The other assented to this.
“I’ve got the prospectus of my publishing-house all written,” Thyrsis went on. “And I’ve several other plans worked out—people would laugh if they saw them, I guess. But before I get through, I’m going to have a reading-room where anyone can come and get my books. It’ll be down where the poor people are; and I’m going to have travelling libraries, so as to reach people in the country. That is the one hope for better things, as I see it—we must get ideas to the people!”
Thus discoursing, they strolled back to the home of Thyrsis’ mother, and he went in to get his belongings together. Corydon went with him; and as they entered, the mother said, “There’s an express package for you.”
So Thyrsis went to his room, and saw a flat package lying on the bed. He stared at it, startled, and then picked it up and read the label upon it. “Why—why!—” he gasped; and then he seized a pair of scissors and cut the string and opened it. It was his manuscript!
With trembling fingers he turned it over. There was a letter with it, and he snatched it up. “We regret,” it read, “that we cannot make you an offer for the publication of your book. Thanking you for the privilege of examining it, we are very truly yours.” And that was all!
“They’ve rejected the book!” gasped Thyrsis; and the two stared at each other with consternation and horror in their eyes.
That was a possibility that had never occurred to Thyrsis in his wildest moment. That anyone in his senses could reject that book! That anyone could read a single chapter of it and not see what it was!
“They only had it five days!” he exclaimed; and instantly an explanation flashed across his mind. “I don’t believe they read it!” he cried. “I don’t believe they ever looked at it!”
But, read or unread, there was the manuscript—rejected. There was no appeal from the decision; there was no explanation, no apology—they had simply rejected it! It was like a blow in the face to Thyrsis; he felt like a woman whose love is spurned.
“Oh the fools! The miserable fools!” he cried.