with　Morgan　…　quite　ideal　as　from　master　to　pupil　…　and　by　the
  simple　privilege　of　knowing　and　living　with　so　amazingly　gifted　a
  child；　than　whom　really　（and　she　meant　literally　what　she　said）
  there　was　no　better　company　in　Europe？　　Mrs。　Moreen　herself　took　to
  appealing　to　him　as　a　man　of　the　world；　she　said　〃Voyons；　mon
  cher；〃　and　〃My　dear　man；　look　here　now〃；　and　urged　him　to　be
  reasonable；　putting　it　before　him　that　it　was　truly　a　chance　for
  him。　　She　spoke　as　if；　according　as　he　SHOULD　be　reasonable；　he
  would　prove　himself　worthy　to　be　her　son's　tutor　and　of　the
  extraordinary　confidence　they　had　placed　in　him。
  After　all；　Pemberton　reflected；　it　was　only　a　difference　of　theory
  and　the　theory　didn't　matter　much。　　They　had　hitherto　gone　on　that
  of　remunerated；　as　now　they　would　go　on　that　of　gratuitous；
  service；　but　why　should　they　have　so　many　words　about　it？　　Mrs。
  Moreen　at　all　events　continued　to　be　convincing；　sitting　there　with
  her　fifty　francs　she　talked　and　reiterated；　as　women　reiterate；　and
  bored　and　irritated　him；　while　he　leaned　against　the　wall　with　his
  hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　wrapper；　drawing　it　together　round　his
  legs　and　looking　over　the　head　of　his　visitor　at　the　grey　negations
  of　his　window。　　She　wound　up　with　saying：　　〃You　see　I　bring　you　a
  definite　proposal。〃
  〃A　definite　proposal？〃
  〃To　make　our　relations　regular；　as　it　were　…　to　put　them　on　a
  comfortable　footing。〃
  〃I　see　…　it's　a　system；〃　said　Pemberton。　　〃A　kind　of　organised
  blackmail。〃
  Mrs。　Moreen　bounded　up；　which　was　exactly　what　he　wanted。　　〃What　do
  you　mean　by　that？〃
  〃You　practise　on　one's　fears　…　one's　fears　about　the　child　if　one
  should　go　away。〃
  〃And　pray　what　would　happen　to　him　in　that　event？〃　she　demanded；
  with　majesty。
  〃Why　he'd　be　alone　with　YOU。〃
  〃And　pray　with　whom　SHOULD　a　child　be　but　with　those　whom　he　loves
  most？〃
  〃If　you　think　that；　why　don't　you　dismiss　me？〃
  〃Do　you　pretend　he　loves　you　more　than　he　loves　US？〃　cried　Mrs。
  Moreen。
  〃I　think　he　ought　to。　　I　make　sacrifices　for　him。　　Though　I've
  heard　of　those　YOU　make　I　don't　see　them。〃
  Mrs。　Moreen　stared　a　moment；　then　with　emotion　she　grasped　her
  inmate's　hand。　　〃WILL　you　make　it　…　the　sacrifice？〃
  He　burst　out　laughing。　　〃I'll　see。　　I'll　do　what　I　can。　　I'll　stay
  a　little　longer。　　Your　calculation's　just　…　I　DO　hate　intensely　to
  give　him　up；　I'm　fond　of　him　and　he　thoroughly　interests　me；　in
  spite　of　the　inconvenience　I　suffer。　　You　know　my　situation
  perfectly。　　I　haven't　a　penny　in　the　world　and；　occupied　as　you　see
  me　with　Morgan；　am　unable　to　earn　money。〃
  Mrs。　Moreen　tapped　her　undressed　arm　with　her　folded　bank…note。
  〃Can't　you　write　articles？　　Can't　you　translate　as　I　do？〃
  〃I　don't　know　about　translating；　it's　wretchedly　paid。〃
  〃I'm　glad　to　earn　what　I　can；〃　said　Mrs。　Moreen　with　prodigious
  virtue。
  〃You　ought　to　tell　me　who　you　do　it　for。〃　　Pemberton　paused　a
  moment；　and　she　said　nothing；　so　he　added：　　〃I've　tried　to　turn　off
  some　little　sketches；　but　the　magazines　won't　have　them　…　they're
  declined　with　thanks。〃
  〃You　see　then　you're　not　such　a　phoenix；〃　his　visitor　pointedly
  smiled　…　〃to　pretend　to　abilities　you're　sacrificing　for　our　sake。〃
  〃I　haven't　time　to　do　things　properly；〃　he　ruefully　went　on。　　Then
  as　it　came　over　him　that　he　was　almost　abjectly　good…natured　to
  give　these　explanations　he　added：　　〃If　I　stay　on　longer　it　must　be
  on　one　condition　…　that　Morgan　shall　know　distinctly　on　what
  footing　I　am。〃
  Mrs。　Moreen　demurred。　　〃Surely　you　don't　want　to　show　off　to　a
  child？〃
  〃To　show　YOU　off；　do　you　mean？〃
  Again　she　cast　about；　but　this　time　it　was　to　produce　a　still　finer
  flower。　　〃And　YOU　talk　of　blackmail！〃
  〃You　can　easily　prevent　it；〃　said　Pemberton。
  〃And　YOU　talk　of　practising　on　fears；〃　she　bravely　pushed　on。
  〃Yes；　there's　no　doubt　I'm　a　great　scoundrel。〃
  His　patroness　met　his　eyes　…　it　was　clear　she　was　in　straits。　　Then
  she　thrust　out　her　money　at　him。　　〃Mr。　Moreen　desired　me　to　give
  you　this　on　account。〃
  〃I'm　much　obliged　to　Mr。　Moreen；　but　we　HAVE　no　account。〃
  〃You　won't　take　it？〃
  〃That　leaves　me　more　free；〃　said　Pemberton。
  〃To　poison　my　darling's　mind？〃　groaned　Mrs。　Moreen。
  〃Oh　your　darling's　mind　…！〃　the　young　man　laughed。
  She　fixed　him　a　moment；　and　he　thought　she　was　going　to　break　out
  tormentedly；　pleadingly：　　〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me　what　IS　in　it！〃
  But　she　checked　this　impulse　…　another　was　stronger。　　She　pocketed
  the　money　…　the　crudity　of　the　alternative　was　comical　…　and　swept
  out　of　the　room　with　the　desperate　concession：　　〃You　may　tell　him
  any　horror　you　like！〃
  CHAPTER　VI
  A　couple　of　days　after　this；　during　which　he　had　failed　to　profit
  by　so　free　a　permission；　he　had　been　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour
  walking　with　his　charge　in　silence　when　the　boy　became　sociable
  again　with　the　remark：　　〃I'll　tell　you　how　I　know　it；　I　know　it
  through　Zenobie。〃
  〃Zenobie？　　Who　in　the　world　is　SHE？〃
  〃A　nurse　I　used　to　have　…　ever　so　many　years　ago。　　A　charming
  woman。　　I　liked　her　awfully；　and　she　liked　me。〃
  〃There's　no　accounting　for　tastes。　　What　is　it　you　know　through
  her？〃
  〃Why　what　their　idea　is。　　She　went　away　because　they　didn't　fork
  out。　　She　did　like　me　awfully；　and　she　stayed　two　years。　　She　told
  me　all　about　it　…　that　at　last　she　could　never　get　her　wages。　　As
  soon　as　they　saw　how　much　she　liked　me　they　stopped　giving　her
  anything。　　They　thought　she'd　stay　for　nothing　…　just　BECAUSE；
  don't　you　know？〃　　And　Morgan　had　a　queer　little　conscious　lucid
  look。　　〃She　did　stay　ever　so　long　…　as　long　an　she　could。　　She　was
  only　a　poor　girl。　　She　used　to　send　money　to　her　mother。　　At　last
  she　couldn't　afford　it　any　longer；　and　went　away　in　a　fearful　rage
  one　night　…　I　mean　of　course　in　a　rage　against　THEM。　　She　cried
  over　me　tremendously；　she　hugged　me　nearly　to　death。　　She　told　me
  all　about　it；〃　the　boy　repeated。　　〃She　told　me　it　was　their　idea。
  So　I　guessed；　ever　so　long　ago；　that　they　have　had　the　same　idea
  with　you。〃
  〃Zenobie　was　very　sharp；〃　said　Pemberton。　　〃And　she　made　you　so。〃
  〃Oh　that　wasn't　Zenobie；　that　was　nature。　　And　experience！〃　Morgan
  laughed。
  〃Well；　Zenobie　was　a　part　of　your　experience。〃
  〃Certainly　I　was　a　part　of　hers；　poor　dear！〃　the　boy　wisely　sighed。
  〃And　I'm　part　of　yours。〃
  〃A　very　important　part。　　But　I　don't　see　how　you　know　that　I've
  been　treated　like　Zenobie。〃
  〃Do　you　take　me　for　the　biggest　dunce　you've　known？〃　Morgan　asked。
  〃Haven't　I　been　conscious　of　what　we've　been　through　together？〃
  〃What　we've　been　through？〃
  〃Our　privations　…　our　dark　days。〃
  〃Oh　our　days　have　been　bright　enough。〃
  Morgan　went　on　in　silence　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　said：　　〃My　dear
  chap；　you're　a　hero！〃
  〃Well；　you're　another！〃　Pemberton　retorted。
  〃No　I'm　not；　but　I　ain't　a　baby。　　I　won't　stand　it　any　longer。　　You
  must　get　some　occupation　that　pays。　　I'm　ashamed；　I'm　ashamed！〃
  quavered　the　boy　with　a　ring　of　passion；　like　some　high　silver　note
  from　a　small　cathedral　cloister；　that　deeply　touched　his　friend。
  〃We　ought　to　go　off　and　live　somewhere　together；〃　the　young　man
  said。
  〃I'll　go　like　a　shot　if　you'll　take　me。〃
  〃I'd　get　some　work　that　would　keep　us　both　afloat；〃　Pemberton
  continued。
  〃So　would　I。　　Why　shouldn't　I　work？　　I　ain't　such　a　beastly　little
  muff　as　that　comes　to。〃
  〃The　difficulty　is　that　your　parents　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　　They'd
  never　part　with　you；　they　worship　the　ground　you　tread　on。　　Don't
  you　see　the　proof　of　it？〃　Pemberton　developed。　　〃They　don't　dislike
  me；　they　wish　me　no　harm；　they're　very　amiable　people；　but　they're
  perfectly　ready　to　expose　me　to　any　awkwardness　in　life　for　your
  sake。〃
  The　silence　in　which　Morgan　received　his　fond　sophistry　struck
  Pemberton　somehow　as　expressive。　　After　a　moment　the　child
  repeated：　　〃You　are　a　hero！〃　　Then　he　added：　　〃They　leave　me　with
  you　altogether。　　You've　all　the　responsibility。　　They　put　me　off　on
  you　from　morning　till　night。　　Why　then　should　they　object　to　my
  taking　up　with　you　completely？　　I'd　help　you。〃
  〃They're　not　particularly　keen　about　my　being　helped；　and　they
  delight　in　thinking　of　you　as　THEIRS。　　They're　tremendously　proud
  of　you。〃
  〃I'm　not　proud　of　THEM。　　But　you　know　that；〃　Morgan　returned。
  〃Except　for　the　little　matter　we　speak　of　they're　charming　people；〃
  said　Pemberton；　not　taking　up　the　point　made　for　his　intelligence；
  but　wondering　greatly　at　the　boy's　own；　and　especially　at　this
  fresh　reminder　of　something　he　had　been　conscious　of　from　the　first
  …　the　strangest　thing　in　his　friend's　large　little　composition；　a
  temper；　a　sensibility；　even　a　private　ideal；　which　made　him　as
  privately　disown　the　stuff　his　people　were　made　of。　　Morgan　had　in
  secret　a　small　loftiness　which　made　him　acute　ab