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！
sketching。'
'Oh！' she exclaimed； 'for my own amusement。 I despise the
thing。'
'Ten to one； you do yourself injustice；' returned Dick。
'Besides； it's a freemasonry。 I sketch myself； and you know
what that implies。'
'No。 What？' she asked。
'Two things；' he answered。 'First； that I am no very
difficult critic； and second； that I have a right to see your
picture。'
She covered the block with both her hands。 'Oh no；' she
said； 'I am ashamed。'
'Indeed； I might give you a hint；' said Dick。 'Although no
artist myself； I have known many； in Paris I had many for
friends； and used to prowl among studios。'
'In Paris？' she cried； with a leap of light into her eyes。
'Did you ever meet Mr。 Van Tromp？'
'I？ Yes。 Why； you're not the Admiral's daughter； are you？'
'The Admiral？ Do they call him that？' she cried。 'Oh； how
nice； how nice of them！ It is the younger men who call him
so； is it not？'
'Yes；' said Dick； somewhat heavily。
'You can understand now；' she said； with an unspeakable
accent of contented noble…minded pride； 'why it is I do not
choose to show my sketch。 Van Tromp's daughter！ The
Admiral's daughter！ I delight in that name。 The Admiral！
And so you know my father？'
'Well；' said Dick； 'I met him often； we were even intimate。
He may have mentioned my name … Naseby。'
'He writes so little。 He is so busy； so devoted to his art！
I have had a half wish；' she added laughing； 'that my father
was a plainer man； whom I could help … to whom I could be a
credit； but only sometimes； you know； and with only half my
heart。 For a great painter！ You have seen his works？'
'I have seen some of them；' returned Dick； 'they … they are
very nice。'
She laughed aloud。 'Nice？' she repeated。 'I see you don't
care much for art。'
'Not much；' he admitted； 'but I know that many people are
glad to buy Mr。 Van Tromp's pictures。'
'Call him the Admiral！' she cried。 'It sounds kindly and
familiar； and I like to think that he is appreciated and
looked up to by young painters。 He has not always been
appreciated； he had a cruel life for many years； and when I
think' … there were tears in her eyes … 'when I think of
that； I feel incline to be a fool；' she broke off。 'And now
I shall go home。 You have filled me full of happiness； for
think； Mr。 Naseby； I have not seen my father since I was six
years old； and yet he is in my thoughts all day！ You must
come and call on me； my aunt will be delighted； I am sure；
and then you will tell me all … all about my father； will you
not？'
Dick helped her to get her sketching traps together； and when
all was ready； she gave Dick her hand and a frank return of
pressure。
'You are my father's friend；' she said； 'we shall be great
friends too。 You must come and see me soon。'
Then she was gone down the hillside at a run； and Dick stood
by himself in a state of some bewilderment and even distress。
There were elements of laughter in the business； but the
black dress； and the face that belonged to it； and the hand
that he had held in his； inclined him to a serious view。
What was he； under the circumstances； called upon to do？
Perhaps to avoid the girl？ Well； he would think about that。
Perhaps to break the truth to her？ Why； ten to one； such was
her infatuation； he would fail。 Perhaps to keep up the
illusion； to colour the raw facts； to help her to false
ideas； while yet not plainly stating falsehoods？ Well； he
would see about that； he would also see about avoiding the
girl。 He saw about this last so well； that the next
afternoon beheld him on his way to visit her。
In the meantime the girl had gone straight home； light as a
bird； tremulous with joy； to the little cottage where she
lived alone with a maiden aunt； and to that lady； a grim；
sixty years old Scotchwoman； with a nodding head；
communicated news of her encounter and invitation。
'A friend of his？' cried the aunt。 'What like is he？ What
did ye say was his name？'
She was dead silent； and stared at the old woman darkling。
Then very slowly； 'I said he was my father's friend； I have
invited him to my house； and come he shall；' she said； and
with that she walked off to her room； where she sat staring
at the wall all the evening。 Miss M'Glashan； for that was
the aunt's name； read a large bible in the kitchen with some
of the joys of martyrdom。
It was perhaps half…past three when Dick presented himself；
rather scrupulously dressed； before the cottage door； he
knocked； and a voice bade him enter。 The kitchen； which
opened directly off the garden； was somewhat darkened by
foliage； but he could see her as she approached from the far
end to meet him。 This second sight of her surprised him。
Her strong black brows spoke of temper easily aroused and
hard to quiet； her mouth was small； nervous and weak； there
was something dangerous and sulky underlying； in her nature；
much that was honest； compassionate； and even noble。
'My father's name；' she said； 'has made you very welcome。'
And she gave him her hand； with a sort of curtsy。 It was a
pretty greeting； although somewhat mannered； and Dick felt
himself among the gods。 She led him through the kitchen to a
parlour； and presented him to Miss M'Glashan。
'Esther；' said the aunt； 'see and make Mr。 Naseby his tea。'
And as soon as the girl was gone upon this hospitable intent；
the old woman crossed the room and came quite near to Dick as
if in menace。
'Ye know that man？' she asked in an imperious whisper。
'Mr。 Van Tromp？' said Dick。 'Yes； I know him。'
'Well； and what brings ye here？' she said。 'I couldn't save
the mother … her that's dead … but the bairn！' She had a
note in her voice that filled poor Dick with consternation。
'Man；' she went on； 'what is it now？ Is it money？'
'My dear lady；' said Dick； 'I think you misinterpret my
position。 I am young Mr。 Naseby of Naseby House。 My
acquaintance with Mr。 Van Tromp is really very slender； I am
only afraid that Miss Van Tromp has exaggerated our intimacy
in her own imagination。 I know positively nothing of his
private affairs； and do not care to know。 I met him casually
in Paris … that is all。'
Miss M'Glashan drew along breath。 'In Paris？' she said。
'Well； and what do you think of him？ … what do ye think of
him？' she repeated； with a different scansion； as Richard；
who had not much taste for such a question； kept her waiting
for an answer。
'I found him a very agreeable companion；' he said。
'Ay；' said she； 'did ye！ And how does he win his bread？'
'I fancy；' he gasped； 'that Mr。 Van Tromp has many generous
friends。'
'I'll warrant！' she sneered； and before Dick could find more
to say； she was gone from the room。
Esther returned with the tea…things； and sat down。
'Now；' she said cosily； 'tell me all about my father。'
'He' … stammered Dick； 'he is a very agreeable companion。'
'I shall begin to think it is more than you are； Mr。 Naseby；'
she said； with a laugh。 'I am his daughter； you forget。
Begin at the beginning； and tell me all you have seen of him；
all he said and all you answered。 You must have met
somewhere； begin with that。'
So with that he began： how he had found the Admiral painting
in a cafe； how his art so possessed him that he could not
wait till he got home to … well； to dash off his idea； how
（this in reply to a question） his idea consisted of a cock
crowing and two hens eating corn； how he was fond of cocks
and hens； how this did not lead him to neglect more ambitious
forms of art； how he had a picture in his studio of a Greek
subject which was said to be remarkable from several points
of view； how no one had seen it nor knew the precise site of
the studio in which it was being vigorously though secretly
confected； how （in answer to a suggestion） this shyness was
commo