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Gatty take from me a commission for two pictures； as big as herself； and
as bonny？〃 added he； doing a little Scotch。 He handed her a check； and；
turning to Gatty； added； 〃At your convenience； sir； _bien entendu。〃_
〃Hech！ it's for five hundred pund； Chairles。〃
〃Good gear gangs in little book；〃* said Jean。
*Bulk。
〃Ay； does it；〃 replied Flucker； assuming the compliment。
〃My lord！〃 said the artist； 〃you treat Art like a prince； and she shall
treat you like a queen。 When the sun comes out again； I will work for you
and fame。 You shall have two things painted； every stroke loyally in the
sunlight。 In spite of gloomy winter and gloomier London； I will try if I
can't hang nature and summer on your walls forever。 As for me； you know I
must go to Gerard Dow and Cuyp； and Pierre de Hoogh； when my little sand
is run； but my handwriting shall warm your children's children's hearts；
sir； when this hand is dust。〃 His eye turned inward； he walked to and
fro； and his companions died out of his sighthe was in the kingdom of
art。
His lordship and Jean entered the 〃Peacock；〃 followed by Flucker； who
merely lingered at the door to moralize as follows：
〃Hech！ hech！ isna thaat lamentable？ Christie's mon's as daft as a drunk
weaver。〃
But one stayed quietly behind； and assumed that moment the office of her
life。
〃Ay！〃 he burst out again； 〃the resources of our art are still unfathomed！
Pictures are yet to be painted that shall refresh men's inner souls； and
help their hearts against the artificial world； and charm the fiend away；
like David's harp！！ The world； after centuries of lies； will give nature
and truth a trial。 What a paradise art will be； when truths； instead of
lies； shall be told on paper； on marble； on canvas； and on the boards！！！〃
〃Dinner's on the boarrd；〃 murmured Christie； alluding to Lord Ipsden's
breakfast； 〃and I hae the charge o' ye；〃 pulling his sleeve hard enough
to destroy the equilibrium of a flea。
〃Then don't let us waste our time here。 Oh； Christie！〃
〃What est； my laddy？〃
〃I'm so preciously hungry！！！！〃
〃C…way* then！〃
* Come away。
Off they ran； hand in hand； sparks of beauty； love and happiness flying
all about them。
CHAPTER XVII。
〃THERE is nothing but meeting and parting in this world！〃 and you may be
sure the incongruous personages of our tale could not long be together。
Their separate paths had met for an instant in one focus； furnished then
and there the matter of an eccentric story； and then diverged forever。
Our lives have a general current； and also an episode or two； and the
episodes of a commonplace life are often rather startling； in like manner
this tale is not a specimen； but an episode of Lord Ipsden and Lady
Barbara； who soon after this married and lived like the rest of the _beau
monde。_ In so doing； they passed out of my hands； such as wish to know
how viscounts and viscountesses feed and sleep； and do the domestic （so
called）； and the social （so called）； are referred to the fashionable
novel。 To Mr。 Saunders； for instance； who has in the press one of those
cerberus…leviathans of fiction； so common now； incredible as folio to
future ages。 Saunders will take you by the hand； and lead you over
carpets two inches thickunder rosy curtainsto dinner…tables。 He will
_fete_ you； and opera you； and dazzle your young imagination with
_e'p'ergnes；_ and salvers； and buhl and ormolu。 No fishwives or painters
shall intrude upon his polished scenes； all shall be as genteel as
himself。 Saunders is a good authority； he is more in the society； and far
more in the confidence of the great； than most fashionable novelists。 Mr。
Saunders's work will be in three volumes； nine hundred and ninety
pages！！！！！！
In other words； this single work of this ingenious writer will equal in
bulk the aggregate of all the writings extant by Moses； David； Solomon；
Isaiah； and St。 Paul！！！
I shall not venture into competition with this behemoth of the _salon；_ I
will evaporate in thin generalities。
Lord Ipsden then lived very happily with Lady Barbara； whose hero he
straightway became； and who nobly and poetically dotes upon him。 He has
gone into political life to please her； and will remain thereto please
himself。 They were both very grateful to Newhaven； when they married they
vowed to visit it twice a year； and mingle a fortnight's simple life with
its simple scenes； but four years have passed； and they have never been
there again； and I dare say never will； but when Viscount Ipsden falls in
with a brother aristocrat who is crushed by the fiend _ennui；_ he
remembers Aberford； and condenses his famous recipe into a two…edged
hexameter； which will make my learned reader laugh； for it is full of
wisdom：
〃Diluculo surgas！ miseris succurrere discas！！〃
Flucker Johnstone meditated during breakfast upon the five hundred
pounds； and regretted he had not years ago adopted Mr。 Gatty's
profession； some days afterward he invited his sister to a conference。
Chairs being set； Mr。 Flucker laid down this observation； that near
relations should be deuced careful not to cast discredit upon one
another； that now his sister was to be a lady； it was repugnant to his
sense of right to be a fisherman and make her ladyship blush for him； on
the contrary； he felt it his duty to rise to such high consideration that
she should be proud of him。
Christie acquiesced at once in this position； but professed herself
embarrassed to know how such a 〃ne'er…do…weel〃 was to be made a source of
pride； then she kissed Flucker； and said； in a tone somewhat inconsistent
with the above； 〃Tell me； my laamb！〃
Her lamb informed her that the sea has many paths； some of them
disgraceful； such as line or net fishing； and the periodical laying down；
on rocky shoals； and taking up again； of lobster…creels； others； superior
to anything the dry land can offer in importance and dignity and general
estimation； such as the command of a merchant vessel trading to the East
or West Indies。 Her lamb then suggested that if she would be so good as
to launch him in the merchant…service； with a good rig of clothes and
money in his pocket； there was that in his head which would enable him to
work to windward of most of his contemporaries。 He bade her calculate
upon the following results： In a year or two he would be second mate； and
next year first mate； and in a few years more skipper！ Think of that；
lass！ Skipper of a vessel； whose rig he generously left his sister free
to determine； premising that two masts were； in his theory of navigation；
indispensable； and that three were a great deal more like Cocker than
two。 This led to a general consultation； Flucker's ambition was discussed
and praised。 That modest young gentleman； in spite of many injunctions to
the contrary； communicated his sister's plans for him to Lord Ipsden； and
affected to doubt their prudence。 The bait took； Lord Ipsden wrote to his
man of business； and an unexpected blow fell upon the ingenious Flucker。
He was sent to school； there to learn a little astronomy； a little
navigation； a little seamanship； a little manners； etc。； in the mysteries
of reading and writing his sister had a