第8章

ThereisnoneofthehorridEnglishbarbarityoffeelingaboutthesocialpositionofanartistinthishouse。Somuchofmyearlylifehasbeenpassedabroad，thatIhavequitecastmyinsularskininthatrespect。

IwishIcouldsaythesameofthegentry——detestableword，butIsupposeImustuseit——ofthegentryintheneighbourhood。TheyaresadGothsinArt，MrHartright。People，Idoassureyou，whowouldhaveopenedtheireyesinastonishment，iftheyhadseenCharlesthefifthpickupTitian’sbrushforhim。Doyoumindputtingthistrayofcoinsbackinthecabinet，andgivingmethenextonetoit？Inthewretchedstateofmynerves，exertionofanykindisunspeakablydisagreeabletome。Yes。Thankyou。’

Asapracticalcommentaryontheliberalsocialtheorywhichhehadjustfavouredmebyillustrating，MrFairlie’scoolrequestratheramusedme。Iputbackonedrawerandgavehimtheother，withallpossiblepoliteness。

Hebegantriflingwiththenewsetofcoinsandthelittlebrushesimmediately；

languidlylookingatthemandadmiringthemallthetimehewasspeakingtome。

`Athousandthanksandathousandexcuses。Doyoulikecoins？Yes。SogladwehaveanothertasteincommonbesidesourtasteforArt。Now，aboutthepecuniaryarrangementsbetweenus——dotellme——aretheysatisfactory？’

`Mostsatisfactory，MrFairlie。’

`Soglad。And——whatnext？Ah！Iremember。Yes。Inreferencetotheconsiderationwhichyouaregoodenoughtoacceptforgivingmethebenefitofyouraccomplishmentsinart，mystewardwillwaitonyouattheendofthefistweek，toascertainyourwishes。And——whatnext？Curious，isitnot？Ihadagreatdealmoretosay：andIappeartohavequiteforgottenit。Doyoumindtouchingthebell？Inthatcorner。Yes。Thankyou。’

Irang；andanewservantnoiselesslymadehisappearance——aforeigner，withasetsmileandperfectlybrushedhair——avaleteveryinchofhim。

`Louis，’saidMrFairlie，dreamilydustingthetipsofhisfingerswithoneofthetinybrushesforthecoins，`Imadesomeentriesinmytablettesthismorning。Findmytablettes。Athousandpardons，MrHartright，I’mafraidIboreyou。’

Ashewearilyclosedhiseyesagain，beforeIcouldanswer，andashedidmostassuredlyboreme，Isatsilent，andlookedupattheMadonnaandChildbyRaphael。Inthemeantime，thevaletlefttheroom，andreturnedshortlywithalittleivorybook。MrFairlie，afterfirstrelievinghimselfbyagentlesigh，letthebookdropopenwithonehand，andheldupthetinybrushwiththeother，asasigntotheservanttowaitforfurtherorders。

`Yes。rustso！’saidMrFairlie，consultingthetablettes。`Louis，takedownthatportfolio。’Hepointed，ashespoke，toseveralportfoliosplacednearthewindow，onmahoganystands。`No。Nottheonewiththegreenback——thatcontainsmyRembrandtetchings，MrHartright。Doyoulikeetchings？

Yes？Sogladwehaveanothertasteincommon。Theportfoliowiththeredback，Louis。Don’tdropit！YouhavenoideaofthetorturesIshouldsuffer，MrHartright，ifLouisdroppedthatportfolio，Isitsafeonthechair？

Doyouthinkitsafe，MrHartright？Yes？Soglad。Willyouobligemebylookingatthedrawings，ifyoureallythinktheyarequitesafe。Louis，goaway。Whatanassyouare。Don’tyouseemeholdingthetablettes？DoyousupposeIwanttoholdthem？Thenwhynotrelievemeofthetabletteswithoutbeingtold？Athousandpardons，MrHartright；servantsaresuchasses，aretheynot？Dotellme——whatdoyouthinkofthedrawings？Theyhavecomefromasaleinashockingstate——Ithoughttheysmeltofhorriddealers’andbrokers’fingerswhenIlookedatthemlast。Canyouundertakethem？’

AlthoughmynerveswerenotdelicateenoughtodetecttheodourofplebeianfingerswhichhadoffendedMrFairlie’snostrils，mytastewassufficientlyeducatedtoenablemetoappreciatethevalueofthedrawings，whileI

turnedthemover。Theywere，forthemostpart，reallyfinespecimensofEnglishwater-colourart；andtheyhaddeservedmuchbettertreatmentatthehandsoftheirformerpossessorthantheyappearedtohavereceived。

`Thedrawings，’Ianswered，`requirecarefulstrainingandmounting；

and，inmyopinion，theyarewellworth——’

`Ibegyourpardon，’interposedMrFairlie。`Doyoumindmyclosingmyeyeswhileyouspeak？Eventhislightistoomuchforthem。Yes？’

`lwasabouttosaythatthedrawingsarewellworthallthetimeandtrouble——’

MrFairliesuddenlyopenedhiseyesagain，androlledthemwithanexpressionofhelplessalarminthedirectionofthewindow。

`Ientreatyoutoexcuseme，MrHartright，’hesaidinafeebleflutter。

`ButsurelyIhearsomehorridchildreninthegarden——myprivategarden——below？’

`Ican’tsay，MrFairlie。Iheardnothingmyself。’

`Obligeme——youhavebeensoverygoodinhumouringmypoornerves——obligemebyliftingupacorneroftheblind。Don’tletthesuninonme，MrHartright！Haveyougottheblindup？Yes？Thenwillyoubesoverykindastolookintothegardenandmakequitesure？’

Icompliedwiththisnewrequest。Thegardenwascarefullywalledin，allround。Notahumancreature，largeorsmall，appearedinanypartofthesacredseclusion。IreportedthatgratifyingfacttoMrFairlie。

`Athousandthanks。Myfancy，Isuppose。Therearenochildren，thankHeaven，inthehouse；buttheservants(personsbornwithoutnerves)willencouragethechildrenfromthevillage。Suchbrats——oh，dearme，suchbrats！ShallIconfessit，MrHartright？——Isadlywantareformintheconstructionofchildren。Nature’sonlyideaseemstobetomakethemmachinesfortheproductionofincessantnoise。SurelyourdelightfulRaffaello’sconceptionisinfinitelypreferable？’

HepointedtothepictureoftheMadonna，theupperpartofwhichrepresentedtheconventionalcherubsofItalianArt，celestiallyProvidedwithsittingaccommodationfortheirchins，onballoonsofbuff-colouredcloud。

`Quiteamodelfamily！’saidMrFairlie，leeringatthecherubs。`Suchniceroundfaces，andsuchnicesoftwings，and——nothingelse。Nodirtylittlelegstorunabouton，andnonoisylittlelungstoscreamwith。

Howimmeasurablysuperiortotheexistingconstruction！Iwillclosemyeyesagain，ifyouwillallowme。Andyoureallycanmanagethedrawings？

Soglad。Isthereanythingelsetosettle？ifthereis，IthinkIhaveforgottenit。ShallweringforLouisagain？’

Being，bythistime，quiteasanxious，onmyside，asMrFairlieevidentlywasonhis，tobringtheinterviewtoaspeedyconclusion，IthoughtI

wouldtrytorenderthesummoningoftheservantunnecessary，byofferingtherequisitesuggestiononmyownresponsibility。

`Theonlypoint，MrFairlie，thatremainstobediscussed，’Isaid，`refers，Ithink，totheinstructioninsketchingwhichIamengagedtocommunicatetothetwoyoungladies。’

`Ah！justso，’saidMrFairlie。`IwishIfeltstrongenoughtogointothatpartofthearrangement——butIdon’t。Theladieswhoprofitbyyourkindservices，MrHartright，mustsettle，anddecide，andsoon，forthemselves。

Mynieceisfondofyourcharmingart。Sheknowsjustenoughaboutittobeconsciousofherownsaddefects。Pleasetakepainswithher。Yes。Isthereanythingelse？No。Wequiteunderstandeachother——don’twe？I

havenorighttodetainyouanylongerfromyourdelightfulpursuit——

haveI？Sopleasanttohavesettledeverything——suchasensiblerelieftohavedonebusiness。DoyoumindringingforLouistocarrytheportfoliotoyourownroom？’

`Iwillcarryittheremyself，MrFairlie，ifyouwillallowme。’

`Willyoureally？Areyoustrongenough？HownicetobesostrongI

Areyousureyouwon’tdropit？SogladtopossessyouatLimmeridge，MrHartright。IamsuchasuffererthatIhardlydarehopetoenjoymuchofyoursociety。Wouldyoumindtakinggreatpainsnottoletthedoorsbang，andnottodroptheportfolio？Thankyou。Gentlywiththecurtains，please——theslightestnoisefromthemgoesthroughmelikeaknife。Yes。Goodmorning！’

Whenthesea-greencurtainswereclosed，andwhenthetwobaizedoorswereshutbehindme，Istoppedforamomentinthelittlecircularhallbeyond，anddrewalong，luxuriousbreathofrelief。Itwaslikecomingtothesurfaceofthewaterafterdeepdiving，tofindmyselfoncemoreontheoutsideofMrFairlie’sroom。

AssoonasIwascomfortablyestablishedforthemorninginmyprettylittlestudio，thefirstresolutionatwhichIarrivedwastoturnmystepsnomoreinthedirectionoftheapartmentsoccupiedbythemasterofthehouse，exceptintheveryimprobableeventofhishonouringmewithaspecialinvitationtopayhimanothervisit。HavingsettledthissatisfactoryplanoffutureconductinreferencetoMrFairlie，Isoonrecoveredtheserenityoftemperofwhichmyemployer’shaughtyfamiliarityandimpudentpolitenesshad，forthemoment，deprivedme。Theremaininghoursofthemorningpassedawaypleasantlyenough，inlookingoverthedrawings，arrangingtheminsets，trimmingtheirraggededges，andaccomplishingtheothernecessarypreparationsinanticipationofthebusinessofmountingthem。Iought，perhaps，tohavemademoreprogressthanthis；but，astheluncheon-timedrewnear，Igrewrestlessandunsettled，andfeltunabletofixmyattentiononwork，eventhoughthatworkwasonlyofthehumblemanualkind。

Attwoo’clockIdescendedagaintothebreakfast-room，alittleanxiously。

Expectationsofsomeinterestwereconnectedwithmyapproachingreappearanceinthatpartofthehouse。MyintroductiontoMissFairliewasnowcloseathand；and，ifMissHalcombe’ssearchthroughhermother’slettershadproducedtheresultwhichsheanticipated，thetimehadcomeforclearingupthemysteryofthewomaninwhite。

WomaninWhite：Chapter3[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter3VIIWhenIenteredtheroom，IfoundMissHalcombeandanelderlyladyseatedattheluncheon-table。