按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
notwithstanding。 He seems sufficiently satisfied with me。 Yes； he is a
little off； in fact I am afraid he is a good deal off； poor old
gentleman。 But he's interestingall people in about his condition are；
I suppose。 I hope he'll like my work； I would like to come every day and
study him。 And when I write my fatherah； that hurts！ I mustn't get on
that subject； it isn't good for my spirits。 Somebody comingI must get
to work。 It's the old gentleman again。 He looks bothered。 Maybe my
clothes are suspicious； and they arefor an artist。 If my conscience
would allow me to make a change； but that is out of the question。
I wonder what he's making those passes in the air for； with his hands。
I seem to be the object of them。 Can he be trying to mesmerize me？
I don't quite like it。 There's something uncanny about it。〃
The colonel muttered to himself； 〃It has an effect on him； I can see it
myself。 That's enough for one time； I reckon。 He's not very solid； yet；
I suppose； and I might disintegrate him。 I'll just put a sly question or
two at him； now； and see if I can find out what his condition is； and
where he's from。〃
He approached and said affably：
〃Don't let me disturb you； Mr。 Tracy； I only want to take a little
glimpse of your work。 Ah； that's finethat's very fine indeed。 You are
doing it elegantly。 My daughter will be charmed with this。 May I sit
down by you？〃
〃Oh； do； I shall be glad。〃
〃It won't disturb you？ I mean； won't dissipate your inspirations？〃
Tracy laughed and said they were not ethereal enough to be very easily
discommoded。
The colonel asked a number of cautious and well…considered questions
questions which seemed pretty odd and flighty to Tracybut the answers
conveyed the information desired； apparently； for the colonel said to
himself； with mixed pride and gratification：
〃It's a good job as far as I've got； with it。 He's solid。 Solid and
going to last； solid as the real thing。
It's wonderfulwonderful。 I believe I couldpetrify him。〃 After a
little he asked； warily 〃Do you prefer being here； oror there？〃
〃There？ Where？〃
〃Whyerwhere you've been？〃
Tracy's thought flew to his boarding…house； and he answered with decision
〃Oh； here； much！〃
The colonel was startled； and said to himself； 〃There's no uncertain ring
about that。 It indicates where he's been to； poor fellow。 Well； I am
satisfied； now。 I'm glad I got him out。〃
He sat thinking； and thinking； and watching the brush go。 At length he
said to himself； 〃Yes； it certainly seems to account for the failure of
my endeavors in poor Berkeley's case。 He went in the other direction。
Well； it's all right。 He's better off。〃
Sally Sellers entered from the street； now； looking her divinest； and the
artist was introduced to her。 It was a violent case of mutual love at
first sight； though neither party was entirely aware of the fact；
perhaps。 The Englishman made this irrelevant remark to himself； 〃Perhaps
he is not insane； after all。〃 Sally sat down； and showed an interest in
Tracy's work which greatly pleased him； and a benevolent forgiveness of
it which convinced him that the girl's nature was cast in a large mould。
Sellers was anxious to report his discoveries to Hawkins； so he took his
leave； saying that if the two 〃young devotees of the colored Muse〃
thought they could manage without him； he would go and look after his
affairs。 The artist said to himself； 〃I think he is a little eccentric；
perhaps； but that is all。〃 He reproached himself for having injuriously
judged a man without giving him any fair chance to show what he really
was。
Of course the stranger was very soon at his ease and chatting along
comfortably。 The average American girl possesses the valuable qualities
of naturalness； honesty； and inoffensive straightforwardness； she is
nearly barren of troublesome conventions and artificialities；
consequently her presence and her ways are unembarrassing； and one is
acquainted with her and on the pleasantest terms with her before he knows
how it came about。 This new acquaintanceshipfriendship； indeed
progressed swiftly； and the unusual swiftness of it； and the thoroughness
of it are sufficiently evidenced and established by one noteworthy fact
that within the first half hour both parties had ceased to be conscious
of Tracy's clothes。 Later this consciousness was re…awakened； it was
then apparent to Gwendolen that she was almost reconciled to them； and it
was apparent to Tracy that he wasn't。 The re…awakening was brought about
by Gwendolen's inviting the artist to stay to dinner。 He had to decline；
because he wanted to live； nowthat is； now that there was something to
live forand he could not survive in those clothes at a gentleman's
table。 He thought he knew that。 But he went away happy； for he saw that
Gwendolen was disappointed。
And whither did he go？ He went straight to a slopshop and bought as neat
and reasonably well…fitting a suit of clothes as an Englishman could be
persuaded to wear。 He saidto himself； but at his conscience〃I know
it's wrong； but it would be wrong not to do it； and two wrongs do not
make a right。〃
This satisfied him； and made his heart light。 Perhaps it will also
satisfy the readerif he can make out what it means。
The old people were troubled about Gwendolen at dinner； because she was
so distraught and silent。 If they had noticed； they would have found
that she was sufficiently alert and interested whenever the talk stumbled
upon the artist and his work； but they didn't notice； and so the chat
would swap around to some other subject； and then somebody would
presently be privately worrying about Gwendolen again； and wondering if
she were not well； or if something had gone wrong in the millinery line。
Her mother offered her various reputable patent medicines； and tonics
with iron and other hardware in them； and her father even proposed to
send out for wine； relentless prohibitionist and head of the order in the
District of Columbia as he was； but these kindnesses were all declined
thankfully； but with decision。 At bedtime； when the family were breaking
up for the night； she privately looted one of the brushes； saying to
herself； 〃It's the one he has used； the most。〃
The next morning Tracy went forth wearing his new suit； and equipped with
a pink in his button…holea daily attention from Puss。 His whole soul
was full of Gwendolen Sellers； and this condition was an inspiration；
art…wise。 All the morning his brush pawed nimbly away at the canvases；
almost without his awarityawarity； in this sense being the sense of
being aware； though disputed by some authoritiesturning out marvel upon
marvel； in the way of decorative accessories to the portraits； with a
felicity and celerity which amazed the veterans of the firm and fetched
out of them continuous explosions of applause。
Meantime Gwendolen was losing her morning； and many dollars。 She
supposed Tracy was coming in the forenoona conclusion which she had
jumped to without outside help。 So she tripped down stairs every little
while from her work…parlor to arrange the brushes and things over again；
and see if he had