she concentrated her efforts in this kind upon Sol and Dan. Accordingly,
the Academy exhibition having now just opened, she ordered the brothers
to appear in their best clothes at the entrance to Burlington House just
after noontide on the Saturday of the first week, this being the only day
and hour at which they could attend without 'losing a half' and therefore
it was necessary to put up with the inconvenience of arriving at a
crowded and enervating time.

When Ethelberta was set down in the quadrangle she perceived the faithful
pair, big as the Zamzummims of old time, standing like sentinels in the
particular corner that she had named to them: for Sol and Dan would as
soon have attempted petty larceny as broken faith with their admired lady-
sister Ethelberta. They welcomed her with a painfully lavish exhibition
of large new gloves, and chests covered with broad triangular areas of
padded blue silk, occupying the position that the shirt-front had
occupied in earlier days, and supposed to be lineally descended from the
tie of a neckerchief.

The dress of their sister for to-day was exactly that of a respectable
workman's relative who had no particular ambition in the matter of
fashion--a black stuff gown, a plain bonnet to match. A veil she wore
for obvious reasons: her face was getting well known in London, and it
had already appeared at the private view in an uncovered state, when it
was scrutinized more than the paintings around. But now homely and
useful labour was her purpose.

Catalogue in hand she took the two brothers through the galleries,
teaching them in whispers as they walked, and occasionally correcting
them--first, for too reverential a bearing towards the well-dressed
crowd, among whom they persisted in walking with their hats in their
hands and with the contrite bearing of meek people in church; and,
secondly, for a tendency which they too often showed towards straying
from the contemplation of the pictures as art to indulge in curious
speculations on the intrinsic nature of the delineated subject, the
gilding of the frames, the construction of the skylights overhead, or
admiration for the bracelets, lockets, and lofty eloquence of persons
around them.

'Now,' said Ethelberta, in a warning whisper, 'we are coming near the
picture which was partly painted from myself. And, Dan, when you see it,
don't you exclaim "Hullo!" or "That's Berta to a T," or anything at all.
It would not matter were