He lighted every
one's lamp at the flame of his own implicit faith.
These ladies and gentlemen put very plainly before him the business side of
his profession. Their conversation was all of agents, publishers, the sums
that one of their number obtained and how lucky to get so much so soon,
and the sums that another of their number did not obtain and what a shame
it was that such good work was rewarded by so little. It was all--this
conversation--in the most generous strain. Jealousy never raised its head.
They read--these precious people--the works of one another with an eager
praise and a tender condemnation delightful to see. It was a warm bustling
society that received Peter.
These tea-parties and fireside discussions had not, perhaps, been always
so friendly and large-hearted but in the time when Peter first encountered
them they were influenced and moulded by a very remarkable woman--a
woman who succeeded in combining humour, common sense and imagination in
admirably adjusted qualities. Her humour made her tolerant, her common
sense made her wise, and her imagination made her tender--her name was Mrs.
Launce.
She was short and broad, with large blue eyes that always, if one watched
them, showed her thoughts and dispositions. Some people make of their faces
a disguise, others use them as a revelation--the result to the observer
is very much the same in either case.
Pages:
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389