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sincere。 And the old sailor…man is full of sound religion； and is as
devoted a student of the Bible and misquoter of it as you can find
anywhere。 I don't know a better man or kinder hearted old soul than
Saltmarsh； although he does swear a little； sometimes。〃
〃He seems to be perfect。 I want to know him； Barrow。〃
〃You'll have the chance。 I guess I hear them coming； now。 We'll draw
them out on their art； if you like。〃
The artists arrived and shook hands with great heartiness。 The German
was forty and a little fleshy； with a shiny bald head and a kindly face
and deferential manner。 Capt。 Saltmarsh was sixty； tall； erect；
powerfully built； with coal…black hair and whiskers； and he had a well
tanned complexion； and a gait and countenance that were full of command；
confidence and decision。 His horny hands and wrists were covered with
tattoo…marks； and when his lips parted； his teeth showed up white and
blemishless。 His voice was the effortless deep bass of a church organ；
and would disturb the tranquility of a gas flame fifty yards away。
〃They're wonderful pictures；〃 said Barrow。 〃We've been examining them。〃
〃It is very bleasant dot you like dem；〃 said Handel； the German； greatly
pleased。 〃Und you； Herr Tracy； you haf peen bleased mit dem too；
alretty？〃
〃I can honestly say I have never seen anything just like them before。〃
〃Schon！〃 cried the German； delighted。 〃You hear； Gaptain？ Here is a
chentleman； yes； vot abbreviate unser aart。〃
The captain was charmed； and said：
〃Well； sir； we're thankful for a compliment yet； though they're not as
scarce now as they used to be before we made a reputation。〃
〃Getting the reputation is the up…hill time in most things； captain。〃
〃It's so。 It ain't enough to know how to reef a gasket； you got to make
the mate know you know it。 That's reputation。 The good word； said at
the right time； that's the word that makes us； and evil be to him that
evil thinks； as Isaiah says。〃
〃It's very relevant； and hits the point exactly；〃 said Tracy。
〃Where did you study art； Captain？〃
〃I haven't studied； it's a natural gift。〃
〃He is born mit dose cannon in him。 He tondt haf to do noding； his
chenius do all de vork。 Of he is asleep； and take a pencil in his hand；
out come a cannon。 Py crashus； of he could do a clavier； of he could do
a guitar； of he could do a vashtub； it is a fortune； heiliger Yohanniss
it is yoost a fortune！〃
〃Well； it is an immense pity that the business is hindered and limited in
this unfortunate way。〃
The captain grew a trifle excited； himself； now：
〃You've said it； Mr。 Tracy！Hindered？ well； I should say so。 Why； look
here。 This fellow here； No。 11； he's a hackman；a flourishing hackman；
I may say。 He wants his hack in this picture。 Wants it where the cannon
is。 I got around that difficulty； by telling him the cannon's our
trademark； so to speak…proves that the picture's our work； and I was
afraid if we left it out people wouldn't know for certain if it was a
SaltmarshHandelnow you wouldn't yourself〃
〃What； Captain？ You wrong yourself； indeed you do。 Anyone who has once
seen a genuine Saltmarsh…Handel is safe from imposture forever。 Strip
it； flay it； skin it out of every detail but the bare color and
expression； and that man will still recognize itstill stop to
worship〃
〃Oh； how it makes me feel to hear dose oxpressions！〃
〃still say to himself again as he had； said a hundred times before； the
art of the Saltmarsh…Handel is an art apart； there is nothing in the
heavens above or in the earth beneath that resembles it；〃
〃Py chiminy； nur horen Sie einmal！ In my life day haf I never heard so
brecious worts。〃
〃So I talked him out of the hack； Mr。 Tracy； and he let up on that； and
said put in a hearse； thenbecause he's chief mate of a hearse but don't
own itstands a watch for wages； you know。 But I can't do a hearse any
more than I can a hack； so here we arebecalmed； you see。 And it's the
same with women and such。 They come and they want a little johnry
picture〃
〃It's the accessories that make it a 'genre？'〃
〃Yescannon； or cat； or any little thing like that； that you heave into
whoop up the effect。 We could do a prodigious trade with the women if we
could foreground the things they like； but they don't give a damn for
artillery。 Mine's the lack；〃 continued the captain with a sigh； 〃Andy's
end of the business is all right I tell you he's an artist from way
back！〃
〃Yoost hear dot old man！ He always talk 'poud me like dot；〃 purred the
pleased German。
〃Look at his work yourself！ Fourteen portraits in a row。 And no two of
them alike。〃
〃Now that you speak of it； it is true； I hadn't noticed it before。 It is
very remarkable。 Unique； I suppose。〃
〃I should say so。 That's the very thing about Andyhe discriminates。
Discrimination's the thief of timeforty…ninth Psalm； but that ain't any
matter； it's the honest thing； and it pays in the end。〃
〃Yes； he certainly is great in that feature； one is obliged to admit it；
butnow mind； I'm not really criticisingdon't you think he is just a
trifle overstrong in technique？〃
The captain's face was knocked expressionless by this remark。 It
remained quite vacant while he muttered to himself〃 Technique
techniquepolytechniquepyro…technique； that's it； likely…fireworks too
much color。〃 Then he spoke up with serenity and confidence； and said：
〃Well； yes； he does pile it on pretty loud； but they all like it； you
knowfact is； it's the life of the business。 Take that No。 9； there；
Evans the butcher。 He drops into the stoodio as sober…colored as
anything you ever see： now look at him。 You can't tell him from scarlet
fever。 Well； it pleases that butcher to death。 I'm making a study of a
sausage…wreath to hang on the cannon； and I don't really reckon I can do
it right； but if I can； we can break the butcher。〃
〃Unquestionably your confederateI mean youryour fellow…craftsman
is a great colorist〃
〃Oh； danke schon！〃
〃in fact a quite extraordinary colorist； a colorist； I make bold to
say； without imitator here or abroadand with a most bold and effective
touch； a touch like a battering ram； and a manner so peculiar and
romantic； and extraneous； and ad libitum； and heart…searching； that
thathehe is an impressionist； I presume？〃
〃No；〃 said the captain simply； 〃he is a Presbyterian。〃
〃It accounts for it allallthere's something divine about his art；
soulful； unsatisfactory； yearning； dim hearkening on the void horizon；
vague…murmuring to the spirit out of ultra…marine distances and far…
sounding cataclysms of uncreated spaceoh； if heif； hehas he ever
tried distemper？〃
The captain answered up with energy：
〃Not if he knows himself！ But his dog has； and〃
〃Oh； no； it vas not my dog。〃
〃Why； you said it was your dog。〃
〃Oh； no； gaptain； I〃
〃It was a white dog； wasn't it； with his tail docked； and one ear gone；
and〃
〃Dot's him； dot's him！der fery dog。 Wy； py Chorge； dot dog he would
eat baint yoost de same like〃
〃Well； never mind that； now'vast heavingI never saw such a man。 You
start him on that dog and he'll dispute a year。 Blamed if I haven't seen
him