My
reward was his unreserved confidence, and the self-revelations and
troubles of a young man are almost as holy as those of a maiden.
Charlie had never fallen in love, but was anxious to do so on the
first opportunity; he believed in all things good and all things
honorable, but, at the same time, was curiously careful to let me
see that he knew his way about the world as befitted a bank clerk
on twenty-five shillings a week. He rhymed "dove" with "love"
and "moon" with "June," and devoutly believed that they had never
so been rhymed before. The long lame gaps in his plays he filled
up with hasty words of apology and description and swept on,
seeing all that he intended to do so clearly that he esteemed it
already done, and turned to me for applause.
I fancy that his mother did not encourage his aspirations, and I
know that his writing-table at home was the edge of his washstand.
This he told me almost at the outset of our acquaintance; when he
was ravaging my bookshelves, and a little before I was implored to
speak the truth as to his chances of "writing something really great,
you know.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193