An Engagement of Convenience

pular engravings that he had seen in the windows of all the carvers and gilders in London. Next, he was ushered under a crimson doo

photograph albums full of old-fashioned na?ve people posing against rococo backgrounds, collections of views

of the main road, and pairs of other windows, straight and tall, overlooking the streets that branched on either hand. And all these windows were elaborately draped in a would-be Renaissance style, with many loops and festoons, and with big gilt cornices above. And

not displeased to observe that his host was likewise in evening clothes; a

rd in his quiet, gentle way, and shaking hands again. "I a

rstanding that the announcement of a guest to arrive had

were coming," Mr. Robinson continued. "As

rust were at once suggested by the almost awkward constraint of her bearing and the quiet, half-averted glance of her dark eyes. He could see that she hardly dared look at him. He gallantly supposed that she was a year or two younger than himself, and as he met her desperately friendly smile (intended for him but hardly bestowed in his direction) with his choicest bow, he received a further impression that was distinctly more favourable than the first of unrelieved plainness. For, once his eye had taken in her features, the artist in him was ready to do justice to her throat and arms, which were really good: and her dark hair, her greatest glory, lay in a superb coil, which, with a surprising touch of coquetry, was set off by a velvet band and some li

wed an instant of general embarrassment. Mrs. Robinson

t, after being neighbours so many years!"

delightful. I suppose that's because most of us in this hard lif

hyly, whilst her mother

n tremulously. "I'm sure the proverb must be wrong, because nice things

ot at all expecting to slip down. When the unexpected ha

people called of their own accord. Was Mr. Wyndham exhibiting anything just now? They had seen pictures of his in the Academy in past years, and were great admirers of his. Wyndham was by now too faint and exhausted to do more than hold his own in a smiling, conventional way: the splendours of the room, too, dazzled him to the verge of confusion. He was thankful when

prevision of material joys that had risen before him at the studio at that moment of physical weakness was being literally realised, almost comically so. There on the immense mahogany sideboard stood bottles and decanters galore, and now up came the middle of salmon with a piquant sauce accompanying it! God! how delicious it tasted, after all these months of bread and cheese! Wine gave him inspiration, and food the strength to

up of his student days, and with them were mingled deft touches of Eton and Oxford, and charming cameos of county life; this last developing insensibly into discussions of Anglo-Saxon character, its comparison with the Latin, relative estimations of intelligence, industry, ambition. Mr. Robinson here had many shrewd observations to offer, for they had now wandered into the domain of affairs. Wyndham was genuinely interested in his host's experiences, in his accounts of unusual men of business from strange, even barbarous parts of the world, with whom he had had personal relations. They even touched upon financial

t," he threw out with a laugh; and the others chimed in, highly amused at

w promenading freely. "The girl with the mandoline is laid in with rathe

Robinson. "I bought them at an auction in the City, ma

cted to be examini

a mountain on one side, and a cow on the other. I've seen hundreds of them for sale. But it's not likely I s

nspecting. His memory of the details proved to be extraordinarily minute, and his face glowed all over again with the wonder and enthusiasm he had displayed at the stu

the picture for themselves, though just then a whiff of unpleasant thoug

at pleasure," exclaimed Mrs. Robinson, and Miss R

ceeded Mrs. Robinson, addressing her husband. "It is altoget

of course it was far too below the dignity of the brilliant lion to appear to snatch at th

And I've an idea! If we can induce Mr. Wyndham to paint our Alice's port

was the more conspicuous. "How splendid!" she exclaimed breathlessly. Her b

had happened again, but that very quality of the event was in this

" interposed Mrs. Robinson; "but it seems to me

mile; swiftly master of the situation again,

fessional glance that the occasion authorised. "Miss Robinson will af

nner, but she had hung on Wyndham's words with a na?ve, unconscious admiration, which, from a prett

e said simply. "I am afraid the distinction wil

pressive and charming. "I did not intend any compliment-I spoke only as the artist." He was rather surprised

ore artistic than extravagant. The one on her right hand was a small, subtle cat's-eye surrounded by fine pearls. On her left hand were an aquamarine, and a scarab that shone like the patina of an ancient bronze. Almost without a pause he dashed at once at a scheme, which he elucidated there and then, much to their overwhelming. He would pose her on an Empire chair. In a blue and white Oriental vase on a high stand at the side should be arranged three tall arum lilies amid some

tion she could only echo stammeringly the elder people's wonder at his great skill and cleverness. The scheme unfolded its

her good-naturedly as a parting shot, when the women rose to retire; and Wynd

vation. Fortunately he had not been tempted to have his glass filled too often: he had appreciated all these good and luscious things with commendable moderation, and had been stimulated to brilliancy without losing cool command of himself. He lighted his cigar

ect of Wyndham's fee for the portrait,

wife and daughter," said the old man. "But I must insist on your accep

ou had left it to me, I should har

to be considered. In all things, sublime or humble, the labourer is worthy of his hire. I do not for a moment suggest that the sum I have named in any way

mple sincerity and good feeling, Mr. Robinson seemed a past master in the delicate art. "At any rate," he pursued, "the work is developing

s yet Wyndham did not measure the radical change in his personal situation; nor did he display any undue elation. But his cool demeanour was no mere pose. Indeed, he was surprised himself at the ease with which he was accepting the tr

ore Mr. Robinson had sedulously inquired as to his liking for the particular brand, which, he assured

tain individual choice, favouring the tenderer and gentler works of Mendelssohn and Mozart. She sang also one or two of Heine's love songs in the German with a touch

final understanding was that he was to plan out the arrangemen

binson carefully caught it up from the hall table, and bro