: George Gissing
: Thyrza
: Seltzer Books
: 9781455355693
: 1
: CHF 0.10
:
: Erzählende Literatur
: English
: 736
: DRM
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB

Classic novel.According to Wikipedia: 'George Robert Gissing (November 22, 1857 - December 28, 1903) was an English novelist who wrote twenty-three novels between 1880 and 1903. From his early naturalistic works, he developed into one of the most accomplished realists of the late-Victorian era. ... In 1880 when his first novel, Workers in the Dawn, proved to be an abject failure, he became a private tutor to keep poverty from the door. In 1883, he separated from his wife, now an alcoholic, but gave her a weekly income on what little money he had until her death in 1888. In 1884 his second novel, The Unclassed, which saw a marked improvement in style and characterisation, met with moderate critical acclaim. After this Gissing published novels almost on a yearly basis, but so little money did they bring him, that for several more years he had to continue working as a tutor. Although notoriously exploited by his publishers, he was able to visit Italy in 1889 from the sale of the copyright of The Nether World, his most pessimistic book. Between 1891 and 1897 (his so-called middle period) Gissing produced his best works, which include New Grub Street, Born in Exile, The Odd Women, In the Year of Jubilee, and The Whirlpool. In advance of their time, they variously deal with the growing commercialism of the literary market, religious charlatanism, the situation of emancipated women in a male-dominated society, the poverty of the working classes, and marriage in a decadent world. During this period, having belatedly become aware of the financial rewards of writing short stories for the press, he produced almost seventy stories. As a result he was able to give up teaching. ... The middle years of the decade saw Gissing's reputation reach new heights: by some critics he is counted alongside George Meredith and Thomas Hardy as one of the best three novelists of his day. He also enjoyed new friendships with fellow writers such as Henry James, and H.G. Wells, and came into contact with many other up and coming writers such as Joseph Conrad and Stephen Crane. ... In 1903 Gissing published The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft, which brought him much acclaim. This is his most autobiographical work. It is the memoir of the last happy years of a writer who had struggled much like Gissing, but thanks to a late legacy had been able to give up writing to retire to the countryside.'

CHAPTER VIII - A CLASP OF HANDS


 

 Grail approached the desk with pleasure. Egremont observed it, and met his trusty auditor with the eye-smile which made his face so agreeable.

 

'I am sorry to see that Mr. Ackroyd no longer sits by you,' he began. 'Has he deserted us?'

 

Gilbert hesitated, but spoke at length with his natural directness.

 

'I'm afraid so, sir.'

 

'He has lost his interest in the subject?'

 

'It's not exactly the bent of his mind. He only came at my persuasion to begin with. He takes more to science than literature.'

 

'Ah, I should have thought that. But I wish he could have still spared me the two hours a week. I felt much interest in him; it's a disappointment to lose him so unexpectedly. I'm sure he has a head for our matters as well as for science.'

 

Grail was about to speak, but checked himself. An inquiring glance persuaded him to say:

 

'He's much taken up with politics just now. They don't leave the mind very quiet.'

 

'Politics? I regret more than ever that he's gone.'

 

Egremont moved away from the desk at which he had been standing, and seated himself on the end of a bench which came out opposite the fire-place.

 

'Come and sit down for a minute, will you, Mr. Grail?' he said.

 

Gilbert silently took possession of the end of the next bench.

 

'Is there no persuading him back? Do you think he would come and have a talk with me? I do wish he would; I believe we could understand each other. You see him occasionally?'

 

'Every day. We work together.'

 

'Would you ask him to come and have a chat with me here some evening?'

 

'I shall be glad to, sir.'

 

'Pray persuade him to. Any evening he likes. Perhaps next Sunday after the lecture would do? Tell him to bring his pipe and have a smoke with me here before the fire.'

 

Grail smiled, and undertook to deliver the invitation.

 

'But there are other things I wished to speak of to you,' Egremont continued. 'Do you think it would be any advantage if I brought books for the members of the class to take away and use at their leisure? Shakespeare, of course, you can all lay hands on, but the other Elizabethan authors are not so readily found. For instance, there's a Marlowe on the desk; would you care to take him away with you?'

 

'Thank you very much, sir,' was the reply, 'but I've got Marlowe. I picked up a second-hand copy a year or two ago.'

 

'You have him! Ah, that's good!'

 

Egremont was surprised, but remembered that it would not be very courteous to express such feeling. After surprise came new warmth of interest in the man. He began to speak of Marlowe with delight, and in a moment he and Grail were on a footing of intimacy.

 

'But there are other books perhaps you haven't come across yet. I shall be overjoyed if you'll let me he of use to you in that way. Have you access to any library?'

 

'No, I haven't. I've often felt the want of it.'

 

Egremont fell into musing for a moment. He looked up with an idea in his eyes.

 

'Wouldn't it be an excellent thing if one could establish a lending library in Lambeth?'

 

Grail might have excusably replied that it would be a yet more excellent thing if those disposed to use such an institution had time granted them to do so; but with the young man's keen look fixed upon him, he had other thoughts.

 

'It would be a great thing!' he replied, with subdued feeling. He seldom allowed his stronger emotions to find high utterance; that moderated voice was symbol of the suppression to which his life had trained itself.

 

'A free library,' Egremont went on, 'with a good reading-room.'

 

It was an extension of his scheme, and delighted him with its prospect of possibilities. It would be preparing the ground upon which he and his adherents might subsequently work. Could be undertake to found a library at his own expense? It was not beyond his means, at all events a beginning on a moderate scale. His eyes sparkled, as they always did when a thought burst blossom-like within him.

 

'Mr. Grail, I have a mind to try if I can't work on that ide