The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Folly Of Eustace, by Robert S. Hichens

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: The Folly Of Eustace
1896

Author: Robert S. Hichens

Release Date: November 8, 2007 [EBook #23420]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FOLLY OF EUSTACE ***

Produced by David Widger

THE FOLLY OF EUSTACE.

By R. S. Hichens

1896

I.

Some men deliberately don a character in early youth as others don a
mask before going to an opera ball. They select it not without some
care, being guided in their choice by the opinion they have formed
of the world's mind and manner of proceeding. In the privacy of the
dressing-room, the candles being lighted and the mirror adjusted at the
best angle for a view of self, they assume their character, and peacock
to their reflection, meditating: Does it become me? Will it be generally
liked? Will it advance me towards my heart's desire? Then they catch up
their cloak, twist the mirror back to its usual position, puff out the
candles, and steal forth into their career, shutting the door gently
behind them. And, perhaps till they are laid out in the grave, the
last four walls enclosing them, only the dressing-room could tell their
secret. And it has no voice to speak. For, if they are wise, they do not
keep a valet.

At the age of sixteen Eustace Lane chose his mask, lit the candles,
tried it on, and resolved to wear it at the great masquerade. He was
an Eton boy at the time. One fourth of June he was out in the
playing-fields, paying polite attentions to another fellow's sister,
when he overheard a fragment of a conversation that was taking place
between his mother and one of the masters. His mother was a kind
Englishwoman, who was very short-sighted, and always did her duty.
The master was a fool, but as he was tall, handsome, and extremely
good-natured, Eustace Lane and most people considered him to be highly
intelligent. Eustace caught the sound of his name pronounced. The fond
mother, in the course of discreet conversation, had proceeded from the
state of the weather to the state of her boy's soul, taking, with
the ease of the mediocre, the one step be