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'And you would like it too； would you not； Picotee？'
'O yes；' she replied。 'And I can tell them all about you。'
'Then it shall be so； if Miss Julian will。' She spoke in a settled
way； as if something intended had been set in train； and Christopher
having promised for his sister； he went out of the house with a
parting smile of misgiving。
He could scarcely believe as he walked along that those late words；
yet hanging in his ears； had really been spoken； that still visible
scene enacted。 He could not even recollect for a minute or two how
the final result had been produced。 Did he himself first enter upon
the long…looming theme； or did she？ Christopher had been so
nervously alive to the urgency of setting before the hard…striving
woman a clear outline of himself； his surroundings and his fears；
that he fancied the main impulse to this consummation had been his；
notwithstanding that a faint initiative had come from Ethelberta。
All had completed itself quickly； unceremoniously； and easily。
Ethelberta had let him go a second time； yet on foregoing mornings
and evenings； when contemplating the necessity of some such
explanation； it had seemed that nothing less than Atlantean force
could overpower their mutual gravitation towards each other。
On his reaching home Faith was not in the house； and； in the
restless state which demands something to talk at； the musician went
off to find her； well knowing her haunt at this time of the day。 He
entered the spiked and gilded gateway of the Museum hard by； turned
to the wing devoted to sculptures； and descended to a particular
basement room； which was lined with bas…reliefs from Nineveh。 The
place was cool； silent； and soothing； it was empty； save of a little
figure in black； that was standing with its face to the wall in an
innermost nook。 This spot was Faith's own temple； here； among these
deserted antiques； Faith was always happy。 Christopher looked on at
her for some time before she noticed him； and dimly perceived how
vastly differed her homely suit and unstudied contourpainfully
unstudied to fastidious eyesfrom Ethelberta's well…arranged
draperies； even from Picotee's clever bits of ribbon； by which she
made herself look pretty out of nothing at all。 Yet this negligence
was his sister's essence； without it she would have been a spoilt
product。 She had no outer world； and her rusty black was as
appropriate to Faith's unseen courses as were Ethelberta's correct
lights and shades to her more prominent career。
'Look； Kit；' said Faith； as soon as she knew who was approaching。
'This is a thing I never learnt before； this person is really
Sennacherib； sitting on his throne； and these with fluted beards and
hair like plough…furrows； and fingers with no bones in them； are his
warriorsreally carved at the time； you know。 Only just think that
this is not imagined of Assyria； but done in Assyrian times by
Assyrian hands。 Don't you feel as if you were actually in Nineveh；
that as we now walk between these slabs； so walked Ninevites between
them once？'
'Yes。 。 。 。 Faith； it is all over。 Ethelberta and I have parted。'
'Indeed。 And so my plan is to think of verses in the Bible about
Sennacherib and his doings； which resemble these； this verse； for
instance； I remember： 〃Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah
did Sennacherib； King of Assyria； come up against all the fenced
cities of Judah and took them。 And Hezekiah； King of Judah； sent to
the King of Assyria to Lachish；〃 and so on。 Well； there it actually
is； you see。 There's Sennacherib； and there's Lachish。 Is it not
glorious to think that this is a picture done at the time of those
very events？'
'Yes。 We did not quarrel this time； Ethelberta and I。 If I may so
put it； it is worse than quarrelling。 We felt it was no use going
on any longer； and soCome； Faith； hear what I say； or else tell me
that you won't hear； and that I may as well save my breath！'
'Yes； I will really listen；' she said； fluttering her eyelids in her
concern at having been so abstracted； and excluding Sennacherib
there and then from Christopher's affairs by the first settlement of
her features to a present…day aspect； and her eyes upon his face。
'You said you had seen Ethelberta。 Yes； and what did she say？'
'Was there ever anybody so provoking！ Why； I have just told you！'
'Yes； yes； I remember now。 You have parted。 The subject is too
large for me to know all at once what I think of it； and you must
give me time； Kit。 Speaking of Ethelberta reminds me of what I have
done。 I just looked into the Academy this morningI thought I
would surprise you by telling you about it。 And what do you think I
saw？ Ethelbertain the picture painted by Mr。 Ladywell。'
'It is never hung？' said he； feeling that they were at one as to a
topic at last。
'Yes。 And the subject is an Elizabethan knight parting from a lady
of the same periodthe words explaining the picture being
〃Farewell！ thou art too dear for my possessing；
And like enough thou know'st thy estimate。〃
The lady is Ethelberta； to the shade of a hairher living face； and
the knight is'
'Not Ladywell？'
'I think so； I am not sure。'
'No wonder I am dismissed！ And yet she hates him。 Well； come
along； Faith。 Women allow strange liberties in these days。'
25。 THE ROYAL ACADEMY … THE FARNFIELD ESTATE
Ethelberta was a firm believer in the kindly effects of artistic
education upon the masses。 She held that defilement of mind often
arose from ignorance of eye； and her philanthropy being； by the
simple force of her situation； of that sort which lingers in the
neighbourhood of home； she concentrated her efforts in this kind
upon Sol and Dan。 Accordingly； the Academy exhibition having now
just opened； she ordered the brothers to appear in their best
clothes at the entrance to Burlington House just after noontide on
the Saturday of the first week； this being the only day and hour at
which they could attend without 'losing a half' and therefore it was
necessary to put up with the inconvenience of arriving at a crowded
and enervating time。
When Ethelberta was set down in the quadrangle she perceived the
faithful pair； big as the Zamzummims of old time； standing like
sentinels in the particular corner that she had named to them： for
Sol and Dan would as soon have attempted petty larceny as broken
faith with their admired lady…sister Ethelberta。 They welcomed her
with a painfully lavish exhibition of large new gloves； and chests
covered with broad triangular areas of padded blue silk； occupying
the position that the shirt…front had occupied in earlier days； and
supposed to be lineally descended from the tie of a neckerchief。
The dress of their sister for to…day was exactly that of a
respectable workman's relative who had no particular ambition in the
matter of fashiona black stuff gown； a plain bonnet to match。 A
veil she wore for obvious reasons： her face was getting well known
in London； and it had already appeared at the private view in an
uncovered state； when it was scrutinized more than the paintings
around。 But now homely and useful labour was her