Gossamer

the twentieth time, the case of poor Ascher. Gorman had reminded me, as he often does, that I am incapable of understanding A

ighting for my country. But Gorman is wrong in his inference. I have no country, but I believe I can understand Ascher quite as well as Gorman does. Nor am I sure that I ought to be thankful for my immunity from the fever of patriotism. Ascher suffered sever

st. He wrote two stories which critics acclaimed, which are still remembered and even occasionally read. He might have risen to affluence as a dramatist. He was the author of one single-act play which made the fortune of a very charming actress ten years ago. He has made a name for himself as a journalist, and his articles are the chief glory of a leading weekly paper. But the business to whic

e actual men and women rather than in their affairs. No definition of the Irish people has yet been framed which would include me, though I am indubitably a person-I take "person" to be the singular of people which is a noun of multitude-and come of a family which held on to an Irish property for 300 years. My religion consists chiefly of a dislike of the Roman Catholic Church and an instinctive distrust of the priests of all churches. My fath

untry. But I understand Ascher as well as Gorman does; th

board a Cunard steamer

lly believe that I was likely to find out anything of value by stopping in an hotel at Montreal or travelling in a train to Vancouver. But I was tired of London and thought the trip might be pleasant. I went to Canada by way of New York, partly because the big Cunarders are comfortable steamers, partly because I find New York an agreeable city. I have several fr

ng and fussy. Mail bags, so I understand, are being put on board. Stewards, carrying cabin trunks, swarm in the corridors. Passengers wander restlessly about or hurry, with futile energy, from place to place. Pushing men hustle each other at the windows of the purser's office, under pretence of expecting letters or despatching telegrams. Women passengers eye other women passengers with suspicion and distrust. It is very interesting to notice how people who scowl at each other on the first day of a voyage exchange cards and promise to pay each other visits after six days as fellow travellers.

he bar. Experience has taught me that the smoking room, the most populous part of the ship during the voyage, is generally empty during the two hours before the start. I thought I should have the place to myself. I was half way through my cigar and had failed to decide whether the panel is a

s Digby?"

e. I admitted

nd saw you were on board. The purser told me you were

Irishman. There must be several thousand Gormans in Ireland and I could

twenty-five years ago. My father kept the only shop in Curraghbeg, and you used to come in and buy swe

cept a mild dislike. The House is now a nunnery, in better repair, but almost certainly more gauntly hideous than when I owned it. The village, I expect, is still as sordid as when I saw it last. I remembered Gorman's shop, a dirty little public house, where sacks of flour, tea and sugar candy were sold, as well as whisky and emigration tickets. I also remembered

ment, or for some time afterwards, connect the son of the ruffianly old pu

ning into you like this. Let

s to attract the atte

sh, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could. I do not suppose that it matter

ted kind. I realised that he was not a snob, that he was not trying to push himself on me for the sake of my position and title, the position of a disinherited Irish landlord and a title which, for all any one could tell by heari

d stood at

till in English waters. Or shall I say co

rule. I should, under the circumstances, have considered myself justified in breaking a temperance pledge, on the principle, once explained to me by an archdeacon, that

meals? I'll make arrangements with the steward and have a table reserved for us in the up

d again smiled in his fa

really does make a difference on these ships

which led me to agree to his proposal. I was captivated by his smile. Besides, I had not, so far as I knew, a single acquaintance among the passengers. I

I said. "Yo

ould get hold of a couple of other intere

put me in that select class. I could only hope that the other interesting people would re

the Ascher

mark opposite the name of Mr. Carl Ascher. Im

id. "Who is he? Has he d

perhaps you don't recognise him apart from the res

e, chiefly from London offices, a complicated kind of business which no ordinary man understand

care to dine with us-and he's probably a Jew-not

any man with a name like that can be. I expect he'll jump at the chance of fee

ce, but I do not share it. I shrank from

with him," I said

e thrown with a couple of stray men of whom she knew no

r music and pictures and literature and all that sort of thing, which may be boring. B

ormation about people whom he does not know. He was very nearly right abou

And I should like to do that. I've never had a chance before of being intimate with on

now what every kind of fellow really does. I want to have a long talk with a Parisian dressmaker, one of the men who settles what shape women are to be for the next six months

a millionaire is a very u

ances because there is always a

ood at the game and never play for high points. You would

king of bridge

of his brother. But we did not get to

nt on getting anything done, reminds me of a well-trained sporting dog. He ranges, quarters the ground in fron

pursued by all sorts of ordinary men. They develop, I suppose, a special cunning in avoiding capture, a cunning which t

reserved the nicest table in the upper saloon and secured the exclusive service of the best table steward in the ship. I think he had interviewed the head cook. I began to appreciate Gorman's qualities a

to luncheon. He is a genial soul. No churl would want to drink two glasses o

he matter out carefully I might have reached the conclusion that there must be or at one time have been a mother for every lift boy in the world. But Gorman did not reason. He si

he meals we had sent up to us-had a very strong personal affection for Gorman. I do not wonder. I am myself fond of Gorman now. So is Ascher. Mrs.