Roderick Hudson

o the hotel. Late in the evening of the second one Roderick came into his roo

declared. "It 's one of th

"Never again talk to me abou

ial debt handsomely!" He walked up and down the room a few moments, with the purpose of his visit evidently still undischarged. "There 's one thing more I want to say,"

on?" Rowlan

ut my mothe

ailu

se! They do

ad no more surprises for him; but h

me!" Roderi

" cried

"I am not complaining of them; I am simply stating a fa

iven them a

? It seems to me I hav

ll; I have been buildi

ned to fight it out; to stand within the temple; to let the spirit of the Lord descend! Do you want

Rowland. "They are th

an no more to me than a B

, in a moment, "to understand

hands drop at his sides. "She adores me! T

roken your

can't break a ra

lutely no affe

eart and held it there a moment.

gin to comprehend the beauty of Miss Garland's

would not have

no charm f

e a fellow to s

that you don't know wh

ckened glance. "Do

her imme

most say sympathetically.

ittle presumption to make it possible. Rowland tried, mentally, to summon presumption to his aid; but whether it came or not, it found conscience there before it. Conscience had only three words,

id," Roderick answered refle

hat with a longer chance, a better chanc

k?" cried Roderick. "Mak

u h

er, I shoul

" said Rowland

a woman who would bore me to death? I would let her kn

e of times and then stopped suddenly. "Go you

aid of her; I wan

wland with an eloquent smil

his hat. "Oh, well," he said, "I am not so afraid

and, as he laid hi

stood waiting, wit

You don't know what you really think; you don't know what you really feel. You don't know your own mind; you don't do justice to Miss Garland

ome was never

smallest consequence

ere sha

ou may be alone with your

ou will n

desire it, I

askance. "I don't understand you," he said; "I wish you l

itions I can do nothing. But if you will postpone all decision as to the continuance of your engagement a couple of months longer, an

the time I have always intended-at the end of June. My rooms and my mother's are taken

. "Your real reason for staying h

uch about my real reason, let me hear it! No, stop!" he suddenly added, "I won't trouble you. You are right, I have a motive. On the twenty

Peter's that it was by no means cer

g: the invitations, I

ble. "If I offer no further opposition to your waiting for Miss Light's marriage," he said, "will you promise, meanwhile an

iod? What period?"

I have taken you away from her, that I suffer in every nerve

t his hand. "Do what you can!" His tone and his hand-shake

e production. Rowland, at the time it was finished, met Gloriani one evening, and this unscrupulous genius immediately began to

Rowland exclaimed. "My dear

her being queer! It is a

ns; it is

ness: a little demure, thin-lipped old lady, with her head on one sid

d judge for yourse

ther thing, the sort of thing they put into the campo

d to offer. But Gloriani, like a genuine connoisseur, cared nothing for his manners; he cared only for his skill. In the bust of Mrs. Hudson there was something almost touching; it was an exquisite example of a ruling sense of beauty. The poor lady's small, neat, timorous face had certainly no great character, but

he sculptor at last. "

ike it?" s

he added: "is he very fond of his mother; is he

s him," said Ro

o do that piece of work, oh, oh! I should be called a pretty lot of names. Charlatan, poseur, arrangeur! But he can do as he chooses! My dear young man

d Roderick curtly

you would n't keep it up. I

don-I won't!" r

so long as you turn out this sort of thing! I don't suppose it makes an

there; he saw them but once again. Poor Gloriani, he was sure, had never in his life spoken with less of irony; but to Roderick there was evidently a sense of mockery in his profession of faith. He

, and touched his forehe

uced simple; I do believe in him!" he said. "But I 'm glad I 'm not a genius. It makes," he added with a laugh,

but always separately, never together. They were apparently taking their happiness in the inexpressive manner proper to people of social eminence. Rowland continued to see Madame Grandoni, for whom he felt a confirmed affection. He had always talked to her with frankness, but now he made her a confidant of all his hidden dejection. Roderick and Roderick's concerns had been a common theme with him,

r, glanced round to se

ce? You would have saved me a great deal of trouble. And poor Augusta Blanchard too!" And herewith Madame Grandoni communicated a pertinent fact: Augusta Blanchard and Mr. Leavenworth were going to make a match. The young lady had been stayi

the sole view of picking up furniture for his 'home,' as he calls it, should think Miss Blanchard a very handsome piece; but it was not a matter of

le," said Rowland. "She never gav

rl did her best, and I am sure that when she

pleasure her marri

l, he 's richer than you, and she will have what she wants; but before I forgive you I must wait and see this new arriv

him, but that his exculpatory passion for Miss Garland was a figment of her

love with her. If you fail in this, it will be a double misdemeanor. The man she 's engag

trimonial shopping and dress-fitting; she had spoken of the event with a toss of her head, as a matter which, with a wise old friend who viewed things in their essence, she need not

in the way of advi

ould be sacred to her. Casamassima is an irreproachable young man; there is nothing against him but that he is a prince. It is not often, I fancy, that a prince has been put through his paces at this rate. No one knows the wedding-day; the cards of invitation have been printed half a dozen times over, with a different date; each time Christina has destroyed them. There are people in Rome who are

, that she has be

he key, might give her what she wanted! She sent for a priest; he happened to be a clever man, and he contrived to interest her. She put on a black dress and a black lace veil, and looking handsomer than

ion. "The girl is so deucedly dramatic," he said, "that I don't know what coup de theatre she may have in store for us. Such a stroke was her turning Catholic; such a stroke would be her some day mak

might elope with

pared for

an that he

hink that

in a virtuous person, it may be a merit in a vicious one. She needs to think well of herself; she knows a fine character, easily, when she meets one; she hates to suffer by comparison, even though the comparison is made by herself alone; and when the estimate she may have made of herself grow

tribute of a deeply meditative sigh. "She has bothered me half to death," he said, "but somehow I can'

pity her!" said

nd easy assembly, like all Madame Grandoni's parties, and in the course of the evening there was some excellent music. People played and sang for Madame Grandoni, on easy terms, who, elsewhere, were not to be heard for the asking. She was herself a superior musician, and singers found it a privilege to perform to her accompaniment. Rowland talked to various persons, but for the first time in his life his attention visibly wandered; he could not keep his eyes off Mary Garland. Madame Grandoni had said that he sometimes spoke of her as pretty and sometimes as plain; to-night, if he had had occasion to describe her appearance, he would have called her beautiful. She was dressed more than he had ever seen her; it was becoming, and gave her a deeper color and an ampler presence. Two or three persons were introduced to her who were apparently witty people, for she sat listening to them with her brilliant natural smile. Rowland, from an opposite corner, reflected that he had never varied in his appreciation of Miss Blanchard's classic contour, but that somehow, to-night, it impressed him hardly more than an effigy stamped upon a coin of low value. Roderick could not be accused of rancor, for he had approached Mr. Leavenworth with unstudied familiarity, and, lounging against the wall, with hands in pockets, was discoursing to him with candid serenity. Now that he had done him an impertinence, he evidently found him less intolerable. Mr. Lea

in an adjoining room, whe

lent cup," she said, "bec

slight deepening of his color; by all of which one would have known that he was gratif

e is a great deal there. I have taken a great fancy

d Rowland, slowly, "very

handsome, very subtle, and has read hundreds

turning to leave her, there rose above the hum of voices in the drawing-room the s

"The sorceress and her necromantic poodle!" An

r poodle, sitting on his haunches and gazing at the company, had apparently been expressing a sympathetic displeasure at the ab

've stumbled into the midst of it, I beg you 'll let me stay. I am not dressed, but am I very hideous? I will sit in a corner and no one will notice me. My dear, sweet lady, do let me stay. Pray, why did n't you ask me? I never have been to a little party like this. They must be very charming. No dancing-tea and conversation? No tea, thank you; but if you could spare a biscuit for Stenterello; a sweet biscuit, please. Really, why did n't you ask me? Do y

n't invite you, it was because you 're too grand. Your dress will do very well, with its fifty flounces, and there is no need of yo

other! Comme elle est proprette! And the other, the fiancee, of course she 's here. Ah, I see!" She paused; she was looking intently at Miss Garland. Rowland measured the intentness of her glance, and suddenly acquired a firm conviction. "I should like so much to know her!" she said, turning to Madame Grandoni. "She has a charming face; I am sure she 's an angel. I wish very much you would introduce me. No, on second thoughts, I had rather you did n't. I will speak to her bravely myself, as a friend of her cousin." Madame Grandoni and Rowland exchanged glances of baffled conjecture, and Christina flung off her burnous, crumpled it together, and, with uplifted finger, tossing it into a corner, gave it in charge to her poodle. He stationed himself upon it, on his haunches, with upright vigilance. Christina crossed the room with the step and smile of a ministering angel, and introduced herself to Mary Garland. She had once told Rowland that she would show him, some day, how gracious her manners could be; she was now redeeming her promise. Rowland, watching her, saw Mary Garland rise slowly, in response to her greeting, and look at her with serious deep-gazing eyes. The almost dramatic opposition of these two keenly interesting girls touched Rowland with a nameless apprehension, and after a moment he preferred to turn away. In doing so he noticed Roderick. The young sculptor was standing planted on the train of a lady's dress, gazing across at Chris

na. "I have taken an immense fancy

exclaimed p

ieve it," she said

hard to

y what I think of her, I should simply disgust her. She would be quite right; she has repose, and from that point of view I and my doings must seem monstrous. Unfortunately, I have n't repose. I am trembling now; if I could ask you to feel

lly thought handso

she 's wise, to look like that. She 'll not be thought pretty by people in general, and desecrated, as she passes, by the stare of every vile wretch who chooses to thrust his nose under

out soon!" said

to her. I met her the other day in Saint Peter's; I knew it

nd, "I did n't mean

her-not by name. You said but three words, but I saw you admired her, and I knew th

Rowland, "you make thr

on has also s

s better!"

w; he does n

land's lips before he could stay it, which

uld n't it? But I know it from my knowledge of him. He does n't like perfection; he is not bent

and the dog marched stiffly across to her. She gave a loving twist to his rose-colored top-knot, and bade him go and fe

like to be able to say it. She 's full of intelligence and courage and devotion. She does n't do me

hance," said Rowland, "I am sure sh

she can help it! Ask her what she thinks of me; see what she will say. I don't want to know; keep it to yourself. It 's too sad. So we go through life. It 's fatality-that 's what they call it, is n't it? We please the people we don't care for, we displease those we do! But I appreciate her, I do her justice; that 's the more important thing. It 's because I have imagination. She has none. Never mind; it 's her only fault. I do her justice; I understand very well." She kept softly murmuring and looking about for M

Grandoni. "She never looked so beautiful,

Rowland answered. "Bu

was it

d to see Miss Garland. Sh

w s

rick, ev

he wish to see

nows! I g

girl!" murmured

don't say that now. S

en! The be

ried Rowland, "

ther had left so few strangers in Rome that they had the place almost to themselves. Mrs. Hudson had confessed to an invincible fear of treading, even with the help of her son's arm, the polished marble floors, and was sitting patiently on a stool, with folded hands, looking shyly, here and there, at the undraped paganism around her. Roderick had sauntered off alone, with an irritated brow, which seem

e question, and he felt that sh

her!" she said

you think

said without petulance or bittern

e you; she tried," Rowla

She wished to

Rowland either to depreciate or to defend Christina, and he had to content himself with simply having verified the girl's own assurance that she had made a bad impression. He tried to talk of indifferent matters-about the statues and the frescoes; but to-day, plainly, aesthetic curiosity, with Miss Garland, had folded its wings. Curiosity of another sort had taken its place. Mary was longing, he was sure, to question him about Christina; but she found a d

ght," she asked, "do

that. But I have s

u like

I think I am

on the pavement. At this she l

he is u

her misf

mother, and she has had a

as silent. Then, "Is n't sh

you thi

hat men think! She is

nconte

beautiful

y number

utiful m

somet

enty of

ough, app

eives great

y tr

s to marry

they

admissions with a pregnant silence. "Poor Miss Light!" she said at last,

, but it may be said that when he read the inscription-Cavaliere Giuseppe Giacosa-his surprise declined. He had had an unform

iously serious; his little cold black eye had grown ardent, and he had left his ca

eptibly the fragrant weed, and then declared that, if his kind host would allow him, he would reserve it for consumption at another time. He apparently desired to intimate that the solemnity of his errand left him no breath for idle smoke-puffings. Rowland stayed himself, just in time, from an enthusiastic offer of a dozen more cigars, and, as he watched the Cavaliere stow his tre

service to Mrs. Light, I sh

expected to hear that the signora's trouble was of a nature that a loan of five thousand francs would assuage. But th

r!" crie

with his finger-tips. "I speak figurat

en it

s intense, inscrutable gaze. It seemed to Rowland that he detected in the polished depths of it a sort of fantastic gleam of irony or of triumph;

had not seen Mary, she would have let things stand. It was monstrous to suppose that she could have sacrificed so brilliant a fortune to a mere movement of jealousy, to a refined instinct of feminine deviltry, to a desire to frighten poor Mary from her security by again appearing in the field. Yet Rowland remembered his first impression

not sur

erything is possibl

s irony, but he waived response. "It was a magnificent marriage," he said,

d to be a very honorable

aps he 's blowing his brains out. He is the last of his house;

e takes of it?" Rowl

served Miss Light with attention," he said, "and this brings me to my errand. Mrs. Light has a high opin

daughter?

mething may yet be done, and that Christina will listen to

ss," Rowland objected. "I can't possibly, in such a ma

but intense reflection. Then looking up, "Unfortunately," he said

r!" Rowland gave himself the

r a moment that his dead complexion blanched. "Eh, signore, such as she is, the mother

circumstances thus indicated by the Cavaliere, but on the satisfaction he

hat Mrs. Light desires also to speak

, then, connected with th

He must be go

n order from the Pope to remo

. She would leave Rome to-morrow, but Christina will not budge. An ord

young lady," said Row

reasons, gave him more pleasure than the distressing use she made of it gave him pain. He was on the point of charging him with his in

s Light's great spir

g her great spirit, will ca

ant it!" s

liere, solemnly, "that heaven

e morrow at Casa Light, he shortly afterwards departed. He left Rowland revolving many things: Christina's magnanimity, Chri

which he had arranged with the two ladies from Northampton. Before going to

lay in her lap. At the window sat Miss Garland, who turned her intense regard upo

s the matter with my boy? If he is i

nowledge," said Rowland

not to see him for a week. If I could only g

oing to his room. What is the oc

arranged yesterday morning. In the evening he was to have dined with us. But he never came, a

rvara," they ran; "I have something else to do. This will occupy me perhaps f

good news." This explanation was not sincere; but he had not the courage not to offer it as a stop-gap. But he found h

er-to poor Mary? What have we done that he acts so strangely? It 's this wicked, infectious, heathenish place!" And the poor lady's suppressed m

that," said Miss Garland

ing at the floor, in meditation. After all, what had he to be ashamed of? For a moment he was on the point of making a clean breast of it, of crying out,

as he turned away he glanced again at Mary and saw that, though her eyes were full

en removed, the floor of speckled concrete was bare and lightly sprinkled with water. Here and there, over it, certain strongly perfumed flowers had been scattered. Roderick was lying on his divan in a white dressing-go

He was smelling a large white rose, and he continued to present it to his nose. In the darkness of the room he looked exceedingly pale, but his handsome eyes had an extraordinary brilliancy. He let them rest

d said, "have very naturally alarmed your mother. I

ay at present is a kindness." And he inhaled deeply his huge rose, lo

t? Pray

it strike you? You ought to agree with me. You wish me to spare her

"And it 's in honor of this piece of news th

t! I can't ge

eard your joyous news?-f

ght me by her maid, who i

s, then, is to a c

't want to offend the immortal gods. I 'm keeping very quiet, but I

d t

ess to me that when she threw overboard he

of a moment Rowland's response to this speec

envy you!" Roderick m

as taken it into her head that I have influence. I don't know to what extent

ith a lazy radiance in his eyes.

d tell her you are a

ou is that I can trust you. You 're

s and nursing your visions, and leaving your mo

n at least forbear to add insult to injury. I may be an arrant fool, but, for the moment, I have taken it into my head to be prod

your pleasure never grow les

gain, and sniffed at his r

ed the exuberance of her distress, but she was evidently in extreme tribulation, and she clutched Rowland by his two hands, as if, in the shipwreck of her hopes, he were her single floating spar

king his hands. "She 'll not heed us, no more than if we were a pair of

matter now. I have come here simply because you sent for me

and prayed, to have pushed and struggled, to have eaten the bread of bitterness, and all the rest of it, sir-and at the end of all things to find myself at this pass. It can't be, it 's too cruel, such things don't happen, the Lord don't allow it. I 'm a religious woman, sir, and the Lord knows all about me. With his own hand he had given me his reward! I would have lain down in the dust and let her walk over me; I would have given her the eyes out of my head, if she had taken a fancy to them. No, she 's a cruel, wicked, heartless, unnatural girl! I speak to you, Mr.

he room, and to see the Cavaliere sitting in a corner, like a majo

ou," Rowland said, "that if y

, Hudson! She did n't care a button for Hudson. I almost wish she did; then perhaps one might understand it. But she does n't

nce. I should like to say three words to Miss Light on my own account. But I must absolutel

to a vicious person? do you suppose I would sacrifice my precious child, little comfort as I have in her, to a man against whose character one word could be breathed? Casamassima is only too good, he 's a saint of saints, he 's stupidly good! There is n't such another in the length and breadth of Europe. What he has been through in this house, not a common peasant would endure. Christina has treated him as you would n't treat a dog. He has been insulted, outraged, persecuted! He has been driven hither and thither till he did n't know where he was. He has stood there where you stand-there, with his name and his millions and his devotion-as white as your handkerchief, with hot tears in his eyes, and me ready to go down on

est of Prince Casamassima himself I oug

observation. "Very good, sir," she said. "I 'm sorry your heart is not so tender as your conscience. My compliments to your conscience! It must give you great happiness. Heaven help me! Si

d with his usual deferential alacrity.

ecious. Heaven knows what that poor boy may be doing. If at this moment a clever woman sh

st extraordinary. There was a nameless force of anguish in it which seemed to grapple with the young man's

e drama that was going on before him. He looked from the Cavaliere to Mrs. Ligh

monstrance to Miss Light, you would, perhaps, do more for us than you know. You would save several persons a great pain.

upreme contortion of the mysterious obliquity of his life. All of a sudden, as he watched the Cavaliere, something occurred to him; it was something very odd, and it stayed his glance sudden

on Rowland's breast. "Do you wish to know the tru

aid. By this time he had ventured to glance at Mrs. Light. She was looking

ply, "we have something else

his muzzle lowered, in pompous defiance of the three conspirators against the comfort of his mistress. This young lady's claims for him seemed justified; he w

arefully upon what he says. I suppose you will admit that he is disinterested. In half an hour you shall

perceived that it had only changed its character, and that if it was a trifle less brilliant than usual, it was admirably touching and noble. The clouded light of her eyes, the magni

ng terms, and I was very glad to h

to help me, or

e to do the other. I came in great part to ask yo

sped in front of her; she separated them a

this if you had not

, "This is interesting!" she cried. "Let us have it out."

er my question,

But it 's a very clever one; so clever that i

at to myself, I was extreme

nd you are n

less a

But you can say so

mind, I would say that, face to face with

rch

lt last night. It seemed to me that you had consciously,

lliant smile covered her face, and she made a gesture of negation. "I see your train of reasoning, but it 's quite

candor. Rowland heard himse

er! I said to myself, 'She, in my place, would n't marry Casamassima.' I could not help saying it, and I said it so often that I found a kind of inspiration in it. I hated the idea of being worse than she-of doing somethi

iss Garland's character that y

g you. We are ta

affection fo

e two reasons; one, at least, I can tell you: her affection has no

is the oth

that is my

all at once. "I have promised your mother," he presently

a needs nothing that you can say for him. He

he extreme afflicti

dden ardor; "will you understand me? It was on the one side the world, the splendid, beautiful, powerful, interesting world. I know what that is; I have tasted of the cup, I know its sweetness. Ah, if I chose, if I let myself go, if I flung everything to the winds, the world and I would be famous friends! I know its merits, and I think, without vanity, it would see mine. You would see some fine things! I should like to be a princess, and I think I should be a very good one; I would play my part well. I am fond of luxury, I am fond of a great society, I am fond of being looked at. I am corrupt, corruptible, corruption! Ah, what a pity that could n't be, too! Mercy of Heaven!" There was

joined; "but I must nevertheless make an attempt to learn what all this

discuss with you minute

ry him if he w

s aske

he ask

arry no on

id Rowland, "h

f my rupture wi

g a great ho

re than I used to. Since you told me all that about him at Saint Cecilia's, I have felt a great friendship for him. There 's

wland, bitterly; "he i

at 's what he is. I a

that you had said that you d

ing else. I wish he were my brother, so that he could never talk to me of marriage. Then I could adore him. I would nurse him, I would wait on him and save him all disagreeable r

ver told hi

ve hundred things! If it would p

!" cried poor Rowl

und apparently little to reassure her, and she moved away with a passionate toss of her drapery. Rowland thought with horror of the sinister compulsion to which the young girl was to be subjected. In this ethereal flight of hers there was a certain painful effort and tension

f I had come to help you," he said. "If I knew ho

ou remember," she said, "your promising me six months ago to tell m

peech seemed a glimpse of the cloven foot. She had played her great scene, she had made her point, and now she had her eye at the hole in the

said, in a particular tone, an

festal evenings, through which the departing visitor passed before reaching the door. In one o

ing his arm. "Has she listene

owland begged, "leave the poor gir

ll me? I don't believe you said a proper word t

y with harsh lamentations and imprecations, and ended by telling him that her daughter was her property, not his, and that his interference was mos

is head in his hands, so buried in thought that Rowland had to call him before he roused hims

re responded by a long, melancholy sigh. "But her m

that it

sider that

ffer with M

be a grea

tragic shrug. "Eh! it

othing to make i

ve? It 's a magni

you appreciated the great elevation of Miss Light's attitude. She do

stood a moment with averted eyes. At las

the world. This one opposes Miss Light, the other ado

said, "and I don't pretend to understand you. But I hav

ight's, not mine,"

enace, at

s to recant, under penalty of having it fall. On the blade there is something w

ce. The Cavaliere looked at him blankly but intently, and Rowland

r Mrs. Light; I must go to my post. I wish you were a Catholic; I would beg you

s'? For

rate remember this: I

d away, and the Cavaliere went, as he said, to his post.