nd face; but, with a dark cool green, somewhat
undefined, and not too much broken up by the forms of the foliage, the
figure would be thrown forward, although still remaining in the shade,
and I am sure the picture would gain at once in strength and repose.
Now, as to the other. It is almost painfully sombre, it wants relief. It
expresses grief and hopelessness; that is good; but it also expresses
despair, that is painful; one does not feel quite sure that the young
woman is not about to throw herself into the sea. Now, if you were to
make a gleam of watery sunshine break through a rift in the cloud,
lighting up a small patch of foam and breaker, it would be a relief; if
you could arrange it so that the head should stand up against it, it
would add greatly to the effect. What do you think?" he asked, breaking
off suddenly and turning to Cuthbert.

"You are right in both instances, Rene. Both the backgrounds are from
sketches I made at the time; the veranda in the one case, and the sea
and sky and rock in the other are as I saw them, and it did not occur to
me to change them. Yes, you are a thousand times right. I see now why I
was discontented with them, and the changes you suggest will be
invaluable. Of course, in the sea-scene the light will be ill-defined,
it will make its way through a thin layer of cloud, and will contrast
just as strongly with the bright warm sunshine on the other picture, as
does the unbroken darkness. There is nothing else that you can suggest,
Rene?"

"No, and I almost wish that I had not made those suggestions, the
pictures are so good that I am frightened, lest you should spoil them by
a single touch of the brush."

"I have no fear of that, Rene, I am sure of the dark picture, and I hope
I can manage the other, but if I fail I can but paint the wall in again.
I will begin at once. I suppose you are going round to Goude's; tell him
that I am back, and will come round this evening after dinner. Ask all
the others to come here to supper at ten; thank goodness we shall have a
decent feed this time."

Directly Rene had left, Cuthbert set to work with ardor. He felt that
Rene had hit upon the weak spots that he had felt and yet failed to
recognize. In four hours the sea-scape was finished, and as he stepped
back into the window to look at it, he felt that the ray of misty light
showing rather on the water than on the air, had effected wonders, and
added immensely to the poetry of the picture.