it is so in my own case.«
    Miriam seemed about to keep silence again, but ultimately she spoke. The
voice suggested that upon her too there was a constraint of some kind.
    »On what grounds do you believe that?«
    His eyes sought her face rapidly. Was she ironical at his expense? That
would be new light upon her mind, for hitherto she had seemed to him painfully
literal. Irony meant intellect; mere scorn or pride might signify anything but
that. And he was hoping to find reserves of power in her, such as would rescue
her from the imputation of commonplaceness in her beliefs. Testing her with his
eye, he answered meaningly:
    »Not, I admit, on the ground of recognized success.«
    Miriam made a nervous movement, and her brows contracted. Without looking at
him, she said, in a voice which seemed rather to resent his interpretation than
to be earnest in deprecating it:
    »You know, Mr. Mallard, that I meant nothing of the kind.«
    »Yet I could have understood you, if you had. Naturally you must wonder a
little at a man's passing his life as I do. You interpret life absolutely; it is
your belief that it can have only one meaning, the same for all, involving
certain duties of which there can be no question, and admitting certain
relaxations which have endured the moral test. A man may not fritter away the
years that are granted him; and that is what I seem to you to be doing, at
best.«
    »Why should you suppose that I take upon myself to judge you?«
    »Forgive me; I think it is one result of your mental habits that you judge
all who differ from you.«
    This time she clearly was resolved to make no reply. They were passing
through Pozzuoli, and she appeared to forget the discussion in looking about
her. Mallard watched her, but she showed no consciousness of his gaze.
    »Even if the world recognized me as an artist of distinction,« he resumed,
»you would still regard me as doubtfully employed. Art does not seem to you an
end of sufficient gravity. Probably you had rather there were no such thing, if
it were practicable.«
    »There is surely a great responsibility on any one who makes it the end of
life.«
    This was milder again, and just when he had anticipated the opposite.
    »A responsibility to himself, yes. Well, when I say that I believe this
course is the highest I can follow, I mean that I believe