the　purple　hills；　and　the　shifting　stories　and　glories　of　the　sky；　but
  now；　whatever　she　saw　him　try　to　imitate；　she　learned　to　examine。　She　was
  a　woman；　and　admired　sunset；　etc。；　for　this　boy's　sake；　and　her　whole
  heart　expanded　with　a　new　sensation　that　softened　her　manner　to　all　the
  world；　and　brightened　her　personal　rays。
  This　charming　picture　of　mutual　affection　had　hitherto　been　admired　only
  by　those　who　figured　in　it。
  But　a　visitor　had　now　arrived　on　purpose　to　inspect　it；　etc。；　attracted
  by　report。
  A　friend　had　considerately　informed　Mrs。　Gatty；　the　artist's　mother；　and
  she　had　instantly　started　from　Newcastle。
  This　was　the　old　lady　Christie　discovered　on　the　stairs。
  Her　sudden　appearance　took　her　son's　breath　away。
  No　human　event　was　less　likely　than　that　she　should　be　there；　yet　there
  she　was。
  After　the　first　surprise　and　affectionate　greetings；　a　misgiving　crossed
  him；　〃she　must　know　about　the　writ〃it　was　impossible；　but　our　minds　are
  so　constitutedwhen　we　are　guilty；　we　fear　that　others　know　what　we
  know。　Now　Gatty　was　particularly　anxious　she　should　not　know　about　this
  writ；　for　he　had　incurred　the　debt　by　acting　against　her　advice。
  Last　year　he　commenced　a　picture　in　which　was　Durham　Cathedral；　his
  mother　bade　him　stay　quietly　at　home；　and　paint　the　cathedral　and　its
  banks　from　a　print；　〃as　any　other　painter　would；〃　observed　she。
  But　this　was　not　the　lad's　system；　he　spent　five　months　on　the　spot；　and
  painted　his　picture；　but　he　had　to　borrow　sixty　pounds　to　do　this；　the
  condition　of　this　loan　was；　that　in　six　months　he　should　either　pay
  eighty　pounds；　or　finish　and　hand　over　a　certain　half…finished　picture。
  He　did　neither；　his　new　subject　thrust　aside　his　old　one；　and　he　had　no
  money；　ergo；　his　friend；　a　picture…dealer；　who　had　found　artists　slippery
  in　money　matters；　followed　him　up　sharp；　as　we　see。
  〃There　is　nothing　the　matter；　I　hope；　mother。　What　is　it？〃
  〃I'm　tired；　Charles。〃　He　brought　her　a　seat；　she　sat　down。
  〃I　did　not　come　from　Newcastle；　at　my　age；　for　nothing；　you　have　formed
  an　improper　acquaintance。〃
  〃I；　who？　Is　it　Jack　Adams？〃
  〃Worse　than　any　Jack　Adams！〃
  〃Who　can　that　be？　Jenkyns；　mother；　because　he　does　the　same　things　as
  Jack；　and　pretends　to　be　religious。〃
  〃It　is　a　femalea　fishwife。　Oh；　my　son！〃
  〃Christie　Johnstone　an　improper　acquaintance；〃　said　he；　〃why！　I　was　good
  for　nothing　till　I　knew　her；　she　has　made　me　so　good；　mother；　so　steady；
  so　industrious；　you　will　never　have　to　find　fault　with　me　again。〃
  〃Nonsensea　woman　that　sells　fish　in　the　streets！〃
  〃But　you　have　not　seen　her。　She　is　beautiful；　her　mind　is　not　in　fish；
  her　mind　grasps　the　beautiful　and　the　goodshe　is　a　companion　for
  princes！　What　am　I　that　she　wastes　a　thought　or　a　ray　of　music　on　me？
  Heaven　bless　her。　She　reads　our　best　authors；　and　never　forgets　a　word；
  and　she　tells　me　beautiful　storiessometimes　they　make　me　cry；　for　her
  voice　is　a　music　that　goes　straight　to　my　heart。〃
  〃A　woman　that　does　not　even　wear　the　clothes　of　a　lady。〃
  〃It　is　the　only　genuine　costume　in　these　islands　not　beneath　a　painter's
  notice。〃
  〃Look　at　me；　Charles；　at　your　mother。〃
  〃Yes；　mother；〃　said　he；　nervously。
  〃You　must　part　with　her；　or　kill　me。〃
  He　started　from　his　seat　and　began　to　flutter　up　and　down　the　room；　poor
  excitable　creature。　〃Part　with　her！〃　cried　he；　〃I　shall　never　be　a
  painter　if　I　do；　what　is　to　keep　my　heart　warm　when　the　sun　is　hid；　when
  the　birds　are　silent；　when　difficulty　looks　a　mountain　and　success　a
  molehill？　What　is　an　artist　without　love？　How　is　he　to　bear　up　against
  his　disappointments　from　within；　his　mortification　from　without？　the
  great　ideas　he　has　and　cannot　grasp；　and　all　the　forms　of　ignorance　that
  sting　him；　from　stupid　insensibility　down　to　clever；　shallow　criticism？〃
  〃Come　back　to　common　sense；〃　said　the　old　lady；　coldly　and　grimly。
  He　looked　uneasy。　Common　sense　had　often　been　quoted　against　him；　and
  common　sense　had　always　proved　right。
  〃Come　back　to　common　sense。　She　shall　not　be　your　mistress；　and　she
  cannot　bear　your　name；　you　must　part　some　day；　because　you　cannot　come
  together；　and　now　is　the　best　time。〃
  〃Not　be　together？　all　our　lives；　all　our　lives；　ay；〃　cried　he；　rising
  into　enthusiasm；　〃hundreds　of　years　to　come　will　we　two　be　together
  before　men's　eyesI　will　be　an　immortal　painter；　that　the　world　and　time
  may　cherish　the　features　I　have　loved。　I　love　her；　mother；〃　added　he；
  with　a　tearful　tenderness　that　ought　to　have　reached　a　woman's　heart；
  then　flushing；　trembling；　and　inspired；　he　burst　out；　〃And　I　wish　I　was　a
  sculptor　and　a　poet　too；　that　Christie　might　live　in　stone　and　verse；　as
  well　as　colors；　and　all　who　love　an　art　might　say；　'This　woman　cannot
  die；　Charles　Gatty　loved　her。'〃
  He　looked　in　her　face；　he　could　not　believe　any　creature　could　be
  insensible　to　his　love；　and　persist　to　rob　him　of　it。
  The　old　woman　paused；　to　let　his　eloquence　evaporate。
  The　pause　chilled　him；　then　gently　and　slowly；　but　emphatically；　she
  spoke　to　him　thus：
  〃Who　has　kept　you　on　her　small　means　ever　since　you　were　ten　years　and
  seven　months　old？〃
  〃You　should　know；　mother；　dear　mother。〃
  〃Answer　me；　Charles。〃
  〃My　mother。〃
  〃Who　has　pinched　herself；　in　every　earthly　thing；　to　make　you　an　immortal
  painter；　and；　above　all；　a　gentleman？〃
  〃My　mother。〃
  〃Who　forgave　you　the　little　faults　of　youth；　before　you　could　ask
  pardon？〃
  〃My　mother！　Oh；　mother；　I　ask　pardon　now　for　all　the　trouble　I　ever　gave
  the　best；　the　dearest；　the　tenderest　of　mothers。〃
  〃Who　will　go　home　to　Newcastle；　a　broken…hearted　woman；　with　the　one　hope
  gone　that　has　kept　her　up　in　poverty　and　sorrow　so　many　weary　years；　if
  this　goes　on？〃
  〃Nobody；　I　hope。〃
  〃Yes；　Charles；　your　mother。〃
  〃Oh；　mother；　you　have　been　always　my　best　friend。〃
  〃And　am　this　day。〃
  〃Do　not　be　my　worst　enemy　now。　It　is　for　me　to　obey　you；　but　it　is　for
  you　to　think　well　before　you　drive　me　to　despair。〃
  And　the　poor　womanish　heart　leaned　his　head　on　the　table；　and　began　to
  sorrow　over　his　hard　fate。
  Mrs。　Gatty　soothed　him。　〃It　need　not　be　done　all　in　a　moment。　It　must　be
  done　kindly；　but　firmly。　I　will　give　you　as　much　time　as　you　like。〃
  This　bait　took；　the　weak　love　to　temporize。
  It　is　doubtful　whether　he　honestly　intended　to　part　with　Christie
  Johnstone；　but　to　pacify　his　mother　he　promised　to　begin　and　gradually
  untie　the　knot。
  〃My　mother　will　go；〃　whispered　his　deceitful　heart；　〃and；　when　she　is
  away；　perhaps　I　shall　find　out　that　in　spite　of　every　effort　I　cannot
  resign　my　treasure。〃
  He　gave　a　sort　of　half…promise　for　the　sake　of　peace。
  His　mother　instantly　sent　to　the　inn　for　her　boxes。
  〃There　is　a　room　in　this　same　house；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　take　it；　I　will
  not　hurry　you；　but　until　it　is　done；　I　stay　here；　if　it　is　a　twelvemonth
  about。〃
  He　turned　pale。
  〃And　now　hear　the　good　news　I　have　brought　you　from　Newcastle。〃
  Oh！　these　little　iron　wills；　how　is　a　great　artist　to　fight　three　hundred
  and　sixty…five　days　against　such　an　antagonist？
  Every　day　saw　a　repetition　of　these　dialogues；　in　which　genius　made
  gallant　bursts　into　the　air；　and　strong；　hard　sense　caught　him　on　his
  descent；　and　dabbed　glue　on　his　gauzy　wings。
  Old　age　and　youth　see　life　so　differently。　To　youth；　it　is　a　story…book；
  in　which　we　are　to　command　the　incidents；　and　be　the　bright　exceptions　to
  one　rule　after　another。
  To　age　it　is　an　almanac；　in　which　everything　will　happen　just　as　it　has
  happened　so　many　times。
  To　youth；　it　is　a　path　through　a　sunny　meadow。
  To　age；　a　hard　turnpike：
  Whose　travelers　must　be　all　sweat　and　dust；　when　they　are　not　in　mud　and
  drenched：
  Which　wants　mending　in　many　places；　and　is　mended　with　sharp　stones。
  Gatty　would　not　yield　to　go　down　to　Newhaven　and　take　a　step　against　his
  love；　but　he　yielded　so　far　as　to　remain　passive；　and　see　whether　this
  creature　was　necessary　to　his　existence　or　not。　Mrs。　G。　scouted　the　idea。
  〃He　was　to　work；　and　he　would　soon　forget　her。〃　Poor　boy！　he　wanted　to
  work；　his　debt　weighed　on　him；　a　week's　resolute　labor　might　finish　his
  first　picture　and　satisfy　his　creditor。　The　subject　was　an　interior。　He
  set　to　work；　he　stuck　to　work；　he　glued　to　work；　his　bodybut　his　heart？
  Ah；　my　poor　fellow；　a　much　slower　horse　than　Gatty　will　go　by　you；　ridden
  as　you　are　by　a　leaden　heart。
  Tu　nihil　invita　facies　pingesve　Minerva。
  It　would　not　lower　a　mechanical　dog's　efforts；　but　it　must　yours。
  He　was　unhappy。　He　heard　only　one　side　for　days；　that　side　was
  recommended　by　his　duty；　filial　affection；　and　diffidence　of　his　own　good
  sense。
  He　was　brought　to　see　his　proceedings　were　eccentric；　and　that　it　is
  destruction　to　be　eccentric。
  He　was　made　a　little　ashamed　of　what　he　had　been　proud　of。
  He　was　confused　and　perplexed；　he　hardly　knew　what　to　think　or　do；　he
  collapsed；　and　all　his　spirit　was　fast　leaving　him；　and　then　he　felt
  inclined　to　lean　on　the　first　thing　he　could　find；　and　nothing　came　to
  hand　but　his　mother。
  Meantime；　Christie　Johnstone　was　also　thinking　of　him；　but　her　single
  anxiety　was　to　find　this　eighty　pounds　for　him。
  It　is　a　Newhaven　idea　that　the　female　is　the　natural　prot