ABSTRACT
TheAwkwardAge bewilderingcriss-crossofmotivesandinterests(moreorlessintangible andephemeral)thatmakethedailylifeofafewintenselysophisticated menandwomen.Thisextremesophistication,mingledwithnota littlebadbreeding,isperhapssomewhatforced.Theelementalpassions, theloveoflovers,parents,children,havebeensoworndownbyconstantanalysisandintrospectionastobenon-existent.Theatmosphere hasbecomesoartificial,partakingsolittleofthequalityofrealair,that naturalhealthybreathingseemsalmostimpossible.Nooutdoorbeing couldthrivewherethesestrangepeopleliveandexpand.Oneisconsciousofthesenseofoppressionthatbroodsoverthefitfulbrillianceof thepicture....Itisbytalkalonethatthebookadvances:talkor significantsilencebrokenbymeaninggestures,markedemphasis, ejaculations,pauses,andahundreddevicesofwhichMr.Jamesis master.Sometimestheconversationisaverbalfencingmatchinwhich thrusts,retorts,andparryingshavetobecloselywatched.Acharm, sometimesasnare,ofMr.James'smethodisthatnosuchthingas explanationisevervouchsafedeitherbyhimselforhischaracters.You overhearandinterpretasyoucan,butnothingissaidforyourbenefit. Thereforetheneedforanintelligentattentiontoeveryshadeandhalfshadeinintonationandmanner.Ifyouhavetostrainanearforwhat issaid,youmustdoitstillmoreforwhatisonlyimplied.Manypeople willthinkthatforallthistroubletheygetnoadequatereturn-thatso muchcarefulandlong-windedsuggestionoverbalancesthethingsuggested.ThisfeelingcondemnsthemasthoseforwhomMr.James spreadsthenetofconversationaldelicacyinvain.Yetwithallrespect forthesustainedability,adroitness,andsupplenessofdiction,moments ofwearinessandasenseasofineffectualstrivingwithshadowsdoovercomeone.Theartificiality-eventriviality-ofsomeoftheissuesat stakestrikeone,moreespeciallywhenthecoterieplumethemselveson theirsuperiorsmartnessandentireabsenceofallprejudice.Somuch rarefiedpsychology,paralysisofwill,andgeneralbloodlessnesshas, afteratime,astultifyingeffectonthemind.
