ThereisnoneofthehorridEnglishbarbarityoffeelingaboutthesocialpositionofanartistinthishouse。Somuchofmyearlylifehasbeenpassedabroad，thatIhavequitecastmyinsularskininthatrespect。
　　IwishIcouldsaythesameofthegentry——detestableword，butIsupposeImustuseit——ofthegentryintheneighbourhood。TheyaresadGothsinArt，MrHartright。People，Idoassureyou，whowouldhaveopenedtheireyesinastonishment，iftheyhadseenCharlesthefifthpickupTitian’sbrushforhim。Doyoumindputtingthistrayofcoinsbackinthecabinet，andgivingmethenextonetoit？Inthewretchedstateofmynerves，exertionofanykindisunspeakablydisagreeabletome。Yes。Thankyou。’
　　Asapracticalcommentaryontheliberalsocialtheorywhichhehadjustfavouredmebyillustrating，MrFairlie’scoolrequestratheramusedme。Iputbackonedrawerandgavehimtheother，withallpossiblepoliteness。
　　Hebegantriflingwiththenewsetofcoinsandthelittlebrushesimmediately；
　　languidlylookingatthemandadmiringthemallthetimehewasspeakingtome。
　　`Athousandthanksandathousandexcuses。Doyoulikecoins？Yes。SogladwehaveanothertasteincommonbesidesourtasteforArt。Now，aboutthepecuniaryarrangementsbetweenus——dotellme——aretheysatisfactory？’
　　`Mostsatisfactory，MrFairlie。’
　　`Soglad。And——whatnext？Ah！Iremember。Yes。Inreferencetotheconsiderationwhichyouaregoodenoughtoacceptforgivingmethebenefitofyouraccomplishmentsinart，mystewardwillwaitonyouattheendofthefistweek，toascertainyourwishes。And——whatnext？Curious，isitnot？Ihadagreatdealmoretosay：andIappeartohavequiteforgottenit。Doyoumindtouchingthebell？Inthatcorner。Yes。Thankyou。’
　　Irang；andanewservantnoiselesslymadehisappearance——aforeigner，withasetsmileandperfectlybrushedhair——avaleteveryinchofhim。
　　`Louis，’saidMrFairlie，dreamilydustingthetipsofhisfingerswithoneofthetinybrushesforthecoins，`Imadesomeentriesinmytablettesthismorning。Findmytablettes。Athousandpardons，MrHartright，I’mafraidIboreyou。’
　　Ashewearilyclosedhiseyesagain，beforeIcouldanswer，andashedidmostassuredlyboreme，Isatsilent，andlookedupattheMadonnaandChildbyRaphael。Inthemeantime，thevaletlefttheroom，andreturnedshortlywithalittleivorybook。MrFairlie，afterfirstrelievinghimselfbyagentlesigh，letthebookdropopenwithonehand，andheldupthetinybrushwiththeother，asasigntotheservanttowaitforfurtherorders。
　　`Yes。rustso！’saidMrFairlie，consultingthetablettes。`Louis，takedownthatportfolio。’Hepointed，ashespoke，toseveralportfoliosplacednearthewindow，onmahoganystands。`No。Nottheonewiththegreenback——thatcontainsmyRembrandtetchings，MrHartright。Doyoulikeetchings？
　　Yes？Sogladwehaveanothertasteincommon。Theportfoliowiththeredback，Louis。Don’tdropit！YouhavenoideaofthetorturesIshouldsuffer，MrHartright，ifLouisdroppedthatportfolio，Isitsafeonthechair？
　　Doyouthinkitsafe，MrHartright？Yes？Soglad。Willyouobligemebylookingatthedrawings，ifyoureallythinktheyarequitesafe。Louis，goaway。Whatanassyouare。Don’tyouseemeholdingthetablettes？DoyousupposeIwanttoholdthem？Thenwhynotrelievemeofthetabletteswithoutbeingtold？Athousandpardons，MrHartright；servantsaresuchasses，aretheynot？Dotellme——whatdoyouthinkofthedrawings？Theyhavecomefromasaleinashockingstate——Ithoughttheysmeltofhorriddealers’andbrokers’fingerswhenIlookedatthemlast。Canyouundertakethem？’
　　AlthoughmynerveswerenotdelicateenoughtodetecttheodourofplebeianfingerswhichhadoffendedMrFairlie’snostrils，mytastewassufficientlyeducatedtoenablemetoappreciatethevalueofthedrawings，whileI
　　turnedthemover。Theywere，forthemostpart，reallyfinespecimensofEnglishwater-colourart；andtheyhaddeservedmuchbettertreatmentatthehandsoftheirformerpossessorthantheyappearedtohavereceived。
　　`Thedrawings，’Ianswered，`requirecarefulstrainingandmounting；
　　and，inmyopinion，theyarewellworth——’
　　`Ibegyourpardon，’interposedMrFairlie。`Doyoumindmyclosingmyeyeswhileyouspeak？Eventhislightistoomuchforthem。Yes？’
　　`lwasabouttosaythatthedrawingsarewellworthallthetimeandtrouble——’
　　MrFairliesuddenlyopenedhiseyesagain，androlledthemwithanexpressionofhelplessalarminthedirectionofthewindow。
　　`Ientreatyoutoexcuseme，MrHartright，’hesaidinafeebleflutter。
　　`ButsurelyIhearsomehorridchildreninthegarden——myprivategarden——below？’
　　`Ican’tsay，MrFairlie。Iheardnothingmyself。’
　　`Obligeme——youhavebeensoverygoodinhumouringmypoornerves——obligemebyliftingupacorneroftheblind。Don’tletthesuninonme，MrHartright！Haveyougottheblindup？Yes？Thenwillyoubesoverykindastolookintothegardenandmakequitesure？’
　　Icompliedwiththisnewrequest。Thegardenwascarefullywalledin，allround。Notahumancreature，largeorsmall，appearedinanypartofthesacredseclusion。IreportedthatgratifyingfacttoMrFairlie。
　　`Athousandthanks。Myfancy，Isuppose。Therearenochildren，thankHeaven，inthehouse；buttheservantspersonsbornwithoutnerveswillencouragethechildrenfromthevillage。Suchbrats——oh，dearme，suchbrats！ShallIconfessit，MrHartright？——Isadlywantareformintheconstructionofchildren。Nature’sonlyideaseemstobetomakethemmachinesfortheproductionofincessantnoise。SurelyourdelightfulRaffaello’sconceptionisinfinitelypreferable？’
　　HepointedtothepictureoftheMadonna，theupperpartofwhichrepresentedtheconventionalcherubsofItalianArt，celestiallyProvidedwithsittingaccommodationfortheirchins，onballoonsofbuff-colouredcloud。
　　`Quiteamodelfamily！’saidMrFairlie，leeringatthecherubs。`Suchniceroundfaces，andsuchnicesoftwings，and——nothingelse。Nodirtylittlelegstorunabouton，andnonoisylittlelungstoscreamwith。
　　Howimmeasurablysuperiortotheexistingconstruction！Iwillclosemyeyesagain，ifyouwillallowme。Andyoureallycanmanagethedrawings？
　　Soglad。Isthereanythingelsetosettle？ifthereis，IthinkIhaveforgottenit。ShallweringforLouisagain？’
　　Being，bythistime，quiteasanxious，onmyside，asMrFairlieevidentlywasonhis，tobringtheinterviewtoaspeedyconclusion，IthoughtI
　　wouldtrytorenderthesummoningoftheservantunnecessary，byofferingtherequisitesuggestiononmyownresponsibility。
　　`Theonlypoint，MrFairlie，thatremainstobediscussed，’Isaid，`refers，Ithink，totheinstructioninsketchingwhichIamengagedtocommunicatetothetwoyoungladies。’
　　`Ah！justso，’saidMrFairlie。`IwishIfeltstrongenoughtogointothatpartofthearrangement——butIdon’t。Theladieswhoprofitbyyourkindservices，MrHartright，mustsettle，anddecide，andsoon，forthemselves。
　　Mynieceisfondofyourcharmingart。Sheknowsjustenoughaboutittobeconsciousofherownsaddefects。Pleasetakepainswithher。Yes。Isthereanythingelse？No。Wequiteunderstandeachother——don’twe？I
　　havenorighttodetainyouanylongerfromyourdelightfulpursuit——
　　haveI？Sopleasanttohavesettledeverything——suchasensiblerelieftohavedonebusiness。DoyoumindringingforLouistocarrytheportfoliotoyourownroom？’
　　`Iwillcarryittheremyself，MrFairlie，ifyouwillallowme。’
　　`Willyoureally？Areyoustrongenough？HownicetobesostrongI
　　Areyousureyouwon’tdropit？SogladtopossessyouatLimmeridge，MrHartright。IamsuchasuffererthatIhardlydarehopetoenjoymuchofyoursociety。Wouldyoumindtakinggreatpainsnottoletthedoorsbang，andnottodroptheportfolio？Thankyou。Gentlywiththecurtains，please——theslightestnoisefromthemgoesthroughmelikeaknife。Yes。Goodmorning！’
　　Whenthesea-greencurtainswereclosed，andwhenthetwobaizedoorswereshutbehindme，Istoppedforamomentinthelittlecircularhallbeyond，anddrewalong，luxuriousbreathofrelief。Itwaslikecomingtothesurfaceofthewaterafterdeepdiving，tofindmyselfoncemoreontheoutsideofMrFairlie’sroom。
　　AssoonasIwascomfortablyestablishedforthemorninginmyprettylittlestudio，thefirstresolutionatwhichIarrivedwastoturnmystepsnomoreinthedirectionoftheapartmentsoccupiedbythemasterofthehouse，exceptintheveryimprobableeventofhishonouringmewithaspecialinvitationtopayhimanothervisit。HavingsettledthissatisfactoryplanoffutureconductinreferencetoMrFairlie，Isoonrecoveredtheserenityoftemperofwhichmyemployer’shaughtyfamiliarityandimpudentpolitenesshad，forthemoment，deprivedme。Theremaininghoursofthemorningpassedawaypleasantlyenough，inlookingoverthedrawings，arrangingtheminsets，trimmingtheirraggededges，andaccomplishingtheothernecessarypreparationsinanticipationofthebusinessofmountingthem。Iought，perhaps，tohavemademoreprogressthanthis；but，astheluncheon-timedrewnear，Igrewrestlessandunsettled，andfeltunabletofixmyattentiononwork，eventhoughthatworkwasonlyofthehumblemanualkind。
　　Attwoo’clockIdescendedagaintothebreakfast-room，alittleanxiously。
　　Expectationsofsomeinterestwereconnectedwithmyapproachingreappearanceinthatpartofthehouse。MyintroductiontoMissFairliewasnowcloseathand；and，ifMissHalcombe’ssearchthroughhermother’slettershadproducedtheresultwhichsheanticipated，thetimehadcomeforclearingupthemysteryofthewomaninwhite。
　　WomaninWhite：Chapter3[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter3VIIWhenIenteredtheroom，IfoundMissHalcombeandanelderlyladyseatedattheluncheon-table。