everything beautiful.
5. Ruth’s appearance excited him deeply.
6. Ruth was worried by Martin’s hands and scar.
7. Martin was glad that Mr. Morse was not in the dining-room.
8. Ruth behaved tactfully at dinner.
9. Ruth was startled.
9. Answer the following questions.
1. Why did Martin feel awkward when he went in?
2. What impression did an oil-painting produce on Martin?
3. Why did he not pay attention to Ruth having entered the room?
4. Whom did Martin compare Ruth with? Why?
5. What did Ruth notice?
6. What did Ruth ask Martin to tell her about?
7. What was Martin thinking about while talking to Ruth?
8. Was Martin glad that Mr. Morse was not there? Why?
9. Why was Martin quiet during the first part of the dinner?
10. Why was Ruth startled?
10. Correct the statements.
1. Martin was accustomed to such places as Arthur’s home.
2. Martin was a habitué of the art galleries.
3. Martin was not fond of reading, especially poetry.
4. Ruth did not impress Martin a bit.
5. They spoke about Ruth.
6. Martin was not going to get acquainted in this new world.
7. Martin was very vivacious during the first part of the dinner.
8. He understood and liked the music Ruth was playing though he was not susceptible to music.
11. Develop the following statement.
1. Arthur gave Martin an opportunity to recover himself.
2. An oil-painting caught and held Martin.
3. Martin looked at books as a starving man would look at food.
4. Martin was thrilling to the new impression.
5. Martin felt a shock looking at Ruth.
6. Martin felt himself angry for the boast.
7. During the first part of the dinner Martin was very quiet.
8. Martin was a brave man.
9. Ruth was glancing at Martin across her shoulder.
12. Retell the chapter for the persons of Martin Eden, Ruth, Mrs. Morse, Arthur.
Chapter II
Martin awoke next morning from rosy scenes of dream to a steamy atmosphere that smelled of soapsuds and dirty clothes. As he came out of his room he heard the splash of water, a sharp exclamation, and a resounding smack as his sister Gertrude visited her irritation upon one of her numerous progeny. The squall of the child went through him like a knife. He was aware that the whole thing, the very air he breathed, was repulsive and mean. How different, he thought, from the atmosphere of beauty and repose of the house wherein Ruth dwelt.
“Come here, Alfred,” he called to the crying child, at the same time thrusting his hand into his trousers pocket. He put a quarter in the youngster’s hand, and held him in his arms a moment, soothing his sobs. “Now run along and get some candy, and don’t forget to give some to your brothers and sisters.”
His sister lifted a flushed face from the wash-tub and looked at him.
“A nickel would have been enough,” she said. “It’s just like you, no idea of the value of money. The child’ll eat himself sick.”
“That’s all right, Sis,” he answered jovially. “My money will take care of itself. If you weren’t so busy I’d kiss you.”
He wanted to be affectionate to this sister, who was good, and who, in her way, he knew loved him. But the hard work, the many children, and the nagging of her husband had changed her.
“Go along an’ get your breakfast,” she said roughly, though secretly pleased. He had always been her favourite.
Martin had his breakfast in the kitchen, then went downstairs and out into the street, breathing great breaths of air.
He decided to visit the Oakland Library, because Ruth lived in Oakland. Who could tell? A library was a most likely place for her, and he might see her there. He did not know the way of libraries, and he wandered through endless rows of books. He had heard of book philosophy, but had not imagined there had been so much written about it. He found books on trigonometry in the mathematics section, and ran through the pages staring at the meaningless formulas and figures. From every side the books seemed to press upon him and crush him. He had never dreamed that the fund of human knowledge bulked so big. He was frightened. How could his brain ever master it all? Later, he remembered that there were other men, many men, who had mastered it; and he swore that his brain could do what theirs had done. No more of the sea for him. There was power in all that wealth of books, and if he would do great things he must do them on the land.
Noon came, and afternoon. He forgot to eat, and searched for the books on etiquette; for his mind was troubled by a simple and very concrete problem. When you meet a young lady, and she asks you to call, how soon can you call? But he sought vainly for the answer. He abandoned his search. He had not found what he wanted though he had discovered that he would have to learn how to be polite.
“Did you find what you wanted?” the man at the desk asked him as he was leaving.
“Yes, sir,” he answered. “You have a fine library here.”
The man nodded. “We should be glad to see you here often. Are you a sailor?”
“Yes, sir,” he answered. “And I’ll come again.”
“Now how did he know that?” he asked himself, as he went down the stairs.
Martin spent long hours in the Oakland and Berkeley Libraries, and made out application blanks for membership for himself, his sisters Gertrude and Marian, and Jim, his sister’s boarder, the latter’s consent being obtained at the expense of several glasses of beer. With four cards permitting him to draw books, he burned the gas late in the servant’s room, and was charged fifty cents a week for it by Mr. Higginbotham, his sister’s husband.
He bought a dictionary and many different books.
He dared not go near Ruth’s neighbourhood in the daytime, but night found him lurking like a thief around the Morse home, stealing glimpses at the windows. One afternoon he saw her mother coming out of a bank, and received another proof of the enormous distance that separated Ruth from him. She was of the class that dealt with banks. He had never been inside a bank in his life, and he had an idea that such institutions were
