登陆注册
5143800000018

第18章

The main inconvenience I suffered at their hands was that at first I was shy of letting it break upon them that my artful little servant had begun to sit to me for "Rutland Ramsay." They knew Ihad been odd enough--they were prepared by this time to allow oddity to artists--to pick a foreign vagabond out of the streets when I might have had a person with whiskers and credentials; but it was some time before they learned how high I rated his accomplishments.They found him in an attitude more than once, but they never doubted I was doing him as an organ-grinder.There were several things they never guessed, and one of them was that for a striking scene in the novel, in which a footman briefly figured, it occurred to me to make use of Major Monarch as the menial.I kept putting this off, I didn't like to ask him to don the livery--besides the difficulty of finding a livery to fit him.At last, one day late in the winter, when I was at work on the despised Oronte, who caught one's idea on the wing, and was in the glow of feeling myself go very straight, they came in, the Major and his wife, with their society laugh about nothing (there was less and less to laugh at); came in like country-callers--they always reminded me of that--who have walked across the park after church and are presently persuaded to stay to luncheon.Luncheon was over, but they could stay to tea--I knew they wanted it.The fit was on me, however, and I couldn't let my ardour cool and my work wait, with the fading daylight, while my model prepared it.So Iasked Mrs.Monarch if she would mind laying it out--a request which for an instant brought all the blood to her face.Her eyes were on her husband's for a second, and some mute telegraphy passed between them.Their folly was over the next instant; his cheerful shrewdness put an end to it.So far from pitying their wounded pride, I must add, I was moved to give it as complete a lesson as Icould.They bustled about together and got out the cups and saucers and made the kettle boil.I know they felt as if they were waiting on my servant, and when the tea was prepared I said:

"He'll have a cup, please--he's tired." Mrs.Monarch brought him one where he stood, and he took it from her as if he had been a gentleman at a party squeezing a crush-hat with an elbow.

Then it came over me that she had made a great effort for me--made it with a kind of nobleness--and that I owed her a compensation.

Each time I saw her after this I wondered what the compensation could be.I couldn't go on doing the wrong thing to oblige them.

Oh it WAS the wrong thing, the stamp of the work for which they sat--Hawley was not the only person to say it now.I sent in a large number of the drawings I had made for "Rutland Ramsay," and Ireceived a warning that was more to the point than Hawley's.The artistic adviser of the house for which I was working was of opinion that many of my illustrations were not what had been looked for.Most of these illustrations were the subjects in which the Monarchs had figured.Without going into the question of what HADbeen looked for, I had to face the fact that at this rate Ishouldn't get the other books to do.I hurled myself in despair on Miss Churm--I put her through all her paces.I not only adopted Oronte publicly as my hero, but one morning when the Major looked in to see if I didn't require him to finish a Cheapside figure for which he had begun to sit the week before, I told him I had changed my mind--I'd do the drawing from my man.At this my visitor turned pale and stood looking at me."Is HE your idea of an English gentleman?" he asked.

I was disappointed, I was nervous, I wanted to get on with my work;so.I replied with irritation: "Oh my dear Major--I can't be ruined for YOU!"It was a horrid speech, but he stood another moment--after which, without a word, he quitted the studio.I drew a long breath, for Isaid to myself that I shouldn't see him again.I hadn't told--him definitely that I was in danger of having my work rejected, but Iwas vexed at his not having felt the catastrophe in the air, read with me the moral of our fruitless collaboration, the lesson that in the deceptive atmosphere of art even the highest respectability may fail of being plastic.

同类推荐
  • 吴光禄使闽奏稿选录

    吴光禄使闽奏稿选录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书集传或问卷

    书集传或问卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 广百论疏卷第一

    广百论疏卷第一

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黄华集

    黄华集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说尼拘陀梵志经

    佛说尼拘陀梵志经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 在路上,放下他

    在路上,放下他

    有很多故事正在或已经发生:鼓浪屿,苏州,九寨沟,乌镇,阳朔,杭州,大理,凤凰,丽江……这些地方连起来就像是一幅情感纪念地图。他和她,也许就是现实中的你我。行走于人生和风景的人们啊,那些不能如愿的爱,是否还潜藏在心里,只能止于唇齿,掩于岁月。
  • “上瘾”才像话(财蜜eMook)

    “上瘾”才像话(财蜜eMook)

    这年头,谁没点儿小瘾啊?作为21世纪的现代女青年,抽烟成瘾那叫文艺酷范儿;好吃成瘾那叫光荣的美食家;再不济,总得时不时承认自己购物成狂,欢天喜地加入“剁手党”吧。 花钱这件事儿,好的说辞是,赚钱是为了花的,千金难买我乐意;文艺一点那叫,人生苦短,有点沉迷还不孤单;励志一点来说,还有人成瘾致富呢,伟大的瘾引领我们成功。 往坏了说,爽是一时的,害处可能是一辈子的。无感消费不说,你为了口福之瘾,时不时来点麻辣烫炸油条水煮鱼,身体吃坏了谁买单?再讨论深一点,现代社会里,你上瘾的这些东西,是怎么一点点侵入你的生活的,你闹明白了吗?
  • 且以深情共流年

    且以深情共流年

    似锦的流年,昨日的青春。不知道这样的结局算不算是最好。只是,一切都已经不能够重来。站在不远的地方,唯有淡淡的说一句,你还好吗?
  • 晏林子

    晏林子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 超级仙帝重生都市

    超级仙帝重生都市

    前世因心魔作祟让叶枫在被万族围攻时,天劫劈身而死,幸运的是他重生回到一千年前!重活一次,他要横扫一切强敌,脚踩一切天骄,以最强横的姿态,回归仙界,横推万族,都市中称帝。你是玩弄各路美女,目中无人的帅气富家大少?那就一脚踩你脸上。你是号称前无古人,后无来者的绝世修炼天才?那和我对上一招,我后退半步算我输!
  • 谋心计之帝凰

    谋心计之帝凰

    一代商业奇才在客栈柴房中醒来,发现自己死后穿越到另一个时空。嫁妆寒酸?笑话,姐手握天下之财,勾勾手指便能让人破产,让他从此过得连乞丐都不如。说她丑?呵呵,易容洗去,姐美若天仙,倾国倾城。京城第一美女?滚一边去,给姐提鞋都不配。陷害她不怕,她总能找到破绽一一破解;继母高贵狠毒害她性命她不怕,连环计出手,叫她家破人亡;说她命硬克亲她也不怕,反正她有个比她命格还要牛逼的夫君大人。孤寡相结合,正好解了孤煞,从此儿女成群。他,东华国贤王。传闻他面丑如鬼,乃万年不遇的极品天煞孤星之命。实则文能安邦,武能征伐,出得了庙堂,宠得了妻房。某女仰天大笑:姐人品就是好,人见人爱,花见花开。穿越也能大捡漏,闪瞎你们钛合金狗的眼,哈哈~~本文一对一宠文,男主女主身心干净。
  • 中国大政治家的故事

    中国大政治家的故事

    中华民族是一个有悠久历史的文明古国,在这个漫漫的历史长河中,为了中华民族的发展和兴旺,一批批优秀人物前赴后继,不懈努力,才换来了我们今天的幸福生活。
  • 山家义苑

    山家义苑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 亡命天涯

    亡命天涯

    落霜天,大清早。淡绿色的河水清澈见底,潺潺地流。一条运官粮的大船沿河顺流而下,两个老艄公摇摇晃晃立在船头船尾,一个掌橹,一个撑篙。这船不算小,前舱后舱堆满粮包,前舱甲板上还能留出一小片空地。如此,有些出远门又想省钱的人便来央艄公捎他们一程。两个老艄公也乐得赚点外快,按路程远近,每人几文到小半吊不等,于是一条运粮船兼上了半条客船。船行不稳,四五个搭船的一大早就给晃醒了。啃过干粮,闲来无事,围坐在甲板上,船客们连同船头船尾两个老艄公便有一搭没一搭聊起天来。
  • 公司董事会(公司董事会丛书)

    公司董事会(公司董事会丛书)

    通过精辟的范例和个案分析,作者阐明了董事和董事会应具备的素质。通过培训欧洲一些大公司的高级管理人员所获得的丰富经验,作者在书中论及了:·公司管理的重要性·董事和董事会不断变换的角色·跨越经理与董事的鸿沟——培养过程·开拓眼界,提高领导艺术·怎样培养新的思维方式、观点和行为·培训的价值无论你是新当选的还是资深董事,本书将使你深刻意识到,个人素质的提高和知识面的拓宽是你事业成功的关键。