;ahepainter;"andIamafraidyouwillhardlyuandit.Perhapsyouwillhardlybelieveit."

    LordHenrysmiled,andleaningdown,pluckedapialleddaisyfromthegrassandexami."IamquitesureIshalluandit,"hereplied,gazingilyatthelittlegolden,white-feathereddisk,"andasforbelievingthings,Ibelieveanything,providedthatitisquiteincredible."

    Thewindshooksomeblossomsfromthetrees,andtheheavylilas,withtheirclusteringstars,movedtoandfrointhelanguidair.Agrasshantochirrupbythewall,andlikeabluethreadalongthindragon-flyfloatedpastonitsbrowngauzewings.LordHeasifhecouldhearBasilHallwardsheartbeating,andwonderedwhatwasing.

    "Thestoryissimplythis,"saidthepaiersometime."TwomonthsagoIwenttoacrushatLadyBrandons.Youknowwepoorartistshavetoshowourselvesinsocietyfromtimetotime,justtoremindthepublicthatwearenotsavages.Withaneveningcoatandawhitetie,asyoutoldmeonybody,evenastock-broker,gaiationforbeingcivilized.Well,afterIhadbeenintheroomabouttenmialkingtohugeoverdresseddowagersandtediousacademis,Isuddenlybecamesciousthatsomeonewaslookingatme.Iturnedhalf-wayroundandsawDrayforthefirsttime.Whenoureyesmet,IfeltthatIwasgrowingpale.Acurioussensationofterrore.IkhatIhadefacetofacewithsomeonewhosemerepersonalitywassofasatingthat,ifIallowedittodoso,itwouldabsorbmywholenature,mywholesoul,myveryartitself.Ididnotwantaernalinfluenmylife.Youknowyourself,Harry,howindepeIambynature.Ihavealwaysbeenmyownmaster;hadatleastalwaysbeenso,tillImetDray.Then--butIdontknowhowtoexplainittoyou.So