Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 1 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/69

 dozen from you, to be executed at your convenience. To help you I pay you in advance."

Roderick pushed off his hat and pressed his forehead, still gazing at his companion. "Upon my soul, you believe in me!" he cried at last.

"Allow me to explain," said Rowland. "I believe in you if you 're prepared to work and to wait and to struggle and to exercise a great many virtues. And then I 'm afraid to say it, to force it upon you, lest I should disturb you more than I should help you. You must decide for yourself. I simply offer you an opportunity."

Hudson, with his face intensely lighted, stood for some time profoundly meditative. "You 've not seen my other things," he said suddenly. "Come and look at them."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. We'll walk home. We'll settle the question."

He passed his hand through Rowland's arm and they retraced their steps. They reached the town and made their way along a broad country street, dusky with the shade of magnificent elms. Rowland felt his companion's arm tremble in his own. They stopped at a large white house flanked with melancholy hemlocks, and passed through a little front garden paved with moss-coated bricks, and ornamented with parterres enclosed in ragged box edges. The mansion had an air of antiquated dignity, but it had seen its best days and evidently sheltered a shrunken household. Mrs. Hudson, Rowland was sure, might be seen in the garden of 35