some short stories-第8部分

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which　the　face　was　somewhat　averted　or　blurred；　she　abounded　in
ladylike　back　views　and　profils　perdus。　　When　she　stood　erect　she
took　naturally　one　of　the　attitudes　in　which　court…painters
represent　queens　and　princesses；　so　that　I　found　myself　wondering
whether；　to　draw　out　this　accomplishment；　I　couldn't　get　the　editor
of　the　Cheapside　to　publish　a　really　royal　romance；　〃A　Tale　of
Buckingham　Palace。〃　　Sometimes　however　the　real　thing　and　the　make…
believe　came　into　contact；　by　which　I　mean　that　Miss　Churm；　keeping
an　appointment　or　coming　to　make　one　on　days　when　I　had　much　work
in　hand；　encountered　her　invidious　rivals。　　The　encounter　was　not
on　their　part；　for　they　noticed　her　no　more　than　if　she　had　been
the　housemaid；　not　from　intentional　loftiness；　but　simply　because
as　yet；　professionally；　they　didn't　know　how　to　fraternise；　as　I
could　imagine　they　would　have　likedor　at　least　that　the　Major
would。　　They　couldn't　talk　about　the　omnibusthey　always　walked；
and　they　didn't　know　what　else　to　tryshe　wasn't　interested　in
good　trains　or　cheap　claret。　　Besides；　they　must　have　feltin　the
airthat　she　was　amused　at　them；　secretly　derisive　of　their　ever
knowing　how。　　She　wasn't　a　person　to　conceal　the　limits　of　her
faith　if　she　had　had　a　chance　to　show　them。　　On　the　other　hand　Mrs。
Monarch　didn't　think　her　tidy；　for　why　else　did　she　take　pains　to
say　to　meit　was　going　out　of　the　way；　for　Mrs。　Monarchthat　she
didn't　like　dirty　women？

One　day　when　my　young　lady　happened　to　be　present　with　my　other
sittersshe　even　dropped　in；　when　it　was　convenient；　for　a　chatI
asked　her　to　be　so　good　as　to　lend　a　hand　in　getting　tea；　a　service
with　which　she　was　familiar　and　which　was　one　of　a　class　that；
living　as　I　did　in　a　small　way；　with　slender　domestic　resources；　I
often　appealed　to　my　models　to　render。　　They　liked　to　lay　hands　on
my　property；　to　break　the　sitting；　and　sometimes　the　chinait　made
them　feel　Bohemian。　　The　next　time　I　saw　Miss　Churm　after　this
incident　she　surprised　me　greatly　by　making　a　scene　about　itshe
accused　me　of　having　wished　to　humiliate　her。　　She　hadn't　resented
the　outrage　at　the　time；　but　had　seemed　obliging　and　amused；
enjoying　the　comedy　of　asking　Mrs。　Monarch；　who　sat　vague　and
silent；　whether　she　would　have　cream　and　sugar；　and　putting　an
exaggerated　simper　into　the　question。　　She　had　tried　intonations
as　if　she　too　wished　to　pass　for　the　real　thingtill　I　was　afraid
my　other　visitors　would　take　offence。

Oh　they　were　determined　not　to　do　this；　and　their　touching　patience
was　the　measure　of　their　great　need。　　They　would　sit　by　the　hour；
uncomplaining；　till　I　was　ready　to　use　them；　they　would　come　back
on　the　chance　of　being　wanted　and　would　walk　away　cheerfully　if　it
failed。　　I　used　to　go　to　the　door　with　them　to　see　in　what
magnificent　order　they　retreated。　　I　tried　to　find　other　employment
for　themI　introduced　them　to　several　artists。　　But　they　didn't
〃take；〃　for　reasons　I　could　appreciate；　and　I　became　rather
anxiously　aware　that　after　such　disappointments　they　fell　back　upon
me　with　a　heavier　weight。　　They　did　me　the　honour　to　think　me　most
their　form。　　They　weren't　romantic　enough　for　the　painters；　and　in
those　days　there　were　few　serious　workers　in　black…and…white。

Besides；　they　had　an　eye　to　the　great　job　I　had　mentioned　to　them
they　had　secretly　set　their　hearts　on　supplying　the　right　essence
for　my　pictorial　vindication　of　our　fine　novelist。　　They　knew　that
for　this　undertaking　I　should　want　no　costumeeffects；　none　of　the
frippery　of　past　agesthat　it　was　a　case　in　which　everything　would
be　contemporary　and　satirical　and　presumably　genteel。　　If　I　could
work　them　into　it　their　future　would　be　assured；　for　the　labour
would　of　course　be　long　and　the　occupation　steady。

One　day　Mrs。　Monarch　came　without　her　husbandshe　explained　his
absence　by　his　having　had　to　go　to　the　City。　　While　she　sat　there
in　her　usual　relaxed　majesty　there　came　at　the　door　a　knock　which　I
immediately　recognised　as　the　subdued　appeal　of　a　model　out　of
work。　　It　was　followed　by　the　entrance　of　a　young　man　whom　I　at
once　saw　to　be　a　foreigner　and　who　proved　in　fact　an　Italian
acquainted　with　no　English　word　but　my　name；　which　he　uttered　in　a
way　that　made　it　seem　to　include　all　others。　　I　hadn't　then　visited
his　country；　nor　was　I　proficient　in　his　tongue；　but　as　he　was　not
so　meanly　constitutedwhat　Italian　is？as　to　depend　only　on　that
member　for　expression　he　conveyed　to　me；　in　familiar　but　graceful
mimicry；　that　he　was　in　search　of　exactly　the　employment　in　which
the　lady　before　me　was　engaged。　　I　was　not　struck　with　him　at
first；　and　while　I　continued　to　draw　I　dropped　few　signs　of
interest　or　encouragement。　　He　stood　his　ground　howevernot
importunately；　but　with　a　dumb　dog…like　fidelity　in　his　eyes　that
amounted　to　innocent　impudence；　the　manner　of　a　devoted　servanthe
might　have　been　in　the　house　for　yearsunjustly　suspected。
Suddenly　it　struck　me　that　this　very　attitude　and　expression　made　a
picture；　whereupon　I　told　him　to　sit　down　and　wait　till　I　should　be
free。　　There　was　another　picture　in　the　way　he　obeyed　me；　and　I
observed　as　I　worked　that　there　were　others　still　in　the　way　he
looked　wonderingly；　with　his　head　thrown　back；　about　the　high
studio。　　He　might　have　been　crossing　himself　in　Saint　Peter's。
Before　I　finished　I　said　to　myself　〃The　fellow's　a　bankrupt　orange…
monger；　but　a　treasure。〃

When　Mrs。　Monarch　withdrew　he　passed　across　the　room　like　a　flash
to　open　the　door　for　her；　standing　there　with　the　rapt　pure　gaze　of
the　young　Dante　spellbound　by　the　young　Beatrice。　　As　I　never
insisted；　in　such　situations；　on　the　blankness　of　the　British
domestic；　I　reflected　that　he　had　the　making　of　a　servantand　I
needed　one；　but　couldn't　pay　him　to　be　only　thatas　well　as　of　a
model；　in　short　I　resolved　to　adopt　my　bright　adventurer　if　he
would　agree　to　officiate　in　the　double　capacity。　　He　jumped　at　my
offer；　and　in　the　event　my　rashnessfor　I　had　really　known　nothing
about　himwasn't　brought　home　to　me。　　He　proved　a　sympathetic
though　a　desultory　ministrant；　and　had　in　a　wonderful　degree　the
sentiment　de　la　pose。　　It　was　uncultivated；　instinctive；　a　part　of
the　happy　instinct　that　had　guided　him　to　my　door　and　helped　him　to
spell　out　my　name　on　the　card　nailed　to　it。　　He　had　had　no　other
introduction　to　me　than　a　guess；　from　the　shape　of　my　high　north
window；　seen　outside；　that　my　place　was　a　studio　and　that　as　a
studio　it　would　contain　an　artist。　　He　had　wandered　to　England　in
search　of　fortune；　like　other　itinerants；　and　had　embarked；　with　a
partner　and　a　small　green　hand…cart；　on　the　sale　of　penny　ices。
The　ices　had　melted　away　and　the　partner　had　dissolved　in　their
train。　　My　young　man　wore　tight　yellow　trousers　with　reddish
stripes　and　his　name　was　Oronte。　　He　was　sallow　but　fair；　and　when
I　put　him　into　some　old　clothes　of　my　own　he　looked　like　an
Englishman。　　He　was　as　good　as　Miss　Churm；　who　could　look；　when
requested；　like　an　Italian。



CHAPTER　IV



I　thought　Mrs。　Monarch's　face　slightly　convulsed　when；　on　her
coming　back　with　her　husband；　she　found　Oronte　installed。　　It　was
strange　to　have　to　recognise　in　a　scrap　of　a　lazzarone　a　competitor
to　her　magnificent　Major。　　It　was　she　who　scented　danger　first；　for
the　Major　was　anecdotically　unconscious。　　But　Oronte　gave　us　tea；
with　a　hundred　eager　confusionshe　had　never　been　concerned　in　so
queer　a　processand　I　think　she　thought　better　of　me　for　having　at
last　an　〃establishment。〃　　They　saw　a　couple　of　drawings　that　I　had
made　of　the　establishment；　and　Mrs。　Monarch　hinted　that　it　never
would　have　struck　her　he　had　sat　for　them。　　〃Now　the　drawings　you
make　from　US；　they　look　exactly　like　us；〃　she　reminded　me；　smiling
in　triumph；　and　I　recognised　that　this　was　indeed　just　their
defect。　　When　I　drew　the　Monarchs　I　couldn't　anyhow　get　away　from
themget　into　the　character　I　wanted　to　represent；　and　I　hadn't
the　least　desire　my　model　should　be　discoverable　in　my　picture。
Miss　Churm　never　was；　and　Mrs。　Monarch　thought　I　hid　her；　very
properly；　because　she　was　vulgar；　whereas　if　she　was　lost　it　was
only　as　the　dead　who　go　to　heaven　are　lostin　the　gain　of　an　angel
the　more。

By　this　time　I　had　got　a　certain　start　with　〃Rutland　Ramsay；〃　the
first　novel　in　the　great　projected　series；　that　is　I　had　produced　a
dozen　drawings；　several　with　the　help　of　the　Major　and　his　wife；
and　I　had　sent　them　in　for　approval。　　My　understanding　with　the
publishers　as　I　have　already　hinted；　had　been　that　I　was　to　be　left
to　do　my　work；　in　this　particular　case；　as　I　liked；　with　the　whole
book　committed　to　me；　but　my　connexion　with　the　rest　of　the　series
was　only　contingent。　　There　were　moments　when；　frankly；　it　WAS　a
comfort　to　have　the　real　thing　under　one's　hand　for　there　were
characters　in　〃Rutland　Ramsay〃　that　were　very　much　like　it。　　There
were　people　presumably　as　erect　as　the　Major　and　women　of　as　good　a
fashion　as　Mrs。　Monarch。　　There　was　a　great　deal　of　country…house
life…treated；　it　is　true；　in　a　fine　fanciful　ironical　generalised
wayand　there　was　a　considerable　implication　of　knickerbockers　and
kilts。　　There　were　certain　things　I　had　to　settle　at　the　outset；
such　things　for　instance　as　the　exact　appearance　of　the　hero　and
the　particular　bloom　and　figure　of　the　heroine。　　The　author　of
course　gave　me　a　lead；　but　there　was　a　margin　for　interpretation。
I　took　the　Monarchs　into　my　confidence；　I　told　them　frankly　what　I
was　about；　I　mentioned　my　embarrassments　and　alternatives。　　〃Oh
take　HIM！〃　Mrs。　Monarch　murmured　sweetly；　looking　at　her　husband；
and　〃What　could　you　want　better　than　my　wife？〃　the　Major　inquired
with　the　comfortable　candour　that　now　prevailed　between　us。

I　wasn't　obliged　to　answer　these　remarksI　was　only　obliged　to
place　my　sitters。　　I　wasn't　easy　in　mind；　and　I　postponed　a　little
timidly　perhaps　the　solving　of　my　question。　　The　book　was　a　large
canvas；　the　other　figures　were　numerous；　and　I　worked　off　at　first
some　of　the　episodes　in　which　the　hero　and　the　heroine　were　not
concerned。　　When　once　I　had　set　THEM　up　I　should　have　to　stick　to
themI　couldn't　make　my　young　man　seven　feet　high　in　one　place　and
five　feet　nine　in　another。　　I