Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 2 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/160

THE AMERICAN it upside down; he gave you all the strength of the liquor. He inspired Newman with something of the kindness our hero used to feel in his earlier years for those of his companions who could perform strange and clever tricks—make their joints crack in queer places or whistle at the back of their mouths. "My sister told me," he said, "that I ought to come and remove the impression I had taken such apparent pains to produce on you; the impression of my labouring under some temporary disorder. Did it strike you that what I said did n't make a sense?"

"Well, I thought I had never seen any one like you in real life," Newman returned. "Not in real quiet home life."

"Ah then Claire's right." And Count Valentin watched his host for a moment through his smoke-wreaths. "And yet even if it is the case I think we had better let it stand. I had no idea of putting you off by any violence of any kind; I wanted on the contrary to produce a favourable impression. Since I did nevertheless make a fool of myself I was perhaps luckily inspired, for I must n't seem to set up a claim for consistency which, in the sequel of our acquaintance, I may by no means justify. Set me down as a shocking trifler with intervals of high lucidity and even of extraordinary energy."

"Oh, I guess you know what you're about," said Newman.

"When I'm sane I'm very sane; that I admit," his guest returned. "But I did n't come here to talk about myself. I should like to ask you a few questions. You allow me?" 130