the egoist-第3部分

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evident。　She　was　the　aristocrat　reproving　the　provincial。　〃He　is
everything　you　have　had　the　goodness　to　remark；　ladies　and　dear
sirs；　he　talks　charmingly；　dances　divinely；　rides　with　the　air　of
a　commander…in…chief；　has　the　most　natural　grand　pose　possible
without　ceasing　for　a　moment　to　be　the　young　English　gentleman　he
is。　Alcibiades；　fresh　from　a　Louis　IV　perruquier；　could　not
surpass　him：　whatever　you　please；　I　could　outdo　you　in　sublime
comparisons；　were　I　minded　to　pelt　him。　Have　you　noticed　that　he
has　a　leg？〃

So　might　it　be　amplified。　A　simple…seeming　word　of　this　import　is
the　triumph　of　the　spiritual；　and　where　it　passes　for　coin　of
value；　the　society　has　reached　a　high　refinement：　Arcadian　by　the
aesthetic　route。　Observation　of　Willoughby　was　not；　as　Miss
Eleanor　Patterne　pointed　out　to　Lady　Culmer；　drawn　down　to　the
leg；　but　directed　to　estimate　him　from　the　leg　upward。　That；
however；　is　prosaic。　Dwell　a　short　space　on　Mrs。　Mountstuart's
word；　and　whither；　into　what　fair　region；　and　with　how　decorously
voluptuous　a　sensation；　do　not　we　fly；　who　have；　through　mournful
veneration　of　the　Martyr　Charles；　a　coy　attachment　to　the　Court　of
his　Merrie　Son；　where　the　leg　was　ribanded　with　love…knots　and
reigned。　Oh！　it　was　a　naughty　Court。　Yet　have　we　dreamed　of　it　as
the　period　when　an　English　cavalier　was　grace　incarnate；　far　from
the　boor　now　hustling　us　in　another　sphere；　beautifully　mannered；　
every　gesture　dulcet。　And　if　the　ladies　were　。。。　we　will　hope　they
have　been　traduced。　But　if　they　were；　if　they　were　too　tender；　ah！
gentlemen　were　gentlemen　thenworth　perishing　for！　There　is　this
dream　in　the　English　country；　and　it　must　be　an　aspiration　after
some　form　of　melodious　gentlemanliness　which　is　imagined　to　have
inhabited　the　island　at　one　time；　as　among　our　poets　the　dream　of
the　period　of　a　circle　of　chivalry　here　is　encouraged　for　the
pleasure　of　the　imagination。

Mrs。　Mountstuart　touched　a　thrilling　chord。　〃In　spite　of　men's
hateful　modern　costume；　you　see　he　has　a　leg。〃

That　is；　the　leg　of　the　born　cavalier　is　before　you：　and　obscure　
it　as　you　will；　dress　degenerately；　there　it　is　for　ladies　who
have　eyes。　You　see　it：　or；　you　see　he　has　it。　Miss　Isabel　and　Miss
Eleanor　disputed　the　incidence　of　the　emphasis；　but　surely；　though
a　slight　difference　of　meaning　may　be　heard；　either　will　do：　many；
with　a　good　show　of　reason；　throw　the　accent　upon　leg。　And　the
ladies　knew　for　a　fact　that　Willoughby's　leg　was　exquisite；　he　had
a　cavalier　court…suit　in　his　wardrobe。　Mrs。　Mountstuart　signified
that　the　leg　was　to　be　seen　because　it　was　a　burning　leg。　There　it
is；　and　it　will　shine　through！　He　has　the　leg　of　Rochester；
Buckingham；　Dorset；　Suckling；　the　leg　that　smiles；　that　winks；　is
obsequious　to　you；　yet　perforce　of　beauty　self…satisfied；　that
twinkles　to　a　tender　midway　between　imperiousness　and
seductiveness；　audacity　and　discretion；　between　〃You　shall　worship
me〃；　and　〃I　am　devoted　to　you；〃　is　your　lord；　your　slave；
alternately　and　in　one。　It　is　a　leg　of　ebb　and　flow　and　high…tide
ripples。　Such　a　leg；　when　it　has　done　with　pretending　to　retire；
will　walk　straight　into　the　hearts　of　women。　Nothing　so　fatal　to
them。

Self…satisfied　it　must　be。　Humbleness　does　not　win　multitudes　or
the　sex。　It　must　be　vain　to　have　a　sheen。　Captivating　melodies　（to
prove　to　you　the　unavoidableness　of　self…satisfaction　when　you
know　that　you　have　hit　perfection）；　listen　to　them　closely；　have
an　inner　pipe　of　that　conceit　almost　ludicrous　when　you　detect　the
chirp。

And　you　need　not　be　reminded　that　he　has　the　leg　without
the　naughtiness。　You　see　eminent　in　him　what　we　would　fain
have　brought　about　in　a　nation　that　has　lost　its　leg　in　gaining
a　possibly　cleaner　morality。　And　that　is　often　contested；　but
there　is　no　doubt　of　the　loss　of　the　leg。

Well；　footmen　and　courtiers　and　Scottish　Highlanders；　and　the
corps　de　ballet；　draymen　too；　have　legs；　and　staring　legs；　shapely
enough。　But　what　are　they？　not　the　modulated　instrument　we　mean
simply　legs　for　leg…work；　dumb　as　the　brutes。　Our　cavalier's　is
the　poetic　leg；　a　portent；　a　valiance。　He　has　it　as　Cicero　had　a
tongue。　It　is　a　lute　to　scatter　songs　to　his　mistress；　a　rapier；
is　she　obdurate。　In　sooth　a　leg　with　brains　in　it；　soul。

And　its　shadows　are　an　ambush；　its　lights　a　surprise。　It　blushes；
it　pales；　can　whisper；　exclaim。　It　is　a　peep；　a　part　revelation；　
just　sufferable；　of　the　Olympian　godJove　playing　carpet…knight。

For　the　young　Sir　Willoughby's　family　and　his　thoughtful　admirers；
it　is　not　too　much　to　say　that　Mrs。　Mountstuart's　little　word
fetched　an　epoch　of　our　history　to　colour　the　evening　of　his
arrival　at　man's　estate。　He　was　all　that　Merrie　Charles's　court
should　have　been；　subtracting　not　a　sparkle　from　what　it　was。
Under　this　light　he　danced；　and　you　may　consider　the　effect　of　it
on　his　company。

He　had　received　the　domestic　education　of　a　prince。　Little　princes
abound　in　a　land　of　heaped　riches。　Where　they　have　not　to　yield
military　service　to　an　Imperial　master；　they　are　necessarily　here
and　there　dainty　during　youth；　sometimes　unmanageable；　and　as　they
are　bound　in　no　personal　duty　to　the　State；　each　is　for　himself；
with　full　present；　and　what　is　more；　luxurious；　prospective
leisure　for　the　practice　of　that　allegiance。　They　are　sometimes
enervated　by　it：　that　must　be　in　continental　countries。　Happily
our　climate　and　our　brave　blood　precipitate　the　greater　number
upon　the　hunting…field；　to　do　the　public　service　of　heading　the
chase　of　the　fox；　with　benefit　to　their　constitutions。　Hence　a
manly　as　well　as　useful　race　of　little　princes；　and　Willoughby　was
as　manly　as　any。　He　cultivated　himself；　he　would　not　be　outdone
in　popular　accomplishments。　Had　the　standard　of　the　public　taste
been　set　in　philosophy；　and　the　national　enthusiasm　centred　in
philosophers；　he　would　at　least　have　worked　at　books。　He　did　work
at　science；　and　had　a　laboratory。　His　admirable　passion　to　excel；
however；　was　chiefly　directed　in　his　youth　upon　sport；　and　so
great　was　the　passion　in　him；　that　it　was　commonly　the　presence　of
rivals　which　led　him　to　the　declaration　of　love。

He　knew　himself；　nevertheless；　to　be　the　most　constant　of　men　in
his　attachment　to　the　sex。　He　had　never　discouraged　Laetitia
Dale's　devotion　to　him；　and　even　when　he　followed　in　the　sweeping
tide　of　the　beautiful　Constantia　Durham　（whom　Mrs。　Mountstuart
called　〃The　Racing　Cutter〃）；　he　thought　of　Laetitia；　and　looked　at
her。　She　was　a　shy　violet。

Willoughby's　comportment　while　the　showers　of　adulation　drenched
him　might　be　likened　to　the　composure　of　Indian　Gods　undergoing
worship；　but　unlike　them　he　reposed　upon　no　seat　of　amplitude　to
preserve　him　from　a　betrayal　of　intoxication；　he　had　to　continue
tripping；　dancing；　exactly　balancing　himself；　head　to　right；　head
to　left；　addressing　his　idolaters　in　phrases　of　perfect
choiceness。　This　is　only　to　say　that　it　is　easier　to　be　a　wooden
idol　than　one　in　the　flesh；　yet　Willoughby　was　equal　to　his　task。
The　little　prince's　education　teaches　him　that　he　is　other　than
you；　and　by　virtue　of　the　instruction　he　receives；　and　also
something；　we　know　not　what；　within；　he　is　enabled　to　maintain　his
posture　where　you　would　be　tottering。

Urchins　upon　whose　curly　pates　grave　seniors　lay　their　hands　with
conventional　encomium　and　speculation；　look　older　than　they　are
immediately；　and　Willoughby　looked　older　than　his　years；　not　for
want　of　freshness；　but　because　he　felt　that　he　had　to　stand
eminently　and　correctly　poised。

Hearing　of　Mrs。　Mountstuart's　word　on　him；　he　smiled　and　said；　〃It
is　at　her　service。〃

The　speech　was　communicated　to　her；　and　she　proposed　to　attach　a
dedicatory　strip　of　silk。　And　then　they　came　together；　and　there
was　wit　and　repartee　suitable　to　the　electrical　atmosphere　of　the
dancing…room；　on　the　march　to　a　magical　hall　of　supper。
Willoughby　conducted　Mrs。　Mountstuart　to　the　supper…table。

〃Were　I；〃　said　she；　〃twenty　years　younger；　I　think　I　would　marry
you；　to　cure　my　infatuation。〃

〃Then　let　me　tell　you　in　advance；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　will　do
everything　to　obtain　a　new　lease　of　it；　except　divorce　you。〃

They　were　infinitely　wittier。　but　so　much　was　heard　and　may　he
reported。

〃It　makes　the　business　of　choosing　a　wife　for　him　superhumanly　
difficult！〃　Mrs。　Mountstuart　observed；　after　listening　to　the
praises　she　had　set　going　again　when　the　ladies　were　weeded　of　us；
in　Lady　Patterne's　Indian　room；　and　could　converse　unhampered　upon
their　own　ethereal　themes。

〃Willoughby　will　choose　a　wife　for　himself；〃　said　his　mother。


CHAPTER　III

Constantia　Durham

The　great　question　for　the　county　was　debated　in　many　households；
daughter…thronged　and　daughterless；　long　subsequent　to　the
memorable　day　of　Willoughby's　coming　of　age。　Lady　Busshe　was　for
Constantia　Durham。　She　laughed　at　Mrs　Mountstuart　Jenkinson's
notion　of　Laetitia　Dale。　She　was　a　little　older　than　Mrs。
Mountstuart；　and　had　known　Willoughby's　father；　whose　marriage
into　the　wealthiest　branch　of　the　Whitford　family　had　been
strictly　sagacious。　〃Patternes　marry　money；　they　are　not　romantic
people；〃　she　said。　Miss　Durham　had　money；　and　she　had　health　and
beauty：　three　mighty　qualifications　for　a　Patterne　bride。　Her
father；　Sir　John　Durham；　was　a　large　landowner　in　the　western
division　of　the　county；　a　pompous　gentleman；　the　picture　of　a
father…in…law　for　Willoughby。　The　father　of　Miss　Dale　was　a
battered　army　surgeon　from　India；　tenant　of　one　of　Sir
Willoughby's　cottages　bordering　Patterne　Park。　His　girl　was
portionless　and　a　poetess。　Her　writing　of　the　song　in　celebration
of　the　young　baronet's　birthday　was　thought　a　clever　venture；　bold
as　only　your　timid　creatures　can　be　bold。　She　let　the　cat　out
of　her　bag　of　verse　before　the　multitude；　she　almost　proposed　to
her　hero　in　her　rhymes。　She　was　pretty；　her　eyelashes　were　long
and　dark；　her　eyes　dark…blue；　and　her　soul　was　ready　to　shoot　like
a　rocket　out　of　them　at　a　look　from　Willoughby。　And　he　looked；　he
certainly　looked；　though　he　did　not　dance　with　her　once　that
night；　and　danced　repeatedly　with　Miss　Durham。　He　gave　Laetitia
to　Vernon　Whitford　for　the　final　dance　of　the　night；　a