e.

"Upon my word, Morewood," said Sir Roderick, as the painter sat down by
him, "one can't go anywhere without meeting you!"

"That's since you took to intellectual company," said Morewood,
grinning.

"I haven't taken to intellectual company," said Sir Roderick, with
languid indignation.

"In the general upheaval, intellectual company has risen in the scale."

"And so has at last come up to your pinnacle?"

"And so has reached me, where I have been for centuries."

"A sort of perpetual dove on Ararat?"

"My dear Morewood, I am told you know everything except the Bible. Why
choose your allusions from the one unfamiliar source?"

"And how do you like your new neighbor?"

"What new neighbor?"

"Intellect."

"Oh! well, as personified in you it's a not unwholesome astringent. But
we may take an overdose."

"Depends on the capacity of the constitution, of course," said Morewood.

"One objectionable quality it has," pursued Sir Roderick, apparently
unheedful.

"Yes?"

"A disposition toward what boys call 'scoring.' That will, no doubt, be
eradicated as it rises more in society. _Apropos_, what are you doing
down here?"

"As an artist, I study your insolence professionally, Ayre, and it
doesn't annoy me. I came down here to do nothing. I have stayed to paint
Stafford."

"Ah! is Stafford then a professional saint?"

"He's an uncommon fine fellow. You're not fit to black his boots."

"I am not fit to black anybody's boots," responded Sir Roderick. "It's
the other way. What's he doing down here?"

"I don't know. Says he's writing a book. Do you know Lady Claudia well?"

"Yes. Known her since she was a child."

"She seems uncommonly appreciative."

"Of Stafford?"

"Yes."

"Oh, well! it's her way. It always has been the way of the Territons.
They only began, you know, about three hundred years ago, and ever
since--"

"Oh, I don't want their history--a lot of scoundrels, no doubt, like all
your old families. Only--I say, Ayre, I should like to show you a head
of Stafford I've done."

"I won't buy it!" said Sir Roderick, with affected trepidation.

"You be damned!" said Morewood. "But I should like to hear what you
think of it."

"What do he and the rest of them think?"

"I haven't shown it to any one."

"Why not?"

"Wait till you've seen it."

"I should think Stafford would make rather a good head. He's got just
that--"

"Hush! Here he comes!"

As he spoke, Stafford and Claudia cam