the pupil-第7章

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type；　and　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Moreen　and　Ulick　and　Paula　and　Amy

might　easily　have　been　of　a　better　one　if　they　would。



But　that　they　wouldn't　was　more　and　more　perceptible　from　day　to

day。　　They　continued　to　〃chivey；〃　as　Morgan　called　it；　and　in　due

time　became　aware　of　a　variety　of　reasons　for　proceeding　to　Venice。

They　mentioned　a　great　many　of　them　…　they　were　always　strikingly

frank　and　had　the　brightest　friendly　chatter；　at　the　late　foreign

breakfast　in　especial；　before　the　ladies　had　made　up　their　faces；

when　they　leaned　their　arms　on　the　table；　had　something　to　follow

the　demitasse；　and；　in　the　heat　of　familiar　discussion　as　to　what

they　〃really　ought〃　to　do；　fell　inevitably　into　the　languages　in

which　they　could　tutoyer。　　Even　Pemberton　liked　them　then；　he　could

endure　even　Ulick　when　he　heard　him　give　his　little　flat　voice　for

the　〃sweet　sea…city。〃　　That　was　what　made　him　have　a　sneaking

kindness　for　them　…　that　they　were　so　out　of　the　workaday　world　and

kept　him　so　out　of　it。　　The　summer　had　waned　when；　with　cries　of

ecstasy；　they　all　passed　out　on　the　balcony　that　overhung　the　Grand

Canal。　　The　sunsets　then　were　splendid　and　the　Dorringtons　had

arrived。　　The　Dorringtons　were　the　only　reason　they　hadn't　talked

of　at　breakfast；　but　the　reasons　they　didn't　talk　of　at　breakfast

always　came　out　in　the　end。　　The　Dorringtons　on　the　other　hand　came

out　very　little；　or　else　when　they　did　they　stayed　…　as　was　natural

…　for　hours；　during　which　periods　Mrs。　Moreen　and　the　girls

sometimes　called　at　their　hotel　（to　see　if　they　had　returned）　as

many　as　three　times　running。　　The　gondola　was　for　the　ladies；　as　in

Venice　too　there　were　〃days；〃　which　Mrs。　Moreen　knew　in　their　order

an　hour　after　she　arrived。　　She　immediately　took　one　herself；　to

which　the　Dorringtons　never　came；　though　on　a　certain　occasion　when

Pemberton　and　his　pupil　were　together　at　St。　Mark's　…　where；　taking

the　best　walks　they　had　ever　had　and　haunting　a　hundred　churches；

they　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　…　they　saw　the　old　lord　turn　up

with　Mr。　Moreen　and　Ulick；　who　showed　him　the　dim　basilica　as　if　it

belonged　to　them。　　Pemberton　noted　how　much　less；　among　its

curiosities；　Lord　Dorrington　carried　himself　as　a　man　of　the　world；

wondering　too　whether；　for　such　services；　his　companions　took　a　fee

from　him。　　The　autumn　at　any　rate　waned；　the　Dorringtons　departed；

and　Lord　Verschoyle；　the　eldest　son；　had　proposed　neither　for　Amy

nor　for　Paula。



One　sad　November　day；　while　the　wind　roared　round　the　old　palace

and　the　rain　lashed　the　lagoon；　Pemberton；　for　exercise　and　even

somewhat　for　warmth　…　the　Moreens　were　horribly　frugal　about　fires；

it　was　a　cause　of　suffering　to　their　inmate　…　walked　up　and　down

the　big　bare　sala　with　his　pupil。　　The　scagliola　floor　was　cold；

the　high　battered　casements　shook　in　the　storm；　and　the　stately

decay　of　the　place　was　unrelieved　by　a　particle　of　furniture。

Pemberton's　spirits　were　low；　and　it　came　over　him　that　the　fortune

of　the　Moreens　was　now　even　lower。　　A　blast　of　desolation；　a

portent　of　disgrace　and　disaster；　seemed　to　draw　through　the

comfortless　hall。　　Mr。　Moreen　and　Ulick　were　in　the　Piazza；　looking

out　for　something；　strolling　drearily；　in　mackintoshes；　under　the

arcades；　but　still；　in　spite　of　mackintoshes；　unmistakeable　men　of

the　world。　　Paula　and　Amy　were　in　bed　…　it　might　have　been　thought

they　were　staying　there　to　keep　warm。　　Pemberton　looked　askance　at

the　boy　at　his　side；　to　see　to　what　extent　he　was　conscious　of

these　dark　omens。　　But　Morgan；　luckily　for　him；　was　now　mainly

conscious　of　growing　taller　and　stronger　and　indeed　of　being　in　his

fifteenth　year。　　This　fact　was　intensely　interesting　to　him　and　the

basis　of　a　private　theory　…　which；　however；　he　had　imparted　to　his

tutor　…　that　in　a　little　while　he　should　stand　on　his　own　feet。　　He

considered　that　the　situation　would　change　…　that　in　short　he

should　be　〃finished；〃　grown　up；　producible　in　the　world　of　affairs

and　ready　to　prove　himself　of　sterling　ability。　　Sharply　as　he　was

capable　at　times　of　analysing；　as　he　called　it；　his　life；　there

were　happy　hours　when　he　remained；　as　he　also　called　it　…　and　as

the　name；　really；　of　their　right　ideal　…　〃jolly〃　superficial；　the

proof　of　which　was　his　fundamental　assumption　that　he　should

presently　go　to　Oxford；　to　Pemberton's　college；　and；　aided　and

abetted　by　Pemberton；　do　the　most　wonderful　things。　　It　depressed

the　young　man　to　see　how　little　in　such　a　project　he　took　account

of　ways　and　means：　　in　other　connexions　he　mostly　kept　to　the

measure。　　Pemberton　tried　to　imagine　the　Moreens　at　Oxford　and

fortunately　failed；　yet　unless　they　were　to　adopt　it　as　a　residence

there　would　be　no　modus　vivendi　for　Morgan。　　How　could　he　live

without　an　allowance；　and　where　was　the　allowance　to　come　from？

He；　Pemberton；　might　live　on　Morgan；　but　how　could　Morgan　live　on

HIM？　　What　was　to　become　of　him　anyhow？　　Somehow　the　fact　that　he

was　a　big　boy　now；　with　better　prospects　of　health；　made　the

question　of　his　future　more　difficult。　　So　long　as　he　was　markedly

frail　the　great　consideration　he　inspired　seemed　enough　of　an

answer　to　it。　　But　at　the　bottom　of　Pemberton's　heart　was　the

recognition　of　his　probably　being　strong　enough　to　live　and　not　yet

strong　enough　to　struggle　or　to　thrive。　　Morgan　himself　at　any　rate

was　in　the　first　flush　of　the　rosiest　consciousness　of　adolescence；

so　that　the　beating　of　the　tempest　seemed　to　him　after　all　but　the

voice　of　life　and　the　challenge　of　fate。　　He　had　on　his　shabby

little　overcoat；　with　the　collar　up；　but　was　enjoying　his　walk。



It　was　interrupted　at　last　by　the　appearance　of　his　mother　at　the

end　of　the　sala。　　She　beckoned　him　to　come　to　her；　and　while

Pemberton　saw　him；　complaisant；　pass　down　the　long　vista　and　over

the　damp　false　marble；　he　wondered　what　was　in　the　air。　　Mrs。

Moreen　said　a　word　to　the　boy　and　made　him　go　into　the　room　she　had

quitted。　　Then；　having　closed　the　door　after　him；　she　directed　her

steps　swiftly　to　Pemberton。　　There　was　something　in　the　air；　but

his　wildest　flight　of　fancy　wouldn't　have　suggested　what　it　proved

to　be。　　She　signified　that　she　had　made　a　pretext　to　get　Morgan　out

of　the　way；　and　then　she　enquired　…　without　hesitation　…　if　the

young　man　could　favour　her　with　the　loan　of　three　louis。　　While；

before　bursting　into　a　laugh；　he　stared　at　her　with　surprise；　she

declared　that　she　was　awfully　pressed　for　the　money；　she　was

desperate　for　it　…　it　would　save　her　life。



〃Dear　lady；　c'est　trop　fort！〃　　Pemberton　laughed　in　the　manner　and

with　the　borrowed　grace　of　idiom　that　marked　the　best　colloquial；

the　best　anecdotic；　moments　of　his　friends　themselves。　　〃Where　in

the　world　do　you　suppose　I　should　get　three　louis；　du　train　dont

vous　allez？〃



〃I　thought　you　worked　…　wrote　things。　　Don't　they　pay　you？〃



〃Not　a　penny。〃



〃Are　you　such　a　fool　as　to　work　for　nothing？〃



〃You　ought　surely　to　know　that。〃



Mrs。　Moreen　stared；　then　she　coloured　a　little。　　Pemberton　saw　she

had　quite　forgotten　the　terms　…　if　〃terms〃　they　could　be　called　…

that　he　had　ended　by　accepting　from　herself；　they　had　burdened　her

memory　as　little　as　her　conscience。　　〃Oh　yes；　I　see　what　you　mean　…

you've　been　very　nice　about　that；　but　why　drag　it　in　so　often？〃

She　had　been　perfectly　urbane　with　him　ever　since　the　rough　scene

of　explanation　in　his　room　the　morning　he　made　her　accept　HIS

〃terms〃　…　the　necessity　of　his　making　his　case　known　to　Morgan。

She　had　felt　no　resentment　after　seeing　there　was　no　danger　Morgan

would　take　the　matter　up　with　her。　　Indeed；　attributing　this

immunity　to　the　good　taste　of　his　influence　with　the　boy；　she　had

once　said　to　Pemberton　〃My　dear　fellow；　it's　an　immense　comfort

you're　a　gentleman。〃　　She　repeated　this　in　substance　now。　　〃Of

course　you're　a　gentleman　…　that's　a　bother　the　less！〃　　Pemberton

reminded　her　that　he　had　not　〃dragged　in〃　anything　that　wasn't

already　in　as　much　as　his　foot　was　in　his　shoe；　and　she　also

repeated　her　prayer　that；　somewhere　and　somehow；　he　would　find　her

sixty　francs。　　He　took　the　liberty　of　hinting　that　if　he　could　find

them　it　wouldn't　be　to　lend　them　to　HER　…　as　to　which　he

consciously　did　himself　injustice；　knowing　that　if　he　had　them　he

would　certainly　put　them　at　her　disposal。　　He　accused　himself；　at

bottom　and　not　unveraciously；　of　a　fantastic；　a　demoralised

sympathy　with　her。　　If　misery　made　strange　bedfellows　it　also　made

strange　sympathies。　　It　was　moreover　a　part　of　the　abasement　of

living　with　such　people　that　one　had　to　make　vulgar　retorts；　quite

out　of　one's　own　tradition　of　good　manners。　　〃Morgan；　Morgan；　to

what　pass　have　I　come　for　you？〃　he　groaned　while　Mrs。　Moreen

floated　voluminously　down　the　sala　again　to　liberate　the　boy；

wailing　as　she　went　that　everything　was　too　odious。



Before　their　young　friend　was　liberated　there　came　a　thump　at　the

door　communicating　with　the　staircase；　followed　by　the　apparition

of　a　dripping　youth　who　poked　in　his　head。　　Pemberton　recognised

him　as　the　bearer　of　a　telegram　and　recognised　the　telegram　as

addressed　to　himself。　　Morgan　came　back　as；　after　glancing　at　the

signature　…　that　of　a　relative　in　London　…　he　was　reading　the

words：　　〃Found　a　jolly　job　for　you；　engagement　to　coach　opulent

youth　on　own　terms。　　Come　at　once。〃　　The　answer　happily　was　paid

and　the　messenger　waited。　　Morgan；　who　had　drawn　near；　waited　too

and　looked　hard　at　Pemberton；　and　Pemberton；　after　a　moment；　having

met　his　look；　handed　him　the　telegram。　　It　was　really　by　wise　looks

…　they　knew　each　other　so　well　now　…　that；　while　the　telegraph…boy；

in　his　waterproof　cape；　made　a　great　puddle　on　the　floor；　the　thing

was　settled　between　them。　　Pemberton　wrote　the　answer　with　a　pencil

against　the　frescoed　wall；　and　the　messenger　departed。　　When　he　had

gone　the　young　man　explained　himself。



〃I'll　make　a　tremendous　charge；　I'll　earn　a　lot　of　money　in　a　short

time；　and　we'll　live　on　it。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　the　opulent　youth　will　be　a　dismal　dunce　…　he

probably　will　…　〃　Morgan　parenthesised　…　〃and　keep　you　a　long　time

a…hammering　of　it　in。〃



〃Of　course　the　longer　he　keeps　me　the　more　we　shall　have　for　our

old　age。〃



〃But　suppose　THEY　don't　pay　you！〃　Morgan　awfully　suggested。



〃Oh　there　are　not　two　such　…　！〃　　But　Pemberton　pulled　up；　he　had

been　on　the　point　of　using　too　invidious　a　term。　　Instead　of　this

he　said　〃Two　such　fatalities。〃



Morgan　flushed　…　the　tears　came　to　his　eyes。　　〃Dites　toujours　two

such　rascally　crews！〃　　Then　in　a　different　tone　he　added：　　〃Happy

opulent　youth！〃



〃Not　if　he's　a　dismal　dunce。〃



〃Oh　they're　happier　then。　　But　you　can't　have　everything；　can　you？〃

the　boy　smiled。



Pemberton　held　him　fast；　hands　on　his　shoulders　…　he　had　never

loved　him　so。　　〃What　will　become　of　you；　what　will　you　do？〃　　He

thought　of　Mrs。　Moreen；　desperate　for　sixty　francs。