Envy(117)

Maris looked toward Mike for confirmation. “I rely on your superior knowledge of southern culture and heritage. Is it too much?”

“As usual, he’s exaggerating,” the older man replied. “But there’s definitely an element of truth there. If you scratch the surface of just about every multigenerational southern family, you’ll find at least one cleric, one loony, one outlaw, and enough liquor to float an armada.”

Laughing, she turned back to Parker. “Go on with the letter.”

He located the spot where he’d felt off.

“ ‘Once a relationship has been built on a particular foundation, it’s extremely difficult to destroy that foundation and reconstruct it with different specifications, without also destroying the original relationship.’ ”

“You’ve lost me,” Mike said. “What’s he talking about?”

“I agreed to trim the fat, okay?” Parker said, annoyed by the interruption. He ran his finger down several lines of text. “In summary, he’s saying that they began as professor and student. He says it’s hard to break the habit of assuming a professorial role with Roark, hard not to lecture or teach, and instead to address his comments to him as a peer.” He looked over at Mike. “Got that?”

“Thank you.”

“Okay, here… ‘Not that I am your peer, Mr. Slade. Your writing has surpassed my ability to critique it. It deserves an appraisal more distinguished than mine, although you could not solicit one that would be more appreciative of your talent.’

“He goes on for several paragraphs, confessing that he had entertained writing aspirations of his own before being forced to acknowledge that he wasn’t gifted with the talent. He says his role is to teach, instruct, inspire, yaddah-yaddah.”

He flipped to the second page.

“ ‘Rarely does one with my limited ability have the opportunity to work with someone as talented as you. I consider it a privilege to witness the development of a great American novelist, for that’s what I believe you will ultimately become.’ ”

Parker raised his index finger, letting them know that he was getting to the crux of the passage. “ ‘Your writing far surpasses that of any other student, past or present, including your friend Todd Grayson. He has written an engaging story with several interesting characters, specifically his protagonist. However, his writing lacks the emotional depth, the heart, with which yours resonates. I have no doubt that he will publish. He can produce a mechanically correct manuscript, incorporating all the textbook elements of fiction.

“ ‘That does not necessarily mean that he writes well.

“ ‘I can teach students the basics of writing, acquaint them with the rules of fiction, familiarize them with the writers who have mastered these techniques, but only God dispenses talent. That indefinable and elusive quality cannot be taught or otherwise acquired no matter how earnestly one desires and seeks it. I learned this sad truth from my own experience. Were talent attainable, I would be writing my own novels.

“ ‘Thank the god to whom you pray, Mr. Slade, for you were blessed with that magic. You were christened with a rare and wonderful ability. Your friend was not. I fear that eventually this lopsided appropriation of talent will cause a breach between you.

“ ‘During my tenure, I have observed thousands of young men and women. Because of this vast exposure to people from diverse backgrounds, I consider myself a superior judge of character. At the very least, I’m an astute observer of it.

“ ‘Some human characteristics are common to us all. Manifestation of these characteristics is dependent upon circumstance. Everyone has temporary displays of fear, happiness, frustration, and so on.

“ ‘Other traits are unique to certain individuals. They define the person and his character. Among these traits are admirable examples like humility, charity, bravery.

“ ‘Unfortunately these have dark counterparts like jealousy, greed, and envy. Persons governed by one of these traits typically cloak it with charm, and most are very successful at it, because along with the trait invariably comes the cunning to conceal it.

“ ‘Nevertheless, the trait lives and matures inside them as insidiously as an eel inside a cave, waiting, even anticipating, the times when it can strike anything or anyone that threatens.

“ ‘I do not wish to speak ill of your friend. I would like to think that my barometer for integrity has failed me completely, and that I am terribly wrong about the qualities that motivate him.

“ ‘But I remember Mr. Grayson’s machinations which caused you to be late for an important meeting with me. Plainly put, it was a dirty trick with malicious overtones. Frankly, I’m surprised that the friendship survived it. It’s a credit to you that it did. I don’t think Mr. Grayson has it within himself to forgive to that extent, which is yet another notable disparity between your characters.

“ ‘I wouldn’t presume to choose your friends for you. I wouldn’t want the responsibility even if you were to grant it to me. But I’ll conclude by using an expression I’ve heard around campus. It’s a contemporary idiom which does the English language a grave disservice, but which, in this distance, seems appropriate: Heads-up.

“ ‘I look forward to reading the next draft of your manuscript. In your cover letters, you never fail to apologize for taking up my time, and to thank me for the careful consideration I give your work. Mr. Slade, be clear on this: it is a privilege, not an imposition. Sincerely yours, Professor Hadley.’ ”