’Ihaveathousandmen，’saidhe，’Towaituponmywill，AndtowersnineupontheTyne，AndthreeupontheTill。’
’AndwhatcareIforyoumen，’saidshe，’OrtowersfromTynetoTill，Sithyoumustgowithme，’shesaid，’Towaituponmywill？’-
SirHoggieandtheFairiesNEXTmorningTorpenhowfoundDicksunkindeepestreposeoftobacco。
’Well，madman，howd’youfeel？’
’Idon’tknowI’mtryingtofindout。’
’Youhadmuchbetterdosomework。’
’Maybe；butI’minnohurryI’vemadeadiscoveryTorp，there’stoomuchEgoinmyCosmos。’
’Notreally！Isthisrevelationduetomylectures，ortheNilghai’s？’
’Itcametomesuddenly，allonmyownaccountMuchtoomuchEgo；
andnowI’mgoingtowork。’
Heturnedoverafewhalf-finishedsketches，drummedonanewcanvas，cleanedthreebrushes，setBinkietobitethetoesofthelayfigure，rattledthroughhiscollectionofarmsandaccoutrements，andthenwentoutabruptly，declaringthathehaddoneenoughfortheday。
’Thisispositivelyindecent，’saidTorpenhow，’andthefirsttimethatDickhaseverbrokenupalightmorningPerhapshehasfoundoutthathehasasoul，oranartistictemperament，orsomethingequallyvaluable。
ThatcomesofleavinghimaloneforamonthPerhapshehasbeengoingoutofeveningsImustlooktothis。’Herangforthebald-headedoldhousekeeper，whomnothingcouldastonishorannoy。
’Beeton，didMrHeldardineoutatallwhileIwasoutoftown？’
’Neverlaid’isdress-clothesoutonce，sir，allthetimeMostly’edinedin；
but’ebroughtsomemostremarkableyounggentlemenup’ereaftertheatresonceortwiceRemarkablefancytheywasYougentlemenonthetopfloordoesverymuchasyoulikes，butitdoseemtome，sir，droppin’awalkin’-stickdownfiveflightso’stairsan’thengoin’
downfourabreasttopickitupagainathalf-pasttwointhemornin’，singin’
“Bringbackthewhiskey，Williedarlin，’“——notonceortwice，butscoreso’times，——isn’tcharitytotheothertenantsWhatIsayis，“Doasyouwouldbedoneby。”That’smymotto。’
’Ofcourse！ofcourse！I’mafraidthetopfloorisn’tthequietestinthehouse。’
’Imakenocomplaints，sirIhavespoketoMrHeldarfriendly，an’
helaughed，an’didmeapictureofthemissisthatisasgoodasacolouredprintIt’asn’tthehighshineofaphotograph，butwhatIsayis，“Neverlookagift-horseinthemouth。”MrHeldar’sdress-clothes’aven’tbeenonhimforweeks。’
’Thenit’sallright，’saidTorpenhowtohimself’Orgiesarehealthy，andDickhasaheadofhisown，butwhenitcomestowomenmakingeyesI’mnotsocertain，——Binkie，neveryoubeaman，littledorglums。
They’recontrarybrutes，andtheydothingswithoutanyreason。’
DickhadturnednorthwardacrossthePark，buthewaswalkinginthespiritonthemud-flatswithMaisieHelaughedaloudasherememberedthedaywhenhehaddeckedAmomma’shornswiththeham-frills，andMaisie，whitewithrage，hadcuffedhimHowlongthosefouryearsseemedinreview，andhowcloselyMaisiewasconnectedwitheveryhourofthem！Stormacrossthesea，andMaisieinagraydressonthebeach，sweepingherdrenchedhairoutofhereyesandlaughingatthehomewardraceofthefishing-smacks；hotsunshineonthemud-flats，andMaisiesniffingscornfully，withherchinintheair；Maisieflyingbeforethewindthatthreshedtheforeshoreanddrovethesandlikesmallshotaboutherears；Maisie，verycomposedandindependent，tellingliestoMrsJennettwhileDicksupportedherwithcoarserperjuries；
Maisiepickingherwaydelicatelyfromstonetostone，apistolinherhandandherteethfirm-set；andMaisieinagraydresssittingonthegrassbetweenthemouthofacannonandanoddingyellowsea-poppy。
Thepicturespassedbeforehimonebyone，andthelaststayedthelongest。
DickwasperfectlyhappywithaquietpeacethatwasasnewtohismindasitwasforeigntohisexperiencesItneveroccurredtohimthattheremightbeothercallsuponhistimethanloafingacrosstheParkintheforenoon。
’There’sagoodworkinglightnow，’hesaid，watchinghisshadowplacidly’SomepoordeviloughttobegratefulforthisAndthere’sMaisie。’
ShewaswalkingtowardshimfromtheMarbleArch，andhesawthatnomannerismofhergaithadbeenchangedItwasgoodtofindherstillMaisie，and，sotospeak，hisnext-doorneighbourNogreetingpassedbetweenthem，becausetherehadbeennoneintheolddays。
’Whatareyoudoingoutofyourstudioatthishour？’saidDick，asonewhowasentitledtoask。
’IdlingJustidlingIgotangrywithachinandscrapeditoutThenIleftitinalittleheapofpaint-chipsandcameaway。’
’Iknowwhatpalette-knifingmeansWhatwasthepiccy？’
’Afancyheadthatwouldn’tcomeright，——horridthing！’
’Idon’tlikeworkingoverscrapedpaintwhenI’mdoingfleshThegraincomesupwoollyasthepaintdries。’
’Notifyouscrapeproperly。’MaisiewavedherhandtoillustratehermethodsTherewasadabofpaintonthewhitecuffDicklaughed。
’You’reasuntidyasever。’
’ThatcomeswellfromyouLookatyourowncuff。’
’ByJove，yes！It’sworsethanyoursIdon’tthinkwe’vemuchalteredinanythingLet’ssee，though。’HelookedatMaisiecriticallyThepalebluehazeofanautumndaycreptbetweenthetree-trunksoftheParkandmadeabackgroundforthegraydress，theblackvelvettoqueabovetheblackhair，andtheresoluteprofile。
’No，there’snothingchangedHowgooditis！D’yourememberwhenI
fastenedyourhairintothesnapofahand-bag？’
Maisienodded，withatwinkleinhereyes，andturnedherfullfacetoDick。
’Waitaminute，’saidhe’Thatmouthisdownatthecornersalittle。
Who’sbeenworryingyou，Maisie？’
’NoonebutmyselfIneverseemtogetonwithmywork，andyetI
tryhardenough，andKamisays——’
’“Continuez，mesdemoisellesContinueztoujours，mesenfants。”
KamiisdepressingIbegyourpardon。’
’Yes，that’swhathesaysHetoldmelastsummerthatIwasdoingbetterandhe’dletmeexhibitthisyear。’
’Notinthisplace，surely？’
’OfcoursenotTheSalon。’
’Youflyhigh。’
’I’vebeenbeatingmywingslongenoughWheredoyouexhibit，Dick？’
’Idon’texhibitIsell。’
’Whatisyourline，then？’
’Haven’tyouheard？’Dick’seyesopenedWasthisthingpossible？
HecastaboutforsomemeansofconvictionTheywerenotfarfromtheMarbleArch’ComeupOxfordStreetalittleandI’llshowyou。’
Asmallknotofpeoplestoodroundaprint-shopthatDickknewwell。
’Somereproductionofmyworkinside，’hesaid，withsuppressedtriumphNeverbeforehadsuccesstastedsosweetuponthetongue’YouseethesortofthingsIpaintD’youlikeit？’
Maisielookedatthewildwhirlingrushofafield-batterygoingintoactionunderfireTwoartillery-menstoodbehindherinthecrowd。
’They’vechuckedtheofflead-’orse’saidonetotheother’’E’storeupawful，butthey’remakin’goodtimewiththeothersThatlead-driverdrivesbetternoryou，TomSee’owcunnin’’e’snursin’’is’orse。’
’NumberThree’llbeoffthelimber，nextjolt，’wastheanswer。
’No，’ewon’tSee’ow’isfoot’sbracedagainsttheiron？’E’sallright。’
DickwatchedMaisie’sfaceandswelledwithjoy——fine，rank，vulgartriumphShewasmoreinterestedinthelittlecrowdthaninthepicture。
Thatwassomethingthatshecouldunderstand。
’AndIwanteditso！Oh，Ididwantitso！’shesaidatlast，underherbreath。
’Me，——allme！’saidDick，placidly’LookattheirfacesIthits’em。
Theydon’tknowwhatmakestheireyesandmouthsopen；butIknow。
AndI
knowmywork’sright。’
’YesIseeOh，whatathingtohavecometoone！’
’Cometoone，indeed！IhadtogooutandlookforitWhatdoyouthink？’
’IcallitsuccessTellmehowyougotit。’
TheyreturnedtothePark，andDickdeliveredhimselfofthesagaofhisowndoings，withallthearroganceofayoungmanspeakingtoawoman。
Fromthebeginninghetoldthetale，theI——I——I’sflashingthroughtherecordsastelegraph-polesflypastthetravellerMaisielistenedandnoddedherheadThehistoriesofstrifeandprivationdidnotmoveherahair’s-breadthAttheendofeachcantohewouldconclude，’Andthatgavemesomenotionofhandlingcolour，’orlight，orwhateveritmightbethathehadsetouttopursueandunderstandHeledherbreathlessacrosshalftheworld，speakingashehadneverspokeninhislifebefore。
Andintheflood-tideofhisexaltationtherecameuponhimagreatdesiretopickupthismaidenwhonoddedherheadandsaid，’I
understandGoon，’——topickherupandcarryherawaywithhim，becauseshewasMaisie，andbecausesheunderstood，andbecauseshewashisright，andawomantobedesiredaboveallwomen。
Thenhecheckedhimselfabruptly’AndsoItookallIwanted，’hesaid，’andIhadtofightforitNowyoutell。’
Maisie’stalewasalmostasgrayasherdressItcoveredyearsofpatienttoilbackedbysavagepridethatwouldnotbebrokenthoughtdealerslaughed，andfogsdelayedwork，andKamiwasunkindandevensarcastic，andgirlsinotherstudioswerepainfullypoliteIthadafewbrightspots，inpicturesacceptedatprovincialexhibitions，butitwoundupwiththeoftrepeatedwail，’Andsoyousee，Dick，Ihadnosuccess，thoughIworkedsohard。’
ThenpityfilledDickEventhushadMaisiespokenwhenshecouldnothitthebreakwater，halfanhourbeforeshehadkissedhimAndthathadhappenedyesterday。
’Nevermind，’hesaid’I’lltellyousomething，ifyou’llbelieveit。’
Thewordswereshapingthemselvesoftheirownaccord’Thewholething，lock，stock，andbarrel，isn’tworthonebigyellowsea-poppybelowFortKeeling。’
Maisieflushedalittle’It’sallverywellforyoutotalk，butyou’vehadthesuccessandIhaven’t。’
’Letmetalk，thenIknowyou’llunderstandMaisie，dear，itsoundsabitabsurd，but5thosetenyearsneverexisted，andI’vecomebackagainItreallyisjustthesameCan’tyousee？You’realonenowandI’malone。
What’stheuseofworrying？Cometomeinstead，darling。’
MaisiepokedthegravelwithherparasolTheyweresittingonabench。
’Iunderstand，’shesaidslowly’ButI’vegotmyworktodo，andI
mustdoit。’
’Doitwithme，then，dearIwon’tinterrupt。’
’No，Icouldn’tIt’smywork，——mine，——mine，——mine！I’vebeenaloneallmylifeinmyself，andI’mnotgoingtobelongtoanybodyexceptmyselfI
rememberthingsaswellasyoudo，butthatdoesn’tcountWewerebabiesthen，andwedidn’tknowwhatwasbeforeusDick，don’tbeselfishIthinkIseemywaytoalittlesuccessnextyearDon’ttakeitawayfromme。’
’Ibegyourpardon，darlingIt’smyfaultforspeakingstupidlyI
can’texpectyoutothrowupallyourlifejustbecauseI’mbackI’llgotomyownplaceandwaitalittle。’
’But，Dick，Idon’twantyouto——go——outof——mylife，nowyou’vejustcomeback。’
’I’matyourorders；forgiveme。’DickdevouredthetroubledlittlefacewithhiseyesTherewastriumphinthem，becausehecouldnotconceivethatMaisieshouldrefusesoonerorlatertolovehim，sincehelovedher。
’It’swrongofme，’saidMaisie，moreslowlythanbefore；’it’swrongandselfish；but，oh，I’vebeensolonely！No，youmisunderstandNowI’veseenyouagain，——it’sabsurd，butIwanttokeepyouinmylife。’
’NaturallyWebelong。’
’Wedon’t；butyoualwaysunderstoodme，andthereissomuchinmyworkthatyoucouldhelpmeinYouknowthingsandthewaysofdoingthingsYoumust。’
’Ido，Ifancy，orelseIdon’tknowmyselfThenyouwon’tcaretolosesightofmealtogether，and——youwantmetohelpyouinyourwork？’
’Yes；butremember，Dick，nothingwillevercomeofitThat’swhyIfeelsoselfishCan’tthingsstayastheyare？Idowantyourhelp。’
’YoushallhaveitButlet’sconsiderImustseeyourpicsfirst，andoverhaulyoursketches，andfindoutaboutyourtendenciesYoushouldseewhatthepaperssayaboutmytendencies！ThenI’llgiveyougoodadvice，andyoushallpaintaccordingIsn’tthatit，Maisie？’
AgaintherewastriumphinDick’seye。