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'O dear no！ I am afraid I am not so prudent as you pay me the
compliment of supposing me to be； Mr。 Sampson。 I merely inquired for a
friend。 But you know what friends are in such matters。 Nothing may
ever come of it。 I have the greatest reluctance to trouble men of business
with inquiries for friends； knowing the probabilities to be a thousand to
one that the friends will never follow them up。 People are so fickle； so
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selfish； so inconsiderate。 Don't you； in your business； find them so every
day； Mr。 Sampson？'
I was going to give a qualified answer； but he turned his smooth； white
parting on me with its 'Straight up here； if you please！' and I answered
'Yes。'
'I hear； Mr。 Sampson；' he resumed presently； for our friend had a new
cook； and dinner was not so punctual as usual； 'that your profession has
recently suffered a great loss。'
'In money？' said I。
He laughed at my ready association of loss with money； and replied；
'No； in talent and vigour。'
Not at once following out his allusion； I considered for a moment。
'HAS it sustained a loss of that kind？' said I。 'I was not aware of it。'
'Understand me； Mr。 Sampson。 I don't imagine that you have retired。
It is not so bad as that。 But Mr。 Meltham … '
'O； to be sure！' said I。 'Yes！ Mr。 Meltham； the young actuary of the
〃Inestimable。〃'
'Just so；' he returned in a consoling way。
'He is a great loss。 He was at once the most profound； the most
original； and the most energetic man I have ever known connected with
Life Assurance。'
I spoke strongly； for I had a high esteem and admiration for Meltham；
and my gentleman had indefinitely conveyed to me some suspicion that he
wanted to sneer at him。 He recalled me to my guard by presenting that
trim pathway up his head； with its internal 'Not on the grass； if you please
… the gravel。'
'You knew him； Mr。 Slinkton。'
'Only by reputation。 To have known him as an acquaintance or as a
friend； is an honour I should have sought if he had remained in society；
though I might never have had the good fortune to attain it； being a man of
far inferior mark。 He was scarcely above thirty； I suppose？'
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'About thirty。'
'Ah！' he sighed in his former consoling way。 'What creatures we are！
To break up； Mr。 Sampson； and become incapable of business at that time
of life！ … Any reason assigned for the melancholy fact？'
（'Humph！' thought I； as I looked at him。 'But I WON'T go up the
track； and I WILL go on the grass。'）
'What reason have you heard assigned； Mr。 Slinkton？' I asked； point…
blank。
'Most likely a false one。 You know what Rumour is； Mr。 Sampson。
I never repeat what I hear； it is the only way of paring the nails and
shaving the head of Rumour。 But when YOU ask me what reason I have
heard assigned for Mr。 Meltham's passing away from among men； it is
another thing。 I am not gratifying idle gossip then。 I was told； Mr。
Sampson； that Mr。 Meltham had relinquished all his avocations and all his
prospects； because he was； in fact； broken… hearted。 A disappointed
attachment I heard； … though it hardly seems probable； in the case of a man
so distinguished and so attractive。'
'Attractions and distinctions are no armour against death；' said I。
'O； she died？ Pray pardon me。 I did not hear that。 That； indeed；
makes it very； very sad。 Poor Mr。 Meltham！ She died？ Ah； dear me！
Lamentable； lamentable！'
I still thought his pity was not quite genuine； and I still suspected an
unaccountable sneer under all this； until he said； as we were parted； like
the other knots of talkers； by the announcement of dinner：
'Mr。 Sampson； you are surprised to see me so moved on behalf of a
man whom I have never known。 I am not so disinterested as you may
suppose。 I have suffered； and recently too； from death myself。 I have
lost one of two charming nieces； who were my constant companions。
She died young … barely three…and…twenty； and even her remaining sister is
far from strong。 The world is a grave！'
He said this with deep feeling； and I felt reproached for the coldness of
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my manner。 Coldness and distrust had been engendered in me； I knew；
by my bad experiences； they were not natural to me； and I often thought
how much I had lost in life； losing trustfulness； and how little I had gained；
gaining hard caution。 This state of mind being habitual to me； I troubled
myself more about this conversation than I might have troubled myself
about a greater matter。 I listened to his talk at dinner； and observed how
readily other men responded to it； and with what a graceful instinct he
adapted his subjects to the knowledge and habits of those he talked with。
As； in talking with me； he had easily started the subject I might be
supposed to understand best； and to be the most interested in； so； in talking
with others； he guided himself by the same rule。 The company was of a
varied character； but he was not at fault； that I could discover； with any
member of it。 He knew just as much of each man's pursuit as made him
agreeable to that man in reference to it； and just as little as made it natural
in him to seek modestly for information when the theme was broached。
As he talked and talked … but really not too much； for the rest of us
seemed to force it upon him … I became quite angry with myself。 I took his
face to pieces in my mind； like a watch； and examined it in detail。 I
could not say much against any of his features separately； I could say even
less against them when they were put together。 'Then is it not monstrous；'
I asked myself； 'that because a man happens to part his hair straight up the
middle of his head； I should permit myself to suspect； and even to detest
him？'
（I may stop to remark that this was no proof of my sense。 An
observer of men who finds himself steadily repelled by some apparently
trifling thing in a stranger is right to give it great weight。 It may be the
clue to the whole mystery。 A hair or two will show where a lion is
hidden。 A very little key will open a very heavy door。）
I took my part in the conversation with him after a time； and we got on
remarkably well。 In the drawing…room I asked the host how long he had
known Mr。 Slinkton。 He answered； not many months； he had met him at
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the house of a celebrated painter then present； who had known him well
when he was travelling with his nieces in Italy for their health。 His plans
in life being broken by the death of one of them； he was reading with the
intention of going back to college as a matter of form； taking his degree；
and going into orders。 I could not but argue with myself that here was
the true explanation of his interest in poor Meltham； and that I had been
almost brutal in my distrust on that simple head。
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III。
On the very next day but one I was sitting behind my glass partition；
as before； when he came into the outer office； as before。 The moment I
saw him again without hearing him； I hated him worse than ever。
It was only for a moment that I had this opportunity； for he waved his
tight…fitting black glove the instant I looked at him； and came straight in。
'Mr。 Sampson； good…day！ I presume； you see； upon your kind
permission to intrude upon you。 I don't keep my word in being justified
by business； for my