按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
particular holes in his three or four pair of coloured stockings。
Morgan was dear to his mother； but he never was better dressed than
was absolutely necessary … partly； no doubt； by his own fault； for
he was as indifferent to his appearance as a German philosopher。
〃My dear fellow； you ARE coming to pieces；〃 Pemberton would say to
him in sceptical remonstrance； to which the child would reply；
looking at him serenely up and down： 〃My dear fellow； so are you！
I don't want to cast you in the shade。〃 Pemberton could have no
rejoinder for this … the assertion so closely represented the fact。
If however the deficiencies of his own wardrobe were a chapter by
themselves he didn't like his little charge to look too poor。
Later he used to say 〃Well； if we're poor； why； after all；
shouldn't we look it？〃 and he consoled himself with thinking there
was something rather elderly and gentlemanly in Morgan's disrepair
… it differed from the untidiness of the urchin who plays and
spoils his things。 He could trace perfectly the degrees by which；
in proportion as her little son confined himself to his tutor for
society； Mrs。 Moreen shrewdly forbore to renew his garments。 She
did nothing that didn't show； neglected him because he escaped
notice； and then； as he illustrated this clever policy； discouraged
at home his public appearances。 Her position was logical enough …
those members of her family who did show had to be showy。
During this period and several others Pemberton was quite aware of
how he and his comrade might strike people； wandering languidly
through the Jardin des Plantes as if they had nowhere to go；
sitting on the winter days in the galleries of the Louvre； so
splendidly ironical to the homeless； as if for the advantage of the
calorifere。 They joked about it sometimes： it was the sort of
joke that was perfectly within the boy's compass。 They figured
themselves as part of the vast vague hand…to…mouth multitude of the
enormous city and pretended they were proud of their position in it
… it showed them 〃such a lot of life〃 and made them conscious of a
democratic brotherhood。 If Pemberton couldn't feel a sympathy in
destitution with his small companion … for after all Morgan's fond
parents would never have let him really suffer … the boy would at
least feel it with him； so it came to the same thing。 He used
sometimes to wonder what people would think they were … to fancy
they were looked askance at； as if it might be a suspected case of
kidnapping。 Morgan wouldn't be taken for a young patrician with a
preceptor … he wasn't smart enough； though he might pass for his
companion's sickly little brother。 Now and then he had a five…
franc piece； and except once； when they bought a couple of lovely
neckties； one of which he made Pemberton accept； they laid it out
scientifically in old books。 This was sure to be a great day；
always spent on the quays； in a rummage of the dusty boxes that
garnish the parapets。 Such occasions helped them to live； for
their books ran low very soon after the beginning of their
acquaintance。 Pemberton had a good many in England； but he was
obliged to write to a friend and ask him kindly to get some fellow
to give him something for them。
If they had to relinquish that summer the advantage of the bracing
climate the young man couldn't but suspect this failure of the cup
when at their very lips to have been the effect of a rude jostle of
his own。 This had represented his first blow…out； as he called it；
with his patrons； his first successful attempt … though there was
little other success about it … to bring them to a consideration of
his impossible position。 As the ostensible eve of a costly journey
the moment had struck him as favourable to an earnest protest； the
presentation of an ultimatum。 Ridiculous as it sounded； he had
never yet been able to compass an uninterrupted private interview
with the elder pair or with either of them singly。 They were
always flanked by their elder children； and poor Pemberton usually
had his own little charge at his side。 He was conscious of its
being a house in which the surface of one's delicacy got rather
smudged； nevertheless he had preserved the bloom of his scruple
against announcing to Mr。 and Mrs。 Moreen with publicity that he
shouldn't be able to go on longer without a little money。 He was
still simple enough to suppose Ulick and Paula and Amy might not
know that since his arrival he had only had a hundred and forty
francs； and he was magnanimous enough to wish not to compromise
their parents in their eyes。 Mr。 Moreen now listened to him； as he
listened to every one and to every thing； like a man of the world；
and seemed to appeal to him … though not of course too grossly … to
try and be a little more of one himself。 Pemberton recognised in
fact the importance of the character … from the advantage it gave
Mr。 Moreen。 He was not even confused or embarrassed； whereas the
young man in his service was more so than there was any reason for。
Neither was he surprised … at least any more than a gentleman had
to be who freely confessed himself a little shocked … though not
perhaps strictly at Pemberton。
〃We must go into this； mustn't we； dear？〃 he said to his wife。 He
assured his young friend that the matter should have his very best
attention； and he melted into space as elusively as if； at the
door； he were taking an inevitable but deprecatory precedence。
When； the next moment； Pemberton found himself alone with Mrs。
Moreen it was to hear her say 〃I see； I see〃 … stroking the
roundness of her chin and looking as if she were only hesitating
between a dozen easy remedies。 If they didn't make their push Mr。
Moreen could at least disappear for several days。 During his
absence his wife took up the subject again spontaneously； but her
contribution to it was merely that she had thought all the while
they were getting on so beautifully。 Pemberton's reply to this
revelation was that unless they immediately put down something on
account he would leave them on the spot and for ever。 He knew she
would wonder how he would get away； and for a moment expected her
to enquire。 She didn't； for which he was almost grateful to her；
so little was he in a position to tell。
〃You won't； you KNOW you won't … you're too interested；〃 she said。
〃You are interested； you know you are； you dear kind man！〃 She
laughed with almost condemnatory archness； as if it were a reproach
… though she wouldn't insist； and flirted a soiled pocket…
handkerchief at him。
Pemberton's mind was fully made up to take his step the following
week。 This would give him time to get an answer to a letter he had
despatched to England。 If he did in the event nothing of the sort
… that is if he stayed another year and then went away only for
three months … it was not merely because before the answer to his
letter came （most unsatisfactory when it did arrive） Mr。 Moreen
generously counted out to him； and again with the sacrifice to
〃form〃 of a marked man of the world； three hundred francs in
elegant ringing gold。 He was irritated to find that Mrs。 Moreen
was right； that he couldn't at the pinch bear to leave the child。
This stood out clearer for the very reason that； the night of his
desperate appeal to his patrons； he had seen fully for the first
time where he was。 Wasn't it another proof of the success with
which those patrons practised their arts that they had managed to
avert for so long the illuminating flash？ It descended on our
friend with a breadth of effect which perhaps would have struck a
spectator as comical； after he had returned to his little servile
room； which looked into a close court where a bare dirty opposite
wall took； with the sound of shrill clatter； the reflexion of
lighted back windows。 He had simply given himself away to a band
of adventurers。 The idea； the word itself； wore a romantic horror
for him … he had always lived on such safe lines。 Later it assumed
a more interesting； almost a soothing； sense： it pointed a moral；
and Pemberton could enjoy a moral。 The Moreens were adventurers
not merely because they didn't pay their debts； because they lived
on society； but because their whole view of life； dim and confused
and instinctive； like that of clever colour…blind animals； was
speculative and rapacious and mean。 Oh they were 〃respectable；〃
and that only made them more immondes。 The young man's analysis；
while he brooded； put it at last very simply … they were
adventurers because they were toadies and snobs。 That was the
completest account of them … it was the law of their being。 Even
when this truth became vivid to their ingenious inmate he remained
unconscious of how much his mind had been prepared for it by the
extraordinary little boy who had now become such a complication in
his life。 Much less could he then calculate on the information he
was sti