Етюд у багряних тонах
Our Advertisement brings a Visitor.
Hisquietself-confidentmannerconvincedmethathehadalreadyformedatheorywhichexplainedallthefacts,thoughwhatitwasIcouldnotforaninstantconjecture.
Hewasverylateinreturning—solate,thatIknewthattheconcertcouldnothavedetainedhimallthetime. Dinnerwasonthetablebeforeheappeared.
“Itwasmagnificent,”hesaid,ashetookhisseat. “DoyourememberwhatDarwinsaysaboutmusic? Heclaimsthatthepowerofproducingandappreciatingitexistedamongthehumanracelongbeforethepowerofspeechwasarrivedat. Perhapsthatiswhywearesosubtlyinfluencedbyit. Therearevaguememoriesinoursoulsofthosemistycenturieswhentheworldwasinitschildhood.”
“That’sratherabroadidea,”Iremarked.
“One’sideasmustbeasbroadasNatureiftheyaretointerpretNature,”heanswered. “What’sthematter? You’renotlookingquiteyourself. ThisBrixtonRoadaffairhasupsetyou.”
“Totellthetruth,ithas,”Isaid. “Ioughttobemorecase-hardenedaftermyAfghanexperiences. IsawmyowncomradeshackedtopiecesatMaiwandwithoutlosingmynerve.”
“Icanunderstand. Thereisamysteryaboutthiswhichstimulatestheimagination;wherethereisnoimaginationthereisnohorror. Haveyouseentheeveningpaper?”
“No.”
“Itgivesafairlygoodaccountoftheaffair. Itdoesnotmentionthefactthatwhenthemanwasraisedup,awoman’sweddingringfelluponthefloor.Itisjustaswellitdoesnot.”
“Why?”
“Lookatthisadvertisement,”heanswered. “Ihadonesenttoeverypaperthismorningimmediatelyaftertheaffair.”
