a bit myself, you know.

SILVIA

Did you? Father never mentioned that.

MR. WENTWORTH

Oh, I guess everybody has forgotten it by now. An early adventure with
life! Goodness only knows what might have happened, though, if the
business hadn't fallen on me to look out for. I might have been a great
artist. Ha!

SILVIA

I'm sure you would, Mr. Wentworth. You've always been interested in art,
haven't you?

MR. WENTWORTH

Yes indeed. Of course I have been very busy, until lately. But I always
followed the best English magazines.

SILVIA

My husband's upstairs getting the paint off his hands. He will be down in
a minute. Then we'll have some tea.

MR. WENTWORTH

You don't paint, do you, Silvia? I may call you Silvia, may I not?

SILVIA

Of course. No, I don't paint. I just fly around amongst the artists and
see what's going on. Are you staying in Paris very long?

MR. WENTWORTH

A couple of weeks more, at least. I am revelling in the galleries and
museums here.

SILVIA

Here comes Joe. Joe, I want you to meet my cousin, Mr. Wentworth. Mr.
Wentworth--Mr. Carson.

JOE

Very glad to meet you, Mr. Wentworth.

MR. WENTWORTH

It's a great pleasure for me to meet a real artist, Mr. Carson.

SILVIA

Excuse me a moment. I'll bring on the tea.

JOE

Oh, as for that--I'm working along. Sometimes I hit it--

MR. WENTWORTH

_Ars longa, vita brevis_ you know! I want to see your pictures very much.
I was just telling Silvia how I delight in the Louvre. I go there with a
class for lectures every morning. I suppose you often copy the old
masters?

JOE

Copy the old masters? I should say not. I'm not out to be a camera. It's
all I can do to work out my own impressions.

MR. WENTWORTH

Oh, I see. But--

SILVIA

The tea's ready. Joe, bring up that chair for Mr. Wentworth. Mr.
Wentworth, do you take cream and sugar?

MR. WENTWORTH If you please. Yes, two lumps. There's nothing like the
atmosphere of a studio, is there? I love it. I feel I have missed so
much. Still, the instinct for beauty, fragile as it is, does persist.... I
was surprised to feel so many of my old emotions awake on coming to Paris.
So much that hasn't been real to me for years! I have gained much
inspiration for planning my new house.

SILVIA

You are building a new house? I have heard father talk about your
collection of Japanese prints.

MR. WENTWORTH

A really delightful thing, Japanese prints. Yes, I intend buildi