Page:The Tragic Muse (London & New York, Macmillan & Co., 1890), Volume 2.djvu/111

Rh portrait of Rachel; after which she demanded: "Doesn't such a woman as that receive—receive every one?"

"Every one who goes to see her, no doubt."

"And who goes?"

"Lots of men—clever men, eminent men."

"Ah, what a charming life! Then doesn't she go out?"

"Not what we Philistines mean by that—not into society, never. She never enters a lady's drawing-room."

"How strange, when one's as distinguished as that; except that she must escape a lot of stupidities and corvées. Then where does she learn such manners?"

"She teaches manners, à ses heures: she doesn't need to learn them."

"Oh, she has given me ideas! But in London actresses go into society," Miriam continued.

"Oh, in London nous mêlons les genres!"

"And sha'n't I go—I mean if I want?"

"You'll have every facility to bore yourself. Don't doubt of it."

"And doesn't she feel excluded?" Miriam asked.

"Excluded from what? She has the fullest life."

"The fullest?"

"An intense artistic life. The cleverest men in Paris talk over her work with her; the principal authors of plays discuss with her subjects and characters and questions of treatment. She lives in the world of art."

"Ah, the world of art—how I envy her! And you offer me Dashwood!"

Sherringham rose in his emotion. "I offer you—?"