offeredmethepaintingofthemayor’sportrait，andahundredpoundsformytrouble。Well，ofcourseIwasmuchsurprised，andforaminuteortwocouldscarcelyspeak；recoveringmyself，however，Imadeaspeech，notsoeloquentasthatofthewatchmakerofcourse，beingnotsoaccustomedtospeaking；butnotsobadeither，takingeverythingintoconsideration，tellingthemhowflatteredIfeltbythehonourwhichtheyhadconferredinproposingtomesuchanundertaking；expressing，however，myfearsthatIwasnotcompetenttothetask，andconcludingbysayingwhatapityitwasthatCromewasdead。“Crome，“saidthelittleman，“Crome；yes，hewasacleverman，averyclevermaninhisway；hewasgoodatpaintinglandscapesandfarm-houses，buthewouldnotdointhepresentinstancewerehealive。Hehadnoconceptionoftheheroic，sir。WewantsomepersoncapableofrepresentingourmayorstridingundertheNormanarchoutofthecathedral。“Atthementionoftheheroicanideacameatonceintomyhead。“Oh，“
saidI，“ifyouareinquestoftheheroic，Iamgladthatyoucametome；don’tmistakeme，“Icontinued，“IdonotmeantosaythatI
coulddojusticetoyoursubject，thoughIamfondoftheheroic；
butIcanintroduceyoutoagreatmasteroftheheroic，fullycompetenttodojusticetoyourmayor。Nottome，therefore，bethepaintingofthepicturegiven，buttoafriendofmine，thegreatmasteroftheheroic，tothebest，thestrongest，[greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]“Iadded，for，beingamongstorators，I
thoughtawordofGreekwouldtell。’
’Well，’saidI，’andwhatdidtheoratorssay？’
’Theygazeddubiouslyatmeandatoneanother，’saidmybrother；
’atlastthewatchmakeraskedmewhothisMr。Christowas；adding，thathehadneverheardofsuchaperson；that，frommyrecommendationofhim，hehadnodoubtthathewasaverycleverman；butthattheyshouldliketoknowsomethingmoreabouthimbeforegivingthecommissiontohim。ThathehadheardofChristiethegreatauctioneer，whowasconsideredtobeanexcellentjudgeofpictures；buthesupposedthatIscarcely-Whereupon，interruptingthewatchmaker，ItoldhimthatIalludedneithertoChristonortoChristie；buttothepainterofLazarusrisingfromthegrave，apainterunderwhomIhadmyselfstudiedduringsomemonthsthatIhadspentinLondon，andtowhomIwasindebtedformuchconnectedwiththeheroic。
’“Ihaveheardofhim，“saidthewatchmaker，“andhispaintingstoo；butIamafraidthatheisnotexactlythegentlemanbywhomourmayorwouldwishtobepainted。IhaveheardsaythatheisnotaverygoodfriendtoChurchandState。Come，youngman，“headded，“itappearstomethatyouaretoomodest；Ilikeyourstyleofpainting，sodoweall，and-whyshouldImincethematter？-
themoneyistobecollectedinthetown，whyshoulditgointoastranger’spocket，andbespentinLondon？“
’ThereuponImadethemaspeech，inwhichIsaidthatarthadnothingtodowithChurchandState，atleastwithEnglishChurchandState，whichhadneverencouragedit；andthat，thoughChurchandStateweredoubtlessveryfinethings，amanmightbeaverygoodartistwhocarednotastrawforeither。IthenmadeuseofsomemoreGreekwords，andtoldthemhowpaintingwasoneoftheNineMuses，andoneofthemostindependentcreaturesalive，inspiringwhomshepleased，andaskingleaveofnobody；thatI
shouldbequiteunworthyofthefavoursoftheMuseif，onthepresentoccasion，IdidnotrecommendthemamanwhomIconsideredtobeamuchgreatermasteroftheheroicthanmyself；andthat，withregardtothemoneybeingspentinthecity，Ihadnodoubtthattheywouldnotweighforamomentsuchaconsiderationagainstthechanceofgettingatrueheroicpictureforthecity。Inevertalkedsowellinmylife，andsaidsomanyflatteringthingstothehunchbackandhisfriends，thatatlasttheysaidthatIshouldhavemyownway；andthatifIpleasedtogouptoLondon，andbringdownthepainterofLazarustopaintthemayor，Imight；sotheythenbademefarewell，andIhavecomeuptoLondon。’
’Toputahundredpoundsintothehandsof-’
’Abettermanthanmyself，’saidmybrother，’ofcourse。’
’Andhaveyoucomeupatyourownexpense？’
’Yes，’saidmybrother，’Ihavecomeupatmyownexpense。’
Imadenoanswer，butlookedinmybrother’sface。Wethenreturnedtotheformersubjectsofconversation，talkingofthedead，mymother，andthedog。
Aftersometimemybrothersaid，’Iwillnowgotothepainter，andcommunicatetohimthebusinesswhichhasbroughtmetotown；and，ifyouplease，Iwilltakeyouwithmeandintroduceyoutohim。’
Havingexpressedmywillingness，wedescendedintothestreet。
CHAPTERXXXVIII
Painteroftheheroic-I’llgo!-Amodestpeep-Whoisthis？-A
capitalPharaoh-Disproportionablyshort-Imaginarypicture-
Englishfigures。
THEpainteroftheheroicresidedagreatwayoff，atthewesternendofthetown。Wehadsomedifficultyinobtainingadmissiontohim；amaid-servant，whoopenedthedoor，eyeingussomewhatsuspiciously：itwasnotuntilmybrotherhadsaidthathewasafriendofthepainterthatwewerepermittedtopassthethreshold。
Atlengthwewereshownintothestudio，wherewefoundthepainter，withaneaselandbrush，standingbeforeahugepieceofcanvas，onwhichhehadlatelycommencedpaintingaheroicpicture。
Thepaintermightbeaboutthirty-fiveyearsold；hehadaclever，intelligentcountenance，withasharpgrayeye-hishairwasdarkbrown，andcuta-la-Rafael，asIwassubsequentlytold，thatis，therewaslittlebeforeandmuchbehind-hedidnotwearaneck-
cloth；but，initsstead，ablackriband，sothathisneck，whichwasratherfine，wassomewhatexposed-hehadabroad，muscularbreast，andImakenodoubtthathewouldhavebeenaveryfinefigure，butunfortunatelyhislegsandthighsweresomewhatshort。
Herecognisedmybrother，andappearedgladtoseehim。
’WhatbringsyoutoLondon？’saidhe。
Whereuponmybrothergavehimabriefaccountofhiscommission。
Atthementionofthehundredpounds，Iobservedtheeyesofthepainterglisten。’Really，’saidhe，whenmybrotherhadconcluded，’itwasverykindtothinkofme。Iamnotveryfondofpaintingportraits；butamayorisamayor，andthereissomethinggrandinthatideaoftheNormanarch。I’llgo；moreover，Iamjustatthismomentconfoundedlyinneedofmoney，andwhenyouknockedatthedoor，Idon’tmindtellingyou，Ithoughtitwassomedun。Idon’tknowhowitis，butinthecapitaltheyhavenotastefortheheroic，theywillscarcelookataheroicpicture；Iamgladtohearthattheyhavebettertasteintheprovinces。I’llgo；whenshallwesetoff？’
Thereuponitwasarrangedbetweenthepainterandmybrotherthattheyshoulddepartthenextdaybutone；theythenbegantotalkofart。’I’llsticktotheheroic，’saidthepainter；’Inowandthendabbleinthecomic，butwhatIdogivesmenopleasure，thecomicissolow；thereisnothingliketheheroic。Iamengagedhereonaheroicpicture，’saidhe，pointingtothecanvas；’thesubjectis“PharaohdismissingMosesfromEgypt，“afterthelastplague-thedeathofthefirst-born；itisnotfaradvanced-thatfinishedfigureisMoses’：theybothlookedatthecanvas，andI，standingbehind，tookamodestpeep。Thepicture，asthepaintersaid，wasnotfaradvanced，thePharaohwasmerelyinoutline；myeyewas，ofcourse，attractedbythefinishedfigure，orratherwhatthepainterhadcalledthefinishedfigure；but，asIgazeduponit，itappearedtomethattherewassomethingdefective-somethingunsatisfactoryinthefigure。Iconcluded，however，thatthepainter，notwithstandingwhathehadsaid，hadomittedtogiveitthefinishingtouch。’Iintendthistobemybestpicture，’saidthepainter；’whatIwantnowisafaceforPharaoh；IhavelongbeenmeditatingonafaceforPharaoh。’Here，chancingtocasthiseyeuponmycountenance，ofwhomhehadscarcelytakenanymannerofnotice，heremainedwithhismouthopenforsometime。’Whoisthis？’saidheatlast。’Oh，thisismybrother，Iforgottointroducehim。’……
Wepresentlyafterwardsdeparted；mybrothertalkedmuchaboutthepainter。’Heisanoblefellow，’saidmybrother；’but，likemanyothernoblefellows，hasagreatmanyenemies；heishatedbyhisbrethrenofthebrush-allthelandandwaterscapepaintershatehim-but，aboveall，theraceofportrait-painters，whoaretentimesmorenumerousthantheothertwosorts，detesthimforhisheroictendencies。Itwillbeakindoftriumphtothelast，I
fear，whentheyhearhehascondescendedtopaintaportrait；
however，thatNormanarchwillenablehimtoescapefromtheirmalice-thatisacapitalideaofthewatchmaker，thatNormanarch。’
Ispentahappydaywithmybrother。Onthemorrowhewentagaintothepainter，withwhomhedined；Ididnotgowithhim。Onhisreturnhesaid，’Thepainterhasbeenaskingagreatmanyquestionsaboutyou，andexpressedawishthatyouwouldsittohimasPharaoh；hethinksyouwouldmakeacapitalPharaoh。’’Ihavenowishtoappearoncanvas，’saidI；’moreoverhecanfindmuchbetterPharaohsthanmyself；and，ifhewantsarealPharaoh，thereisacertainMr。Petulengro。’’Petulengro？’saidmybrother；’astrangekindoffellowcameuptomesometimeagoinourtown，andaskedmeaboutyou；whenIinquiredhisname，hetoldmePetulengro。No，hewillnotdo，heistooshort；bythebye，doyounotthinkthatfigureofMosesissomewhatshort？’AndthenitappearedtomethatIhadthoughtthefigureofMosessomewhatshort，andItoldmybrotherso。’Ah!’saidmybrother。
Onthemorrowmybrotherdepartedwiththepainterfortheoldtown，andtherethepainterpaintedthemayor。Ididnotseethepictureforagreatmanyyears，when，chancingtobeattheoldtown，Ibeheldit。
Theoriginalmayorwasamighty，portlyman，withabull’shead，blackhair，bodylikethatofadrayhorse，andlegsandthighscorresponding；amansixfoothighattheleast。Tohisbull’shead，blackhair，andbodythepainterhaddonejustice；therewasonepoint，however，inwhichtheportraitdidnotcorrespondwiththeoriginal-thelegsweredisproportionablyshort，thepainterhavingsubstitutedhisownlegsforthoseofthemayor，whichwhenIperceivedIrejoicedthatIhadnotconsentedtobepaintedasPharaoh，for，ifIhad，thechancesarethathewouldhaveservedmeinexactlyasimilarwayashehadservedMosesandthemayor。