Selected Stories Read Online Free PDF Page B

in fact, the necessity of parting with it – and took for her more chosen associates young people.
    Among the worshippers of the Venus Annodomini was young Gayerson. ‘Very Young Gayerson’ he was called to distinguish him from hisfather ‘Young’ Gayerson, a Bengal Civilian, 3 who affected the customs – as he had the heart – of youth. ‘Very Young’ Gayerson was not content to worship placidly and for form’s sake, as the other young men did, or to accept a ride or a dance, or a talk from the Venus Annodomini in a properly humble and thankful spirit. He was exacting, and, therefore, the Venus Annodomini repressed him. He worried himself nearly sick in a futile sort of way over her; and his devotion and earnestness made him appear either shy or boisterous or rude, as his mood might vary, by the side of the older men who, with him, bowed before the Venus Annodomini. She was sorry for him. He reminded her of a lad who, three-and-twenty years ago, had professed a boundless devotion for her, and for whom in return she had felt something more than a week’s weakness. But that lad had fallen away and married another woman less than a year after he had worshipped her; and the Venus Annodomini had almost – not quite – forgotten his name. ‘Very Young’ Gayerson had the same big blue eyes and the same way of pouting his underlip when he was excited or troubled. But the Venus Annodomini checked him sternly none the less. Too much zeal was a thing that she did not approve of; preferring instead, a tempered and sober tenderness.
    â€˜Very Young’ Gayerson was miserable, and took no trouble to conceal his wretchedness. He was in the Army – a Line regiment I think, but am not certain – and, since his face was a looking-glass and his forehead an open book, by reason of his innocence, his brothers-in-arms made his life a burden to him and embittered his naturally sweet disposition. No one except ‘Very Young’ Gayerson, and he never told his views, knew how old ‘Very Young’ Gayerson believed the Venus Annodomini to be. Perhaps he thought her five-and-twenty, or perhaps she told him that she was this age. ‘Very Young’ Gayerson would have forded the Indus in flood to carry her lightest word, and had implicit faith in her. Everyone liked him, and everyone was sorry when they saw him so bound a slave of the Venus Annodomini. Everyone, too, admitted that it was not her fault; for the Venus Annodomini differed from Mrs Hauksbee and Mrs Reiver 4 in this particular – she never moved a finger to attract anyone; but, like Ninon de L’Enclos, 5 all men were attracted to her. One could admire and respect Mrs Hauksbee, despise and avoid Mrs Reiver, but one was forced to adore the Venus Annodomini.
    â€˜Very Young’ Gayerson’s papa held a Division or a Collectorate or something administrative in a particularly unpleasant part of Bengal – full of Babus who edited newspapers proving that ‘Young’ Gayersonwas a ‘Nero’ and a ‘Scylla’ and a ‘Charybdis’; and, in addition to the Babus, there was a good deal of dysentery and cholera abroad for nine months of the year. ‘Young’ Gayerson – he was about five-and-forty – rather liked Babus, they amused him, but he objected to dysentery, and when he could get away, went to Darjiling 6 for the most part. This particular season he fancied that he would come up to Simla and see his boy. The boy was not altogether pleased. He told the Venus Annodomini that his father was coming up, and she flushed a little and said that she should be delighted to make his acquaintance. Then she looked long and thoughtfully at ‘Very Young’ Gayerson, because she was very, very sorry for him, and he was a very, very big idiot.
    â€˜My daughter is coming out in a fortnight, Mr Gayerson,’ she said.
    â€˜Your
what?
’ said