not？' added Ladywell。
They assented； but in such an unqualified manner that half as much
readiness would have meant more。 But Ladywell； though not
experienced enough to be quite free from enthusiasm； was too
experienced to mind indifference for more than a minute or two。
When the ladies had withdrawn； the young man went on
'Colonel Staff said a funny thing to me yesterday about these very
poems。 He asked me if I knew her； and'
'Her？ Why； he knows that it is a lady all the time； and we were
only just now doubting whether the sex of the writer could be really
what it seems。 Shame； Ladywell！' said his friend Neigh。
'Ah； Mr。 Ladywell；' said another； 'now we have found you out。 You
know her！'
'NowI sayha…ha！' continued the painter； with a face expressing
that he had not at all tried to be found out as the man possessing
incomparably superior knowledge of the poetess。 'I beg pardon
really； but don't press me on the matter。 Upon my word the secret
is not my own。 As I was saying； the Colonel said； 〃Do you know
her？〃but you don't care to hear？'
'We shall be delighted！'
'So the Colonel said； 〃Do you know her？〃 adding； in a most comic
way； 〃Between U。 and E。； Ladywell； I believe there is a close
affinity〃meaning me； you know； by U。 Just like the Colonelha…
ha…ha！'
The older men did not oblige Ladywell a second time with any attempt
at appreciation； but a weird silence ensued； during which the smile
upon Ladywell's face became frozen to painful permanence。
'Meaning by E。； you know； the 〃E〃 of the poemsheh…heh！' he added。
'It was a very humorous incident certainly；' said his friend Neigh；
at which there was a laughnot from anything connected with what he
said； but simply because it was the right thing to laugh when Neigh
meant you to do so。
'Now don't； Neighyou are too hard upon me。 But； seriously； two or
three fellows were there when I said it； and they all began
laughingbut； then； the Colonel said it in such a queer way； you
know。 But you were asking me about her？ Well； the fact is； between
ourselves； I do know that she is a lady； and I don't mind telling a
word'
'But we would not for the world be the means of making you betray
her confidencewould we； Jones？'
'No； indeed； we would not。'
'No； no； it is not that at allthis is really too bad！you must
listen just for a moment'
'Ladywell； don't betray anybody on our account。'
'Whoever the illustrious young lady may be she has seen a great deal
of the world；' said Mr。 Doncastle blandly； 'and puts her experience
of the comedy of its emotions； and of its method of showing them； in
a very vivid light。'
'I heard a man say that the novelty with which the ideas are
presented is more noticeable than the originality of the ideas
themselves；' observed Neigh。 'The woman has made a great talk about
herself； and I am quite weary of people asking of her condition；
place of abode； has she a father； has she a mother； or dearer one
yet than all other。'
'I would have burlesque quotation put down by Act of Parliament； and
all who dabble in it placed with him who can cite Scripture for his
purposes；' said Ladywell； in retaliation。
After a pause Neigh remarked half…privately to their host； who was
his uncle： 'Your butler Chickerel is a very intelligent man； as I
have heard。'
'Yes； he does very well；' said Mr。 Doncastle。
'But is he not avery extraordinary man？'
'Not to my knowledge；' said Doncastle； looking up surprised。 'Why
do you think that； Alfred？'
'Well； perhaps it was not a matter to mention。 He reads a great
deal； I dare say？'
'I don't think so。'
'I noticed how wonderfully his face kindled when we began talking
about the poems during dinner。 Perhaps he is a poet himself in
disguise。 Did you observe it？'
'No。 To the best of my belief he is a very trustworthy and
honourable man。 He has been with uslet me see； how long？five
months； I think； and he was fifteen years in his last place。 It
certainly is a new side to his character if he publicly showed any
interest in the conversation； whatever he might have felt。'
'Since the matter has been mentioned；' said Mr。 Jones； 'I may say
that I too noticed the singularity of it。'
'If you had not said otherwise；' replied Doncastle somewhat warmly；
'I should have asserted him to be the last man…servant in London to
infringe such an elementary rule。 If he did so this evening； it is
certainly for the first time； and I sincerely hope that no annoyance
was caused'
'O no； nonot at allit might have been a mistake of mine；' said
Jones。 'I should quite have forgotten the circumstance if Mr。
Neigh's words had not brought it to my mind。 It was really nothing
to notice； and I beg that you will not say a word to him about it on
my account。'
'He has a taste that way； my dear uncle； nothing more； depend upon
it；' said Neigh。 'If I had such a man belonging to me I should only
be too proud。 Certainly do not mention it。'
'Of course Chickerel is Chickerel；' Mr。 Doncastle rejoined。 'We all
know what that means。 And really； on reflecting； I do remember that
he is of a literary turn of mindnot further by an inch than is
commendable； you know。 I am quite aware as I glance down the papers
and prints any morning that Chickerel's eyes have been over the
ground before mine； and that he generally forestalls the rest of us
by a chapter or so in the last new book sent home； but in these
vicious days that particular weakness is really virtue； just because
it is not quite a vice。'
'Yes；' said Mr。 Jones； the reflective man in spectacles； 'positive
virtues are getting moved off the stage： negative ones are moved on
to the place of positives； we thank bare justice as we used only to
thank generosity； call a man honest who steals only by law； and
consider him a benefactor if he does not steal at all。'
'Hear； hear！' said Neigh。 'We will decide that Chickerel is even a
better trained fellow than if he had shown no interest at all in his
face。'
'The action being like those trifling irregularities in art at its
vigorous periods； which seemed designed to hide the unpleasant
monotony of absolute symmetry；' said Ladywell。
'On the other hand； an affected want of training of that sort would
be even a better disguise for an artful man than a perfectly
impassible demeanour。 He is two removes from discovery in a hidden
scheme； whilst a neutral face is only one。'
'You quite alarm me by these subtle theories；' said Mr。 Doncastle；
laughing； and the subject then became compounded with other matters；
till the speakers rose to rejoin the charming flock upstairs。
In the basement story at this hour Mr。 Chickerel the butler； who had
formed the subject of discussion on the floor above； was busily
engaged in looking after his two subordinates as they bustled about
in the operations of clearing away。 He was a man of whom； if the
shape of certain bones and muscles of the face is ever to be taken
as a guide to the character； one might safely have predicated
conscientiousness in the performance of duties； a thorough knowledge
of all that appertained to them； a general desire to live on without
troubling his mind about anything which did not concern him。 Any
person interested in the matter would have assumed without
hesitation that the estimate his employer had given of Chickerel was
a true onemore； that not only would the butler under all ordinary
circumstances resolutely prevent his face from showing curiosity in
an unbecoming way； but that； with the soul of a true gentleman； he
would； if necessary； equivocate as readily as the noblest of his
betters to remove any stain upon his honour in such trifles。 Hence
it is apparent that if Chickerel's countenance really appeared； as
Neigh had asserted； full of curiosity with regard to the gossip that
was going on； the feelings which led to the exhibition must have
been of a very unusual and irrepressible kind。
His hair was of that peculiar bluish…white which is to be observed
when the oncoming years； instead of singling out special locks of a
man's head for operating against； advance uniformly over the whole
field； and enfeeble the colour at all points before absolutely
extinguishing it anywhere； his nose was of the knotty shape in the
gristle and earthward tendency in the flesh which is commonly said
to carry sound judgment above it； his eyes were thoughtful； and his
face was thina contour which； if it at once abstracted from his
features that cheerful assurance of single…minded honesty which
adorns the exteriors of so many of his brethren； might have raised a
presumption in the minds of some beholders that perhaps in this case
the quality might not be altogether wanting within。
The coffee having been served to the people upstairs； one of the
footmen rushed into his bedroom on the lower floor； and in a few
minutes emerged again in the dress of a respectable clerk who had
been born for better things； with the trifling exceptions that he
wore a low…crowned hat； and instead of knocking his heels on the
pavement walked with a gait as delicate as a lady's。 Going out of
the area…door with a cigar in his mouth； he mounted the steps
hastily to keep an appointment round the cornerthe keeping of
which as a private gentleman necessitated the change of the greater
part of his clothes twice within a quarter of an hourthe limit of
his time of absence。 The other footman was upstairs； and the
butler； finding that he had a few minutes to himself； sat down at
the table and wrote：
'MY DEAR ETHELBERTA；I did not intend to write to you for some few
days to come； but the way in which you have been talked about here
this evening makes me anxious to send a line or two at once； though
I have very little time to spare； as usual。 We have just had a
dinner…partyindeed the carriages have not yet been brought round
and the talk at dinner was about your verses； of course。 The thing
was brought up by a young fellow named Ladywelldo you know him？
He is a painter by profession； but he has a pretty good private
income beyond what he gets by practising his line of business among
the nobility； and that I expect is not little； for he is well known；
and en