Writeanotetoyouroffice，——yousayyou’retheheadofit，——andorderthemtogiveTorpenhowmysketches，——everyoneofthemWaitaminute：
yourhand’sshakingNow！’Hethrustapocket-bookbeforehim。
ThenotewaswrittenTorpenhowtookitanddepartedwithoutaword，whileDickwalkedroundandroundthespellboundcaptive，givinghimsuchadviceasheconceivedbestforthewelfareofhissoulWhenTorpenhowreturnedwithagiganticportfolio，heheardDicksay，almostsoothingly，’Now，Ihopethiswillbealessontoyou；andifyouworrymewhenI
havesettleddowntoworkwithanynonsenseaboutactionsforassault，believeme，I’llcatchyouandmanhandleyou，andyou’lldieYouhaven’tverylongtolive，anyhowGo！Imshi，Vootsak，——getout！’Themandeparted，staggeringanddazedDickdrewalongbreath：’Phew！
whatalawlesslotthesepeopleare！Thefirstthingapoororphanmeetsisgangrobbery，organisedburglary！Thinkofthehideousblacknessofthatman’smind！Aremysketchesallright，Torp？’
’Yes；onehundredandforty-sevenofthemWell，Imustsay，Dick，you’vebegunwell。’
’HewasinterferingwithmeItonlymeantafewpoundstohim，butitwaseverythingtomeIdon’tthinkhe’llbringanactionIgavehimsomemedicaladvicegratisaboutthestateofhisbodyItwascheapatthelittleflurryitcosthimNow，let’slookatmythings。’
TwominuteslaterDickhadthrownhimselfdownonthefloorandwasdeepintheportfolio，chucklinglovinglyasheturnedthedrawingsoverandthoughtofthepriceatwhichtheyhadbeenbought。
TheafternoonwaswelladvancedwhenTorpenhowcametothedoorandsawDickdancingawildsarabandundertheskylight。
’IbuildedbetterthanIknew，Torp，’hesaid，withoutstoppingthedance。
’They’regood！They’redamnedgood！They’llgolikeflame！IshallhaveanexhibitionofthemonmyownbrazenhookAndthatmanwouldhavecheatedmeoutofit！DoyouknowthatI’msorrynowthatIdidn’tactuallyhithim？’
’Goout，’saidTorpenhow，——’gooutandpraytobedeliveredfromthesinofarrogance，whichyouneverwillbeBringyourthingsupfromwhateverplaceyou’restayingin，andwe’lltrytomakethisbarnalittlemoreshipshape。’
’Andthen——oh，then，’saidDick，stillcapering，’wewillspoiltheEgyptians！’
CHAPTERIV
Thewolf-cubatevenlayhidinthecorn，Whenthesmokeofthecookinghunggray：
Heknewwherethedoemadeacouchforherfawn，Andhelookedtohisstrengthforhisprey。
Butthemoonsweptthesmoke-wreathsaway。
Andheturnedfromhismealinthevillager’sclose，Andhebayedtothemoonassherose。
InSeonee-
’WELL，andhowdoessuccesstaste？’saidTorpenhow，somethreemonthslaterHehadjustreturnedtochambersafteraholidayinthecountry。
’Good，’saidDick，ashesatlickinghislipsbeforetheeaselinthestudio。
’Iwantmore，——heapsmoreTheleanyearshavepassed，andI
approveofthesefatones。’
’Becareful，oldmanThatwayliesbadwork。’
Torpenhowwassprawlinginalongchairwithasmallfox-terrierasleeponhischest，whileDickwaspreparingacanvasAdais，abackground，andalay-figureweretheonlyfixedobjectsintheplaceTheyrosefromawreckofoddmentsthatbeganwithfelt-coveredwater-bottles，belts，andregimentalbadges，andendedwithasmallbaleofsecond-handuniformsandastandofmixedarmsThemarkofmuddyfeetonthedaisshowedthatamilitarymodelhadjustgoneawayThewateryautumnsunlightwasfalling，andshadowssatinthecornersofthestudio。
’Yes，’saidDick，deliberately，’Ilikethepower；Ilikethefun；Ilikethefuss；andaboveallIlikethemoneyIalmostlikethepeoplewhomakethefussandpaythemoneyAlmostButthey’reaqueergang，——anamazinglyqueergang！’
’Theyhavebeengoodenoughtoyou，atanyrateThantin-potexhibitionofyoursketchesmusthavepaidDidyouseethatthepaperscalleditthe“WildWorkShow“？’
’NevermindIsoldeveryshredofcanvasIwantedto；and，onmyword，IbelieveitwasbecausetheybelievedIwasaself-taughtflagstoneartist。
IshouldhavegotbetterpricesifIworkedmythingsonwoolorscratchedthemoncamel-boneinsteadofusingmereblackandwhiteandcolourVerily，theyareaqueergang，thesepeopleLimitedisn’tthewordtodescribe’emImetafellowtheotherdaywhotoldmethatitwasimpossiblethatshadowsonwhitesandshouldbeblue，——ultramarine，——astheyareIfoundout，later，thatthemanhadbeenasfarasBrightonbeach；butheknewallaboutArt，confoundhim。
Hegavemealectureonit，andrecommendedmetogotoschooltolearntechniqueIwonderwhatoldKamiwouldhavesaidtothat。’
’WhenwereyouunderKami，manofextraordinarybeginnings？’
’IstudiedwithhimfortwoyearsinParisHetaughtbypersonalmagnetismAllheeversaidwas，“Continuez，mesenfants。”andyouhadtomakethebestyoucouldofthatHehadadivinetouch，andheknewsomethingaboutcolourKamiusedtodreamcolour；Iswearhecouldneverhaveseenthegenuinearticle；butheevolvedit；anditwasgood。’
’RecollectsomeofthoseviewsintheSoudan？’saidTorpenhow，withaprovokingdrawl。
Dicksquirmedinhisplace’Don’t！ItmakesmewanttogetoutthereagainWhatcolourthatwas！Opalandumberandamberandclaretandbrick-redandsulphur——cockatoo-crest——sulphur——againstbrown，withanigger-blackrockstickingupinthemiddleofitall，andadecorativefriezeofcamelsfestooninginfrontofapurepaleturquoisesky。’
Hebegantowalkupanddown’Andyet，youknow，ifyoutrytogivethesepeoplethethingasGodgaveit，keyeddowntotheircomprehensionandaccordingtothepowersHehasgivenyou——’
’Modestman！Goon。’
’Halfadozenepiceneyoungpaganswhohaven’tevenbeentoAlgierswilltellyou，first，thatyournotionisborrowed，and，secondly，thatitisn’tArt。
’’ThiscomesofmyleavingtownforamonthDickie，you’vebeenpromenadingamongthetoy-shopsandhearingpeopletalk。’
’Icouldn’thelpit，’saidDick，penitently’Youweren’there，anditwaslonelytheselongeveningsAmancan’tworkforever。’
’Amanmighthavegonetoapub，andgotdecentlydrunk。’
’IwishIhad；butIforgatheredwithsomemenofsortsTheysaidtheywereartists，andIknewsomeofthemcoulddraw，——buttheywouldn’tdrawTheygavemetea，——teaatfiveintheafternoon！——andtalkedaboutArtandthestateoftheirsoulsAsiftheirsoulsmatteredI’veheardmoreaboutArtandseenlessofherinthelastsixmonthsthaninthewholeofmylifeDoyourememberCassavetti，whoworkedforsomecontinentalsyndicate，outwiththedesertcolumn？HewasaregularChristmas-treeofcontraptionswhenhetookthefieldinfullfig，withhiswater-bottle，lanyard，revolver，writing-case，housewife，gig-lamps，andtheLordknowswhatallHeusedtofiddleaboutwith’emandshowushowtheyworked；butheneverseemedtodomuchexceptfudgehisreportsfromtheNilghaiSee？’
’DearoldNilghai！He’sintown，fatterthaneverHeoughttobeupherethiseveningIseethecomparisonperfectlyYoushouldhavekeptclearofallthatman-millineryServesyouright；andIhopeitwillunsettleyourmind。’
’Itwon’tIthastaughtmewhatArt——holysacredArt——means。’
’You’velearntsomethingwhileI’vebeenawayWhatisArt？’
’Give’emwhattheyknow，andwhenyou’vedoneitoncedoitagain。’
Dickdraggedforwardacanvaslaidfacetothewall’Here’sasampleofrealArtIt’sgoingtobeafacsimilereproductionforaweeklyI
calledit“HisLastShot。”It’sworkedupfromthelittlewater-colourImadeoutsideElMaghribWell，Iluredmymodel，abeautifulrifleman，upherewithdrink；Idroredhim，andIredroredhim，andIredroredhim，andImadehimaflushed，dishevelled，bedevilledscallawag，withhishelmetatthebackofhishead，andthelivingfearofdeathinhiseye，andthebloodoozingoutofacutoverhisankle-boneHewasn’tpretty，buthewasallsoldierandverymuchman。’
’Oncemore，modestchild！’
Dicklaughed’Well，it’sonlytoyouI’mtalkingIdidhimjustaswellasIknewhow，makingallowancefortheslicknessofoilsThentheart-managerofthatabandonedpapersaidthathissubscriberswouldn’tlikeitItwasbrutalandcoarseandviolent，——manbeingnaturallygentlewhenhe’sfightingforhislifeTheywantedsomethingmorerestful，withalittlemorecolourIcouldhavesaidagooddeal，butyoumightaswelltalktoasheepasanart-managerItookmy“LastShot“back。
Beholdtheresult！Iputhimintoalovelyredcoatwithoutaspeckonit。
ThatisArtIpolishedhisboots，——observethehighlightonthetoeThatisArtI
cleanedhisrifle，——riflesarealwayscleanonservice，——becausethatisArt。
Ipipeclayedhishelmet，——pipeclayisalwaysusedonactiveservice，andisindispensabletoArtIshavedhischin，Iwashedhishands，andgavehimanairoffattedpeaceResult，militarytailor’spattern-platePrice，thankHeaven，twiceasmuchasforthefirstsketch，whichwasmoderatelydecent。’
’Anddoyousupposeyou’regoingtogivethatthingoutasyourwork？’
’Whynot？IdiditAloneIdidit，intheinterestsofsacred，home-bredArtandDickenson’sWeekly。’
TorpenhowsmokedinsilenceforawhileThencametheverdict，deliveredfromrollingclouds：’Ifyouwereonlyamassofblatheringvanity，Dick，Iwouldn’tmind，——I’dletyougotothedeuceonyourownmahl-stick；butwhenIconsiderwhatyouaretome，andwhenI
findthattovanityyouaddthetwopenny-halfpennypiqueofatwelve-year-oldgirl，thenIbestirmyselfinyourbehalfThus！’
ThecanvasrippedasTorpenhow’sbootedfootshotthroughit，andtheterrierjumpeddown，thinkingratswereabout。
’Ifyouhaveanybadlanguagetouse，useitYouhavenotI
continue。
Youareanidiot，becausenomanbornofwomanisstrongenoughtotakelibertieswithhispublic，eventhoughtheybe——whichtheyain’t——allyousaytheyare。’
’Buttheydon’tknowanybetterWhatcanyouexpectfromcreaturesbornandbredinthislight？’Dickpointedtotheyellowfog’Iftheywantfurniture-polish，letthemhavefurniture-polish，solongastheypayforit。
TheyareonlymenandwomenYoutalkasiftheyweregods。’
’Thatsoundsveryfine，butithasnothingtodowiththecaseTheyaretheypeopleyouhavetodoworkfor，whetheryoulikeitornot。
TheyareyourmastersDon’tbedeceived，Dickie，youaren’tstrongenoughtotriflewiththem，——orwithyourself，whichismoreimportant。
Moreover，——Comeback，Binkie：thatreddaubisn’tgoinganywhere，——unlessyoutakepreciousgoodcare，youwillfallunderthedamnationofthecheck-book，andthat’sworsethandeathYouwillgetdrunk——you-rehalfdrunkalready——oneasilyacquiredmoneyForthatmoneyandyouowninfernalvanityyouarewillingtodeliberatelyturnoutbadworkYou’lldoquiteenoughbadworkwithoutknowingitAnd，Dickie，asIloveyouandasIknowyouloveme，IamnotgoingtoletyoucutoffyournosetospiteyourfaceforallthegoldinEngland。
That’ssettledNowswear。’
’Don’tknow，saidDick’I’vebeentryingtomakemyselfangry，butI
can’t，you’resoabominablyreasonableTherewillbearowonDickenson’sWeekly，Ifancy。’
’WhytheDickensondoyouwanttoworkonaweeklypaper？It’sslowbleedingofpower。’
’Itbringsintheverydesirabledollars，’saidDick，hishandsinhispockets。
Torpenhowwatchedhimwithlargecontempt’Why，Ithoughtitwasaman！’saidhe’It’sachild。’
’No，itisn’t，’saidDick，wheelingquickly’You’venonotionowhatthecertaintyofcashmeanstoamanwhohasalwayswanteditbadly。
Nothingwillpaymeforsomeofmylife’sjoys；onthatChinesepig-boat，forinstance，whenweatebreadandjamforeverymeal，becauseHo-Wangwouldn’tallowusanythingbetter，anditalltastedofpig，——ChinesepigI’veworkedforthis，I’vesweatedandI’vestarvedforthis，lineonlineandmonthaftermonthAndnowI’vegotitIamgoingtomakethemostofitwhileitlastsLetthempay——they’venoknowledge。’