All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

196
ALL L\ A GARDEN FAIR.
the coinmcncemciit of tlie great Conspiracy.
The idea^ of his youth had returned to him ;
once more he felt himself a man among men.
He Ava.s still, it is true, a teacher to young
ladies ; but he ^vas more, lie was nmch more.
He was a man with power in reserve ; he had
still his trump card to i)lay
: because he had
as yet told Claire only half of his gi*eat Thought.
And l>y this time Will was also taken into
partial confidence.
' I ahvays thought it would come to this,'
he said when Allen told him about the verses.
' I believe if you were offered a partnership hi
Brimage and Waring with ten thousand a year,
or the chance of being an author with what
even casual sovereigns you could make, you
would take that chance.'
' Of course I would,' Allen replied. ' Why,
Will, who would not ? If you are a merchant,
you live out your life for the sake of making
money. Can lliat be compared with the life
of an author—a ]H)et—who shows the better
life, who interprets the thoughts of the people ?