that way I really think that they are rather well suited said May again calmly super sillious it may be so I'd almost thought how shall I express it this is top lady's search for a moment perhaps Lady Ogrem might have made a suggestion which Mr Lashmar for some reason did not feel able to disregard he is quite a chivalrous esteem for Lady Ogrem haven't you noticed I like to see it, that kind of thing is rare nowadays no doubt he feels reason for gratitude but how many men does one know who can be truly grateful that's what I like in Mr Lashmar as well as intellect but how do you mean Mrs Toplady inquired May losing something of her polish and curiosity why should my aunt have wanted him to marry Ms Bride that I don't know possibly she thought it knowing him as she does really the best thing for him possibly one could make conjectures but one always can May puzzled over the hint her brow knitted Mrs Toplady regarded her with veiled wondering whether it would really be necessary to use plainer words the girl was not dull but perhaps her small experience of life and her generally naive habit of mind obscured to her what to the more practiced was so obvious do you mean said May differently that she planted out of kindness to Ms Bride of course I know that she likes Ms Bride very much perhaps she thought there would never be a better opportunity it might be so replied the other this Bride is very nice and very clever pursued May sounding the words on the thinnest possible note but one didn't think of her as very likely to marry no it seemed improbable there was a pause as if turning to quite another subject Mrs Toplady remark you will have visitors at Rivernoke next week so we are famous is to be there for a day or two Lord Dim Church Lord Dim Church the girl through offer air of cold concentration and shown triumphantly does it surprise you May oh I hadn't thought of it I didn't know my aunt had invited him the wonder is that Lord Dim Church should have accepted said Mrs Toplady with a very mature archedness did he know by the bite that you were going down I fancy he did their eyes met and May relieved her feelings then perhaps the wonder ceases and yet in another way Mrs Toplady broke off and added in a lower voice of course you know all about his circumstances no indeed I don't tell me about him please but haven't you heard that he is the poorest man in the house of Lords I had no idea of it quite May how should I have known really he is so poor I imagine he is barely enough to live upon the family was ruined long ago but why didn't you tell me does my aunt know May's voice did not express resentment nor indeed strong feeling of any kind the revelation seemed merely to surprise her she was smiling as if at the amusingly unexpected Lady Ogrum certainly knows said Mrs Toplady and of course that's why he does nothing May exclaimed fancy her provincialism was becoming very marked a Lord with hardly enough to live upon but I'm astonished that he seems so cheerful Lord dim church has a very philosophical mind said the older lady with gravity humorously exaggerated yes I suppose he has now I shall understand him better I'm glad he's going to be at Rivenoke you know that he asked me to advise him about what he should do it'll be rather awkward though I must get him to tell me the truth you'll probably have no difficulty in that it's pretty certain that he thinks you know all about him already if he hadn't I feel sure he wouldn't go to Rivenoke the girl mused smiling self consciously I better tell you the truth Mrs Toplady were her next words in a burst of confidence I think Lord dim church is very nice as a friend but only as a friend thank you for your confidence May you know that I suspect is something of the kind I want to be friends with him pursued May impulsively I shall get him to tell me all about himself and we shall see what he can do of course there mustn't be any misunderstanding Mrs Toplady had not been prepared for this tranquil reasonableness May was either more primitive or much more sophisticated than she had supposed her interest waxed keener between ourselves my dear she remarked that is exactly what I should have anticipated you are very young and the world is at your feet of money you have no need and if Lord dim church had had the good fortune to please you but you are ambitious I quite understand trust me poor dim church will never do anything he is merely a bookish man but whilst we are talking of it there's no harm in telling you that your art doesn't quite see the matter with our eyes for some reason I don't know exactly what it is Lady Ogrem is very favorable to poor Lord dim church I have noticed that said May quietly of course it makes no difference you think not as Mrs Toplady beginning to be genuinely impressed by this young woman's self confidence I mean that my art couldn't do more than suggest May answered slightly throwing back her head I don't need to let her know how I think about anything you are sure of that asked the other sweetly oh quite May's smile was ineffable the woman of the world the humorist and cynic saw it with admiration ah that puts my mind at ease murmured Mrs Toplady to tell the truth I've been worrying a little sometimes elderly people are so very tenacious of their ideas of course Lady Ogrem has nothing but you're good at heart of course exclaimed the girl shall I confess to you that I almost fancy this might be the explanation of Miss Bride's engagement Miss Bride how I only tell you for your amusement it occurred to me that having set her heart on a scheme which had reference to Lord dim church your art was perhaps a little uneasy with respect to a much more brilliant and conspicuous man had that been so it's all the mirror's supposition she might have desired to see the brilliant and dangerous man made harmless put out of the way a gleam of sudden perception illumined the girl's face for a moment wonder seemed tending to mirth but it took another turn and became naive displeasure you think so broke from her impetrously you really think that's why she wanted them to be engaged it's only what I had fancied my dear but I shouldn't wonder if you were right indeed I shouldn't now that you put it in that way I remember that my art didn't care for me to see much of Mr. Lashma it amused me because to tell you the truth Mrs. Toplady I should never have thought of Mr. Lashma as anything but a friend I feel quite sure I shouldn't I quite understand that replied the listener the corners of her lips very eloquent such a thing had never entered my mind pursued me arguably and with emphasis never it may have entered someone else's mind though interpose Mrs. Toplady again maturely arch oh do you think so exclaimed the girl with manifest pleasure I'm sure I hope not but Mrs. Toplady how could my art oblige such a man as Mr. Lashma to engage himself against his will you must remember me that for the moment in all events Mr. Lashma his prospects seem to depend a good deal on Lady Ogrum's goodwill she has a great deal of local influence and then by the by is Mr. Lashma quite easy in his circumstances I really don't know may answered with an anxious fold in her forehead surely he too isn't quite poor I already think he is wealthy isn't it just possible that something may depend upon the marriage Mrs. Toplady's voice died away in a considerate vagueness but may was not at all the matter nebulous if he is really poor she said in a clear cut tone it's quite natural that he should want to marry someone who can help him but why didn't he choose someone really suitable poor Mr. Lashma side the other humorously if he had no encouragement my dear may but he didn't wait to see whether he had any or not what if he had very good reason for knowing that Lady Ogrum would never never never consent to something we need needn't specify but may ejaculate it surely he needn't take it for granted that my aunt would never change her mind if it's as you say how foolishly he must have behaved it doesn't concern me in the least you see I can speak quite calmly about it I'm only sorry and astonished that he should be going to marry well after all we must agree that Ms. Bright isn't quite an ideal for him however one looks at it of course it's nothing to me if it had been I think I should feel more offended than sorry offended that he had taken for granted that I had no will of my own and no influence with my art it seems rather faint hearted I admit the dialogue lasted but a few minutes longer may repeated once or twice that she had no personal interest in Lashma's fortunes but her utterance grew mechanical and she was evidently withdrawing into her thoughts as a clock in the room told softly the first hour of the morning Mrs. Toplady Rose she spoke a few words about her engagements for the day which had normally begun then kissed her friend on the cheek don't think any more of it may it mustn't interfere with your sleep that indeed it won't Mrs. Toplady replied the girl without musically mocking lie appearance is notwithstanding may told the truth when she declared that she never thought of marrying Lashma this however did not necessarily make any difference to Lashma's homage that the coming man should make his court to her she saw as a natural and agreeable thing that he should recognize her intellectual powers and submit to her personal charm was only what she had hoped and expected from the first after their conversation in the supper room she counted him a conquest and looked forward with no little interest to the development of this romance it's sudden termination that mortified her had Lashma turned away to make some brilliant alliance her peak would have endured only for a moment Lord Dimchurch's approach would have more than compensated the commoner's retirement but that she should merely have amused his idle moments whilst his serious thoughts were fixed on Constance Bride was an injury not easy to pardon for she disliked Miss Bride and she knew the sentiment was mutual seeing the situation in the new light shed by Mrs. Toplady's ingenious conjectures her sense of injury was mitigated the indignant feeling that remained she directed chiefly against Lady Ogrum who seemed inclined to dispose of her in such a summary way Constance naturally she disliked more than ever but Lashma she viewed with something of compassion as a victim of circumstances were those circumstances irresistible was there not even now a possibility of defeating them not with a view to taking Miss Bride's place but for the pleasure of asserting herself against a plot and reassuring her rightful position as arbitrous of destinies Lady Ogrum was her kind old woman but decidedly despotic and she'd gone too far if indeed Lashma were acting in helpless obedience to her it would be the nearest justice to make an attempt at rescuing him and restoring his liberty not without more significance was the facial likeness between Lady Ogrum in her youth and Mae Tomlin one who had seen the girl as she sat tonight in her bedroom brooding deeply without the least inclination for her poems must have been struck by a new vigor in the lines of her countenance thus though with more of obstinate purpose had Arabella Tomlin then want to look at moments of crisis in her adventurous youth the clock was pointing to two when Mae rose from the velvet seated chair and went to the little writing table which stood in another part of the room she took a plain sheet of note paper and with a hand far from steady began not writing but printing certain words in large ill-formed capitals have more courage aim higher it is not too late at this achievement she gazed smilingly the ink having dried she folded the paper and put it into an envelope which she closed then her face indicated a new effort she could think of only one way of disguising her hand in cursive the common device of sloping it backwards this she attempted the result failing to please her she tried again on a second envelope this time a success the writing looked masculine and in no respect suggested it's true authorship she had addressed the letter to Dice Lashmore Esquire at Ribbon Oak nine o'clock next morning saw her out of doors in Slum Street she found a handsome and was driven rapidly eastward before 10 she sat at her room again glowing with satisfaction end of chapter 17 chapter 18 of our friend the charlatan this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org our friend the charlatan by George Gissing chapter 18 at last declared Mrs. Lashmore it really looks as if Dice was going to do something I've just been writing to Lady Susan and I have let her see unmistakably what I think of her friendship but I'm very glad Dice isn't indebted to her for a more unendurable woman when she thinks she has done anyone a kindness doesn't exist if she gets a place for a servant girl all the world is told of it and she expects you to revere her saintly benevolence I'm very glad that she never did anything for Dice indeed I always felt that she was very little use I doubt whether she has the slightest influence with respectable people it was just after breakfast and the day promised to be the hottest of the year the vicar heavy laden man had sat down in his study to worry over parish accounts when the door opened to admit his wife he quivered with annoyance Mrs. Lashmore had a genius for the mala propos during breakfast when her talk would have mattered little she had kept silence now that her husband particularly wished to be alone with his anxiety she entered with an air foreboding long discourse 23 pounds then six pence muttered the vicar as he passed a handkerchief over his moist forehead dear me how close it is 23 if Dice is elected pursue the lady we must celebrate the occasion in some really striking way of course there must be a dinner for all our poor what I want to know interrupted Mr. Lashmore with mild irritableness is how he proposes to meet his expenses and what he is going to live upon if he is still looking to me I hope you haven't encouraged him in any hope of that kind of course not in my last letter I expressly reminded him that our affairs were getting into a lamentable muddle of course if I had had the management of them this wouldn't have come about do you know what I've been thinking it might be an advantage to Dice if you made friends with the clergy at Holland floor couldn't you go over one day and call on the rector and call on the carriage man but really cried Mr. Lashmore half distraught I must beg you to let me get this work done in quietness by some extraordinary error a knock sounded at the door followed by a man's voice may I come in there you are Mrs. Lashmore exclaimed it's Dice himself come in come in why who could have thought you would get here so early I chose the early train for the sake of coolness who shook hands with his parents the weather is simply tropical and two days ago we were shivering what is there to drink mother Mrs. Lashmore took her son to the dining room and whilst he was refreshing himself talked of the career before him her sanguine mind saw him already at Westminster and on the way to high distinction there's just one thing I'm anxious about she said sinking her voice you know the state of your father's affairs it happens most unfortunately just when a little help would be so important to you for years I have foreseen it dice again and again I have urged prudence but you know your father the most generous of men but a mere child in matters of business not feared but it was only the other day that I discovered the real state of things I shouldn't be at all surprised dice if someday we have to look to you for a sucker don't worry answer to his son things will come right I think just go on as prudently as you can for the present his father really in a hobble my dude he doesn't know where to turn for a five pound note dice was sincerely troubled he seldom thought of his parents nonetheless they represented his only true affection and he became uncomfortable at the prospect of disaster befalling their latter years well well don't bother about it more than you can help things are going pretty well with me I fancy so I suppose dice but your father is afraid you know how he looks on the dark side of everything lest you should be incurring liabilities I have told him that that was never your habit of course not said dice confidently you may be sure that I haven't taken such serious steps without seeing my way clear before me I knew it I've always had the fullest faith in you and dice how you are improving in looks you must go to a photographer again I've just been sitting at Hollingford and the local people wanted it you know but I'll send you one from London presently and you assure me that there is no money difficulty as Mrs. Lashmar with inquisitive eyes none whatever the fact of the matter is that I am standing to please Lady Ogrum and of course he waved an explanatory hand things are not finally arranged yet but all will be smooth his smile made dignified deprecation of undue insistence on trivial detail I'm delighted to hear it exclaimed his mother it's just what I had supposed what could be more natural do you think by the by that I ought to go and see Lady Ogrum it might seem to her a right and natural thing and from what you tell me of her I feel sure we should have a good deal in common I've thought of that too Dyson sort of averting his look but wait a little just now Lady Ogrum isn't at all well she sees hardly anybody she'll be guided by your advice a little later then and Dyson you haven't told me anything about Miss Bride is she still with Lady Ogrum oh yes still acting a secretary of course you don't see much of her why to tell you the truth we have to see each other a good deal owing to her duties ah yes I understand she writes to dictation and that kind of thing strange that Lady Ogrum should have engaged such a very unpleasant young woman I've seldom known anyone and I disliked so much really she's of the new school you know the result of the emancipation movement Dyson smiled as if indulgently Lady Ogrum thinks a great deal of her and I fancy means to leave her money gracious you don't say so Mrs. Lashmar put the subject disdainfully aside and Dyson was glad to speak of something else throughout the day the vicar was too busy to hold conversation with his son but after dinner they sat alone together in this study Mrs. Lashmar being called forth by some parochial duty as he puffed at his newly lighted pipe Dyson reflected on all that had happened since he last sat here some three months ago and thought of what might have been his lot had not fortune dealt so kindly with him glancing at his father's face he noted in it the signs of wearing anxiety it seemed to him that the vicar looked much older than in the spring and he was impressed by the pathos of age he had no hopes to nourish which can ask no more of life than a quiet ending he could not imagine himself grey-headed disillusioned the effort to do so gave him a thrill of horror thereupon he felt reproach of conscience for all the care and kindness he had received from his father since the days when he used to come into this very room to show how well he could read a page of some child's story what return had he made none whatever in words but once he felt a desire to prove that he was not the insensible egoist his father perhaps thought him I'm afraid you're a good deal worried father he began looking at the paper covered writing table I'm putting my affairs in order dice the vicar replied running fingers through his beard I've been foolish enough to let them get very tangled let me advise you never to do the same but it'll all be straight before long don't trouble about me let me hear of your own projects I hardly wish it were in my power to help you you did that much longer than I ought to have allowed return dice I feel myself to a great extent the cause of your troubles nothing of the kind broke in his father's cheerly troubles be excommunicated this hot weather takes it out of me a little but I'm very well and not at all discouraged so don't think it to tell you the truth I've been feeling anxious to hear more in detail from you about this hauling Ford Enterprise serious hopes I hardly think I shall be elected the first time dice answered speaking with entire frankness but it'll be experienced and may open the way for me parliament muse the vicar parliament to be sure we must have members it's our way of doing things of governing the country and if you really feel apt for that he paused dreamily dice still under the impulse of soft and feelings spoke as he seldom did very simply quietly sincerely I believe father that I'm not unfit for it politics it's true don't interest me very strongly but I have brains enough to get the necessary knowledge and I feel that I shall do better work in a prominent position of that kind than if I went on tutoring or took to journalism as you say we must have representatives and I should not be the least capable or the least honest I find I can speak fairly well I find I can inspire people with confidence in me and without presumption I don't think the confidence is misplaced well that's something said the vicar absolutely but you talk as if politics were a profession one could live by I don't yet understand how I'm going to live nor do I I'll tell you that frankly but lady ogre knows my circumstances and nonetheless urges me on it may be taken for granted that she has something in view and after giving a good deal of thought to the matter I see no valid reason why I should use any assistance she chooses to offer me the case would not be without precedent there is nothing dishonorable dice drifted into verbosity at the beginning he had lost from sight the impossibility of telling the whole truth about his present position and the prospects on which he counted he spoke with relief and would gladly have gone on unbuzzing himself strong and deep rooted is the instinct of confession unable to ease his conscience regarding outward circumstances he turned at length to the question of his intellectual attitude you remember when I was here last I spoke to you about french book I've been reading a sociological work as I told you it had a great influence on my mind it helped to set my ideas in order before then I had only the vaguest way of thinking about political and social questions that books applied me with a scientific principle which I have since been working out for myself ha! interjected the vicar looking up oddly and you really feel in need of a scientific principle without it I should have remained a mere empiric like the rest of our politicians I should have judged measures from the narrow merely practical point of view or rather I should pretty certainly have guided myself by some theory in which I only tried to believe so you have now a belief dice come that's a point to have reached that alone should give you a distinction among the aspiring men of today and what do you believe after drawing a meditative puffer to dice launched into his familiar demonstration he would very much rather have left it aside he felt that he was not speaking as one genuinely convinced and that his father listened without serious interest but the theory had all to be gone through the unbounded like thread off a reel rather mechanically and heavily towards the end and that's what you are going to live for said his father that is your fate that is necessary to salvation I take it to be the interpretation of human history perhaps it is perhaps it is murmured that they are abstractedly from my own part he added restoring himself to refill his pipe I can still see a guiding light in the older faith of course the world has rejected it I don't seek to delude myself on that point I shrink with horror from the blasphemy which would have us pretend that our civilization obeys the spirit of Christ the world has rejected it now as ever despised and rejected of men the world very likely will do without religion yet dice when I think of the sermon on the mount he paused again holding his pipe in his hand unlit and looking before him with wide eyes I respect that as much as anyone can said dice gravely as much as anyone can who doesn't believe it his father took him up with gentle irony I don't expect the impossible you cannot believe in it for you were born a post-Arwinian well your religion is temporal you must take that for granted you do not deny yourself you believe that self assertion to the uttermost is the prime duty provided that self assertion be understood right I understand it as meaning the exercise of all my civic faculties which in your case are faculties of command faculties which point you to the upper seat dice Tom Bullock my gardener is equally to assert himself but with the understanding that his faculties point to the bottom of a trifle stale and butter sometimes lacking yes yes I understand of course you will do your very best for Tom you would like him to have what the sweet language of our day calls a square meal but still he must eat below the salt there you can't help him because nature itself cannot explain dice one wants Tom to acknowledge that without bitterness and at the same time to understand that but for him his honest work is clean life the world couldn't go on at all if Tom feels that he is a religious man I take your point but dice I find as a painful matter of fact that Tom Bullock is by no means a religious man Tom I've learned privately causes himself a agnostic and is obliging enough to say among his intimates that if the truth were told I myself am the same Tom has got hold of evolutionary notions which he illustrates in his daily work he knows all about natural selection and the survival of the fittest Tom ought to be a very apt disciple of your bio sociological creed unhappily a more selfish mortal doesn't walk the earth he has been known to send his wife and children supper list to bed because the festive meeting at a club to which he belongs demanded all the money in his pocket Tom you see feels himself one of the select his wife and children holding an inferior place in great nature scheme must be content to hunger now and then and it's their fault if they don't feel a religious satisfaction in the privilege why on earth do you employ such a man pride dice because my dear boy if I did not know when else would and Tom's wife and children would have still greater opportunities of proving their disinterested citizenship dice last speaking seriously again Father Tom is what he is just because he hasn't received the proper education had he been rightly taught who knows but he would in fact have been an apt disciple of the civic religion I fear me dice that no amount of civic instruction or any other instruction would have affected Tom's ethics Tom is representative of his age come come I have every wish to be just to you a new religion must have time it's lovin must work amid the lump you my dear boy are convinced that the lovin is the new sort of very sound and sufficient yeast that that be granted I unfortunately cannot believe anything of the kind to me your method of solution seems a deliberate insistence on the worldly and human nature sure to have the practical result of making men more and more savagely materialist I see no hope whatever that you will inspire the world with enthusiasm for a noble civilization by any theory based on biological teaching from my point of view a man becomes noble in spite of the material laws which condition his life never in consequence of them if you ask me how and why I bow my head and keep silence can you maintain asked ice respectfully that Christianity is still a civilizing power to all appearances was the grave answer Christianity has failed utterly absolutely glaringly failed at this moment the world and convinced holds more potential barbarism then did the Roman Empire under the Antonines wherever I look I see a monstrous contrast between the professions and the practice between the assumed and the actual aims of so-called Christian peoples Christianity has failed to conquer the human heart it must be very dreadful for you to be convinced of that it is but more dreadful would be a loss of belief in the Christian spirit I believe I don't mean faith in its ultimate triumph I'm not at all sure that I can look forward to that no but a persuasion that the sermon on the mount is good is the best once upon a time multitudes were in that sense Christian nowadays does one man in a thousand give his mind's allegiance lips and life ideal of human thought and conduct take your newspaper writer who speaks to and for the million he simply scorns every Christian precept how can he but scorn a thing so unpractical nay I notice that he is already throwing off the hypocrisy here the two thought decent I read newspaper articles which sneer and scoff at those who ventured to remind the world that after all it nominally owes allegiance to a Christian ideal our profits begin openly to proclaim that self-interest and the hardest materialism are only safe guides now and then such passage is a maze upon me but I'm getting used to them so I am to the same kind of declaration in everyday talk men in most respectable coats sitting at most orderly tables hold the language of pure barbarism if you do one of them aside and said to him but what about the fruits of the spirit what sort of look would he give you I agree entirely slim dice and for that very reason I want to work for a new generalizing principle if you get into the house shall you talk there about biosociology why no answer dice with a chuckle if I were capable of that I should have very little chance of getting into the house at all or doing anything useful anywhere in other words that his father still eyeing and on that pipe one must be practical a dice in the right way yes yes one must be practical practical if you know which is the right way I'm very glad I congratulate you for my own part I seek it vainly I seek it these 40 years and more and it grows clear to me that I should have done much better not to heed that question at all blessed are the merciful blessed are the pure in heart blessed are the peacemakers it is all strikingly unpractical dice my boy you can't again in today's sweet language run the world on those principles they are utterly incompatible with business and business is life but they are not at all incompatible with the civilization I have in view dice exclaimed I'm glad to hear it very glad you don't however see your way to that civilization by teaching such axioms unfortunately not no you have to teach blessed are the civic minded for they shall profit by their civism it has to be profit dice profit profit live this and you'll get a good deal out of life live otherwise and you may get more but with an unpleasant chance of getting a good deal less but isn't it unfortunately true that Christianity spoke also of rewards yes it is true the promise was sometimes adapted to the poor understanding more often it was no blur and by that I take my stand blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God the words you know had then a meaning now they have none to see God was not a little thing I imagine but the vision probably brought with it neither purple nor fine linen for curiosity's sake dice read Matthew five to seven before you go to sleep you'll find the old Bible in your bedroom the door was thrown open and Mrs. Lashmar's voice broke upon the still air of the study dice have you seen today's times there's a most interesting article on the probable duration of parliament take it up to your room with you and read it before you sleep after eighteen


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