all
profession, and to be either "stars" or the satellites of "stars."
Madame listened to him with avidity, and occasionally broke into a
giggling laugh. She had, however, two manners, and two kinds of
conversation, which she adopted with the young man and the Academician
respectively. Her talk with the youth suggested the jealous ascendency
of a coarse-minded woman. She occasionally flattered him, but more
generally she teased or "ragged" him. She seemed indeed to feel him
securely in her grip; so that there was no need to pose for him,
as--figuratively as well as physically--she posed for Bentley. To the
artist she gave her opinions on pictures or books--on the novels of Mr.
Wells, or the plays of Mr. Bernard Shaw--in the languid or drawling tone
of accepted authority; dropping every now and then into a broad cockney
accent, which produced a startling effect, like that of unexpected
garlic in cookery. Bentley's gravity was often severely tried, and Doris
altered the position of her own easel so that he and she could not see
each other. Meanwhile Madame took not the smallest notice of Mr.
Bentley's niece, and Doris made no advances to the young man, to whom
her name was clearly quite unknown. Had Circe really got him in her
toils? Doris judged him soft-headed and soft-hearted; no match at all
for the lady. The thought of her walking the lawns or the drawing-rooms
of Crosby Ledgers as the betrothed of the heir stirred in Arthur
Meadows's wife a silent, and--be it confessed!--a malicious convulsion.
Such mothers, so self-centred, so set on their own triumphs, with their
intellectual noses so very much in the clouds, deserved such sons! She
promised herself to keep her own counsel, and watch the play.

The sitting lasted for two hours. When it was over, Uncle Charles, all
smiles and satisfaction, went with his visitors to the front door.

He was away some little time, and returned, bubbling, to the studio.

"She's been cross-examining me about her poems! I had to confess I
hadn't read a word of them. And now she's offered to recite next time
she comes! Good Heavens--how can I get out of it? I believe, Doris,
she's hooked that young idiot! She told me she was engaged to him. Do
you know anything of his people?"

The girl accountant suddenly came forward. She looked flushed and
distressed.

"I do!" she said, with energy. "Can't somebody stop that? It will break
their hearts!"

Doris and Uncle Charles looked at her in