u have been frightened? I can't imagine what I had in my
head: not now."

"You _are_ vague," said Julia with a little flush.

"Not about the great thing."

"The great thing?"

"That I owe you everything an honest man has to offer. How can I care
about the fine arts now?"

She stopped with lighted eyes on him. "Is it because you think you _owe_
it--" and she paused, still with the heightened colour in her cheek,
then went on--"that you've spoken to me as you did there?" She tossed
her head toward the lake.

"I think I spoke to you because I couldn't help it."

"You _are_ vague!" And she walked on again.

"You affect me differently from any other woman."

"Oh other women----! Why shouldn't you care about the fine arts now?"
she added.

"There'll be no time. All my days and my years will be none too much for
what you expect of me."

"I don't expect you to give up anything. I only expect you to do more."

"To do more I must do less. I've no talent."

"No talent?"

"I mean for painting."

Julia pulled up again. "That's odious! You _have_--you must."

He burst out laughing. "You're altogether delightful. But how little you
know about it--about the honourable practice of any art!"

"What do you call practice? You'll have all our things--you'll live in
the midst of them."

"Certainly I shall enjoy looking at them, being so near them."

"Don't say I've taken you away then."

"Taken me away----?"

"From the love of art. I like them myself now, poor George's treasures.
I didn't of old so much, because it seemed to me he made too much of
them--he was always talking."

"Well, I won't always talk," said Nick.

"You may do as you like--they're yours."

"Give them to the nation," Nick went on.

"I like that! When we've done with them."

"We shall have done with them when your Vandykes and Moronis have cured
me of the delusion that I may be of _their_ family. Surely that won't
take long."

"You shall paint _me_," said Julia.

"Never, never, never!" He spoke in a tone that made his companion
stare--then seemed slightly embarrassed at this result of his emphasis.
To relieve himself he said, as they had come back to the place beside
the lake where the boat was moored, "Shan't we really go and fetch Mr.
Hoppus?"

She hesitated. "You may go; I won't, please."

"That's not what I want."

"Oblige me by going. I'll wait here." With which she sat down on the
bench attached to the little landing.

Nick