Part 73 (1/2)

On their way to the dining-room he remarked: ”That's another reason why I sent for you. Because I hear they've not been particularly kind to you. Don't suppose I'm going to pity you for that.”

”I don't pity myself, sir.”

”No--no--you don't. That's what I like about you,” he added, taking his guest by the arm and steering him to his place.

At luncheon Miss Gurney took a prominent part in the conversation, which Rickman for her sake endeavoured to divert from the enthralling subject of himself. But his host (perceiving with evident amus.e.m.e.nt his modest intention) brought it up again.

”Don't imagine, for a moment,” said he, ”that Miss Gurney admires you.

She hates young poets.”

Miss Gurney smiled; but as Rickman saw, more in a.s.sent than polite denial. Throughout the meal she had the air of merely tolerating his presence there because it humoured the great man's eccentricity. From time to time she looked at him with an interest in which he detected a certain fear. The fear, he gathered, was lest his coming should disturb, or in any way do harm to the object of her flagrant adoration.

After she had left the table Fielding reproached him for mixing water with his wine.

”In one way,” said he, ”you're a disappointment. I should have preferred to see you drink your wine like a man.”

”Unfortunately,” said Rickman, ”it's not so easy to drink it like a man, if you've ever drunk it like a beast.”

”Ah-h. You're an even more remarkable person than I thought you were,”

said the poet, rising abruptly from the table.

He proposed that they should take a walk in the garden, or rather on the moor; for the heather ran crimson to the poet's doors, and the young pines stood sentinel at his windows.

They walked slowly towards the lake. On their way there Fielding stopped and drew a deep breath, filling his lungs with the pure, sweet air.

”Ah! that's better.” He looked round him. ”After all, we're right, Rickman. It's the poets that shall judge the world; and if _we_ say it's beautiful, it _is_ beautiful. _And_ good.”

Happy Fielding, thought Rickman. Fielding had never suffered as he had suffered; _his_ dream had never been divorced from reality. It seemed fitting to the younger poet that his G.o.d should inhabit these pure and lofty s.p.a.ces, should walk thus on golden roads through a land of crimson, in an atmosphere of crystal calm. He would have liked to talk to Fielding of Fielding; but his awe restrained him.

Fielding's mind did not wander long from his companion. ”Let me see,”

said he, ”do you follow any trade or profession?” He added with a smile, ”besides your own?”

”I'm a journalist.” Rickman mentioned his connection with _The Museion_ and _The Planet_.

”Ah, I knew there was an unlucky star somewhere. Well, at any rate, you won't have to turn your Muse on to the streets to get your living.

But a trade's better than a profession; and a craft's better than a trade. It doesn't monopolize the higher centres. I certainly had the impression that you had been in trade.”

Rickman wondered who could have given it to him. Miss Gurney's friend, he supposed. But who was Miss Gurney's friend? A hope came to him that made his heart stand still. But he answered calmly.

”I was. I worked for two years in a second-hand bookshop as a bibliographical expert; and before that I stood behind the counter most of my time.”

”Why did you leave it? You weren't ashamed of your trade?”

”Not of my trade, but of the way I had to follow it. I'm not ashamed of working for Mr. Horace Jewdwine.”

He brought the name in awkwardly. In bringing it in at all he had some vague hope that it might lead Fielding to disclose the ident.i.ty of the friend. Horace Jewdwine was a link; if his name were familiar to Fielding there would be no proof perhaps, but a very strong presumption that what he hoped was true.

”He is a friend of yours?”