第8章

AsitchancedGodfreydidseeIsobeloncemorebeforeheleftEngland。

ItwasarrangedthathewastoleaveCharingCrossforSwitzerlandearlyonacertainWednesdaymorning。LateontheTuesdayafternoon，Mr。KnightbroughttheladtotheCharingCrossHotel。There，havingtakenhisticketandmadeallothernecessaryarrangements，helefthim，returninghimselftoEssexbytheeveningtrain。Theirfarewellwassomewhatdisconcerting，atanyratetothemindoftheyouth。

Hisfatherretiredwithhimtohisroomatthetopofthehotel，andthereadministeredacarefullypreparedlecturewhichtoucheduponeverypointoftheearnestChristian’sduty，endingupwithadmonitionsonthedangersoftheworld，theflesh，andthedevil，andastrongcautionagainstfrivolous，unbelievingandevil-disposedpersons，especiallysuchaswereyoung，good-lookingandworepetticoats。

“Woman，“saidMr。Knight，“isthegreatdangerofman。SheistheDevil’sfavouritebait，atleasttosomenaturesofwhichIfearyoursisone，thoughthatisstrange，asImaysaythatonthewholeIhavealwaysdislikedthesex，andImarriedforotherreasonsthanthosewhicharesupposedtobecommon。Woman，“hewenton，warmingtohistopic，“althoughallowedupontheworldasanecessaryevil，isapaintedsnare，fullof[hemeantbaitedwith]guile。Youwillrememberthatthefirstwoman，inherwickeddesiretomakehimasbadasherself，temptedAdamuntilheatetheapple，nodoubtunderthreatsofestrangingherselffromhimifhedidnot，andalltheresultsthatcamefromheriniquity，oneofwhichisthatmenhavehadtoworkhardeversince。“

HereGodfreyreflectedthattherewassomeonebehindwhotemptedthewoman，alsothatitisbettertoworkthantositinagardenineternalidleness，andlastly，thatadesireforknowledgeisnaturalandpraiseworthy。HadIsobelbeeninhisplaceshewouldhaveadvancedthesearguments，probablyinvigorousandpointedlanguage，but，havinglearntsomethingofAdam’slesson，hewaswiserandheldhistongue。

“Thereisthispeculiarityaboutwomen，“continuedhisparent，“whichIbegyoualwaystoremember。Itisthatwhenyouthinksheisdoingwhatyouwantandthatshelovesyou，youaredoingwhatshewantsandreallysheonlylovesherself。Thereforeyoumustneverpayattentiontohersoftwords，andespeciallybewareofhertearswhichareherstrongestweapongiventoherbythefatherofdeceittoenablehertomakefoolsofmen。Doyouunderstand？“

“Yes，“saidGodfrey，withhesitation，“but——“thisburstfromhiminvoluntarily，“but，Father，ifyouhavealwaysavoidedwomen，asyousay，howdoyouknowallthisaboutthem？“

ForamomentMr。Knightwasstaggered。Thenherosetotheoccasion。

“Iknowit，Godfrey，byobservingtheeffectoftheirartsonothers，asIhavedonefrequently。“

ApictureroseinGodfrey’smindofhisfatherwithhiseyetokeyholes，orpeeringthroughfenceswithwide-openears，butwiselyhedidnotpursuethesubject。

“Myson，“continuedandendedMr。Knight，“IhavewatchedyoucloselyandIamsurethatyourweaknessliesthisway。Womanisandalwayswillbethesinthatdothsoeasilybesetyou。EvenasachildyoulovedMrs。Parsonsmuchmorethanyoudidme，because，althougholdandunsightly，sheisstillfemale。Whenyouleftyourhomethismorningforthefirsttime，whowasitthatyougrievedtopartfrom？

Notyourcompanions，theotherboys，butMrs。Parsonsagain，whomI

foundyouembracinginthatfoolishfashion，yes，andminglingyourtearswithhers，ofwhichatyourageyoushouldbeashamed。IndeedI

believethatyoufeelbeingseparatedfromthatgarrulousperson，whoisbutaservant，morethanyoudofromme，yourfather。“

HerehewaitedforGodfrey’scontradiction，butasnonecame，wentonwithaddedacerbity：

“Ofthat/anguisinherba/，thatviper，Isobel，whoturnsthepuremilkoftheWordtopoisonandbitesthehandthatfedher，Iwillsaynothing，nothing，“(hereGodfreyreflectedthatIsobelwouldhavebeenbetterdescribedasalioninthepathratherthanasasnakeinthegrass)“exceptthatIrejoicethatyouaretobeseparatedfromher，andIstrictlyforbidanycommunicationbetweenyouandher，bold，godlessandrevolutionaryassheis。IhadratherseeanymanforwhosewelfareIcared，marriedtoavirtuousandpious-mindedhousemaid，thantothisyounglady，assheiscalled，withallherwealthandposition，whowouldeatouthissoulwithheracidunbeliefandturntheworldupsidedowntosatisfyherfancy。NowImustgoorIshallmissmytrain。Hereisapresentforyou，ofwhichIdirectyoutoreadachaptereveryday，“andheproducedoutofabrownpaperparcelalargeFrenchBible。“ItwillbothdoyougoodandimproveyourknowledgeoftheFrenchtongue。IespeciallycommendyourattentiontocertainversesinProverbsdealingwiththedangersonwhichIhavetouched，thatIhavemarkedwithabluepencil。Doyouhear？“

“Yes，Father。SolomonwroteProverbs，didn’the？“

“Itisbelievedsoandhiswide——experience——givesaspecialvaluetohiscounsel。Youwillwritetomeonceaweek，andwhenyouhavehadyourdinnergettobedatonce。Onnoaccountareyoutogooutintothestreets。Goodbye。“

ThenheplantedafrostykissuponGodfrey’sbrowanddeparted，leavingthatyouthfullofreflections，buttotellthetruth，somewhatrelieved。

ShortlyafterwardsGodfreydescendedtothecoffee-roomandatehisdinner。Hereitwasthattheuniversaltemptressagainstwhomhehadbeenwarnedsourgently，putinafirstappearanceinthepersonofapleasantandelderlyladywhowasseatedalongsideofhim。Notingthisgood-lookingandlonelylad，shebegantotalktohim，andbeingawomanoftheworld，soonknewallabouthim，hisname，whohewas，whitherhewasgoing，etc。WhenshefoundoutthatitwastoLucerne，orratheritsimmediateneighbourhood，shegrewquiteinterested，since，asithappened，she——hernamewasMissOgilvy——hadahousetherewhereshewasaccustomedtospendmostoftheyear。Indeed，shewasreturningbythesametrainthatGodfreywastotakeonthefollowingmorning。

“Weshallbetravellingcompanions，“shesaidwhenshehadexplainedallthis。

“Iamafraidnot，“heanswered，glancingatthemanyevidencesofwealthuponherperson。“Yousee，“headdedcolouring，“Iamgoingsecondandhavetospendaslittleaspossible。IndeedIhavebroughtsomefoodwithmeinabasketsothatIshallnotneedtobuyanymealsatthestations。“

MissOgilvywastouched，butlaughedthematteroffinhercharmingway，sayingthathewouldhavetobecarefulthattheCustom-houseofficersdidnotthinkhewassmugglingsomethinginhisbasket，andassheknewthemallmustlooktohertohelphimifhegotintodifficultiesonthejourney。Thenshewentonchattinganddrawinghimout，andwhatismore，madehimtakeseveralglassesofsomedeliciouswhitewineshewasdrinking。Itwasnotverystrongwine，butexceptforalittlesmallbeer，practicallyGodfreyhadbeenbroughtupasateetotallerforeconomy’ssake，anditwenttohishead。Hebecamerathereffusive；hetoldherofSirJohnBlakeaboutwhomsheseemedtoknoweverythingalready，andsomethingofhisfriendshipwithIsobel，who，headded，wascomingoutthatverynightatafancydressballinLondon。

“Iknow，“saidMissOgilvy，“atthedeLisles’inGrosvenorSquare。I

wasaskedtoit，butcouldnotgoasIamstartingto-morrow。“

Thensheroseandsaid“Good-night，“biddinghimbesurenottobelateforthetrain，asshewouldwanthimtohelpherwithherluggage。

Sooffshewentlookingverycharmingandgracious，althoughshewasoverforty，andleavingGodfreyquiteflatteredbyherattention。

Notknowingwhattodoheputonhishatand，walkingacrossthestationyard，tookhisstandbyagatewaypillarandwatchedthetideofLondonliferollby。Thereheremainedfornearlyanhour，sincethestrangesightfascinatedhimwhohadneverbeenintownbefore，theobjectofsomeattentionfromapoliceman，althoughofthishewasunaware。Alsosomeratheroddladiesspoketohimfromtimetotimewhichhethoughtkindofthem，althoughtheysmeltsopeculiarandseemedtohavepaintupontheirfaces。Inanswertotheinquiriesoftwoofthemastohishealthhetoldthemthathewasverywell。Alsoheagreedcordiallywithathirdastotheextremefinenessofthenight，andassuredafourththathehadnowishtotakeawalkashewasshortlygoingtobed，astatementwhichcausedhertobreakintouncalled-forlaughter。

Itwasatthispointthatthedoubtingpolicemansuggestedthatheshouldmoveon。

“Whereto？“askedGodfreyofthatofficerofthelaw。

“To’ellifyoulike，“hereplied。Thenstruckwithcuriosity，heinquired，“Wheredoyouwanttogoto？Thispillarain’taleaningpost。“

Godfreyconsideredthematterandsaidwiththeverveofslightintoxication：

“Onlytwoplacesappealtomeatpresent，heaven(nothellasyousuggested)，andGrosvenorSquare。Perhaps，however，theyarethesame；

atanyrate，thereisanangelinbothofthem。“

Thepolicemanstaredathimbutcouldfindnofaultwiththeperfectsobrietyofhisappearance。

“Youngluny，Isuspect，“hemutteredtohimself，thensaidaloud：

“Well，theStranddoesn’tleadto’eavensofarasIhavenoticed，rathert’otherwayindeed。ButifyouwantGrosvenorSquare，it’soverthere，“andhewavedhishandvaguelytowardsthewest。

“Thankyou，“saidGodfrey，takingoffhishatwithmuchpoliteness。

“Ifthatisso，IwillleaveheaventoitselfforthepresentandcontentmyselfwithGrosvenorSquare。“

Offhestartedinthedirectionindicated，and，asitseemedtohim，walkedformanymilesthroughalongandbewilderingseriesofbrilliantstreets，continuallyseekingnewinformationastohisgoal。

TheendofitwasthatataboutaquartertoelevenhefoundhimselfsomewhereintheneighbourhoodoftheEdgwareRoad，utterlystrandedasitwere，sincehismindseemedincapableofappreciatingfurtherindicationsoflocality。

“Lookhere，youngman，“saidabreezycostermongertowhomhehadappealed，“Ithinkyouhadbettertakea’ansomforthe’orsewillknowmoreaboutLondonthanyouseemtodo。There’sone’andy。“

“Thatisanidea，“saidGodfrey，andenteredthecab，givingtheaddressofGrosvenorSquare。