“That is no _opinion_. It is simply a literary finessing. I will tell you _more_. This judgment indicates an _immense_ blindness. There is in Andrayeff a directness and simplicity of feeling towards life that is entirely lacking in this man.” “Mm. Perhaps the Russians are more simple; less” ... civilised. “Simplicity and directness of feeling does not necessarily indicate a less highly organised psychological temperament.” “I know what he meant. Andrayeff does try deliberately to work on your feelings. I felt that when I was writing. But the pathos of those little boys and the man with the Chinese mask is his _subject_. What he does is artistic exaggeration. That is Art. Light and shade;” ...... a ‘masterly study’ of a little boy ....? “Very well then. What is the matter?” “No, but I’m just thinking the whole trouble is that life is not pathetic. People don’t feel pathetic; or never _altogether_ pathetic. There is something else; that’s the worst of novels, something that has to be left out. Tragedy; curtain. But there never _is_ a curtain and even if there were, the astounding thing is that there is _anything_ to let down a curtain on; so _astounding_ that you can’t feel really, completely, things like “happiness” or “tragedy”; they are both the same, a half-statement. Everybody is the same really, inside, under all circumstances. There’s a dead-level of astounding .... _something_.” “I cannot follow you in all this. But you may not thus lightly deny tragedy.” “He also said that the translation was as good as it could be.” ..... You’ve brought it off. That’s the way a translation ought to be done. It’s slick and clean and extraordinarily well Englished...... “Well? Well? Are you not satisfied?” “Then he said in a contemptuous sort of way, ‘you could make from two to three hundred a year at this sort of thing.’” “But that is most excellent. You should most certainly try this.” “I don’t believe it. He _says_ that kind of thing.” “He ought to know.” “I don’t know. He said in a large easy way you’d get seven or eight guineas apiece for these things, and then do ’em in a book.” “Well?” “Everybody would be doing it if it were so easy.” “You are really remarkable. A good translation is most rare; and particularly a good English translation. You have seen these Tolstoys. I have not met in German or French anything so vile. It is a whole base trade.” “The public does not know. And if these things sell why should publishers pay for good translations? It’s like machine and hand-made embroidery. It does not pay to do good work. I’ve often heard translations are badly paid and I can quite understand it. It could be done in a factory at an immense pace.”