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while from her work…parlor to arrange the brushes and things over again；
and see if he had arrived。 And when she was in her work…parlor it was
not profitable； but just the other wayas she found out to her sorrow。
She had put in her idle moments during the last little while back； in
designing a particularly rare and capable gown for herself； and this
morning she set about making it up； but she was absent minded； and made
an irremediable botch of it。 When she saw what she had done； she knew
the reason of it and the meaning of it； and she put her work away from
her and said she would accept the sign。 And from that time forth she
came no more away from the Audience Chamber； but remained there and
waited。 After luncheon she waited again。 A whole hour。 Then a great
joy welled up in her heart； for she saw him coming。 So she flew back up
stairs thankful； and could hardly wait for him to miss the principal
brush； which she had mislaid down there； but knew where she had mislaid
it。 However； all in good time the others were called in and couldn't
find the brush； and then she was sent for； and she couldn't find it
herself for some little time； but then she found it when the others had
gone away to hunt in the kitchen and down cellar and in the woodshed；
and all those other places where people look for things whose ways they
are not familiar with。 So she gave him the brush； and remarked that she
ought to have seen that everything was ready for him； but it hadn't
seemed necessary； because it was so early that she wasn't expectingbut
she stopped there； surprised at herself for what she was saying； and he
felt caught and ashamed； and said to himself； 〃I knew my impatience would
drag me here before I was expected； and betray me； and that is just what
it has done； she sees straight through meand is laughing at me； inside；
of course。〃
Gwendolen was very much pleased； on one account； and a little the other
way in another； pleased with the new clothes and the improvement which
they had achieved； less pleased by the pink in the buttonhole。
Yesterday's pink had hardly interested her； this one was just like it；
but somehow it had got her immediate attention； and kept it。 She wished
she could think of some way of getting at its history in a properly
colorless and indifferent way。 Presently she made a venture。 She said：
〃Whatever a man's age may be； he can reduce it several years by putting a
bright…colored flower in his button…hole。 I have often noticed that。
Is that your sex's reason for wearing a boutonniere？〃
〃I fancy not； but certainly that reason would be a sufficient one。 I've
never heard of the idea before。〃
〃You seem to prefer pinks。 Is it on account of the color； or the form？〃
〃Oh no；〃 he said； simply； 〃they are given to me。 I don't think I have
any preference。〃
〃They are given to him；〃 she said to herself； and she felt a coldness
toward that pink。 〃I wonder who it is； and what she is like。〃 The
flower began to take up a good deal of room； it obtruded itself
everywhere； it intercepted all views； and marred them； it was becoming
exceedingly annoying and conspicuous for a little thing。 〃I wonder if he
cares for her。〃 That thought gave her a quite definite pain。
CHAPTER XXI。
She had made everything comfortable for the artist； there was no further
pretext for staying。 So she said she would go； now； and asked him to
summon the servants in case he should need anything。 She went away
unhappy； and she left unhappiness behind her； for she carried away all
the sunshine。 The time dragged heavily for both； now。 He couldn't paint
for thinking of her； she couldn't design or millinerize with any heart；
for thinking of him。 Never before had painting seemed so empty to him；
never before had millinerizing seemed so void of interest to her。 She
had gone without repeating that dinner…invitationan almost unendurable
disappointment to him。 On her part…well； she was suffering； too； for she
had found she couldn't invite him。 It was not hard yesterday； but it was
impossible to…day。 A thousand innocent privileges seemed to have been
filched from her unawares in the past twenty…four hours。 To…day she felt
strangely hampered； restrained of her liberty。 To…day she couldn't
propose to herself to do anything or say anything concerning this young
man without being instantly paralyzed into non…action by the fear that he
might 〃suspect。〃 Invite him to dinner to…day？ It made her shiver to
think of it。
And so her afternoon was one long fret。 Broken at intervals。 Three
times she had to go down stairs on errandsthat is； she thought she had
to go down stairs on errands。 Thus； going and coming； she had six
glimpses of him； in the aggregate； without seeming to look in his
direction； and she tried to endure these electric ecstasies without
showing any sign； but they fluttered her up a good deal； and she felt
that the naturalness she was putting on was overdone and quite too
frantically sober and hysterically calm to deceive。
The painter had his share of the rapture； he had his six glimpses； and
they smote him with waves of pleasure that assaulted him； beat upon him；
washed over him deliciously； and drowned out all consciousness of what he
was doing with his brush。 So there were six places in his canvas which
had to be done over again。
At last Gwendolen got some peace of mind by sending word to the
Thompsons； in the neighborhood； that she was coming there to dinner。
She wouldn't be reminded； at that table； that there was an absentee who
ought to be a presenteea word which she meant to look out in the
dictionary at a calmer time。
About this time the old earl dropped in for a chat with the artist； and
invited him to stay to dinner。 Tracy cramped down his joy and gratitude
by a sudden and powerful exercise of all his forces； and he felt that now
that he was going to be close to Gwendolen； and hear her voice and watch
her face during several precious hours； earth had nothing valuable to add
to his life for the present。
The earl said to himself； 〃This spectre can eat apples； apparently。
We shall find out； now； if that is a specialty。 I think； myself； it's a
specialty。 Apples； without doubt； constitute the spectral limit。 It was
the case with our first parents。 No； I am wrongat least only partly
right。 The line was drawn at apples； just as in the present case； but it
was from the other direction。〃 The new clothes gave him a thrill of
pleasure and pride。 He said to himself； 〃I've got part of him down to
date； anyway。〃
Sellers said he was pleased with Tracy's work； and he went on and engaged
him to restore his old masters； and said he should also want him to paint
his portrait and his wife's and possibly his daughter's。 The tide of the
artist's happiness was at flood； now。 The chat flowed pleasantly along
while Tracy painted and Sellers carefully unpacked a picture which he had
brought with him。 It was a chromo； a new one； just out。 It was the
smirking； self…satisfied portrait of a man who was inundating the Union
with advertisements inviting everybody to buy his specialty； which was a
three…dollar shoe or a