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caricatured folk） who had the last say in the formation of my
character。 One is nothing if not modest； but in this disaster I
think I have done some honour to their simple teaching。 〃Won't
you sit down？〃 Very fair； very fair indeed。 She sat down。 Her
amused glance strayed all over the room。 There were pages of MS。
on the table and under the table； a batch of typed copy on a
chair； single leaves had fluttered away into distant corners；
there were there living pages； pages scored and wounded； dead
pages that would be burnt at the end of the daythe litter of a
cruel battlefield； of a long； long and desperate fray。 Long！ I
suppose I went to bed sometimes； and got up the same number of
times。 Yes； I suppose I slept； and ate the food put before me；
and talked connectedly to my household on suitable occasions。
But I had never been aware of the even flow of daily life； made
easy and noiseless for me by a silent； watchful； tireless
affection。 Indeed； it seemed to me that I had been sitting at
that table surrounded by the litter of a desperate fray for days
and nights on end。 It seemed so； because of the intense
weariness of which that interruption had made me awarethe awful
disenchantment of a mind realising suddenly the futility of an
enormous task； joined to a bodily fatigue such as no ordinary
amount of fairly heavy physical labour could ever account for。 I
have carried bags of wheat on my back； bent almost double under a
ship's deck…beams； from six in the morning till six in the
evening （with an hour and a half off for meals）； so I ought to
know。
And I love letters。 I am jealous of their honour and concerned
for the dignity and comeliness of their service。 I was； most
likely； the only writer that neat lady had ever caught in the
exercise of his craft； and it distressed me not to be able to
remember when it was that I dressed myself last； and how。 No
doubt that would be all right in essentials。 The fortune of the
house included a pair of grey…blue watchful eyes that would see
to that。 But I felt somehow as grimy as a Costaguana lepero
after a day's fighting in the streets； rumpled all over and
dishevelled down to my very heels。 And I am afraid I blinked
stupidly。 All this was bad for the honour of letters and the
dignity of their service。 Seen indistinctly through the dust of
my collapsed universe； the good lady glanced about the room with
a slightly amused serenity。 And she was smiling。 What on earth
was she smiling at？ She remarked casually：
〃I am afraid I interrupted you。〃
〃Not at all。〃
She accepted the denial in perfect good faith。 And it was
strictly true。 Interruptedindeed！ She had robbed me of at
least twenty lives； each infinitely more poignant and real than
her own； because informed with passion； possessed of convictions；
involved in great affairs created out of my own substance for an
anxiously meditated end。
She remained silent for a while； then said with a last glance all
round at the litter of the fray：
〃And you sit like this here writing youryour。 。 。〃
〃Iwhat？ Oh； yes； I sit here all day。〃
〃It must be perfectly delightful。〃
I suppose that； being no longer very young； I might have been on
the verge of having a stroke； but she had left her dog in the
porch； and my boy's dog； patrolling the field in front； had
espied him from afar。 He came on straight and swift like a
cannon…ball； and the noise of the fight； which burst suddenly
upon our ears； was more than enough to scare away a fit of
apoplexy。 We went out hastily and separated the gallant animals。
Afterwards I told the lady where she would find my wifejust
round the corner； under the trees。 She nodded and went off with
her dog； leaving me appalled before the death and devastation she
had lightly madeand with the awfully instructive sound of the
word 〃delightful〃 lingering in my ears。
Nevertheless； later on； I duly escorted her to the field gate。 I
wanted to be civil； of course （what are twenty lives in a mere
novel that one should be rude to a lady on their account？）； but
mainly； to adopt the good sound Ollendorffian style； because I
did not want the dog of the general's daughter to fight again
（encore） with the faithful dog of my infant son （mon petit
garcon）。Was I afraid that the dog of the general's daughter
would be able to overcome （vaincre） the dog of my child？No； I
was not afraid。 。 。But away with the Ollendorff method。 However
appropriate and seemingly unavoidable when I touch upon anything
appertaining to the lady； it is most unsuitable to the origin；
character and history of the dog； for the dog was the gift to the
child from a man for whom words had anything but an Ollendorffian
value； a man almost childlike in the impulsive movements of his
untutored genius； the most single…minded of verbal
impressionists； using his great gifts of straight feeling and
right expression with a fine sincerity and a strong if； perhaps；
not fully conscious conviction。 His art did not obtain； I fear；
all the credit its unsophisticated inspiration deserved。 I am
alluding to the late Stephen Crane； the author of 〃The Red Badge
of Courage；〃 a work of imagination which found its short moment
of celebrity in the last decade of the departed century。 Other
books followed。 Not many。 He had not the time。 It was an
individual and complete talent； which obtained but a grudging；
somewhat supercilious recognition from the world at large。 For
himself one hesitates to regret his early death。 Like one of the
men in his 〃Open Boat；〃 one felt that he was of those whom fate
seldom allows to make a safe landing after much toil and
bitterness at the oar。 I confess to an abiding affection for
that energetic； slight； fragile； intensely living and transient
figure。 He liked me even before we met on the strength of a page
or two of my writing； and after we had met I am glad to think he
liked me still。 He used to point out to me with great
earnestness； and even with some severity； that 〃a boy ought to
have a dog。〃 I suspect that he was shocked at my neglect of
parental duties。 Ultimately it was he who provided the dog。
Shortly afterwards； one day； after playing with the child on the
rug for an hour or so with the most intense absorption； he raised
his head and declared firmly： 〃I shall teach your boy to ride。〃
That was not to be。 He was not given the time。
But here is the dogan old dog now。 Broad and low on his bandy
paws； with a black head on a white body and a ridiculous black
spot at the other end of him； he provokes； when he walks abroad；
smiles not altogether unkind。 Grotesque and engaging in the
whole of his appearance； his usual attitudes are meek； but his
temperament discloses itself unexpectedly pugnacious in the
presence of his kind。 As he lies in the firelight； his head well
up； and a fixed； far…away gaze directed at the shadows of the
room； he achieves a striking nobility of pose in the calm
consciousness of an unstained life。 He has brought up one baby；
and now； after seeing his first charge off to school； he is
bringing up another with the same conscientious devotion； but
with a more deliberate gravity of manner； the sign of greater
wisdom and riper experience； but also of rheumatism； I fear。
From the morning bath to the evening ceremonies of the cot you
attend； old friend； the little two…legged creature of your
adoption； being yourself treated in the exercise of your duties
with every possible regard； with infinite consideration； by every
person in the houseeven as I myself am treated； only you
deserve it more。 The general's daughter would tell you that it
must be 〃perfectly delightful。〃
Aha！ old dog。 She never heard you yelp with acute pain （it's
that poor left ear） the while； with incredible self…command； you
preserve a rigid immobility for fear of overturning the little
two…legged creature。 She has never seen your resigned smile when
the little two…legged creature； interrogated sternly； 〃What are
you doing to the good dog？〃 answers with a wide； innocent stare：
〃Nothing。 Only loving him； mamma dear！〃
The general's daughter does not know the secret terms of self…
imposed tasks； good dog； the pain that may lurk in the very
rewards of rigid self…command。 But we have lived together many
years。 We have