'
Mr. Grewgious shook his head seriously, as if he felt the offence
to be a little too much, though of his own committing.
'How came you to be his master, sir?' asked Rosa.
'A question that naturally follows,' said Mr. Grewgious. 'Let's
talk. Mr. Bazzard's father, being a Norfolk farmer, would have
furiously laid about him with a flail, a pitch-fork, and every
agricultural implement available for assaulting purposes, on the
slightest hint of his son's having written a play. So the son,
bringing to me the father's rent (which I receive), imparted his
secret, and pointed out that he was determined to pursue his
genius, and that it would put him in peril of starvation, and that
he was not formed for it.'
'For pursuing his genius, sir?'
'No, my dear,' said Mr. Grewgious, 'for starvation. It was
impossible to deny the position, that Mr. Bazzard was not formed to
be starved, and Mr. Bazzard then pointed out that it was desirable
that I should stand between him and a fate so perfectly unsuited to
his formation. In that way Mr. Bazzard became my clerk, and he
feels it very much.'
'I am glad he is grateful,' said Rosa.
'I didn't quite mean that, my dear. I mean, that he feels the
degradation. There are some other geniuses that Mr. Bazzard has
become acquainted with, who have also written tragedies, which
likewise nobody will on any account whatever hear of bringing out,
and these choice spirits dedicate their plays to one another in a
highly panegyrical manner.
Pages:
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304