"
"In other words, if Shelley were alive to-day and were the same
Shelley, he would be presented with a like boycott?"
"If his manner of living came out in the papers--yes."
"And Francois Villon?"
"Undoubtedly."
"I'm in good company then, am I not?"
"You should thank me for being frank with you."
"I do thank you ... that explains why the atmosphere up at the office of
the _National_ was as cold as the refrigerator-box of a meat car, when I
was up there an hour ago ... but they were not as frank as you ... they
acted like a company of undertakers officiating at my funeral."
* * * * *
I was glad to find myself back in my little cottage, that same
night--back in my little cottage, and in the arms of the woman who was
everything to me, no matter if they said she spelled the ruination of my
career.
For any man, I held, and still hold, who lets a woman ruin his career,
ought to have it ruined.
I did not tell her of what Dr. Ward had told me. Why cause her
unnecessary worry?
* * * * *
After all, the magazine world was not the only medium to present my
literary wares to the public. There remained the book world, a less
narrow and prejudiced one.
Kennerley had written me that he waited eagerly the completion of my
Biblical play.
And Zueblin, of the now defunct _Twentieth Century_ had just sent me a
twenty-five dollar check for a poem called _Lazarus Speaks_.
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