Writeanotetoyouroffice，——yousayyou’retheheadofit，——andorderthemtogiveTorpenhowmysketches，——everyoneofthemWaitaminute：
　　yourhand’sshakingNow！’Hethrustapocket-bookbeforehim。
　　ThenotewaswrittenTorpenhowtookitanddepartedwithoutaword，whileDickwalkedroundandroundthespellboundcaptive，givinghimsuchadviceasheconceivedbestforthewelfareofhissoulWhenTorpenhowreturnedwithagiganticportfolio，heheardDicksay，almostsoothingly，’Now，Ihopethiswillbealessontoyou；andifyouworrymewhenI
　　havesettleddowntoworkwithanynonsenseaboutactionsforassault，believeme，I’llcatchyouandmanhandleyou，andyou’lldieYouhaven’tverylongtolive，anyhowGo！Imshi，Vootsak，——getout！’Themandeparted，staggeringanddazedDickdrewalongbreath：’Phew！
　　whatalawlesslotthesepeopleare！Thefirstthingapoororphanmeetsisgangrobbery，organisedburglary！Thinkofthehideousblacknessofthatman’smind！Aremysketchesallright，Torp？’
　　’Yes；onehundredandforty-sevenofthemWell，Imustsay，Dick，you’vebegunwell。’
　　’HewasinterferingwithmeItonlymeantafewpoundstohim，butitwaseverythingtomeIdon’tthinkhe’llbringanactionIgavehimsomemedicaladvicegratisaboutthestateofhisbodyItwascheapatthelittleflurryitcosthimNow，let’slookatmythings。’
　　TwominuteslaterDickhadthrownhimselfdownonthefloorandwasdeepintheportfolio，chucklinglovinglyasheturnedthedrawingsoverandthoughtofthepriceatwhichtheyhadbeenbought。
　　TheafternoonwaswelladvancedwhenTorpenhowcametothedoorandsawDickdancingawildsarabandundertheskylight。
　　’IbuildedbetterthanIknew，Torp，’hesaid，withoutstoppingthedance。
　　’They’regood！They’redamnedgood！They’llgolikeflame！IshallhaveanexhibitionofthemonmyownbrazenhookAndthatmanwouldhavecheatedmeoutofit！DoyouknowthatI’msorrynowthatIdidn’tactuallyhithim？’
　　’Goout，’saidTorpenhow，——’gooutandpraytobedeliveredfromthesinofarrogance，whichyouneverwillbeBringyourthingsupfromwhateverplaceyou’restayingin，andwe’lltrytomakethisbarnalittlemoreshipshape。’
　　’Andthen——oh，then，’saidDick，stillcapering，’wewillspoiltheEgyptians！’
　　CHAPTERIV
　　Thewolf-cubatevenlayhidinthecorn，Whenthesmokeofthecookinghunggray：
　　Heknewwherethedoemadeacouchforherfawn，Andhelookedtohisstrengthforhisprey。
　　Butthemoonsweptthesmoke-wreathsaway。
　　Andheturnedfromhismealinthevillager’sclose，Andhebayedtothemoonassherose。
　　InSeonee-
　　’WELL，andhowdoessuccesstaste？’saidTorpenhow，somethreemonthslaterHehadjustreturnedtochambersafteraholidayinthecountry。
　　’Good，’saidDick，ashesatlickinghislipsbeforetheeaselinthestudio。
　　’Iwantmore，——heapsmoreTheleanyearshavepassed，andI
　　approveofthesefatones。’
　　’Becareful，oldmanThatwayliesbadwork。’
　　Torpenhowwassprawlinginalongchairwithasmallfox-terrierasleeponhischest，whileDickwaspreparingacanvasAdais，abackground，andalay-figureweretheonlyfixedobjectsintheplaceTheyrosefromawreckofoddmentsthatbeganwithfelt-coveredwater-bottles，belts，andregimentalbadges，andendedwithasmallbaleofsecond-handuniformsandastandofmixedarmsThemarkofmuddyfeetonthedaisshowedthatamilitarymodelhadjustgoneawayThewateryautumnsunlightwasfalling，andshadowssatinthecornersofthestudio。
　　’Yes，’saidDick，deliberately，’Ilikethepower；Ilikethefun；Ilikethefuss；andaboveallIlikethemoneyIalmostlikethepeoplewhomakethefussandpaythemoneyAlmostButthey’reaqueergang，——anamazinglyqueergang！’
　　’Theyhavebeengoodenoughtoyou，atanyrateThantin-potexhibitionofyoursketchesmusthavepaidDidyouseethatthepaperscalleditthe“WildWorkShow“？’
　　’NevermindIsoldeveryshredofcanvasIwantedto；and，onmyword，IbelieveitwasbecausetheybelievedIwasaself-taughtflagstoneartist。
　　IshouldhavegotbetterpricesifIworkedmythingsonwoolorscratchedthemoncamel-boneinsteadofusingmereblackandwhiteandcolourVerily，theyareaqueergang，thesepeopleLimitedisn’tthewordtodescribe’emImetafellowtheotherdaywhotoldmethatitwasimpossiblethatshadowsonwhitesandshouldbeblue，——ultramarine，——astheyareIfoundout，later，thatthemanhadbeenasfarasBrightonbeach；butheknewallaboutArt，confoundhim。
　　Hegavemealectureonit，andrecommendedmetogotoschooltolearntechniqueIwonderwhatoldKamiwouldhavesaidtothat。’
　　’WhenwereyouunderKami，manofextraordinarybeginnings？’
　　’IstudiedwithhimfortwoyearsinParisHetaughtbypersonalmagnetismAllheeversaidwas，“Continuez，mesenfants。”andyouhadtomakethebestyoucouldofthatHehadadivinetouch，andheknewsomethingaboutcolourKamiusedtodreamcolour；Iswearhecouldneverhaveseenthegenuinearticle；butheevolvedit；anditwasgood。’
　　’RecollectsomeofthoseviewsintheSoudan？’saidTorpenhow，withaprovokingdrawl。
　　Dicksquirmedinhisplace’Don’t！ItmakesmewanttogetoutthereagainWhatcolourthatwas！Opalandumberandamberandclaretandbrick-redandsulphur——cockatoo-crest——sulphur——againstbrown，withanigger-blackrockstickingupinthemiddleofitall，andadecorativefriezeofcamelsfestooninginfrontofapurepaleturquoisesky。’
　　Hebegantowalkupanddown’Andyet，youknow，ifyoutrytogivethesepeoplethethingasGodgaveit，keyeddowntotheircomprehensionandaccordingtothepowersHehasgivenyou——’
　　’Modestman！Goon。’
　　’Halfadozenepiceneyoungpaganswhohaven’tevenbeentoAlgierswilltellyou，first，thatyournotionisborrowed，and，secondly，thatitisn’tArt。
　　’’ThiscomesofmyleavingtownforamonthDickie，you’vebeenpromenadingamongthetoy-shopsandhearingpeopletalk。’
　　’Icouldn’thelpit，’saidDick，penitently’Youweren’there，anditwaslonelytheselongeveningsAmancan’tworkforever。’
　　’Amanmighthavegonetoapub，andgotdecentlydrunk。’
　　’IwishIhad；butIforgatheredwithsomemenofsortsTheysaidtheywereartists，andIknewsomeofthemcoulddraw，——buttheywouldn’tdrawTheygavemetea，——teaatfiveintheafternoon！——andtalkedaboutArtandthestateoftheirsoulsAsiftheirsoulsmatteredI’veheardmoreaboutArtandseenlessofherinthelastsixmonthsthaninthewholeofmylifeDoyourememberCassavetti，whoworkedforsomecontinentalsyndicate，outwiththedesertcolumn？HewasaregularChristmas-treeofcontraptionswhenhetookthefieldinfullfig，withhiswater-bottle，lanyard，revolver，writing-case，housewife，gig-lamps，andtheLordknowswhatallHeusedtofiddleaboutwith’emandshowushowtheyworked；butheneverseemedtodomuchexceptfudgehisreportsfromtheNilghaiSee？’
　　’DearoldNilghai！He’sintown，fatterthaneverHeoughttobeupherethiseveningIseethecomparisonperfectlyYoushouldhavekeptclearofallthatman-millineryServesyouright；andIhopeitwillunsettleyourmind。’
　　’Itwon’tIthastaughtmewhatArt——holysacredArt——means。’
　　’You’velearntsomethingwhileI’vebeenawayWhatisArt？’
　　’Give’emwhattheyknow，andwhenyou’vedoneitoncedoitagain。’
　　Dickdraggedforwardacanvaslaidfacetothewall’Here’sasampleofrealArtIt’sgoingtobeafacsimilereproductionforaweeklyI
　　calledit“HisLastShot。”It’sworkedupfromthelittlewater-colourImadeoutsideElMaghribWell，Iluredmymodel，abeautifulrifleman，upherewithdrink；Idroredhim，andIredroredhim，andIredroredhim，andImadehimaflushed，dishevelled，bedevilledscallawag，withhishelmetatthebackofhishead，andthelivingfearofdeathinhiseye，andthebloodoozingoutofacutoverhisankle-boneHewasn’tpretty，buthewasallsoldierandverymuchman。’
　　’Oncemore，modestchild！’
　　Dicklaughed’Well，it’sonlytoyouI’mtalkingIdidhimjustaswellasIknewhow，makingallowancefortheslicknessofoilsThentheart-managerofthatabandonedpapersaidthathissubscriberswouldn’tlikeitItwasbrutalandcoarseandviolent，——manbeingnaturallygentlewhenhe’sfightingforhislifeTheywantedsomethingmorerestful，withalittlemorecolourIcouldhavesaidagooddeal，butyoumightaswelltalktoasheepasanart-managerItookmy“LastShot“back。
　　Beholdtheresult！Iputhimintoalovelyredcoatwithoutaspeckonit。
　　ThatisArtIpolishedhisboots，——observethehighlightonthetoeThatisArtI
　　cleanedhisrifle，——riflesarealwayscleanonservice，——becausethatisArt。
　　Ipipeclayedhishelmet，——pipeclayisalwaysusedonactiveservice，andisindispensabletoArtIshavedhischin，Iwashedhishands，andgavehimanairoffattedpeaceResult，militarytailor’spattern-platePrice，thankHeaven，twiceasmuchasforthefirstsketch，whichwasmoderatelydecent。’
　　’Anddoyousupposeyou’regoingtogivethatthingoutasyourwork？’
　　’Whynot？IdiditAloneIdidit，intheinterestsofsacred，home-bredArtandDickenson’sWeekly。’
　　TorpenhowsmokedinsilenceforawhileThencametheverdict，deliveredfromrollingclouds：’Ifyouwereonlyamassofblatheringvanity，Dick，Iwouldn’tmind，——I’dletyougotothedeuceonyourownmahl-stick；butwhenIconsiderwhatyouaretome，andwhenI
　　findthattovanityyouaddthetwopenny-halfpennypiqueofatwelve-year-oldgirl，thenIbestirmyselfinyourbehalfThus！’
　　ThecanvasrippedasTorpenhow’sbootedfootshotthroughit，andtheterrierjumpeddown，thinkingratswereabout。
　　’Ifyouhaveanybadlanguagetouse，useitYouhavenotI
　　continue。
　　Youareanidiot，becausenomanbornofwomanisstrongenoughtotakelibertieswithhispublic，eventhoughtheybe——whichtheyain’t——allyousaytheyare。’
　　’Buttheydon’tknowanybetterWhatcanyouexpectfromcreaturesbornandbredinthislight？’Dickpointedtotheyellowfog’Iftheywantfurniture-polish，letthemhavefurniture-polish，solongastheypayforit。
　　TheyareonlymenandwomenYoutalkasiftheyweregods。’
　　’Thatsoundsveryfine，butithasnothingtodowiththecaseTheyaretheypeopleyouhavetodoworkfor，whetheryoulikeitornot。
　　TheyareyourmastersDon’tbedeceived，Dickie，youaren’tstrongenoughtotriflewiththem，——orwithyourself，whichismoreimportant。
　　Moreover，——Comeback，Binkie：thatreddaubisn’tgoinganywhere，——unlessyoutakepreciousgoodcare，youwillfallunderthedamnationofthecheck-book，andthat’sworsethandeathYouwillgetdrunk——you-rehalfdrunkalready——oneasilyacquiredmoneyForthatmoneyandyouowninfernalvanityyouarewillingtodeliberatelyturnoutbadworkYou’lldoquiteenoughbadworkwithoutknowingitAnd，Dickie，asIloveyouandasIknowyouloveme，IamnotgoingtoletyoucutoffyournosetospiteyourfaceforallthegoldinEngland。
　　That’ssettledNowswear。’
　　’Don’tknow，saidDick’I’vebeentryingtomakemyselfangry，butI
　　can’t，you’resoabominablyreasonableTherewillbearowonDickenson’sWeekly，Ifancy。’
　　’WhytheDickensondoyouwanttoworkonaweeklypaper？It’sslowbleedingofpower。’
　　’Itbringsintheverydesirabledollars，’saidDick，hishandsinhispockets。
　　Torpenhowwatchedhimwithlargecontempt’Why，Ithoughtitwasaman！’saidhe’It’sachild。’
　　’No，itisn’t，’saidDick，wheelingquickly’You’venonotionowhatthecertaintyofcashmeanstoamanwhohasalwayswanteditbadly。
　　Nothingwillpaymeforsomeofmylife’sjoys；onthatChinesepig-boat，forinstance，whenweatebreadandjamforeverymeal，becauseHo-Wangwouldn’tallowusanythingbetter，anditalltastedofpig，——ChinesepigI’veworkedforthis，I’vesweatedandI’vestarvedforthis，lineonlineandmonthaftermonthAndnowI’vegotitIamgoingtomakethemostofitwhileitlastsLetthempay——they’venoknowledge。’