The Argosy — page 381: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

358 My Saturdays. “ Herman,” I said, “I wonder that you go on with that business.” ‘*So do I,” he answered, contemplating the ceiling. ‘Tt is quite unsuited to your tastes.” ‘Cela va sans dire,” ‘Tt is not necessary for your support—or even comfort.” ‘* Not exactly.” ‘Tt is a disadvantage to you socially.” ‘“T am quite aware of that.” ‘Then why on earth don’t you give it up?” ** And instead, do—what?” ‘‘ Travel, study, live in Italy, or Algeria, or the Rocky Mountains, or everywhere by turns, take in impressions, absorb nature, and write at your leisure such poetry as you will never write while you are ~ oscillating between a Tamston villa and a London drysaltery.” He started up vehemently. ‘‘Howcan you!” hecried. ‘Don’t I know every turn and twist of that wretched, sneaking temptation? I am to give up my honest father’s honest business, because certain fools don’t think it genteel. Snobs! they are the worst of snobs, who sentimentalize about hearts under smock-frocks, but can’t see a man behind an apron, unless it be a bishop’s !” **T am sure you never wear an apron, Herman,” I put in. ‘Don’t you be too sure of it then, or your feelings might receive a shock if you ever came near my place at Nine Elms. But I beg your pardon for supposing that anything could ever bring you to so plebeian a neighbourhood.” ‘You are not fair to me, Herman. You know I am nota snob. But when most people have certain prejudices, why should you put yourself at a disadvantage unnecessarily.” ‘Tt is not unnecessarily. Of course I could sell the business, and have enough to live a lazy, self-indulgent, solitary life, as I chose. But my mother would not have what she has been used to—luxuries, no doubt ; but she would feel their loss now. My sisters would not have fortunes such as they have a right to expect. You know my poor father left every penny to me; I wish he hadn’t. A great many things that I have money for now would miss it, and one or two would come to grief.” ‘Things P” I said interrogatively. ‘'There’s a little hospital that couldn’t very well get on by itself, and some other things. And why should I give up the little good I can do, and the work I was born to, and disappoint my own family ? Why am I to do it?” he demanded, sitting up straight on the sofa. ‘IT am sure I don’t know,” I said, frightened by his vehemence into forgetting all the good reasons why he shou/d do it: “Yes; but you do know, and I know; I am to do it in order to dawdle, and lounge, and dream away my life, seeing pretty things, and calling it studying art; doing pleasant things, and calling it studying life; dozing with a cigar under the trees, and calling it studying Eomichbooks.co m