’Goanddesigndecorativemedallionsforrichbrewers’houses。
　　Youarethoroughlygoodatthat。’Dickwassickandsavage。
　　’Betterthingsthanmedallions，Dick，’wastheanswer，intonesthatrecalledagray-eyedatom’sfearlessspeechtoMrsJennettDickwouldhaveabasedhimselfutterly，butthatothergirltrailedin。
　　NextSundayhelaidatMaisie’sfeetsmallgiftsofpencilsthatcouldalmostdrawofthemselvesandcoloursinwhosepermanencehebelieved，andhewasostentatiouslyattentivetotheworkinhandItdemanded，amongotherthings，anexpositionofthefaiththatwasinhim。
　　Torpenhow’shairwouldhavestoodonendhadheheardthefluencywithwhichDickpreachedhisowngospelofArt。
　　Amonthbefore，Dickwouldhavebeenequallyastonished；butitwasMaisie’swillandpleasure，andhedraggedhiswordstogethertomakeplaintohercomprehensionallthathadbeenhiddentohimselfofthewhysandwhereforesofworkThereisnottheleastdifficultyindoingathingifyouonlyknowhowtodoit；thetroubleistoexplainyourmethod。
　　’IcouldputthisrightifIhadabrushinmyhand，’saidDick，despairingly，overthemodellingofachinthatMaisiecomplainedwouldnot’lookflesh，’——itwasthesamechinthatshehadscrapedoutwiththepaletteknife，——’butIfinditalmostimpossibletoteachyouThere’saqueergrin，DutchtouchaboutyourpaintingthatIlike；butI’veanotionthatyou’reweakindrawingYouforeshortenasthoughyouneverusedthemodel，andyou’vecaughtKami’spastywayofdealingwithfleshinshadowThen，again，thoughyoudon’tknowityourself，youshirkhardworkSupposeyouspendsomeofyourtimeonlineloneLinedoesn’tallowofshirkingOilsdo，andthreesquareinchesofflashy，trickystuffinthecornerofapicsometimescarryabadthingoff，——asIknow。
　　That’simmoralDoline-workforalittlewhile，andthenIcantellmoreaboutyourpowers，asoldKamiusedtosay。’
　　Maisieprotested；shedidnotcareforthepureline。
　　’Iknow，’saidDick’Youwanttodoyourfancyheadswithabunchofflowersatthebaseofthenecktohidebadmodelling。’Thered-hairedgirllaughedalittle’Youwanttodolandscapeswithcattleknee-deepingrasstohidebaddrawingYouwanttodoagreatdealmorethanyoucandoYouhavesenseofcolour，butyouwantformColour’sagift，——putitasideandthinknomoreaboutit，——butformyoucanbedrilledinto。
　　Now，allyourfancyheads——andsomeofthemareverygood——willkeepyouexactlywhereyouareWithlineyoumustgoforwardorbackward，anditwillshowupallyourweaknesses。’
　　’Butotherpeople——’beganMaisie。
　　’Youmustn’tmindwhatotherpeopledoIftheirsoulswereyoursoul，itwouldbedifferentYoustandandfallbyyourownwork，remember，andit’swasteoftimetothinkofanyoneelseinthisbattle。’
　　Dickpaused，andthelongingthathadbeensoresolutelyputawaycamebackintohiseyesHelookedatMaisie，andthelookaskedasplainlyaswords，WasitnottimetoleaveallthisbarrenwildernessofcanvasandcounselandjoinhandswithLifeandLove？
　　MaisieassentedtothenewprogrammeofschoolingsoadorablythatDickcouldhardlyrestrainhimselffrompickingherupthenandthereandcarryingherofftothenearestregistrar’sofficeItwastheimplicitobediencetothespokenwordandtheblankindifferencetotheunspokendesirethatbaffledandbuffetedhissoulHeheldauthorityinthathouse，——authoritylimited，indeed，toone-halfofoneafternooninseven，butveryrealwhileitlastedMaisiehadlearnedtoappealtohimonmanysubjects，fromtheproperpackingofpicturestotheconditionofasmokychimneyThered-hairedgirlneverconsultedhimaboutanything。
　　Ontheotherhand，sheacceptedhisappearanceswithoutprotest，andwatchedhimalwaysHediscoveredthatthemealsoftheestablishmentwereirregularandfragmentaryTheydependedchieflyontea，pickles，andbiscuit，ashehadsuspectedfromthebeginningThegirlsweresupposedtomarketweekandweekabout，buttheylived，withthehelpofacharwoman，ascasuallyastheyoungravensMaisiespentmostofherincomeonmodels，andtheothergirlrevelledinapparatusasrefinedasherworkwasroughArmedwithknowledge，dear-boughtfromtheDocks，DickwarnedMaisiethattheendofsemi-starvationmeantthecripplingofpowertowork，whichwasconsiderablyworsethandeath。
　　Maisietookthewarning，andgavemorethoughttowhatsheateanddrankWhenhistroublereturneduponhim，asitgenerallydidinthelongwintertwilights，theremembranceofthatlittleactofdomesticauthorityandhiscoercionwithahearth-brushofthesmokydrawing-roomchimneystungDicklikeawhip-lash。
　　Heconceivedthatthismemorywouldbetheextremeofhissufferings，tilloneSunday，thered-hairedgirlannouncedthatshewouldmakeastudyofDick’shead，andthathewouldbegoodenoughtositstill，and——quiteasanafterthought——lookatMaisieHesat，becausehecouldnotwellrefuse，andforthespaceofhalfanhourhereflectedonallthepeopleinthepastwhomhehadlaidopenforthepurposesofhisowncraftHerememberedBinatmostdistinctly，——thatBinatwhohadoncebeenanartistandtalkedaboutdegradation。
　　Itwasthemerestmonochromeroughinginofahead，butitpresentedthedumbwaiting，thelonging，and，aboveall，thehopelessenslavementoftheman，inaspiritofbittermockery。
　　’I’llbuyit，’saidDick，promptly，’atyourownprice。’
　　’Mypriceistoohigh，butIdaresayyou’llbeasgratefulif——’Thewetsketch，flutteredfromthegirl’shandandfellintotheashesofthestudiostoveWhenshepickeditupitwashopelesslysmudged。
　　’Oh，it’sallspoiled！’saidMaisie’AndIneversawitWasitlike？’
　　’Thankyou，’saidDickunderhisbreathtothered-hairedgirl，andheremovedhimselfswiftly。
　　’Howthatmanhatesme！’saidthegirl’Andhowhelovesyou，Maisie！’
　　’Whatnonsense？IknewDick’sveryfondofme，buthehadhisworktodo，andIhavemine。’
　　’Yes，heisfondofyou，andIthinkheknowsthereissomethinginimpressionism，afterallMaisie，can’tyousee？’
　　’See？Seewhat？’
　　’Nothing；only，IknowthatifIcouldgetanymantolookatmeasthatmanlooksatyou，I’d——Idon’tknowwhatI’ddoButhehatesme。
　　Oh，howhehatesme！’
　　ShewasnotaltogethercorrectDick’shatredwastemperedwithgratitudeforafewmoments，andthenheforgotthegirlentirely。
　　Onlythesenseofshameremained，andhewasnursingitacrosstheParkinthefog’There’llbeanexplosiononeofthesedays，’hesaidwrathfully。
　　’Butitisn’tMaisie’sfault；she’sright，quiteright，asfarassheknows，andI
　　can’tblameherThisbusinesshasbeengoingonforthreemonthsnearly。
　　Threemonths！——anditcostmetenyears’knockingabouttogetatthenotion，themerestrawnotion，ofmyworkThat’strue；butthenI
　　didn’thavepins，drawing-pins，andpalette-knives，stuckintomeeverySunday。
　　Oh，mylittledarling，ifeverIbreakyou，somebodywillhaveaverybadtimeofitNo，shewon’tI’dbeasbigafoolaboutherasIamnow。
　　I’llpoisonthatred-hairedgirlonmywedding-day，——she’sunwholesome，——andnowI’llpassonthesepresentbadtimestoTorp。’
　　TorpenhowhadbeenmovedtolectureDickmorethanoncelatelyonthesinoflevity，andDickandlistenedandrepliednotawordIntheweeksbetweenthefirstfewSundaysofhisdisciplinehehadflunghimselfsavagelyintohiswork，resolvedthatMaisieshouldatleastknowthefullstretchofhispowersThenhehadtaughtMaisiethatshemustnotpaytheleastattentiontoanyworkoutsideherown，andMaisiehadobeyedhimalltoowellShetookhiscounsels，butwasnotinterestedinhispictures。
　　’Yourthingssmelloftobaccoandblood，’shesaidonce’Can’tyoudoanythingexceptsoldiers？’
　　’Icoulddoaheadofyouthatwouldstartleyou，’thoughtDick，——thiswasbeforethered-hairedgirlhadbroughthimundertheguillotine，——butheonlysaid，’Iamverysorry，’andharrowedTorpenhow’ssoulthateveningwithblasphemiesagainstArtLater，insensiblyandtoalargeextentagainsthisownwill，heceasedtointeresthimselfinhisownwork。
　　ForMaisie’ssake，andtosoothetheself-respectthatitseemedtohimhelosteachSunday，hewouldnotconsciouslyturnoutbadstuff，but，sinceMaisiedidnotcareevenforhisbest，itwerebetternottodoanythingatallsavewaitandmarktimebetweenSundayandSunday。
　　Torpenhowwasdisgustedastheweekswentbyfruitless，andthenattackedhimoneSundayeveningwhenDickfeltutterlyexhaustedafterthreehours’
　　bitingself-restraintinMaisie’spresenceTherewasLanguage，andTorpenhowwithdrewtoconsulttheNilghai，whohadcomeittotalkcontinentalpolitics。
　　’Bone-idle，ishe？Careless，andtouchedinthetemper？’saidtheNilghai。
　　’Itisn’tworthworryingoverDickisprobablyplayingthefoolwithawoman。’
　　’Isn’tthatbadenough？’
　　’NoShemaythrowhimoutofgearandknockhisworktopiecesforawhileShemayeventurnupheresomedayandmakeasceneonthestaircase：oneneverknowsButuntilDickspeaksofhisownaccordyouhadbetternottouchhimHeisnoeasy-temperedmantohandle。’
　　’No；IwishhewereHeissuchanaggressive，cocksure，you-be-damnedfellow。’
　　’He’llgetthatknockedoutofhimintimeHemustlearnthathecan’tstormupanddowntheworldwithaboxofmoisttubesandaslickbrush。
　　You’refondofhim？’
　　’I’dtakeanypunishmentthat’sinstoreforhimifIcould；buttheworstofitis，nomancansavehisbrother。’
　　’No，andtheworserofitis，thereisnodischargeinthiswarDickmustlearnhislessonliketherestofusTalkingofwar，there’llbetroubleintheBalkansinthespring。’
　　’ThattroubleislongcomingIwonderifwecoulddragDickouttherewhenitcomesoff？’
　　Dickenteredtheroomsoonafterwards，andthequestionwasputtohim。
　　’Notgoodenough，’hesaidshortly’I’mtoocomf’ywhereIam。’
　　’Surelyyouaren’ttakingallthestuffinthepapersseriously？’saidtheNilghai’Yourvoguewillbeendedinlessthansixmonths，——thepublicwillknowyourtouchandgoontosomethingnew，——andwherewillyoubethen？’
　　’Here，inEngland。’
　　’Whenyoumightbedoingdecentworkamongusoutthere？
　　Nonsense！I
　　shallgo，theKeneuwillbethere，Torpwillbethere，Cassavettiwillbethere，andthewholelotofuswillbethere，andweshallhaveasmuchaseverwecando，withunlimitedfightingandthechanceforyouofseeingthingsthatwouldmakethereputationofthreeVerestchagins。’
　　’Um！’saidDick，pullingathispipe。
　　’Youprefertostayhereandimaginethatalltheworldisgapingatyourpictures？Justthinkhowfullanaverageman’slifeisofhisownpursuitsandpleasuresWhentwentythousandofhimfindtimetolookupbetweenmouthfulsandgruntsomethingaboutsomethingtheyaren’ttheleastinterestedin，thenetresultiscalledfame，reputation，ornotoriety，accordingtothetasteandfancyofthespellermylord。’
　　’IknowthataswellasyoudoGivemecreditforalittlegumption。’
　　’BehangedifIdo！’
　　’Behanged，then；youprobablywillbe，——foraspy，byexcitedTurks。
　　Heigh-ho！I’mweary，deadweary，andvirtuehasgoneoutofme。’
　　Dickdroppedintoachair，andwasfastasleepinaminute。
　　’That’sabadsign，’saidtheNilghai，inanundertone。
　　Torpenhowpickedthepipefromthewaistcoatwhereitwasbeginningtoburn，andputapillowbehindthehead’Wecan’thelp；wecan’thelp，’hesaid’It’sagooduglysortofoldcocoanut，andI’mfondofit。
　　There’sthescarofthewipehegotwhenhewascutoverinthesquare。’
　　’Shouldn’twonderifthathasmadehimatriflemad。’
　　’IshouldHe’samostbusinesslikemadman。’
　　ThenDickbegantosnorefuriously。
　　’Oh，here，noaffectioncanstandthissortofthingWakeup，Dick，andgoandsleepsomewhereelse，ifyouintendtomakeanoiseaboutit。’
　　’Whenacathasbeenoutonthetilesallnight，’saidtheNilghai，inhisbeard，’InoticethatsheusuallysleepsalldayThisisnaturalhistory。’
　　DickstaggeredawayrubbinghiseyesandyawningInthenight-watcheshewasovertakenwithanidea，sosimpleandsoluminousthathewonderedhehadneverconceiveditbeforeItwasfullofcraftHewouldseekMaisieonaweek-day，——wouldsuggestanexcursion，andwouldtakeherbytraintoFortKeeling，overtheverygroundthattheytwohadtroddentogethertenyearsago。
　　’Asageneralrule，’heexplainedtohischin-latheredreflectioninthemorning，’itisn’tsafetocrossanoldtrailtwiceThingsremindoneofthings，andacoldwindgetsup，andyoufeelsaid；butthisisanexceptiontoeveryrulethateverwasI’llgotoMaisieatonce。’