The Figure in the Carpet

By: James, Henry

"I DON'T quite know how to explain it to you," he said, "but it was the very fact that your notice of my book had a spice of intelligence, it was just your exceptional sharpness, that produced the feeling-a very old story with me, I beg you to believe-under the momentary influence of which I used in speaking to that good lady the words you so naturally resent. I don't read the things in the newspapers unless they're thrust upon me as that one was-it's always one's best friend who does it! But I used to read them sometimes-ten years ago. I dare say they were in general rather stupider then; at any rate it always struck me they missed my little point with a perfection exactly as admirable when they patted me on the back as when they kicked me in the shins. Whenever since I've happened to have a glimpse of them they were still blazing away-still missing it, I mean, deliciously. You miss it, my dear fellow, with inimitable assurance; the fact of your being awfully clever and your article's being awfully nice doesn't make a hair's breadth of difference. It's quite with you rising young men," Vereker laughed, "that I feel most what a failure I am!"

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B092P6WT6X
• ISBN13: 9798737779665
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 38 Pages
• Weight: 0.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 7.0" x 10.0"