influence　of　moral　force　and　the　movement　for　the　higher
  education　of　women？〃
  〃By　your　own　admission；　the　fault　seems　to　lie　upon　your　moral
  training　and　not　upon　hers。〃
  〃The　fault　was　in　the　conditions　of　our　association。　Why　they
  should　have　attracted　me　so　strongly　at　first；　and　repelled　me　so
  horribly　afterwards；　is　one　of　those　devil's　riddles　which　will
  not　be　answered　until　we　shall　have　traced　all　the　yet
  unsuspected　reactions　of　our　inveterate　dishonesty。　But　I　am
  wasting　your　time；　I　fear。　You　sent　for　Smilash；　and　I　have
  responded　by　practically　annihilating　him。　In　public；　however；
  you　must　still　bear　with　his　antics。　One　moment　more。　I　had
  forgotten　to　ask　you　whether　you　are　interested　in　the　shepherd
  whose　wife　you　sheltered　on　the　night　of　the　storm？〃
  〃He　assured　me；　before　he　took　his　wife　away；　that　he　was
  comfortably　settled　in　a　lodging　in　Lyvern。〃
  〃Yes。　Very　comfortably　settled　indeed。　For　half…a…crown　a　week　he
  obtained　permission　to　share　a　spacious　drawing…room　with　two
  other　families　in　a　ten…roomed　house　in　not　much　better　repair
  than　his　blown…down　hovel。　This　house　yields　to　its　landlord　over
  two　hundred　a　year；　or　rather　more　than　the　rent　of　a　commodious
  mansion　in　South　Kensington。　It　is　a　troublesome　rent　to　collect；
  but　on　the　other　hand　there　is　no　expenditure　for　repairs　or
  sanitation；　which　are　not　considered　necessary　in　tenement
  houses。　Our　friend　has　to　walk　three　miles　to　his　work　and　three
  miles　back。　Exercise　is　a　capital　thing　for　a　student　or　a　city
  clerk；　but　to　a　shepherd　who　has　been　in　the　fields　all　day；　a
  long　walk　at　the　end　of　his　work　is　somewhat　too　much　of　a　good
  thing。　He　begged　for　an　increase　of　wages　to　compensate　him　for
  the　loss　of　the　hut；　but　Sir　John　pointed　out　to　him　that　if　he
  was　not　satisfied　his　place　could　be　easily　filled　by　less
  exorbitant　shepherds。　Sir　John　even　condescended　to　explain　that
  the　laws　of　political　economy　bind　employers　to　buy　labor　in　the
  cheapest　market；　and　our　poor　friend；　just　as　ignorant　of
  economics　as　Sir　John；　of　course　did　not　know　that　this　was
  untrue。　However；　as　labor　is　actually　so　purchased　everywhere
  except　in　Downing　Street　and　a　few　other　privileged　spots；　I
  suggested　that　our　friend　should　go　to　some　place　where　his
  market　price　would　be　higher　than　in　merry　England。　He　was
  willing　enough　to　do　so；　but　unable　from　want　of　means。　So　I　lent
  him　a　trifle；　and　now　he　is　on　his　way　to　Australia。　Workmen　are
  the　geese　that　lay　the　golden　eggs；　but　they　fly　away　sometimes。
  I　hear　a　gong　sounding；　to　remind　me　of　the　fight　of　time　and　the
  value　of　your　share　of　it。　Good…morning！〃
  Miss　Wilson　was　suddenly　moved　not　to　let　him　go　without　an
  appeal　to　his　better　nature。　〃Mr。　Trefusis；〃　she　said；　〃excuse
  me；　but　are　you　not；　in　your　generosity　to　others　a　little
  forgetful　of　your　duty　to　yourself；　and〃
  〃The　first　and　hardest　of　all　duties！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　beg　your
  pardon　for　interrupting　you。　It　was　only　to　plead　guilty。〃
  〃I　cannot　admit　that　it　is　the　first　of　all　duties；　but　it　is
  sometimes　perhaps　the　hardest；　as　you　say。　Still；　you　could
  surely　do　yourself　more　justice　without　any　great　effort。　If　you
  wish　to　live　humbly；　you　can　do　so　without　pretending　to　be　an
  uneducated　man　and　without　taking　an　irritating　and　absurd　name。
  Why　on　earth　do　you　call　yourself　Smilash？〃
  〃I　confess　that　the　name　has　been　a　failure。　I　took　great　pains；
  in　constructing　it；　to　secure　a　pleasant　impression。　It　is　not　a
  mere　invention；　but　a　compound　of　the　words　smile　and　eyelash。　A
  smile　suggests　good　humor；　eyelashes　soften　the　expression　and
  are　the　only　features　that　never　blemish　a　face。　Hence　Smilash　is
  a　sound　that　should　cheer　and　propitiate。　Yet　it　exasperates。　It
  is　really　very　odd　that　it　should　have　that　effect；　unless　it　is
  that　it　raises　expectations　which　I　am　unable　to　satisfy。〃
  Miss　Wilson　looked　at　him　doubtfully。　He　remained　perfectly
  grave。　There　was　a　pause。　Then；　as　if　she　had　made　up　her　mind　to
  be　offended；　she　said；　〃Good…morning；〃　shortly。
  〃Good…morning；　Miss　Wilson。　The　son　of　a　millionaire；　like　the
  son　of　a　king；　is　seldom　free　from　mental　disease。　I　am　just　mad
  enough　to　be　a　mountebank。　If　I　were　a　little　madder；　I　should
  perhaps　really　believe　myself　Smilash　instead　of　merely　acting
  him。　Whether　you　ask　me　to　forget　myself　for　a　moment；　or　to
  remember　myself　for　a　moment；　I　reply　that　I　am　the　son　of　my
  father；　and　cannot。　With　my　egotism；　my　charlatanry；　my　tongue；
  and　my　habit　of　having　my　own　way；　I　am　fit　for　no　calling　but
  that　of　saviour　of　mankindjust　of　the　sort　they　like。〃　After　an
  impressive　pause　he　turned　slowly　and　left　the　room。
  〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　as　he　crossed　the　landing；　〃whether；　by
  judiciously　losing　my　way；　I　can　catch　a　glimpse　of　that　girl　who
  is　like　a　golden　idol？〃
  Downstairs；　on　his　way　to　the　door；　he　saw　Agatha　coming　towards
  him；　occupied　with　a　book　which　she　was　tossing　up　to　the　ceiling
  and　catching。　Her　melancholy　expression；　habitual　in　her　lonely
  moments；　showed　that　she　was　not　amusing　herself；　but　giving　vent
  to　her　restlessness。　As　her　gaze　travelled　upward；　following　the
  flight　of　the　volume；　it　was　arrested　by　Smilash。　The　book　fell
  to　the　floor。　He　picked　it　up　and　handed　it　to　her；　saying：
  〃And；　in　good　time；　here　is　the　golden　idol！〃
  〃What？〃　said　Agatha；　confused。
  〃I　call　you　the　golden　idol；〃　he　said。　〃When　we　are　apart　I
  always　imagine　your　face　as　a　face　of　gold；　with　eyes　and　teeth
  of　bdellium；　or　chalcedony；　or　agate；　or　any　wonderful　unknown
  stones　of　appropriate　colors。〃
  Agatha；　witless　and　dumb；　could　only　look　down　deprecatingly。
  〃You　think　you　ought　to　be　angry　with　me；　and　you　do　not　know
  exactly　how　to　make　me　feel　that　you　are　so。　Is　that　it？〃
  〃No。　Quite　the　contrary。　At　leastI　mean　that　you　are　wrong。　I
  am　the　most　commonplace　person　you　can　imagineif　you　only　knew。
  No　matter　what　I　may　look；　I　mean。〃
  〃How　do　you　know　that　you　are　commonplace？〃
  〃Of　course　I　know；〃　said　Agatha；　her　eyes　wandering　uneasily。
  〃Of　course　you　do　not　know；　you　cannot　see　yourself　as　others　see
  you。　For　instance；　you　have　never　thought　of　yourself　as　a　golden
  idol。〃
  〃But　that　is　absurd。　You　are　quite　mistaken　about　me。〃
  〃Perhaps　so。　I　know；　however；　that　your　face　is　not　really　made
  of　gold　and　that　it　has　not　the　same　charm　for　you　that　it　has
  for　othersfor　me。〃
  〃I　must　go；〃　said　Agatha；　suddenly　in　haste。
  〃When　shall　we　meet　again？〃
  〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　with　a　growing　sense　of　alarm。　〃I
  really　must　go。〃
  〃Believe　me；　your　hurry　is　only　imaginary。　Do　you　fancy　that　you
  are　behaving　in　a　manner　quite　ubdued　ardor　that　affected　Agatha
  strangely。　〃But　first　tell　me　whether　it　is　new　to　you　or　not。〃
  〃It　is　not　an　emotion　at　all。　I　did　not　say　that　it　was。〃
  〃Do　not　be　afraid　of　it。　It　is　only　being　alone　with　a　man　whom
  you　have　bewitched。　You　would　be　mistress　of　the　situation　if　you
  only　knew　how　to　manage　a　lover。　It　is　far　easier　than　managing　a
  horse；　or　skating；　or　playing　the　piano；　or　half　a　dozen　other
  feats　of　which　you　think　nothing。〃
  Agatha　colored　and　raised　her　head。
  〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said；　interrupting　the　action。　〃I　am　trying　to
  offend　you　in　order　to　save　myself　from　falling　in　love　with　you；
  and　I　have　not　the　heart　to　let　myself　succeed。　On　your　life；　do
  not　listen　to　me　or　believe　me。　I　have　no　right　to　say　these
  things　to　you。　Some　fiend　enters　into　me　when　I　am　at　your　side。
  You　should　wear　a　veil；　Agatha。〃
  She　blushed；　and　stood　burning　and　tingling；　her　presence　of　mind
  gone；　and　her　chief　sensation　one　of　relief　to　hearfor　she　did
  not　dare　to　seethat　he　was　departing。　Her　　consciousness　was　in
  a　delicious　confusion；　with　the　one　definite　thought　in　it　that
  she　had　won　her　lover　at　last。　The　tone　of　Trefusis's　voice；　rich
  with　truth　and　earnestness；　his　quick　insight；　and　his　passionate
  warning　to　her　not　to　heed　him；　convinced　her　that　she　had
  entered　into　a　relation　destined　to　influence　her　whole　life。
  〃And　yet；〃　she　said　remorsefully；　〃I　cannot　love　him　as　he　loves
  me。　I　am　selfish；　cold；　calculating；　worldly；　and　have　doubted
  until　now　whether　such　a　thing　as　love　really　existed。　If　I　could
  only　love　him　recklessly　and　wholly；　as　he　loves　me！〃
  Smilash　was　also　soliloquizing　as　he　went　on　his　way。
  〃Now　I　have　made　the　poor　childwho　was　so　anxious　that　I　should
  not　mistake　her　for　a　supernaturally　gifted　and　lovely　woman　as
  happy　as　an　angel；　and　so　is　that　fine　girl　whom　they　call　Jane
  Carpenter。　I　hope　they　won't　exchange　confidences　on　the
  subject。〃
  CHAPTER　VIII
  Mrs。　Trefusis　found　her　parents　so　unsympathetic　on　the　subject
  of　her　marriage　that　she　left　their　house　shortly　after　her　visit
  to　Lyvern；　and　went　to　reside　with　a　hospitable　friend。　Unable　to
  remain　silent　upon　the　matter　constantly　in　her　thoughts；　she
  discussed　her　husband's　flight　with　this　friend；　and　elicited　an
  opinion　that　the　behavior　of　Trefusis　was　scandalous　and　wicked。
  Henrietta　could　not　bear　this；　and　sought　shelter　with　a
  relative。　The　same　discussion　arising；　the　relative　said：
  〃Well；　Hetty；　if　I　am　to　speak　candidly；　I　must　say　that　I　have
  known　Sidney　Tref