RODERICK HUDSON
like for six months to lead Mrs. Hudson the life some fellows lead their mothers!"
"Allow me to believe," said Rowland, "that you'd like nothing of the sort. If you 've acted as a gentleman don't spoil it by pretending you'd have preferred to be a brute. You've been very happy in spite of your virtues, and there are worse fates in the world than being loved too well. I've not had the pleasure of seeing your mother, but I'll lay you a wager that this is where the shoe pinches. She's passionately fond of you, and her hopes, like all intense hopes, are next neighbours to alarms and despairs." Rowland, as he spoke, had an instinctive vision of the sentiments infallibly entertained for this beautiful and amusing youth by the women of his house.
Roderick frowned, and with an impatient gesture, "I do her justice," he cried; "may she never do me less!" Then after a moment's hesitation, "I'll tell you the perfect truth," he went on; "I have to fill a double place. I have to be my brother as well as myself. It's a good deal to ask of a man, especially when he has so little talent as I for being what he's not. When we were both young together I was the curled darling. I had the silver mug and the biggest piece of pudding, and I stayed indoors to be kissed by the ladies while he made mud-pies in the garden. In fact, you know, he was much more the right thing. When he was brought home that horrible night with a piece of shell in his skull, my poor mother began to think she hadn't loved him enough. I remember, as she hung round my neck sobbing, before
41
