“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，famine(hisoldpursuer)talkinginhisear；
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，and(astheresultproved)withoutvirtue。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，andonewhohasplacedherself(byherownmisconduct，Iamfarfromdenyingthat)insounfortunateaposition！”
“Inshort，yousupporther？”Isuggested。
“Icannotdenyit。Ipracticallydo。”headmitted。“Ithasbeenamill-stoneroundmyneck。ButIthinksheisgrateful。Youcanseeforyourself。”
Hehandedmealetterinasprawling，ignoranthand，butwrittenwithvioletinkonfine，pinkpaperwithamonogram。Itwasveryfoolishlyexpressed，andIthought(exceptforafewobviouscajoleries)veryheartlessandgreedyinmeaning。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。
Thefactis(atleast)thatwespenthourstogetherdaily，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
