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〃Then hadn't we better cut？ you might propose reading them；〃 said poor
old Groove。
〃Have you any oysters？〃 inquired Jones of the Carnie and the Johnstone；
who were now alongside。
〃Plenty；〃 answered Jean。 〃Hae ye ony siller？〃
The artists looked at one another； and didn't all speak at once。
〃I； madam；〃 said old Groove； insinuatingly； to Christie； 〃am a friend of
Mr。 Gatty's； perhaps； on that account； you would _lend_ me an oyster or
two。〃
〃Na；〃 said Jean； sternly。
〃Hyacinth；〃 said Jones； sarcastically； 〃give them your verses； perhaps
that will soften them。〃
Hyacinth gave his verses； descriptive of herself； to Christie。 This
youngster was one of those who mind other people's business。
_Alienis studiis delectatus contempsit suum。_
His destiny was to be a bad painter； so he wanted to be an execrable
poet。
All this morning he had been doggreling； when he ought to have been
daubing； and now he will have to sup off a colored print； if he sups at
all。
Christie read； blushed； and put the verses in her bosom。
〃Come awa； Custy；〃 said Jean。
〃Hets；〃 said Christie； 〃gie the puir lads twarree oysters； what the waur
will we be？〃
So they opened the oysters for them； and Hyacinth the long…haired looked
down on the others with sarcastico…benignant superiority。 He had
conducted a sister art to the aid of his brother brushes。
〃The poet's empire； all our hearts allow； But doggrel's power was never
known till now。〃
CHAPTER VII。
AT the commencement of the last chapter； Charles Gatty； artist； was going
to usher in a new state of things； true art； etc。 Wales was to be painted
in Wales； not Poland Street。
He and five or six more youngsters were to be in the foremost files of
truth； and take the world by storm。
This was at two o'clock； it is now five； whereupon the posture of
affairs； the prospects of art； the face of the world； the nature of
things； are quite the reverse。
In the artist's room； on the floor； was a small child； whose movements；
and they were many； were viewed with huge dissatisfaction by Charles
Gatty； Esq。 This personage； pencil in hand； sat slouching and morose；
looking gloomily at his intractable model。
Things were going on very badly； he had been waiting two hours for an
infantine pose as common as dirt； and the little viper would die first。
Out of doors everything was nothing； for the sun was obscured； and to all
appearance extinguished forever。
〃Ah！ Mr。 Groove；〃 cried he； to that worthy； who peeped in at that moment；
you are right； it is better to plow away upon canvas blindfold； as our
grandfathersno； grandmothersused； than to kill ourselves toiling
after such coy ladies as Nature and Truth。〃
〃Aweel； I dinna ken； sirr；〃 replied Groove； in smooth tones。 〃I didna
like to express my warm approbation of you before the lads； for fear of
making them jealous。〃
〃They be No！〃
〃I ken what ye wad say； sirr； an it wad hae been a vara just an'
sprightly observation。 Aweel； between oursels； I look upon ye as a young
gentleman of amazing talent and moedesty。 Man； ye dinna do yoursel
justice； ye should be in th' Academy； at the hede o' 't。〃
〃Mr。 Groove； I am a poor fainting pilgrim on the road； where stronger
spirits have marched erect before me。〃
〃A faintin' pelgrim！ Deil a frights o' ye； ye're a brisk and bonny lad。
Ah； sirr； in my juvenile days； we didna fash wi nature； and truth； an the
like。〃
〃The like！ What is like nature and truth； except themselves？〃
〃Vara true； sirr； vara true； and sae I doot I will never attain the
height o' profeeciency ye hae reached。 An' at this vara moment； sir；〃
continued Groove； with delicious solemnity and mystery； 〃ye see before
ye； sir； a man wha is in maist dismal wanto' ten shellen！〃 （A pause。）
〃If your superior talent has put ye in possession of that sum； ye would
obleege me infinitely by a temporary accommodation； Mr。 Gaattie。〃
〃Why did you not come to the point at once？〃 cried Gatty； bruskly；
〃instead of humbling me with undeserved praise。 There。〃 Groove held out
his hand； but made a wry face when； instead of money； Gatty put a sketch
into his hand。
〃There；〃 said Gatty； 〃that is a lie！〃
〃How can it be a lee？〃 said the other； with sour inadvertence。 〃How can
it be a lee； when I hae na spoken ？〃
〃You don't understand me。 That sketch is a libel on a poor cow and an
unfortunate oak…tree。 I did them at the Academy。 They had never done me
any wrong； poor things； they suffered unjustly。 You take them to a shop；
swear they are a tree and a cow； and some fool； that never really looked
into a cow or a tree； will give you ten shillings for them。〃
〃Are ye sure； lad？〃
〃I am sure。 Mr。 Groove； sir； if you can not sell a lie for ten shillings
you are not fit to live in this world； where is the lie that will not
sell for ten shillings？〃
〃I shall think the better o' lees all my days； sir； your words are
inspeeriting。〃 And away went Groove with the sketch。
Gatty reflected and stopped him。
〃On second thoughts； Groove； you must not ask ten shillings； you must ask
twenty pounds for that rubbish。〃
〃Twenty pund！ What for will I seek twenty pund？〃
〃Simply because people that would not give you ten shillings for it will
offer you eleven pounds for it if you ask twenty pounds。〃
〃The fules；〃 roared Groove。 〃Twenty pund！ hem！〃 He looked closer into it。
〃For a'；〃 said he； 〃I begin to obsairve it is a work of great merit。 I'll
seek twenty pund； an' I'll no tak less than fifteen schell'n； at
present。〃
The visit of this routine painter did not cheer our artist。
The small child got a coal and pounded the floor with it like a machine
incapable of fatigue。 So the wished…for pose seemed more remote than
ever。
The day waxed darker instead of lighter； Mr。 Gatty's reflections took
also a still more somber hue。
〃Even Nature spites us；〃 thought he； 〃because we love her。〃
〃Then cant； tradition； numbers； slang and money are against us； the least
of these is singly a match for truth； we shall die of despair or paint
cobwebs in Bedlam； and I am faint； weary of a hopeless struggle； and one
man's brush is truer than mine； another's is boldermy hand and eye are
not in tune。 Ah！ no！ I shall never； never； never be a painter。〃
These last words broke audibly from him as his head went down almost to
his knees。
A hand was placed on his shoulder as a flake of snow falls on the water。
It was Christie Johnstone； radiant； who had glided in unobserved。
〃What's wrang wi' ye； my lad？〃
〃The sun is gone to the Devil； for one thing。〃
〃Hech！ hech！ ye'll no be long ahint him； div ye no think shame。〃
〃And I want that little brute just to do so； and he'd die first。〃
〃Oh； ye villain； to ca' a bairn a brute； there's but ae brute here； an'
it's no you； Jamie； nor meis it； my lamb？〃
She then stepped to the window。
〃It's clear to windward； in ten minutes ye'll hae plenty sun。 Tak your
tools noo。〃 And at the word she knelt on the floor； whipped out a paper
of sugar…plums and said to him she had christened 〃Jamie。〃 〃Heb！ Here's
sweeties till ye。〃 Out went Jamie's arms； as if he had been a machine and
she had pulled the right string。
〃Ah； that will