it。 However； all in good time the others were called in and couldn't
find the brush； and then she was sent for； and she couldn't find it
herself for some little time； but then she found it when the others had
gone away to hunt in the kitchen and down cellar and in the woodshed；
and all those other places where people look for things whose ways they
are not familiar with。 So she gave him the brush； and remarked that she
ought to have seen that everything was ready for him； but it hadn't
seemed necessary； because it was so early that she wasn't expectingbut
she stopped there； surprised at herself for what she was saying； and he
felt caught and ashamed； and said to himself； 〃I knew my impatience would
drag me here before I was expected； and betray me； and that is just what
it has done； she sees straight through meand is laughing at me； inside；
of course。〃
Gwendolen was very much pleased； on one account； and a little the other
way in another； pleased with the new clothes and the improvement which
they had achieved； less pleased by the pink in the buttonhole。
Yesterday's pink had hardly interested her； this one was just like it；
but somehow it had got her immediate attention； and kept it。 She wished
she could think of some way of getting at its history in a properly
colorless and indifferent way。 Presently she made a venture。 She said：
〃Whatever a man's age may be； he can reduce it several years by putting a
bright…colored flower in his button…hole。 I have often noticed that。
Is that your sex's reason for wearing a boutonniere？〃
〃I fancy not； but certainly that reason would be a sufficient one。 I've
never heard of the idea before。〃
〃You seem to prefer pinks。 Is it on account of the color； or the form？〃
〃Oh no；〃 he said； simply； 〃they are given to me。 I don't think I have
any preference。〃
〃They are given to him；〃 she said to herself； and she felt a coldness
toward that pink。 〃I wonder who it is； and what she is like。〃 The
flower began to take up a good deal of room； it obtruded itself
everywhere； it intercepted all views； and marred them； it was becoming
exceedingly annoying and conspicuous for a little thing。 〃I wonder if he
cares for her。〃 That thought gave her a quite definite pain。
CHAPTER XXI。
She had made everything comfortable for the artist； there was no further
pretext for staying。 So she said she would go； now； and asked him to
summon the servants in case he should need anything。 She went away
unhappy； and she left unhappiness behind her； for she carried away all
the sunshine。 The time dragged heavily for both； now。 He couldn't paint
for thinking of her； she couldn't design or millinerize with any heart；
for thinking of him。 Never before had painting seemed so empty to him；
never before had millinerizing seemed so void of interest to her。 She
had gone without repeating that dinner…invitationan almost unendurable
disappointment to him。 On her part…well； she was suffering； too； for she
had found she couldn't invite him。 It was not hard yesterday； but it was
impossible to…day。 A thousand innocent privileges seemed to have been
filched from her unawares in the past twenty…four hours。 To…day she felt
strangely hampered； restrained of her liberty。 To…day she couldn't
propose to herself to do anything or say anything concerning this young
man without being instantly paralyzed into non…action by the fear that he
might 〃suspect。〃 Invite him to dinner to…day？ It made her shiver to
think of it。
And so her afternoon was one long fret。 Broken at intervals。 Three
times she had to go down stairs on errandsthat is； she thought she had
to go down stairs on errands。 Thus； going and coming； she had six
glimpses of him； in the aggregate； without seeming to look in his
direction； and she tried to endure these electric ecstasies without
showing any sign； but they fluttered her up a good deal； and she felt
that the naturalness she was putting on was overdone and quite too
frantically sober and hysterically calm to deceive。
The painter had his share of the rapture； he had his six glimpses； and
they smote him with waves of pleasure that assaulted him； beat upon him；
washed over him deliciously； and drowned out all consciousness of what he
was doing with his brush。 So there were six places in his canvas which
had to be done over again。
At last Gwendolen got some peace of mind by sending word to the
Thompsons； in the neighborhood； that she was coming there to dinner。
She wouldn't be reminded； at that table； that there was an absentee who
ought to be a presenteea word which she meant to look out in the
dictionary at a calmer time。
About this time the old earl dropped in for a chat with the artist； and
invited him to stay to dinner。 Tracy cramped down his joy and gratitude
by a sudden and powerful exercise of all his forces； and he felt that now
that he was going to be close to Gwendolen； and hear her voice and watch
her face during several precious hours； earth had nothing valuable to add
to his life for the present。
The earl said to himself； 〃This spectre can eat apples； apparently。
We shall find out； now； if that is a specialty。 I think； myself； it's a
specialty。 Apples； without doubt； constitute the spectral limit。 It was
the case with our first parents。 No； I am wrongat least only partly
right。 The line was drawn at apples； just as in the present case； but it
was from the other direction。〃 The new clothes gave him a thrill of
pleasure and pride。 He said to himself； 〃I've got part of him down to
date； anyway。〃
Sellers said he was pleased with Tracy's work； and he went on and engaged
him to restore his old masters； and said he should also want him to paint
his portrait and his wife's and possibly his daughter's。 The tide of the
artist's happiness was at flood； now。 The chat flowed pleasantly along
while Tracy painted and Sellers carefully unpacked a picture which he had
brought with him。 It was a chromo； a new one； just out。 It was the
smirking； self…satisfied portrait of a man who was inundating the Union
with advertisements inviting everybody to buy his specialty； which was a
three…dollar shoe or a dress…suit or something of that kind。 The old
gentleman rested the chromo flat upon his lap and gazed down tenderly
upon it； and became silent and meditative。 Presently Tracy noticed that
he was dripping tears on it。 This touched the young fellow's sympathetic
nature； and at the same time gave him the painful sense of being an
intruder upon a sacred privacy； an observer of emotions which a stranger
ought not to witness。 But his pity rose superior to other
considerations； and compelled him to try to comfort the old mourner with
kindly words and a show of friendly interest。 He said：
〃I am very sorryis it a friend whom〃
〃Ah； more than that； far more than thata relative； the dearest I had on
earth； although I was never permitted to see him。 Yes； it is young Lord
Berkeley； who perished so heroically in the awful conflagration； what is
the matter？〃
〃Oh； nothing； nothing。
It was a little startling to be so suddenly brought face to face； so to
speak； with a person one has heard so much talk about。 Is it a good
likeness？〃
〃Without doubt； yes。 I never saw him； but you can easily see the
resemblance to his father；〃 said Sellers； holding up the chromo and
glancing from it to the chromo misrepresenting the Usurping Earl and back
again with an approving eye。
〃Well； noI am not sure that I make out the likeness。 It is plain that
the Usurping Earl there has a great deal of character and a long face
like a horse's； whereas his heir here is smirky； moon…faced and
characterless。〃
〃We are all that way in the beginningall the line；〃 said Sellers；
undisturbed。 〃We all start as moonfaced fools； then later we tadpole
along into horse…faced marvels of intellect and character。 It is by that
sign and by that fact that I detect the resemblance here and know this
portrait to be genuine and perfect。 Yes； all our family are fools at
first。〃
〃This young man seems to meet the hereditary requirement； certainly。〃
〃Yes； yes； he was a fool； without any doubt。 Examine the face； the shape
of the head； the expression。 It's all fool； fool； fool； straight
through。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Tracy； involuntarily。
〃Thanks？ 〃
〃I mean for explaining it to me。 Go on； please。〃
〃As I was saying； fool is printed all over the face。
〃A body can even read the details。〃
〃What do they say？〃
〃Well； added up； he is a wobbler。〃
〃A which？〃
〃Wobbler。 A person that's always taking a firm stand about something or
otherkind of a Gibraltar stand； he thinks； for unshakable fidelity and
everlastingnessand then； inside of a little while； he begins to wobble；
no more Gibraltar there； no； sir； a mighty ordinary commonplace weakling
wobblingaround on stilts。 That's Lord Berkeley to a dot； you can see
it look at that sheep！ But；why are you blushing like sunset！ Dear
sir； have I unwittingly offended in some way？〃
〃Oh； no indeed； no indeed。 Far from it。 But it always makes me blush to
hear a man revile his own blood。〃 He said to himself； 〃How strangely his
vagrant and unguided fancies have hit upon the truth。 By accident； he
has described me。 I am that contemptible thing。 When I left England I
thought I knew myself； I thought I was a very Frederick the Great for
resolution and staying capacity； whereas in truth I am just a Wobbler；
simply a Wobbler。 Wellafter all； it is at least creditable to have
high ideals and give birth to lofty resolutions； I will allow myself that
comfort。〃 Then he said； aloud； 〃Could this sheep； as you call him； breed
a great and self…sacrificing idea in his head； do you think？ Could he
meditate such a thing； for instance； as the renunciation of the earldom
and its wealth and its glories； and voluntary retirement to the ranks of
the commonalty； there to rise by his own merit or remain forever poor and
obscure？〃
〃Could he？ Why； look at himlook at this simpering self…righteous mug！
There is your answer。 It's the very thing he would think of。 And he
would start in to do it； too。〃
〃And then？〃
〃He'd wobble。〃
〃And back down