The Sacred Fount

riends and even possible enemies, who might be going. Such premonitions, it was true, bred fears when they fai

eappear at all — who were only going to Birmingham. As soon as I saw Gilbert Long, some way up the platform, however, I knew him as an element. It was not so much that the wish was father to the thought as that I remembered having already more than once met

six feet and more of stature, his low-growing, tight-curling hair, his big, bare, blooming face. He was a fine piece of human furniture — he made a small party seem more numerous. This, at least, was the impression of him that had revived before I stepped out again to the platform, and it armed me only at first with surprise when I saw him come down to me as if for a greeting. If he had decided at last to treat me as an acquaintance made, it was none the less a case for letting him come all the way. That, accordingly, was what he did, and with so clear a conscience, I hasten to add, that a

had, the three of us, the carriage to ourselves, and we journeyed together for more than an hour, during which, in my corner, I had my companions opposite. We began at first by talking a little, and then as the train — a fast one — ran straight and proportionately bellowed, we gave up the effort to compete with its music. Meantime, however, we had exchanged with each other a fact or two to turn over in silence. Brissenden was coming later — not, indeed, that that was such a fact. But his wife was informed — she knew about the numerous others; she had mentioned, while we waited, people and things: tha

world shou

enden conveyed with light profundity: “You know why he should as well as I, don’t you?” In point of fact I didn’t in the least; and what afterwards struck me much more as the beginning of my anecdote was a word dropped by Long after someone had come up to speak

lf. She had to speak to me. But I hadn’t seen her since her marriage, whi

hen is

or three-a

for that. But ca

ing. Everyone made jokes. Briss isn’t yet thirty.” No, I bethought myself, he wouldn’t be; but I hadn’t remembered the difference as so great. What I had mainly remem

looks so well — and somehow so ‘fine.’ Wh

de the matter out with an acuteness for which I shouldn’t have given him

ear man, she has been married. T

be married to poor Briss. His comparative youth doesn’t, after all, make more of him. He’

esn’t grow older she may be said to grow younger; and if she grows younger she may be supposed to grow prettier. That’s all — except, of course, that i

you see? of the married state. People have to get used to each other’s charms as well as to the

never heard him — less and less like the heavy Adonis who had so often “cut” me; and while he did so I was proportionately more conscious of the change in him. He noticed in fact after a little the vague confusion of my gaze and asked me — with complete good nature — why I stared at him so hard. I sufficiently disembroiled myself to reply that I could only be

away as if there were either too m

self. She put it to me frankly that she had never seen a man so improved: a confidence that I met with alacrity, as it showed me that, under the same impression, I had not been as

f our changing every seven years, but they make me feel as if I changed every seven minutes. What will you have, at any rat

of your age! I envy you, for nothing would induce me to

pleasure — a pleasure that she caught an

ty-three. If you would only dres

ly enough. “Your compliment to my taste is odd. I know, at a

, for my relief,

er woman has for s

st in him? Do you mean Lady John?” I inquired; and, as she evidently

, as she was to take, I happened to learn,

wondered. “She’s not

ore than one reason. Poor Guy hasn’t pretensions — has nothing but his youth and his beauty. But that’s precis

so unmistakably b

n him a mind and a tongue. Th

extraordinary case — such a

he objected,

y never met it. Are you very sure,” I ins

fact look as blank as a pickpocket. But that proves nothing — or rather, as they’re known to be always together

hey’re scarcely together when

to cover their game, the appearance of other little friendships. It puts outsiders off the scent, and the real thing meanwhile goes on. Besides,

his food? Is he supposed to know? The difficulty for me is simply that if I’ve seen the handsome grow ugly and the ugly handsome, the fat grow thin and the thin fat, the short grow long and

rfectly stand up. “All I can say is then that you’ll ha

I thought — “and all the more if I make o

her — that is, I mean, if you mak

I asked, “in spite of al

has enoug

as well as with your generosity. I’ve seldom se

kindness Lady John would doubtless appreciate. Long rejoined us, and we ran, as I have said, our course; which, as I have also noted, seemed short

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