let
you escape now, you're very much mistaken. Such a thing is not to be
thought of--is it, mother?"

Thus appealed to, Mrs. Merridew was kind enough to say that she hoped I
would comply with her husband's wishes. The daughters murmured
something, which I have no doubt was intended to be a complimentary
expression of their feelings, while the son commenced a remark, failed
to make himself intelligible, and then lapsed into silence again.

Thus hemmed in, it remained for me to invent a valid excuse, or to fall
in with their plans. I effected a compromise, informed them that I
should be much pleased to accompany them to the Academy, but that it was
quite impossible I should dine with them afterward, or even visit the
theatre in their company, having, as was quite true, already accepted an
invitation for that evening. Five minutes later the matter was settled,
and we were making our way toward Piccadilly and Burlington House.

In the light of all that has happened since, I can only regard my
behaviour on that occasion with a contemptuous sort of pity. The
minutest details connected with that afternoon's amusement are as
clearly photographed upon my brain as if they had occurred but
yesterday. If I close my eyes for a moment, I can see, just as I saw it
then, the hawkers selling catalogues in the busy street outside, the
great courtyard with the lines of waiting carriages, the fashionable
crowd ascending and descending the stairs, and inside the rooms that
surging mass of well-dressed humanity so characteristic of London and
the season. When we had fought our way to the vestibule, I was for doing
the round of the rooms in the orthodox fashion. This, however, it
appeared, was by no means to George Merridew's taste. He received my
suggestion with appropriate scorn.

"Come, come, old fellow," he replied, "we're first going to see your
picture. It was that which brought us here; and, as soon as I have told
you what I think of it, the rest of the daubs may go hang as far as I am
concerned."

Now, it is an indisputable fact that, whatever Nature may, or may not,
have done for me, she has at least endowed me with an extremely
sensitive disposition. My feelings, therefore, may be imagined when I
tell you that my old friend spoke in a voice that was quite audible
above the polite murmur of the crowd, and which must have penetrated to
the farthest end of the room. Not content with that, he saluted me with
a sounding smack on th