d I
can't help having her. She has transactions of business with Dobbs.
But there's no mistake about the money."

"She needn't leave it to her daughter, I suppose?"

"But why shouldn't she? She has nobody else. You might offer to paint
her, you know. She'd make an excellent picture. So much character.
You come and see her."

Conway Dalrymple had expressed his willingness to meet Miss Van
Siever, saying something, however, as to his present position being
one which did not admit of any matrimonial speculation. Then Mrs
Dobbs Broughton had told him, with much seriousness, that he was
altogether wrong, and that were he to forget himself, or commit
himself, or misbehave himself, there must be an end to their pleasant
intimacy. In answer to which, Mr. Dalrymple had said that his Grace
was surely of all Graces the least gracious. And now he had come to
meet Miss Van Siever, and was now seated next to her at table.

Miss Van Siever, who at this time had perhaps reached her
twenty-fifth year, was certainly a handsome young woman. She was fair
and large, bearing no likeness whatever to her mother. Her features
were regular, and her full, clear eyes had a brilliance of their own,
looking at you always steadfastly and boldly, though very seldom
pleasantly. Her mouth would have been beautiful had it not been
too strong for feminine beauty. Her teeth were perfect,--too
perfect,--looking like miniature walls of carved ivory. She knew
the fault of this perfection, and shewed her teeth as little as she
could. Her nose and chin were finely chiselled, and her head stood
well upon her shoulders. But there was something hard about it all
which repelled you. Dalrymple, when he saw her, recoiled from her,
not outwardly, but inwardly. Yes, she was handsome, as may be a horse
or a tiger; but there was about her nothing of feminine softness.
He could not bring himself to think of taking Clara Van Siever as
the model that was to sit before him for the rest of his life. He
certainly could make a picture of her, as had been suggested by his
friend, Mrs. Broughton, but it must be as Judith with the dissevered
head, or as Jael using her hammer over the temple of Sisera. Yes,--he
thought she would do as Jael; and if Mrs. Van Siever would throw him a
sugar-plum,--for he would want the sugar-plum, seeing that any other
result was out of the question,--the thing might be done. Such was
the idea of Mr. Conway Dalrymple respecting Miss Van Siever,--b