“Bellairs？”herepeated。“Notinthesaloon，Iamsure。Hemaybeinthesecondclass。Thelistsarenotmadeout，but——Hullo！
　　’HarryD。Bellairs？’Thatthename？He’sthererightenough。”
　　AndthenextmorningIsawhimontheforwarddeck，sittinginachair，abookinhishand，ashabbypumaskinrugabouthisknees：thepictureofrespectabledecay。Offandon，Ikepthiminmyeye。Hereadagooddeal，hestoodandlookeduponthesea，hetalkedoccasionallywithhisneighbours，andoncewhenachildfellhepickeditupandsoothedit。Idamnedhiminmyheart；thebook，whichIwassurehedidnotread——thesea，towhichIwasreadytotakeoathhewasindifferent——thechild，whomIwascertainhewouldaslievehavetossedoverboard——allseemedtomeelementsinatheatricalperformance；andI
　　madenodoubthewasalreadynosingafterthesecretsofhisfellow-passengers。Itooknopainstoconcealmyself，myscornforthecreaturebeingasstrongasmydisgust。Butheneverlookedmyway，anditwasnightbeforeIlearnedhehadobservedme。
　　Iwassmokingbytheengine-roomdoor，fortheairwasalittlesharp，whenavoiceroseclosebesidemeinthedarkness。
　　“Ibegyourpardon，Mr。Dodd。”itsaid。
　　“Thatyou，Bellairs？”Ireplied。
　　“Asingleword，sir。Yourpresenceonthisshiphasnoconnectionwithourinterview？”heasked。“Youhavenoidea，Mr。Dodd，ofreturninguponyourdetermination？”
　　“None。”saidI；andthen，seeinghestilllingered，Iwaspoliteenoughtoadd“Goodevening；“atwhichhesighedandwentaway。
　　Thenextday，hewasthereagainwiththechairandthepumaskin；readhisbookandlookedattheseawiththesameconstancy；andthoughtherewasnochildtobepickedup，I
　　observedhimtoattendrepeatedlyonasickwoman。Nothingfosterssuspicionliketheactofwatching；amanspieduponcanhardlyblowhisnosebutweaccusehimofdesigns；andI
　　tookanearlyopportunitytogoforwardandseethewomanformyself。Shewaspoor，elderly，andpainfullyplain；Istoodabashedatthesight，feltIowedBellairsamendsfortheinjusticeofmythoughts，andseeinghimstandingbytherailinhisusualattitudeofcontemplation，walkedupandaddressedhimbyname。
　　“Youseemveryfondofthesea。”saidI。
　　“Imayreallycallitapassion，Mr。Dodd。”hereplied。“Andthetallcataracthauntedmelikeapassion。”hequoted。“Ineverwearyofthesea，sir。Thisismyfirstoceanvoyage。Ifinditagloriousexperience。”Andoncemoremydisbarredlawyerdroppedintopoetry：“Rollon，thoudeepanddarkblueocean，roll！”
　　ThoughIhadlearnedthepieceinmyreading-bookatschool，I
　　cameintotheworldalittletoolateontheonehand——andI
　　daresayalittletooearlyontheother——tothinkmuchofByron；
　　andthesonorousverse，prodigiouslywelldelivered，struckmewithsurprise。
　　“Youarefondofpoetry，too？”Iasked。
　　“Iamagreatreader。”hereplied。“AtonetimeIhadbeguntoamassquiteasmallbutwellselectedlibrary；andwhenthatwasscattered，Istillmanagedtopreserveafewvolumes——
　　chieflyofpiecesdesignedforrecitation——whichhavebeenmytravellingcompanions。”
　　“Isthatoneofthem？”Iasked，pointingtothevolumeinhishand。
　　“No，sir。”hereplied，showingmeatranslationofthe_SorrowsofWerther_，“thatisanovelIpickedupsometimeago。Ithasaffordedmegreatpleasure，thoughimmoral。”
　　“O，immoral！”criedI，indignantasusualatanycomplicationofartandethics。
　　“Surelyyoucannotdenythat，sir——ifyouknowthebook。”hesaid。“Thepassionisillicit，althoughcertainlydrawnwithagooddealofpathos。Itisnotaworkonecouldpossiblyputintothehandsofalady；whichistoberegrettedonallaccounts，forIdonotknowhowitmaystrikeyou；butitseemstome——asadepiction，ifImakemyselfclear——torisehighaboveitscompeers——evenfamouscompeers。EveninScott，Dickens，Thackeray，orHawthorne，thesentimentofloveappearstometobefrequentlydonelessjusticeto。”
　　“Youareexpressingaverygeneralopinion。”saidI。
　　“Isthatso，indeed，sir？”heexclaimed，withunmistakableexcitement。“Isthebookwellknown？andwhowasGO-EATH？Iaminterestedinthat，becauseuponthetitle-pagetheusualinitialsareomitted，anditrunssimply’byGO-EATH。’Washeanauthorofdistinction？Hashewrittenotherworks？”
　　Suchwasourfirstinterview，thefirstofmany；andinallheshowedthesameattractivequalitiesanddefects。Histasteforliteraturewasnativeandunaffected；hissentimentality，althoughextremeandathoughtridiculous，wasplainlygenuine。Iwonderedatmyowninnocentwonder。IknewthatHomernodded，thatCaesarhadcompiledajest-book，thatTurnerlivedbypreferencethelifeofPuggyBooth，thatShelleymadepaperboats，andWordsworthworegreenspectacles！andwithallthismassofevidencebeforeme，IhadexpectedBellairstobeentirelyofonepiece，subduedtowhatheworkedin，aspyallthrough。AsIabominatedtheman’strade，soIhadexpectedtodetestthemanhimself；andbehold，Ilikedhim。
　　Poordevil！hewasessentiallyamanonwires，allsensibilityandtremor，brimfulofacheappoetry，notwithoutparts，quitewithoutcourage。Hisboldnesswasdespair；thegulfbehindhimthrusthimon；hewasoneofthosewhomightcommitamurderratherthanconfessthetheftofapostage-stamp。IwassurethathiscominginterviewwithCarthewrodehisimaginationlikeanightmare；whenthethoughtcrossedhismind，IusedtothinkIknewofit，andthatthequalmappearedinhisfacevisibly。Yethewouldneverflinch：necessitystalkingathisback，faminehisoldpursuertalkinginhisear；
　　andIusedtowonderwhetherImostadmired，ormostdespised，thisquiveringheroismforevil。Theimagethatoccurredtomeafterhisvisitwasjust；Ihadbeenbuttedbyalamb；andthephaseoflifethatIwasnowstudyingmightbecalledtheRevoltofaSheep。
　　Itcouldbesaidofhimthathehadlearnedinsorrowwhathetaughtinsong——orwrong；andhislifewasthatofoneofhisvictims。HewasborninthebackpartsoftheStateofNewYork；hisfatherafarmer，whobecamesubsequentlybankruptandwentWest。Thelawyerandmoney-lenderwhohadruinedthispoorfamilyseemstohaveconceivedintheendafeelingofremorse；heturnedthefatheroutindeed，butheoffered，incompensation，tochargehimselfwithoneofthesons：andHarry，thefifthchildandalreadysickly，waschosentobeleftbehind。Hemadehimselfusefulintheoffice；pickedupthescatteredrudimentsofaneducation；readrightandleft；
　　attendedanddebatedattheYoungMen’sChristianAssociation；andinallhisearlyyears，wasthemodelforagoodstory-book。Hislandlady’sdaughterwashisbane。Heshowedmeherphotograph；shewasabig，handsome，dashing，dressy，vulgarhussy，withoutcharacter，withouttenderness，withoutmind，andastheresultprovedwithoutvirtue。Thesicklyandtimidboywasinthehouse；hewashandy；whenshewasotherwiseunoccupied，sheusedandplayedwithhim：
　　RomeoandCressida；tillinthatdrearylifeofapoorboyinacountrytown，shegrewtobethelightofhisdaysandthesubjectofhisdreams。Heworkedhard，likeJacob，forawife；
　　hesurpassedhispatroninsharppractice；hewasmadeheadclerk；andthesamenight，encouragedbyahundredfreedoms，depressedbythesenseofhisyouthandhisinfirmities，heofferedmarriageandwasreceivedwithlaughter。Notayearhadpassed，beforehismaster，consciousofgrowinginfirmities，tookhimforapartner；heproposedagain；hewasaccepted；ledtwoyearsoftroubledmarriedlife；andawokeonemorningtofindhiswifehadrunawaywithadashingdrummer，andhadlefthimheavilyindebt。Thedebt，andnotthedrummer，wassupposedtobethecauseofthehegira；shehadconcealedherliabilities，theywereonthepointofburstingforth，shewaswearyofBellairs；andshetookthedrummerasshemighthavetakenacab。Theblowdisabledherhusband，hispartnerwasdead；hewasnowaloneinthebusiness，forwhichhewasnolongerfit；thedebtshamperedhim；bankruptcyfollowed；andhefledfromcitytocity，fallingdailyintolowerpractice。Itistobeconsideredthathehadbeentaught，andhadlearnedasadelightfulduty，akindofbusinesswhosehighestmeritistoescapethecommentariesofthebench：thatoftheusuriouslawyerinacountytown。Withthistraining，hewasnowshot，apennilessstranger，intothedeepergulfsofcities；andtheresultisscarceathingtobesurprisedat。
　　“Haveyouheardofyourwifeagain？”Iasked。
　　Hedisplayedapitifulagitation。“Iamafraidyouwillthinkillofme。”hesaid。
　　“Haveyoutakenherback？”Iasked。
　　“No，sir。ItrustIhavetoomuchself-respect。”heanswered，“and，atleast，Iwasnevertempted。Shewon’tcome，shedislikes，sheseemstohaveconceivedapositivedistasteforme，andyetIwasconsideredanindulgenthusband。”
　　“Youarestillinrelations，then？”Iasked。
　　“Iplacemyselfinyourhands，Mr。Dodd。”hereplied。“Theworldisveryhard；Ihavefounditbitterhardmyself——bitterhardtolive。Howmuchworseforawoman，andonewhohasplacedherselfbyherownmisconduct，Iamfarfromdenyingthatinsounfortunateaposition！”
　　“Inshort，yousupporther？”Isuggested。
　　“Icannotdenyit。Ipracticallydo。”headmitted。“Ithasbeenamill-stoneroundmyneck。ButIthinksheisgrateful。Youcanseeforyourself。”
　　Hehandedmealetterinasprawling，ignoranthand，butwrittenwithvioletinkonfine，pinkpaperwithamonogram。Itwasveryfoolishlyexpressed，andIthoughtexceptforafewobviouscajoleriesveryheartlessandgreedyinmeaning。Thewritersaidshehadbeensick，whichIdisbelieved；declaredthelastremittancewasallgoneindoctor’sbills，forwhichItookthelibertyofsubstitutingdress，drink，andmonograms；andprayedforanincrease，whichIcouldonlyhopehadbeendeniedher。
　　“Ithinksheisreallygrateful？”heasked，withsomeeagerness，asIreturnedit。
　　“Idaresay。”saidI。“Hassheanyclaimonyou？”
　　“Ono，sir。Idivorcedher。”hereplied。“Ihaveaverystrongsenseofself-respectinsuchmatters，andIdivorcedherimmediately。”
　　“Whatsortoflifeissheleadingnow？”Iasked。
　　“Iwillnotdeceiveyou，Mr。Dodd。Idonotknow，Imakeapointofnotknowing；itappearsmoredignified。Ihavebeenveryharshlycriticised。”headded，sighing。
　　ItwillbeseenthatIhadfallenintoanignominiousintimacywiththemanIhadgoneouttothwart。Mypityforthecreature，hisadmirationformyself，hispleasureinmysociety，whichwasclearlyunassumed，werethebondswithwhichI
　　wasfettered；perhapsIshouldadd，inhonesty，myownill-
　　regulatedinterestinthephasesoflifeandhumancharacter。
　　Thefactisatleastthatwespenthourstogetherdaily，andthatIwasnearlyasmuchontheforwarddeckasinthesaloon。YetallthewhileIcouldneverforgethewasashabbytrickster，embarkedthatverymomentinadirtyenterprise。Iusedtotellmyselfatfirstthatouracquaintancewasastrokeofart，andthatIwassomehowfortifyingCarthew。Itoldmyself，Isay；
　　butIwasnosuchfoolastobelieveit，eventhen。InthesecircumstancesIdisplayedthetwochiefqualitiesofmycharacteronthelargestscale——myhelplessnessandmyinstinctiveloveofprocrastination——andfelluponacourseofactionsoridiculousthatIblushwhenIrecallit。
　　WereachedLiverpooloneforenoon，therainfallingthicklyandinsidiouslyonthefilthytown。Ihadnoplans，beyondasensibleunwillingnesstoletmyrascalescape；andIendedbygoingtothesameinnwithhim，diningwithhim，walkingwithhiminthewetstreets，andhearingwithhiminapennygaffthatvenerablepiece，_TheTicket-of-LeaveMan_。Itwasoneofhisfirstvisitstoatheatre，againstwhichplacesofentertainmenthehadastrongprejudice；andhisinnocent，pompoustalk，innocentoldquotations，andinnocentreverenceforthecharacterofHawkshawdelightedmebeyondrelief。Incharitytomyself，Idwelluponandperhapsexaggeratemypleasures。Ihaveneedofallconceivableexcuses，whenI