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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 the fl