some short stories-第5部分

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they　desired　anything　so　gross　as　to　be　represented　on　canvas；　but
the　scruples　of　my　new　friends　appeared　almost　insurmountable。　　Yet
the　gentleman　might　have　said　〃I　should　like　a　portrait　of　my
wife；〃　and　the　lady　might　have　said　〃I　should　like　a　portrait　of　my
husband。〃　　Perhaps　they　weren't　husband　and　wifethis　naturally
would　make　the　matter　more　delicate。　　Perhaps　they　wished　to　be
done　togetherin　which　case　they　ought　to　have　brought　a　third
person　to　break　the　news。

〃We　come　from　Mr。　Rivet；〃　the　lady　finally　said　with　a　dim　smile
that　had　the　effect　of　a　moist　sponge　passed　over　a　〃sunk〃　piece　of
painting；　as　well　as　of　a　vague　allusion　to　vanished　beauty。　　She
was　as　tall　and　straight；　in　her　degree；　as　her　companion；　and　with
ten　years　less　to　carry。　　She　looked　as　sad　as　a　woman　could　look
whose　face　was　not　charged　with　expression；　that　is　her　tinted　oval
mask　showed　waste　as　an　exposed　surface　shows　friction。　　The　hand
of　time　had　played　over　her　freely；　but　to　an　effect　of
elimination。　　She　was　slim　and　stiff；　and　so　well…dressed；　in　dark
blue　cloth；　with　lappets　and　pockets　and　buttons；　that　it　was　clear
she　employed　the　same　tailor　as　her　husband。　　The　couple　had　an
indefinable　air　of　prosperous　thriftthey　evidently　got　a　good
deal　of　luxury　for　their　money。　　If　I　was　to　be　one　of　their
luxuries　it　would　behove　me　to　consider　my　terms。

〃Ah　Claude　Rivet　recommended　me？〃　I　echoed　and　I　added　that　it　was
very　kind　of　him；　though　I　could　reflect　that；　as　he　only　painted
landscape；　this　wasn't　a　sacrifice。

The　lady　looked　very　hard　at　the　gentleman；　and　the　gentleman
looked　round　the　room。　　Then　staring　at　the　floor　a　moment　and
stroking　his　moustache；　he　rested　his　pleasant　eyes　on　me　with　the
remark：　　〃He　said　you　were　the　right　one。〃

〃I　try　to　be；　when　people　want　to　sit。〃

〃Yes；　we　should　like　to；〃　said　the　lady　anxiously。

〃Do　you　mean　together？〃

My　visitors　exchanged　a　glance。　　〃If　you　could　do　anything　with　ME
I　suppose　it　would　be　double；〃　the　gentleman　stammered。

〃Oh　yes；　there's　naturally　a　higher　charge　for　two　figures　than　for
one。〃

〃We　should　like　to　make　it　pay；〃　the　husband　confessed。

〃That's　very　good　of　you；〃　I　returned；　appreciating　so　unwonted　a
sympathyfor　I　supposed　he　meant　pay　the　artist。

A　sense　of　strangeness　seemed　to　dawn　on　the　lady。　　〃We　mean　for
the　illustrationsMr。　Rivet　said　you　might　put　one　in。〃

〃Put　inan　illustration？〃　I　was　equally　confused。

〃Sketch　her　off；　you　know；〃　said　the　gentleman；　colouring。

It　was　only　then　that　I　understood　the　service　Claude　Rivet　had
rendered　me；　he　had　told　them　how　I　worked　in　black…and…white；　for
magazines；　for　story…books；　for　sketches　of　contemporary　life；　and
consequently　had　copious　employment　for　models。　　These　things　were
true；　but　it　was　not　less　trueI　may　confess　it　now；　whether
because　the　aspiration　was　to　lead　to　everything　or　to　nothing　I
leave　the　reader　to　guessthat　I　couldn't　get　the　honours；　to　say
nothing　of　the　emoluments；　of　a　great　painter　of　portraits　out　of
my　head。　　My　〃illustrations〃　were　my　pot…boilers；　I　looked　to　a
different　branch　of　artfar　and　away　the　most　interesting　it　had
always　seemed　to　meto　perpetuate　my　fame。　　There　was　no　shame　in
looking　to　it　also　to　make　my　fortune　but　that　fortune　was　by　so
much　further　from　being　made　from　the　moment　my　visitors　wished　to
be　〃done〃　for　nothing。　　I　was　disappointed；　for　in　the　pictorial
sense　I　had　immediately　SEEN　them。　　I　had　seized　their　typeI　had
already　settled　what　I　would　do　with　it。　　Something　that　wouldn't
absolutely　have　pleased　them；　I　afterwards　reflected。

〃Ah　you'reyou'rea　…？〃　I　began　as　soon　as　I　had　mastered　my
surprise。　　I　couldn't　bring　out　the　dingy　word　〃models〃：　　it　seemed
so　little　to　fit　the　case。

〃We　haven't　had　much　practice；〃　said　the　lady。

〃We've　got　to　do　something；　and　we've　thought　that　an　artist　in
your　line　might　perhaps　make　something　of　us；〃　her　husband　threw
off。　　He　further　mentioned　that　they　didn't　know　many　artists　and
that　they　had　gone　first；　on　the　off…chancehe　painted　views　of
course；　but　sometimes　put　in　figures；　perhaps　I　rememberedto　Mr。
Rivet；　whom　they　had　met　a　few　years　before　at　a　place　in　Norfolk
where　he　was　sketching。

〃We　used　to　sketch　a　little　ourselves；〃　the　lady　hinted。

〃It's　very　awkward；　but　we　absolutely　must　do　something；〃　her
husband　went　on。

〃Of　course　we're　not　so　VERY　young；〃　she　admitted　with　a　wan　smile。

With　the　remark　that　I　might　as　well　know　something　more　about　them
the　husband　had　handed　me　a　card　extracted　from　a　neat　new　pocket…
booktheir　appurtenances　were　all　of　the　freshestand　inscribed
with　the　words　〃Major　Monarch。〃　　Impressive　as　these　words　were
they　didn't　carry　my　knowledge　much　further；　but　my　visitor
presently　added：　　〃I've　left　the　army　and　we've　had　the　misfortune
to　lose　our　money。　　In　fact　our　means　are　dreadfully　small。〃

〃It's　awfully　tryinga　regular　strain；〃；　said　Mrs。　Monarch。

They　evidently　wished　to　be　discreetto　take　care　not　to　swagger
because　they　were　gentlefolk。　　I　felt　them　willing　to　recognise
this　as　something　of　a　drawback；　at　the　same　time　that　I　guessed　at
an　underlying　sensetheir　consolation　in　adversitythat　they　HAD
their　points。　　They　certainly　had；　but　these　advantages　struck　me
as　preponderantly　social；　such　for　instance　as　would　help　to　make　a
drawing…room　look　well。　　However；　a　drawing…room　was　always；　or
ought　to　be；　a　picture。

In　consequence　of　his　wife's　allusion　to　their　age　Major　Monarch
observed：　　〃Naturally　it's　more　for　the　figure　that　we　thought　of
going　in。　　We　can　still　hold　ourselves　up。〃　　On　the　instant　I　saw
that　the　figure　was　indeed　their　strong　point。　　His　〃naturally〃
didn't　sound　vain；　but　it　lighted　up　the　question。　〃SHE　has　the
best　one；〃　he　continued；　nodding　at　his　wife　with　a　pleasant　after…
dinner　absence　of　circumlocution。　　I　could　only　reply；　as　if　we
were　in　fact　sitting　over　our　wine；　that　this　didn't　prevent　his
own　from　being　very　good；　which　led　him　in　turn　to　make　answer：
〃We　thought　that　if　you　ever　have　to　do　people　like　us　we　might　be
something　like　it。　　SHE　particularlyfor　a　lady　in　a　book；　you
know。〃

I　was　so　amused　by　them　that；　to　get　more　of　it；　I　did　my　best　to
take　their　point　of　view；　and　though　it　was　an　embarrassment　to
find　myself　appraising　physically；　as　if　they　were　animals　on　hire
or　useful　blacks；　a　pair　whom　I　should　have　expected　to　meet　only
in　one　of　the　relations　in　which　criticism　is　tacit；　I　looked　at
Mrs。　Monarch　judicially　enough　to　be　able　to　exclaim　after　a　moment
with　conviction：　　〃Oh　yes；　a　lady　in　a　book！〃　　She　was　singularly
like　a　bad　illustration。

〃We'll　stand　up；　if　you　like；〃　said　the　Major；　and　he　raised
himself　before　me　with　a　really　grand　air。

I　could　take　his　measure　at　a　glancehe　was　six　feet　two　and　a
perfect　gentleman。　　It　would　have　paid　any　club　in　process　of
formation　and　in　want　of　a　stamp　to　engage　him　at　a　salary　to　stand
in　the　principal　window。　　What　struck　me　at　once　was　that　in　coming
to　me　they　had　rather　missed　their　vocation；　they　could　surely　have
been　turned　to　better　account　for　advertising　purposes。　　I　couldn't
of　course　see　the　thing　in　detail；　but　I　could　see　them　make
somebody's　fortuneI　don't　mean　their　own。　　There　was　something　in
them　for　a　waistcoat…maker；　an　hotel…keeper　or　a　soap…vendor。　　I
could　imagine　〃We　always　use　it〃　pinned　on　their　bosoms　with　the
greatest　effect；　I　had　a　vision　of　the　brilliancy　with　which　they
would　launch　a　table　d'hote。

Mrs。　Monarch　sat　still；　not　from　pride　but　from　shyness；　and
presently　her　husband　said　to　her：　　〃Get　up；　my　dear；　and　show　how
smart　you　are。〃　　She　obeyed；　but　she　had　no　need　to　get　up　to　show
it。　　She　walked　to　the　end　of　the　studio　and　then　came　back
blushing；　her　fluttered　eyes　on　the　partner　of　her　appeal。　　I　was
reminded　of　an　incident　I　had　accidentally　had　a　glimpse　of　in
Parisbeing　with　a　friend　there；　a　dramatist　about　to　produce　a
play；　when　an　actress　came　to　him　to　ask　to　be　entrusted　with　a
part。　　She　went　through　her　paces　before　him；　walked　up　and　down　as
Mrs。　Monarch　was　doing。　　Mrs。　Monarch　did　it　quite　as　well；　but　I
abstained　from　applauding。　　It　was　very　odd　to　see　such　people
apply　for　such　poor　pay。　　She　looked　as　if　she　had　ten　thousand　a
year。　　Her　husband　had　used　the　word　that　described　her：　　she　was
in　the　London　current　jargon　essentially　and　typically　〃smart。〃
Her　figure　was；　in　the　same　order　of　ideas；　conspicuously　and
irreproachably　〃good。〃　　For　a　woman　of　her　age　her　waist　was
surprisingly　small；　her　elbow　moreover　had　the　orthodox　crook。　　She
held　her　head　at　the　conventional　angle；　but　why　did　she　come　to
ME？　　She　ought　to　have　tried　on　jackets　at　a　big　shop。　　I　feared　my
visitors　were　not　only　destitute　but　〃artistic〃which　would　be　a
great　complication。　　When　she　sat　down　again　I　thanked　her；
observing　that　what　a　draughtsman　most　valued　in　his　model　was　the
faculty　of　keeping　quiet。

〃Oh　SHE　can　keep　quiet；〃　said　Major　Monarch。　　Then　he　added
jocosely：　　〃I've　always　kept　her　quiet。〃

〃I'm　not　a　nasty　fidget；　am　I？〃　　It　was　going　to　wring　tears　from
me；　I　felt；　the　way　she　hid　her　head；　ostrich…like；　in　the　other
broad　bosom。

The　owner　of　this　expanse　addressed　his　answer　to　me。　　〃Perhaps　it
isn't　out　of　place　to　mentionbecause　we　ought　to　be　quite
business…like；　oughtn't　we？that　when　I　married　her　she　was　known
as　the　Beautiful　Statue。〃

〃Oh　dear！〃　said　Mrs。　Monarch　ruefully。

〃Of　course　I　should　want　a　certain　amount　of　expression；〃　I
rejoined。

〃Of　COURSE！〃and　I　had　never　heard　such　unanimity。

〃And　then　I　suppose　you　know　that　you'll　get　awfully　tired。〃

〃Oh　we　NEVER　get　tired！〃　they　eagerly　cried。

〃Have　you　had　any　kind　of　practice？〃

They　hesitatedthey　looked　at　each　other。　　We've　been
photographedIMMENSELY；〃　said　Mrs。　Monarch。

〃She　means　the　fellows　have　asked　us　themselves；〃　added　the　Major。

〃I　seebecause　you're　so　good…looking。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　they　thought；　but　they　were　always　after　us。〃

〃We　always　got　our　photographs　for　nothing；〃

smiled　Mrs。　Monarch。

〃We　might　have　brought　some；　my　dear；〃　her　husband　remarked。

〃I'm　not　sure　we　have　a