The Broad Highway

"Surely," said I, "surely you know what I mean--?"

"There are Laura and Beatrice and Helen and Aspasia and Phryne,

and hosts of others," said Charmian, nodding to the moon again.

"Oh, yes--our blacksmith has read of so many women in books that

he has no more idea of women out of books than I of Sanscrit."

And, in a little while, seeing I was silent, she condescended to

glance towards me: "Then I suppose, under the circumstances, you have never been--in

love?"

"In love?" I repeated, and dropped my pipe.

"In love."

"The Lord forbid!"

"Why, pray?"

"Because Love is a disease--a madness, coming between a man and

his life's work. Love!" said I, "it is a calamity!"

"Never having been in love himself, our blacksmith, very

naturally, knows all about it!" said Charmian to the moon.

"I speak only of such things as I have read--" I began.

"More books!" she sighed.

"--words of men, much wiser than I--poets and philosophers,

written--"

"When they were old and gray-headed," Charmian broke in; "when

they were quite incapable of judging the matter--though many a

grave philosopher loved; now didn't he?"

"To be sure," said I, rather hipped, "Dionysius Lambienus, I

think, says somewhere that a woman with a big mouth is infinitely

sweeter in the kissing--and--"

"Do you suppose he read that in a book?" she inquired, glancing

at me sideways.

"Why, as to that," I answered, "a philosopher may love, but not

for the mere sake of loving."

"For whose sake then, I wonder?"

"A man who esteems trifles for their own sake is a trifler, but

one who values them, rather, for the deductions that may be drawn

from them--he is a philosopher."

Charmian rose, and stood looking down at me very strangely.

"So!" said she, throwing back her head, "so, throned in lofty

might, superior Mr. Smith thinks Love a trifle, does he?"

"My name is Vibart, as I think you know," said I, stung by her

look or her tone, or both.

"Yes," she answered, seeming to look down at me from an

immeasurable attitude, "but I prefer to know him, just now, as

Superior Mr. Smith."

"As you will," said I, and rose also; but, even then, though she

had to look up to me, I had the same inward conviction that her

eyes were regarding me from a great height; wherefore I,

attempted--quite unsuccessfully to light my pipe.