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She was evidently the bearer of good tidings； but； before she could
express them； Mrs。 Gatty beckoned her son aside； and announcing； 〃she
should be within hearing；〃 bade him take the occasion that so happily
presented itself； and make the first step。
At another time； Christie； who had learned from Jean the arrival of Mrs。
Gatty； would have been struck with the old lady's silence； but she came
to tell the depressed painter that the charitable viscount was about to
visit him and his picture； and she was so full of the good fortune likely
to ensue； that she was neglectful of minor considerations。
It so happened； however； that certain interruptions prevented her from
ever delivering herself of the news in question。
First； Gatty himself came to her； and； casting uneasy glances at the door
by which his mother had just gone out； said：
〃Christie！〃
〃My lad！〃
〃I want to paint your likeness。〃
This was for a _souvenir；_ poor fellow！
〃Hech！ I wad like fine to be painted。〃
〃It must be exactly the same size as yourself； and so like you； that；
should we be parted； I may seem not to be quite alone in the world。〃
Here he was obliged to turn his head away。
〃But we'll no pairt；〃 replied Christie； cheerfully。 〃Suppose ye're puir；
I'm rich； and it's a' one； dinna be so cast down for auchty pund。〃
At this； a slipshod servant entered； and said： 〃There's a fisher lad；
inquiring for Christie Johnstone。〃
〃It will be Flucker；〃 said Christie； 〃show him ben。 What's wrang the noo
I wonder！〃
The baddish boy entered； took up a position and remained apparently
passive； hands in pockets。
_Christie。_ 〃Aweel； what est？〃
_Flucker。_ 〃Custy。〃
_Christie。_ 〃What's your will； my manny？〃
_Flucker。_ 〃Custy； I was at Inch Keith the day。〃
_Christie。_ 〃And hae ye really come to Edinbro' to tell me thaat？〃
_Flucker （dryly）。_ 〃Oh！ ye ken the lasses are a hantle wiser than we
arewill ye hear me？ South Inch Keith； I played a bowl i' the water；
just for divairsionand I catched twarree fish！〃
_Christie。_ 〃Floonders； I bet。〃
_Flucker。_ 〃Does floonders swim high？ I'll let you see his gills； and if
ye are a reicht fishwife ye'll smell bluid。〃
Here he opened his jacket； and showed a bright little fish。
In a moment all Christie's nonchalance gave way to a fiery animation。 She
darted to Flucker's side。
〃Ye hae na been sae daft as tell？〃 asked she。
Flucker shook his head contemptuously。
〃Ony birds at the island； Flucker？〃
〃Sea…maws； plenty； and a bird I dinna ken； he moonted sae high； then doon
like thunder intil the sea； and gart the water flee as high as Haman； and
porpoises as big as my boat。〃
〃Porr…poises； fulish laddyye hae seen the herrin whale at his wark； and
the solant guse ye hae seen her at wark； and beneath the sea； Flucker；
every coedflsh and doegfish； and fish that has teeth； is after them； and
half Scotland wad be at Inch Keith Island if they kenned what ye hae
tell't medinna speak to me。〃
During this； Gatty； who did not comprehend this sudden excitement； or
thought it childish； had tried in vain to win her attention。
At last he said； a little peevishly； 〃Will you not attend to me； and tell
me at least when you will sit to me？〃
Set！〃 cried she。 〃When there's nae wark to be done stanning。〃
And with this she was gone。
At the foot of the stairs； she said to her brother：
〃Puir lad！ I'll sune draw auchty punds fra' the sea for him； with my
feyther's nets。〃
As she disappeared； Mrs。 Gatty appeared。 〃And this is the woman whose
mind was not in her dirty business；〃 cried she。 〃Does not that open your
eyes； Charles？〃
〃Ah！ Charles；〃 added she； tenderly； 〃there's no friend like a mother。〃
And off she carried the prizehis vanity had been mortified。
And so that happened to Christie Johnstone which has befallen many a
womanthe greatness of her love made that love appear small to her
lover。
〃Ah！ mother；〃 cried he； 〃I must live for you and my art； I am not so dear
to her as I thought。〃
And so； with a sad heart； he turned away from her； while she； with a
light heart； darted away to think and act for him。
CHAPTER XII。
IT was some two hours after this that a gentleman； plainly dressed； but
whose clothes seemed a part of himself （whereas mine I have observed hang
upon me； and the Rev。 Josiah Splitall's stick to him）glided into the
painter's room； with an inquiry whether he had not a picture or two
disposable。
〃I have one finished picture； sir；〃 said the poor boy； 〃but the price is
high！〃
He brought it； in a faint…hearted way； for he had shown it to five
picture…dealers； and all five agreed it was hard。
He had painted a lime…tree； distant fifty yards； and so painted it that
it looked something like a lime…tree fifty yards off。
〃That was _mesquin；〃_ said his judges； 〃the poetry of painting required
abstract trees； at metaphysical distance； not the various trees of
nature； as they appear under positive accidents。〃
On this Mr。 Gatty had deluged them with words。
〃When it is art； truth； or sense to fuse a cow； a horse； and a critic
into one undistinguishable quadruped； with six legs； then it will be art
to melt an ash； an elm； and a lime； things that differ more than
quadrupeds； into what you call abstract trees； that any man who has seen
a tree； as well as looked at one； would call drunken stinging…nettles。
You； who never look at nature； how can you judge the arts； which are all
but copies of nature？ At two hundred yards' distance； full…grown trees
are more distinguishable than the animal tribe。 Paint me an abstract
human being； neither man nor a woman；〃 said he； 〃and then I will agree to
paint a tree that shall be no tree； and； if no man will buy it； perhaps
the father of lies will take it off my hands； and hang it in the only
place it would not disgrace。〃
In short； he never left off till he had crushed the non…buyers with
eloquence and satire； but he could not crush them into buyersthey beat
him at the passive retort。
Poor Gatty； when the momentary excitement of argument had subsided； drank
the bitter cup all must drink awhile； whose bark is alive and strong
enough to stem the current down which the dead； weak things of the world
are drifting； many of them into safe harbors。
And now he brought out his picture with a heavy heart。
〃Now；〃 said he to himself； 〃this gentleman will talk me dead； and leave
me no richer in coin； and poorer in time and patience。〃
The picture was placed in a light； the visitor sat down before it。
A long pause ensued。
〃Has he fainted？〃 thought Gatty； ironically； 〃he doesn't gabble。〃
〃If you do not mind painting before me；〃 said the visitor； 〃I should be
glad if you would continue while I look into this picture。〃
Gatty painted。
The visitor held his tongue。
At first the silence made the artist uneasy； but by degrees it began to
give him pleasure； whoever this was； it was not one of the flies that had
hitherto stung him； nor the jackdaws that had chattered him dead。
Glorious silence！ he began to paint under its influence like one
inspired。
Half an hour passed thus。
〃What is the price of this work of art？〃
〃Eighty pounds