’Ihaveathousandmen，’saidhe，’Towaituponmywill，AndtowersnineupontheTyne，AndthreeupontheTill。’
　　’AndwhatcareIforyoumen，’saidshe，’OrtowersfromTynetoTill，Sithyoumustgowithme，’shesaid，’Towaituponmywill？’-
　　SirHoggieandtheFairiesNEXTmorningTorpenhowfoundDicksunkindeepestreposeoftobacco。
　　’Well，madman，howd’youfeel？’
　　’Idon’tknowI’mtryingtofindout。’
　　’Youhadmuchbetterdosomework。’
　　’Maybe；butI’minnohurryI’vemadeadiscoveryTorp，there’stoomuchEgoinmyCosmos。’
　　’Notreally！Isthisrevelationduetomylectures，ortheNilghai’s？’
　　’Itcametomesuddenly，allonmyownaccountMuchtoomuchEgo；
　　andnowI’mgoingtowork。’
　　Heturnedoverafewhalf-finishedsketches，drummedonanewcanvas，cleanedthreebrushes，setBinkietobitethetoesofthelayfigure，rattledthroughhiscollectionofarmsandaccoutrements，andthenwentoutabruptly，declaringthathehaddoneenoughfortheday。
　　’Thisispositivelyindecent，’saidTorpenhow，’andthefirsttimethatDickhaseverbrokenupalightmorningPerhapshehasfoundoutthathehasasoul，oranartistictemperament，orsomethingequallyvaluable。
　　ThatcomesofleavinghimaloneforamonthPerhapshehasbeengoingoutofeveningsImustlooktothis。’Herangforthebald-headedoldhousekeeper，whomnothingcouldastonishorannoy。
　　’Beeton，didMrHeldardineoutatallwhileIwasoutoftown？’
　　’Neverlaid’isdress-clothesoutonce，sir，allthetimeMostly’edinedin；
　　but’ebroughtsomemostremarkableyounggentlemenup’ereaftertheatresonceortwiceRemarkablefancytheywasYougentlemenonthetopfloordoesverymuchasyoulikes，butitdoseemtome，sir，droppin’awalkin’-stickdownfiveflightso’stairsan’thengoin’
　　downfourabreasttopickitupagainathalf-pasttwointhemornin’，singin’
　　“Bringbackthewhiskey，Williedarlin，’“——notonceortwice，butscoreso’times，——isn’tcharitytotheothertenantsWhatIsayis，“Doasyouwouldbedoneby。”That’smymotto。’
　　’Ofcourse！ofcourse！I’mafraidthetopfloorisn’tthequietestinthehouse。’
　　’Imakenocomplaints，sirIhavespoketoMrHeldarfriendly，an’
　　helaughed，an’didmeapictureofthemissisthatisasgoodasacolouredprintIt’asn’tthehighshineofaphotograph，butwhatIsayis，“Neverlookagift-horseinthemouth。”MrHeldar’sdress-clothes’aven’tbeenonhimforweeks。’
　　’Thenit’sallright，’saidTorpenhowtohimself’Orgiesarehealthy，andDickhasaheadofhisown，butwhenitcomestowomenmakingeyesI’mnotsocertain，——Binkie，neveryoubeaman，littledorglums。
　　They’recontrarybrutes，andtheydothingswithoutanyreason。’
　　DickhadturnednorthwardacrossthePark，buthewaswalkinginthespiritonthemud-flatswithMaisieHelaughedaloudasherememberedthedaywhenhehaddeckedAmomma’shornswiththeham-frills，andMaisie，whitewithrage，hadcuffedhimHowlongthosefouryearsseemedinreview，andhowcloselyMaisiewasconnectedwitheveryhourofthem！Stormacrossthesea，andMaisieinagraydressonthebeach，sweepingherdrenchedhairoutofhereyesandlaughingatthehomewardraceofthefishing-smacks；hotsunshineonthemud-flats，andMaisiesniffingscornfully，withherchinintheair；Maisieflyingbeforethewindthatthreshedtheforeshoreanddrovethesandlikesmallshotaboutherears；Maisie，verycomposedandindependent，tellingliestoMrsJennettwhileDicksupportedherwithcoarserperjuries；
　　Maisiepickingherwaydelicatelyfromstonetostone，apistolinherhandandherteethfirm-set；andMaisieinagraydresssittingonthegrassbetweenthemouthofacannonandanoddingyellowsea-poppy。
　　Thepicturespassedbeforehimonebyone，andthelaststayedthelongest。
　　DickwasperfectlyhappywithaquietpeacethatwasasnewtohismindasitwasforeigntohisexperiencesItneveroccurredtohimthattheremightbeothercallsuponhistimethanloafingacrosstheParkintheforenoon。
　　’There’sagoodworkinglightnow，’hesaid，watchinghisshadowplacidly’SomepoordeviloughttobegratefulforthisAndthere’sMaisie。’
　　ShewaswalkingtowardshimfromtheMarbleArch，andhesawthatnomannerismofhergaithadbeenchangedItwasgoodtofindherstillMaisie，and，sotospeak，hisnext-doorneighbourNogreetingpassedbetweenthem，becausetherehadbeennoneintheolddays。
　　’Whatareyoudoingoutofyourstudioatthishour？’saidDick，asonewhowasentitledtoask。
　　’IdlingJustidlingIgotangrywithachinandscrapeditoutThenIleftitinalittleheapofpaint-chipsandcameaway。’
　　’Iknowwhatpalette-knifingmeansWhatwasthepiccy？’
　　’Afancyheadthatwouldn’tcomeright，——horridthing！’
　　’Idon’tlikeworkingoverscrapedpaintwhenI’mdoingfleshThegraincomesupwoollyasthepaintdries。’
　　’Notifyouscrapeproperly。’MaisiewavedherhandtoillustratehermethodsTherewasadabofpaintonthewhitecuffDicklaughed。
　　’You’reasuntidyasever。’
　　’ThatcomeswellfromyouLookatyourowncuff。’
　　’ByJove，yes！It’sworsethanyoursIdon’tthinkwe’vemuchalteredinanythingLet’ssee，though。’HelookedatMaisiecriticallyThepalebluehazeofanautumndaycreptbetweenthetree-trunksoftheParkandmadeabackgroundforthegraydress，theblackvelvettoqueabovetheblackhair，andtheresoluteprofile。
　　’No，there’snothingchangedHowgooditis！D’yourememberwhenI
　　fastenedyourhairintothesnapofahand-bag？’
　　Maisienodded，withatwinkleinhereyes，andturnedherfullfacetoDick。
　　’Waitaminute，’saidhe’Thatmouthisdownatthecornersalittle。
　　Who’sbeenworryingyou，Maisie？’
　　’NoonebutmyselfIneverseemtogetonwithmywork，andyetI
　　tryhardenough，andKamisays——’
　　’“Continuez，mesdemoisellesContinueztoujours，mesenfants。”
　　KamiisdepressingIbegyourpardon。’
　　’Yes，that’swhathesaysHetoldmelastsummerthatIwasdoingbetterandhe’dletmeexhibitthisyear。’
　　’Notinthisplace，surely？’
　　’OfcoursenotTheSalon。’
　　’Youflyhigh。’
　　’I’vebeenbeatingmywingslongenoughWheredoyouexhibit，Dick？’
　　’Idon’texhibitIsell。’
　　’Whatisyourline，then？’
　　’Haven’tyouheard？’Dick’seyesopenedWasthisthingpossible？
　　HecastaboutforsomemeansofconvictionTheywerenotfarfromtheMarbleArch’ComeupOxfordStreetalittleandI’llshowyou。’
　　Asmallknotofpeoplestoodroundaprint-shopthatDickknewwell。
　　’Somereproductionofmyworkinside，’hesaid，withsuppressedtriumphNeverbeforehadsuccesstastedsosweetuponthetongue’YouseethesortofthingsIpaintD’youlikeit？’
　　Maisielookedatthewildwhirlingrushofafield-batterygoingintoactionunderfireTwoartillery-menstoodbehindherinthecrowd。
　　’They’vechuckedtheofflead-’orse’saidonetotheother’’E’storeupawful，butthey’remakin’goodtimewiththeothersThatlead-driverdrivesbetternoryou，TomSee’owcunnin’’e’snursin’’is’orse。’
　　’NumberThree’llbeoffthelimber，nextjolt，’wastheanswer。
　　’No，’ewon’tSee’ow’isfoot’sbracedagainsttheiron？’E’sallright。’
　　DickwatchedMaisie’sfaceandswelledwithjoy——fine，rank，vulgartriumphShewasmoreinterestedinthelittlecrowdthaninthepicture。
　　Thatwassomethingthatshecouldunderstand。
　　’AndIwanteditso！Oh，Ididwantitso！’shesaidatlast，underherbreath。
　　’Me，——allme！’saidDick，placidly’LookattheirfacesIthits’em。
　　Theydon’tknowwhatmakestheireyesandmouthsopen；butIknow。
　　AndI
　　knowmywork’sright。’
　　’YesIseeOh，whatathingtohavecometoone！’
　　’Cometoone，indeed！IhadtogooutandlookforitWhatdoyouthink？’
　　’IcallitsuccessTellmehowyougotit。’
　　TheyreturnedtothePark，andDickdeliveredhimselfofthesagaofhisowndoings，withallthearroganceofayoungmanspeakingtoawoman。
　　Fromthebeginninghetoldthetale，theI——I——I’sflashingthroughtherecordsastelegraph-polesflypastthetravellerMaisielistenedandnoddedherheadThehistoriesofstrifeandprivationdidnotmoveherahair’s-breadthAttheendofeachcantohewouldconclude，’Andthatgavemesomenotionofhandlingcolour，’orlight，orwhateveritmightbethathehadsetouttopursueandunderstandHeledherbreathlessacrosshalftheworld，speakingashehadneverspokeninhislifebefore。
　　Andintheflood-tideofhisexaltationtherecameuponhimagreatdesiretopickupthismaidenwhonoddedherheadandsaid，’I
　　understandGoon，’——topickherupandcarryherawaywithhim，becauseshewasMaisie，andbecausesheunderstood，andbecauseshewashisright，andawomantobedesiredaboveallwomen。
　　Thenhecheckedhimselfabruptly’AndsoItookallIwanted，’hesaid，’andIhadtofightforitNowyoutell。’
　　Maisie’stalewasalmostasgrayasherdressItcoveredyearsofpatienttoilbackedbysavagepridethatwouldnotbebrokenthoughtdealerslaughed，andfogsdelayedwork，andKamiwasunkindandevensarcastic，andgirlsinotherstudioswerepainfullypoliteIthadafewbrightspots，inpicturesacceptedatprovincialexhibitions，butitwoundupwiththeoftrepeatedwail，’Andsoyousee，Dick，Ihadnosuccess，thoughIworkedsohard。’
　　ThenpityfilledDickEventhushadMaisiespokenwhenshecouldnothitthebreakwater，halfanhourbeforeshehadkissedhimAndthathadhappenedyesterday。
　　’Nevermind，’hesaid’I’lltellyousomething，ifyou’llbelieveit。’
　　Thewordswereshapingthemselvesoftheirownaccord’Thewholething，lock，stock，andbarrel，isn’tworthonebigyellowsea-poppybelowFortKeeling。’
　　Maisieflushedalittle’It’sallverywellforyoutotalk，butyou’vehadthesuccessandIhaven’t。’
　　’Letmetalk，thenIknowyou’llunderstandMaisie，dear，itsoundsabitabsurd，but5thosetenyearsneverexisted，andI’vecomebackagainItreallyisjustthesameCan’tyousee？You’realonenowandI’malone。
　　What’stheuseofworrying？Cometomeinstead，darling。’
　　MaisiepokedthegravelwithherparasolTheyweresittingonabench。
　　’Iunderstand，’shesaidslowly’ButI’vegotmyworktodo，andI
　　mustdoit。’
　　’Doitwithme，then，dearIwon’tinterrupt。’
　　’No，Icouldn’tIt’smywork，——mine，——mine，——mine！I’vebeenaloneallmylifeinmyself，andI’mnotgoingtobelongtoanybodyexceptmyselfI
　　rememberthingsaswellasyoudo，butthatdoesn’tcountWewerebabiesthen，andwedidn’tknowwhatwasbeforeusDick，don’tbeselfishIthinkIseemywaytoalittlesuccessnextyearDon’ttakeitawayfromme。’
　　’Ibegyourpardon，darlingIt’smyfaultforspeakingstupidlyI
　　can’texpectyoutothrowupallyourlifejustbecauseI’mbackI’llgotomyownplaceandwaitalittle。’
　　’But，Dick，Idon’twantyouto——go——outof——mylife，nowyou’vejustcomeback。’
　　’I’matyourorders；forgiveme。’DickdevouredthetroubledlittlefacewithhiseyesTherewastriumphinthem，becausehecouldnotconceivethatMaisieshouldrefusesoonerorlatertolovehim，sincehelovedher。
　　’It’swrongofme，’saidMaisie，moreslowlythanbefore；’it’swrongandselfish；but，oh，I’vebeensolonely！No，youmisunderstandNowI’veseenyouagain，——it’sabsurd，butIwanttokeepyouinmylife。’
　　’NaturallyWebelong。’
　　’Wedon’t；butyoualwaysunderstoodme，andthereissomuchinmyworkthatyoucouldhelpmeinYouknowthingsandthewaysofdoingthingsYoumust。’
　　’Ido，Ifancy，orelseIdon’tknowmyselfThenyouwon’tcaretolosesightofmealtogether，and——youwantmetohelpyouinyourwork？’
　　’Yes；butremember，Dick，nothingwillevercomeofitThat’swhyIfeelsoselfishCan’tthingsstayastheyare？Idowantyourhelp。’
　　’YoushallhaveitButlet’sconsiderImustseeyourpicsfirst，andoverhaulyoursketches，andfindoutaboutyourtendenciesYoushouldseewhatthepaperssayaboutmytendencies！ThenI’llgiveyougoodadvice，andyoushallpaintaccordingIsn’tthatit，Maisie？’
　　AgaintherewastriumphinDick’seye。