Chapter VIII

           

           OnreadingoverwhatIhavewrittenoftheStricklands,Iamconsciousthattheymustseemshadowy.Ihavebeenabletoinvestthemwithnoneofthosecharacteristicswhichmakethepersonsofabookexistwithareallifeoftheirown;and,wonderingifthefaultismine,Irackmybrainstorememberidiosyncrasieswhichmightlendthemvividness.IfeelthatbydwellingonsometrickofspeechorsomequeerhabitIshouldbeabletogivethemasignificancepeculiartothemselves.Astheystandtheyarelikethefiguresinanoldtapestry;theydonotseparatethemselvesfromthebackground,andatadistanceseemtolosetheirpattern,sothatyouhavelittlebutapleasingpieceofcolour.Myonlyexcuseisthattheimpressiontheymadeonmewasnoother.Therewasjustthatshadowinessaboutthemwhichyoufindinpeoplewhoselivesarepartofthesocialorganism,sothattheyexistinitandbyitonly.Theyarelikecellsinthebody,essential,but,solongastheyremainhealthy,engulfedinthemomentouswhole.TheStricklandswereanaveragefamilyinthemiddleclass.Apleasant,hospitablewoman,withaharmlesscrazeforthesmalllionsofliterarysociety;aratherdullman,doinghisdutyinthatstateoflifeinwhichamercifulProvidencehadplacedhim;twonice-looking,healthychildren.Nothingcouldbemoreordinary.Idonotknowthattherewasanythingaboutthemtoexcitetheattentionofthecurious.

           WhenIreflectonallthathappenedlater,IaskmyselfifIwasthick-wittednottoseethattherewasinCharlesStricklandatleastsomethingoutofthecommon.Perhaps.

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