the fortunes of oliver horn-第70章

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〃Well；　but　suppose　you　DO　happen　to　have　two　days　alike；〃　insisted　Waller。　〃I　have　seen　thirty　days　on　a　stretch　in　Venice　without　a　cloud。　What　then？〃　The　bird　simile　had　evidently　not　appealed　to　the　great　critic。

〃Then　ten　chances　to　one　you　are　not　the　same　man　you　were　the　day　before；〃　replied　Watson；　calmly；　laying　down　his　pipe。　〃You　have　had　bad　news　from　home　or　your　liver　is　out　of　order；　or　worse　still；　you　have　seen　some　new　subject　which　has　taken　hold　of　you　and　your　first　enthusiasm　has　oozed　away。　If　you　persist　in　going　on　you　will　either　undo　what　you　did　yesterday　or　you　will　trust　to　your　memory　of　what　you　THINK　yesterday　was；　to　finish　your　sketch　by。　The　first　fills　it　full　of　lies　and　the　second　full　of　yourself；　neither　have　anything　to　do　with　nature。　Four　hours；　Waller；　not　a　minute　more。　You'll　come　to　it　before　you　die。〃

〃That　depends　on　what　you　have　got　to　paint　with；〃　snapped　out　Jack　Bedford；　who　was　trying　to　clean　a　dingy…looking　palette　with　a　knife。　〃Whose　dirt…dump　is　this；　anyhow？〃　and　he　held　it　up　to　view。　〃Might　as　well　try　to　get　sunlight　out　of　powdered　brick。　Look　at　that　pile　of　mud；〃　and　he　pointed　to　some　dry　color　near　the　thumb…hole。

〃Which　palette？〃　came　a　voice。

Jack　held　it　up　for　the　inspection　of　the　room。

〃Oh；　that's　Parker　Ridgway's；〃　answered　Fred。　〃He　was　here　the　other　day　and　made　a　half…hour's　sketch　of　a　model　I　had。〃

The　announcement　of　Ridgway's　name　was　greeted　with　shouts　of　laughter。　He　was　a　society　painter　of　the　day；　pupil　of　Winterhalter　and　Meyer　von　Bremen；　and　had　carried　off　more　portraits　and　at　higher　prices　than　all　the　other　men　put　together。

〃Keep　on！　keep　on！　Laugh　away；〃　grumbled　Waller　　squeezing　a　tube　of　Prussian　blue　on　his　palette。　〃When　any　one　of　you　fellows　can　get　4；000　for　a　season's　work　you　can　talk；　until　you　do；　you　can　keep　your　mouths　shut　as　tight　as　Long　Island　clams。〃

〃Who　got　it？〃

〃The　Honorable　Parker　Ridgway；　R。A。；　P。Q。；　and　I　don't　know　but　X。Y。Z。；〃　roared　Waller。

〃I'd　like　to　know　how？〃　asked　Watson；　reaching　over　Fred's　arm　for　the　bottle　of　turpentine。

〃That's　what　he　did；〃　snapped　out　Waller。

〃Did　what？〃

〃Knew　how。〃

〃But　he　doesn't　know　how；〃　cried　Munson　from　across　the　table。　〃I　sat　alongside　of　that　fellow　at　the　Ecole　for　two　years。　He　can't　draw；　and　never　could。　His　flesh　was　beastly；　his　modelling　worse；　and　his　techniquea　botch。　You　can　see　what　color　he　uses；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　palette　Jack　was　trying　to　clean。

〃Granted；　my　boy；〃　said　Waller。　〃I　didn't　say　he　could　PAINT；　I　said　he　knew　how　to　earn　4；000　in　three　months　painting　portraits。〃

〃He　never　painted　a　portrait　worth　four　cents。　Why；　I　knew〃

〃Dry　up；　Munson！〃　interrupted　Jack。　〃Go　on；　Waller；　tell　us　how　he　did　it。〃

〃By　using　some　horse…sense　and　a　little　tact；　getting　　in　with　the　procession　and　bolding　his　cud　up；〃　retorted　Waller；　in　a　solemn　tone。

〃Give　him　room！　Give　him　room！〃　cried　Oliver；　with　a　laugh；　pouring　a　little　dryer　into　his　oil…cup。　He　loved　to　hear　Waller　talk。　〃He　flings　his　words　about　as　if　they　were　chunks　of　coal；〃　he　would　always　　say。

The　great　man　wheeled　his　chair　around　and　faced　the　room。　Oliver's　words　had　sounded　like　a　challenge。

〃Keep　it　up！pound　away；〃　he　cried；　his　face　reddening。　〃I've　watched　Ridgway　ever　since　he　arrived　here　last　spring；　and　I　will　give　you　his　recipe　for　success。　He　didn't　fall　overboard　into　a　second…rate　club　as　soon　as　he　got　here　and　rub　his　brushes　on　his　coat…sleeve　to　look　artistic。　Not　much！　He　had　his　name　put　up　at　the　Union；　got　Croney　to　cut　his　clothes；　and　Leary　to　make　his　hats；　played　croquet　with　the　girls　he　knew；　drove　tandemhis　brother…in…law'sand　dined　out　every　night　in　the　week。　Every　day　or　two　he　would　haul　out　one　of　his　six…foot　canvases；　and　give　it　a　coat　of　bitumen。　Always　　did　this　when　some　club　swell　was　around　who　would　tell　about　it；〃

〃Did　it　with　a　sponge；〃　muttered　Munson。　〃Old　trick　of　his！〃

〃Next　thing　he　did；〃　continued　Waller；　ignoring　Munson's　aside；　〃was　to　refuse　a　thousand…dollar　commission　offered　by　a　vulgar　real…estate　man　to　paint　a　two…hundred…pound　pink…silk　sofa…cushion　of　a　wife　in　a　tight…fitting　waist。　This　spread　like　the　measles。　It　was　the　talk　of　the　club；　of　dinner…tables　and　piazzas；　and　before　sundown　Ridgway's　exclusiveness　　in　taste　and　artistic　instincts　were　established。　Then　he　hunted　up　a　pretty　young　married　woman　occupying　the　dead…centre　of　the　sanctified　social　circle；　went　into　spasms　over　her　beautyso　classic；　such　an　exquisite　outline；　grew　confidential　with　the　husband　at　the　club；　and　begged　permission　to　make　just　a　sketch　only　the　size　of　his　handwanted　it　for　his　head　of　Sappho；　Berlin　Exhibition。　Next　he　rented　a　suite　of　rooms；　crowded　in　a　lot　of　borrowed　tapestries；　brass；　Venetian　chests；　lamps　and　hangings；　　gave　a　teaservants　this　time　in　liveryexhibited　　his　Sappho；　refused　a　big　price　for　it　from　the　husband；　got　orders　instead　for　two　half…lengths；　1；500　each；　finished　them　in　two　weeks；　declined　more　commissions　on　account　of　extreme　fatigue；　　disappeared　with　the　first　frost　and　the　best　cottage　people；　booked　three　more　full…lengths　in　New　York　two　to　be　painted　in　Paris　and　the　other　on　his　return　　in　the　spring；　was　followed　to　the　steamer　by　a　bevy　of　beauties；　half…smothered　in　flowers；　and　　disappeared　in　a　halo　of　artistic　glory　just　4；000　in。〃

Fred　broke　out　into　a　roar；　in　which　the　whole　room　joined。

〃And　you　call　that　art；　do　you？〃　cried　Munson；　laying　down　his　palette。　His　face　was　flushed；　his　eyes　snapping　with　indignation。

〃I　do；　my　babbling　infant；〃　retorted　Waller。　〃I　call　it　the　art　of　making　the　most　of　your　opportunities　　and　putting　your　best　foot　foremost。　That's　a　thing　you　fellows　never　seem　to　understand。　You　want　to　shuffle　around　in　carpet…slippers；　live　in　a　garret；　and　wait　until　some　money…bags　climbs　up　your　crazy　staircases　to　discover　you。　Ridgway　puts。　his　foot　in　a　patent…leather　pump　and　silk　stocking；　and　never　steps　on　a　carpet　that　isn't　two　inches　thick。　Merchants；　engineers；　manufacturers；　and　even　scientists；　　when　they　have　anything　to　sell；　go　where　there　is　somebody　to　buy；　why　shouldn't　an　artist？〃

〃Just　like　a　fakir　peddling　cheap　jewelry；〃　said　Stedman；　in　a　low　voice；　sending　a　cloud　of　smoke　to　the　ceiling。

〃Or　a　bunco…man　trading　watches　with　a　farmer；〃　remarked　Jack　Bedford。　〃What　do　you　say；　My　Lord　Tom…Noddy〃and　he　slapped　Oliver　on　the　back。　The　sobriquet　was　one　of　Jack's　pet　names　for　Oliverall　the　Kennedy　Square　people　were　more　or　less　aristocrats　to　Jack　Bedford；　the　sign…painter　all　except　Oliver。

〃I　think　Waller's　about　half…right；　Jack。　As　far　as　Ridgway's　work　goes；　you　know　and　I　know　that　there　isn't　one　man　or　woman　out　of　a　hundred　among　his　brother…in…law's　friends　who　knows　whether　it's　good　or　badthat's　the　pity　of　it。　If　it's　bad　and　they　buy　it；　that's　their　fault　for　not　knowing　any　better；　not　Ridgway's　fault　for　doing　the　best　he　knows　how。　By　silk　stockings　and　pumps　I　suppose　Waller　means　that　Ridgway　dressed　himself　　like　a　gentleman；　had　his　hair　cut；　and　paid　some　attention　to　his　finger…nails。　That's　why　they　were　glad　to　see　him。　The　day　has　gone　by　when　a　painter　must　affect　a　bob…tailed　velveteen　jacket；　long　hair；　and　a　slouch　hat　to　help　him　paint；　just　as　the　day　has　gone　by　when　an　artist　is　not　an　honored　guest　in　any　gentleman's　house　in　town。〃

〃Bravo；　Tom…Noddy！〃　shouted　Jack　and　Fred　in　a　breath。　〃Drink；　you　dear　old　pressed　brick。　Put　your　nose　into　this！〃　and　Fred　held　a　mug　of　beer　to　Oliver's　lips。

Oliver　laid　down　his　sheaf　of　brushesburied　his　nose　in　the　cool　rim　of　the　stone　mug；　the　only　beverage　　the　club　permitted；　and　was　about　to　continue　his　talk；　when　his　eye　rested　on　Bianchi；　who　was　standing　in　the　open　door；　his　hand　upraised　so　as　to　bespeak　silence。

〃Hereyou　beautiful；　bald…headed　old　burgomaster！〃　　shouted　Oliver。　〃Get　into　your　ruff　right　away。　Been　waiting　half　an　hour　for　you　and〃

Bianchi　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　with　a　whispered　hush；　knit　his　brow；　and　pointed　significantly　behind　him。　Every　eye　turned；　and　a　breathless　silence　fell　upon　the　group；　followed　by　a　scraping　of　chairs　on　t