The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-10
THE REAL THIN G.
DY HENRY JAME s.
cs,rteAl 1895. BY H~rv Jams.

Il WAS for the calculation OF . mystery In
ono OF those works that ! first tried Mrs
Monarch. Her husband came with her. to be
usoful II necessnry-it was sufficiently cloal
that a. a general thing he would prefer ia
como with her. At first wondered II this
wcro for "propricty's" sake-if no wore going
to be jealous and meddling. The idea was too
tiresome. and II It had boon confirmed It would
speedily have brought our acquaintance to
a close. But soon saw there was nothing
in It and that II he accompanied Mrs. Mon
arch It was lin addition to tho chance
OF bolng wantodl simply because no had
nothing else to do. When she was
away from him his occupation was gone
sho novor had been away from him. Judged.
rightly. that In their awkward situation their
close union was their main comfort and that
this union had no weak spot 1t was real
marriage. an encouragement to tho hesitat-
ing. nut for pessimists to crnck. Thor ad-
dress was humble II remember afterward
thinking It had boon tho only thing about
them that was really PROFESSIONAL and could
fancy tho iamentable lodgings In which the
Major would have been left alone. Ho could
bear thom with his wife. he couldn't bear them
without her
He had too much tact to try and make him
self agreeable when he couldn't be useful; so
he simply sat and waited. when I was too
absorbed In my work to talk. But I liked to
make him talk-it mado my work. when 1t
didn't interrupt II, loss sordid. less special.
To Listen to him was to combine tho excite
mont Of going out with the economy OF staying
ct homo. There was only one hindranco; that
] seemed not to know any OF the people he and
his wife had known think he wondered cx-
tromely. during the term Of our intercourse.
who tho deuce did know. He hadn't stray
sixpence OF an idea to tumble for; so
we didn't spin II very lne-we confined
ourselves to questions OF leather and
even OF liquor tsaddlers and breaches makers.
and how to get good claret cheap. and mat
tors like good trains and the habits Of small
game His lore on these last subjects was as
tonishing-he was u mixture OF the station
master and the ornithologist When he
couldn't talk about greater things he could
talk cheerfully about smaller. and. since I
couldn't accompany him into "reminiscences
Of the fashionable world. no could lower the
conversation without effort to my level.
30 earnest desire to please was ing
IN q man who could SO easily have Knocked
one down. He looked after the fire and had
an opinion on the draught OF the stove. with
out my asking him. and could see that he
thought many OF my ARRANGEMENTS not half
clever enough. remember telling him that
j
to come and teach me how to live. Sometimes
he gave random sigh. Of which the essence
was: Give mo even such a bare old barrack
as this and I'd do something with it!' When
wanted to use him he came alone-whtch was
an illustration Of the superior courage OF wo-
mel. His wife could bear her solitary second
floor. and she was IN general more discreet
showing by various small reserves that she
was alive to the propriety OF keeping our rela-
lions mark eddy professional-not letting them
slide into socability. She wished 1t to remain
clear that she and the Major were employed
not cultivated and IL she approved Of mo rs a
superior where I could he kept in my place.
she never thought me quite good enough for
IN equal
She sat with great intensity. giving the
whole Of her mind to 1t. and was capable Of re-
mAining for an hour almost as motionless as
II she were before a photographers lens.
could see abe had been photographed often.
but somehow the very habit that made her
good for that purpose untitled her for mine.
At fret was extremely pleased with her lady
like airs. and 1t was satisfaction. on coming
to !,llow her lines. to see how good they were
and how far they took one. But after few
times began to find her rather irritatingly
stifl: do what would with 1t my drawing
looked like photograph or copy OF a photo
sion-she herselfhad no sense Of variety. You
may say TINT this WAS my business. was
only question Of placing her. placed
her In every conceivable position. but
she managed to obliterate their differ
ances. She WAS always n lady. certainly.
and. into khe bargain. was always the same
lady. She was the real thing. but always the
sAme thing. There were moments when
was oppressed by the serenity OF her conf
dence that she was the real thing. All her deal
ings with me. and all her husbands. were an
Implication that this was lucky for me. Mean
while I found myself trying to invent types
that approached her own. instead Of making
her own transform itself-in the clever way
that was not impossible. for instance. to poor
Miss Churm. Arrange as I would and take
pictures came out too tall. landing me in the
dilemma OF having represented fascinating
woman as seven feet high. which. out OF re-
spect perhaps to my own scanter inches. was
far from my idea Of such parsonage.
The case was worse with the Major-nothing
could do would keep him down. so that he
became useful only for the representation OF
bsawny giants. I adored variety and range
cherished human accidents. the illustrative
note; wanted IN characterize closely. ind the
thing In tho world most hated was the dan
Ger OF being ridden oy type. had quarrelled
with some Of my friends about it, had parted
company with them for maintaining that ono
had TO be. and that II the type was beautiful
witness Raphael and Leonardo, the subsection
Was only gain. I was neither Leonardo nor
Raphael: was only a presumptuous young
modern searcher: I held that everything was
20 be sacrificed sooner than character. When
they sverred that the haunting type In ques-
tion might easily DO character; retorted. per-
Aaps specifically: "Whose~ 1t couldn't be
Ovsrybodys. It might end In being nobody's.
After had drawn Mrs. Monarch . dozen
umss I perceived moro clearly than before
that the value OF such model as Miss Churm
resided precisely 10 the fact that sho had no
positive stamp. combined OF course with the
other fact that what she did have was . curl
Gus and inexplicsble talent for imitation. Her
usual appearance was like . curtain. which
ehs could draw up. at request. for kind Of
regular performance. This performance was
simply suggestive; but 1t was word to tho
viso-it was vivid and pretty. Sometimes.
even. ! thought It, though she was plain her
sslG too insipidly pretty: made 1t o reproach
% her that the figures drawn from hor wore