"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.