Evening star., 1896-12-19
Written for The Evening Star
Part I.

Part I.
When Mr. Tyndall Passy at last returned
to England. most of the people who had
once expected remarkable things or MIN
seemed quite to have forgotten that there
had ever been such a young man. He went
about London for a couple of days. calling
here and there at a house. only to find
former acquaintances out Of town or hv-
ing elsewhere. and looking In at clubs
where hall porters did not recognize the
names he pronounced.
Even abroad, his habit had been to avoid
large cities: this vast Indifferent London
BECAME in those two days a horror to his
nerves Against the depressing background
of Its crowded loneliness unpleasant visions
begaI. to define themselves. He Isd in his
pocket a little account book containing
proofs that it was very nearly tiln= for him
to be thinking of earning money: and
its columns of delicately inscribed figures,
which at the outset had barely :nIerested
him. started Up an evil trick of coming into
the foreground of his thoughts and display
ing themselves there with some devilish ef-
fect Of phosphorescence-
AT luncheon time on the third day 1t
dawned upon him that the gloom of his
mind had broken the heart of his appetite.
He looked at the bill of fare handed him by
the stranger who wore the livery of the
Applied Arts Club. and after minutes Ia
bored scrutiny lifted his head and glanced
about him. A score of members at other
tables were eating-undoubtedly eating as
II they enjoyed themselves The spectacle
surprised him, because-he verified the i'm
preston by another look at the card-the
viands set forth were nothing less than alb
senses He tried to think of something not
enumerated. some favored dish which
might be prepared to his order: but all
food revealed itself to his Interrogation as
an offense. A little shiver of vague alarm
caused him to push back his chair and half
rise to his feet.
Il think he began. intent upon justi-
flying himself to the waiter, and then stop
ped. newcomer had moved toward the
table, with the light of recognition on his
face and the beginnings of a gesture which
might mean a greeting. PaSsy intuitive4
completed his rising, and turned the words
on his lips without a hitch to new use.
Il think this is my old friend. Laurence
Mole" he said. with a strenuous geniality.
They shook hands warmly, and PaSsy who
hated having his hand squeezed. for the
once rather liked the effect of a powerful
and energetic grasp Even as he twisted
MS cramped fingers about to get the blood
back into them, he smiled gratefully into
Mole's face. My dear fellow, / can't tell
you--' he started, and then let another
smile. stin more beaming, finish his sem
tence for him. as the other obeyed his mute
invitation. and took the opposite chair.
Really. 1T was amazing to think how glad
he was to see Mole The recollection that
they had never been more than smoking
room acquaintance rose in his mind; he
even recalled that he had rather Stunned
Mole as commonplace and uninspired
creature. in the old ddys-but none the less
he welcomed him now a brother. 1t re-
quired an effort to keep utter Stiffness out
of the grin with which he continued to re-
gsrtl Mole's broad shoulders, and buoyant if
upillumined countenance. 1t came to him
that he had heard much of the money Mole
got for his landscapes. His soivency was
notorious among his fellow-artists. along
with his supreme unwillingness to have 1t
imposed upon To look at him. he was
more the strong stockbroker than the
painter. His linen. his cheerful chuckle,
the fine, hard surface of his carefully
shaven cheek and chin were badges of a
philiStine prosperity. 1t not to be for
gotten, too, that Mole never talked shop:
ere might meet him for years, and not
gather that he knew the difference between
cadmium and turpentine. Indeed his great
point that he didn't talk at all. He
listened superbly, though, with an ltnap-
proachable patience and show of interest,
and PaSsy felt suddenly that what he mad
wanted most of all was a listener
The tale spread for Mole's unhagging ears
was a long and diffuse one. He ate as he
listened with robust, matter-of-course
zest which greatly strengthened Passys
confidence A brain SO nouriShed and but
tressed with extra helpings and duplicated
portions must of necessity be serenely
steadfast and sensible; the ideal brain for
the adviser to an unemployed gentleman
with nerves. Passy scarcely noted that he
himself was now able to eat as we'll and to
drink freely of the old brown ale in cob
webbed bottles which Mole prescribed. He
set forth his case with eagerness, enforcing
its salient points with veined and ;iexibly
thin forefnger on the cloth.
Summarized. Passy's was the narrative of
large self-satisfaction. insidiously under
mined and at last brought down in ruins
by the burrowing of group of ambitions
at cross purposes with one another. There
had been at the outset a notable talent-he
thought of ii now fatal talent-for
appreciation His passion for music
swered across the deeps to his awed rever-
ence for architecture. His intuitive feeling
for the right thing in painting looked ask
ance at his delicate perception of sculp-
lures inmest significance. He commanded
the languages of armor. of block printing
of tapestries and fooled bindings and cary
ed oak: but when they spoke to him all al
orce the effect was confusion. The severe
and complicated charms of heraldry beck
o. ed him one way; the looser blaudish-
rents of mediaeval pottery appealed from
another quarter The Japanese thing had
laid a Fighter hand upon him than might
rave been predicted. but stained glass of
the Burgundian period bore down heavily
and the earlier schools of miniature paint
ing cried aloud to him. Treading roughly
on the heels of these antique lures. and of
ten elbowing them aside, for that matter
ard thrusting itself to the fore came that
grossly up-to-date affair amateur pho
tcgraphy- Passy had moments of deep
Shame IN ITS company-and yet-and vet
might II not prove after all the true friend
IN need? The others We're admittedly fl
mite; their fascination had been all ascer-
tanned and ticketed; the completed set of
ther tricks was to be found in catalogues
But who could tell what novel conouesis
the bronides and nitrates might not be re-
serving for the real Prince Charming
among connOisseurs?
The urshot of it is, then" said Mole. at
!ast, thdt between them all you don I
know which to pick
Yes. that seems to be It," Passy admit
TED They were in the members smoking
room now. and regarded each other from
the depths of big easy chairs before tn.
fire, what time they did not stare torpidIy
through their cigar haze at the Goals and
vacancy. Yes. that is precisely it, / must
ind profession among them somewhere
1t need not be extremely lucrative: / lool,
TO 1t for supplementary earnings not for
my whole income. 1t must be something
that gentleman can do; IL should prefer
aoly be connected with the arts"
Mole nodded refiectively. He spoke slow
ly. after silence. What you want, first
of ALL is a studio
Passy lifted his head. The dogmatism of
tone and remark impressed him, but he had
misgiviEgs. ''Of course that would come I'm
later" he assented: but is 1t really the
leading necessity? Ought / not first to set