he　poured　out　three　glasses　of　a　light；　foaming　beer。
  Mr。　Treffry　waved　it　from　him：　〃Not　for　me；〃　he　said：　〃Wish　I　could！
  They　won't　let　me　look　at　it。〃　　And　walking　over；　to　the　window　with
  a　heavy　tread；　which　trembled　like　his　voice；　he　sat　down。　　There　was
  something　in　his　gait　like　the　movements　of　an　elephant's　hind　legs。
  He　was　very　tall　（it　was　said；　with　the　customary　exaggeration　of
  family　tradition；　that　there　never　had　been　a　male　Treffry　under　six
  feet　in　height）；　but　now　he　stooped；　and　had　grown　stout。　　There　was
  something　at　once　vast　and　unobtrusive　about　his　personality。
  He　wore　a　loose　brown　velvet　jacket；　and　waistcoat；　cut　to　show　a
  soft　frilled　shirt　and　narrow　black　ribbon　tie；　a　thin　gold　chain　was
  looped　round　his　neck　and　fastened　to　his　fob。　　His　heavy　cheeks　had
  folds　in　them　like　those　in　a　bloodhound's　face。　　He　wore　big；
  drooping；　yellow…grey　moustaches；　which　he　had　a　habit　of　sucking；
  and　a　goatee　beard。　　He　had　long　loose　ears　that　might　almost　have
  been　said　to　gap。　　On　his　head　there　was　a　soft　black　hat；　large　in
  the　brim　and　low　in　the　crown。　　His　grey　eyes；　heavy…lidded；　twinkled
  under　their　bushy　brows　with　a　queer；　kind　cynicism。　　As　a　young　man
  he　had　sown　many　a　wild　oat；　but　he　had　also　worked　and　made　money　in
  business；　he　had；　in　fact；　burned　the　candle　at　both　ends；　but　he　had
  never　been　unready　to　do　his　fellows　a　good　turn。　　He　had　a　passion
  for　driving；　and　his　reckless　method　of　pursuing　this　art　had　caused
  him　to　be　nicknamed：　〃The　notorious　Treffry。〃
  Once；　when　he　was　driving　tandem　down　a　hill　with　a　loose　rein；　the
  friend　beside　him　had　said：　〃For　all　the　good　you're　doing　with　those
  reins；　Treffry；　you　might　as　well　throw　them　on　the　horses'　necks。〃
  〃Just　so；〃　Treffry　had　answered。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　hill　they　had
  gone　over　a　wall　into　a　potato　patch。　　Treffry　had　broken　several
  ribs；　his　friend　had　gone　unharmed。
  He　was　a　great　sufferer　now；　but；　constitutionally　averse　to　being
  pitied；　he　had　a　disconcerting　way　of　humming；　and　this；　together
  with　the　shake　in　his　voice；　and　his　frequent　use　of　peculiar
  phrases；　made　the　understanding　of　his　speech　depend　at　times　on
  intuition　rather　than　intelligence。
  The　clock　began　to　strike　eleven。　　Harz　muttered　an　excuse；　shook
  hands　with　his　host；　and　bowing　to　his　new　acquaintance；　went　away。
  He　caught　a　glimpse　of　Greta's　face　against　the　window；　and　waved　his
  hand　to　her。　　In　the　road　he　came　on　Dawney；　who　was　turning　in
  between　the　poplars；　with　thumbs　as　usual　hooked　in　the　armholes　of
  his　waistcoat。
  〃Hallo！〃　the　latter　said。
  〃Doctor！〃　Harz　answered　slyly；　〃the　Fates　outwitted　me；　it　seems。〃
  〃Serve　you　right；〃　said　Dawney；　〃for　your　confounded　egoism！　Wait
  here　till　I　come　out；　I　shan't　be　many　minutes。〃
  But　Harz　went　on　his　way。　　A　cart　drawn　by　cream…coloured　oxen　was
  passing　slowly　towards　the　bridge。　　In　front　of　the　brushwood　piled
  on　it　two　peasant　girls　were　sitting　with　their　feet　on　a　mat　of
  grassthe　picture　of　contentment。
  〃I'm　wasting　my　time！〃　he　thought。　　〃I've　done　next　to　nothing　in　two
  months。　　Better　get　back　to　London！　　That　girl　will　never　make　a
  painter！〃　　She　would　never　make　a　painter；　but　there　was　something　in
  her　that　he　could　not　dismiss　so　rapidly。　　She　was　not　exactly
  beautiful；　but　she　was　sympathetic。　　The　brow　was　pleasing；　with
  dark…brown　hair　softly　turned　back；　and　eyes　so　straight　and　shining。
  The　two　sisters　were　very　different！　　The　little　one　was　innocent；
  yet　mysterious；　the　elder　seemed　as　clear　as　crystal！
  He　had　entered　the　town；　where　the　arcaded　streets　exuded　their
  peculiar　pungent　smell　of　cows　and　leather；　wood…smoke；　wine…casks；
  and　drains。　　The　sound　of　rapid　wheels　over　the　stones　made　him　turn
  his　head。　　A　carriage　drawn　by　red…roan　horses　was　passing　at　a　great
  pace。　　People　stared　at　it；　standing　still；　and　looking　alarmed。　　It
  swung　from　side　to　side　and　vanished　round　a　corner。　　Harz　saw　Mr。
  Nicholas　Treffry　in　a　long；　whitish　dust…coat；　his　Italian　servant；
  perched　behind；　was　holding　to　the　seat…rail；　with　a　nervous　grin　on
  his　dark　face。
  'Certainly；'　Harz　thought；　'there's　no　getting　away　from　these　people
  this　morningthey　are　everywhere。'
  In　his　studio　he　began　to　sort　his　sketches；　wash　his　brushes；　and
  drag　out　things　he　had　accumulated　during　his　two　months'　stay。　　He
  even　began　to　fold　his　blanket　door。　　But　suddenly　he　stopped。　　Those
  two　girls！　　Why　not　try？　　What　a　picture！　　The　two　heads；　the　sky；
  and　leaves！　　Begin　to…morrow！　　Against　that　windowno；　better　at　the
  Villa！　　Call　the　pictureSpring。。。！
  IV
  The　wind；　stirring　among　trees　and　bushes；　flung　the　young　leaves
  skywards。　　The　trembling　of　their　silver　linings　was　like　the　joyful
  flutter　of　a　heart　at　good　news。　　It　was　one　of　those　Spring　mornings
  when　everything　seems　full　of　a　sweet　restlessnesssoft　clouds
  chasing　fast　across　the　sky；　soft　scents　floating　forth　and　dying；
  the　notes　of　birds；　now　shrill　and　sweet；　now　hushed　in　silences；　all
  nature　striving　for　something；　nothing　at　peace。
  Villa　Rubein　withstood　the　influence　of　the　day；　and　wore　its　usual
  look　of　rest　and　isolation。　　Harz　sent　in　his　card；　and　asked　to　see
  〃der　Herr。〃　　The　servant；　a　grey…eyed；　clever…looking　Swiss　with　no
  hair　on　his　face；　came　back　saying：
  〃Der　Herr；　mein　Herr；　is　in　the　Garden　gone。〃　　Harz　followed　him。
  Herr　Paul；　a　small　white　flannel　cap　on　his　head；　gloves　on　his
  hands；　and　glasses　on　his　nose；　was　watering　a　rosebush；　and　humming
  the　serenade　from　Faust。
  This　aspect　of　the　house　was　very　different　from　the　other。　　The　sun
  fell　on　it；　and　over　a　veranda　creepers　clung　and　scrambled　in　long
  scrolls。　　There　was　a　lawn；　with　freshly　mown　grass；　flower…beds　were
  laid　out；　and　at　the　end　of　an　avenue　of　young　acacias　stood　an
  arbour　covered　with　wisteria。
  In　the　east；　mountain　peaksfingers　of　snowglittered　above　the
  mist。　　A　grave　simplicity　lay　on　that　scene；　on　the　roofs　and　spires；
  the　valleys　and　the　dreamy　hillsides；　with　their　yellow　scars　and
  purple　bloom；　and　white　cascades；　like　tails　of　grey　horses　swishing
  in　the　wind。
  Herr　Paul　held　out　his　hand：　〃What　can　we　do　for　you？〃　he　said。
  〃I　have　to　beg　a　favour；〃　replied　Harz。　　〃I　wish　to　paint　your
  daughters。　　I　will　bring　the　canvas　herethey　shall　have　no　trouble。
  I　would　paint　them　in　the　garden　when　they　have　nothing　else　to　do。〃
  Herr　Paul　looked　at　him　dubiouslyever　since　the　previous　day　he　had
  been　thinking：　'Queer　bird；　that　painterthinks　himself　the　devil　of
  a　swell！　　Looks　a　determined　fellow　too！'　　Nowstaring　in　the
  painter's　faceit　seemed　to　him；　on　the　whole；　best　if　some　one　else
  refused　this　permission。
  〃With　all　the　pleasure；　my　dear　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃Come；　let　us　ask
  these　two　young　ladies！〃　and　putting　down　his　hose；　he　led　the　way
  towards　the　arbour；　thinking：　'You'll　be　disappointed；　my　young
  conqueror；　or　I'm　mistaken。'
  Miss　Naylor　and　the　girls　were　sitting　in　the　shade；　reading　La
  Fontaine's　fables。　　Greta；　with　one　eye　on　her　governess；　was
  stealthily　cutting　a　pig　out　of　orange　peel。
  〃Ah！　my　dear　dears！〃　began　Herr　Paul；　who　in　the　presence　of　Miss
  Naylor　always　paraded　his　English。　　〃Here　is　our　friend；　who　has　a
  very　flattering　request　to　make；　he　would　paint　you；　yesboth
  together；　alfresco；　in　the　air；　in　the　sunshine；　with　the　birds；　the
  little　birds！〃
  Greta；　gazing　at　Harz；　gushed　deep　pink；　and　furtively　showed　him　her
  pig。
  Christian　said：　〃Paint　us？　　Oh　no！〃
  She　saw　Harz　looking　at　her；　and　added；　slowly：　〃If　you　really　wish
  it；　I　suppose　we　could！〃　then　dropped　her　eyes。
  〃Ah！〃　said　Herr　Paul　raising　his　brows　till　his　glasses　fell　from　his
  nose：　〃And　what　says　Gretchen？　　Does　she　want　to　be　handed　up　to
  posterities　a　little　peacock　along　with　the　other　little　birds？〃
  Greta；　who　had　continued　staring　at　the　painter；　said：　〃Ofcourse
  Iwanttobe。〃
  〃Prrt！〃　said　Herr　Paul；　looking　at　Miss　Naylor。　　The　little　lady
  indeed　opened　her　mouth　wide；　but　all　that　came　forth　was　a　tiny
  squeak；　as　sometimes　happens　when　one　is　anxious　to　say　something；
  and　has　not　arranged　beforehand　what　it　shall　be。
  The　affair　seemed　ended；　Harz　heaved　a　sigh　of　satisfaction。　　But
  Herr　Paul　had　still　a　card　to　play。
  〃There　is　your　Aunt；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　things　to　be　considered
  one　must　certainly　inquireso；　we　shall　see。〃　　Kissing　Greta　loudly
  on　both　cheeks；　he　went　towards　the　house。
  〃What　makes　you　want　to　paint　us？〃　Christian　asked；　as　soon　as　he　was
  gone。
  〃I　think　it　very　wrong；〃　Miss　Naylor　blurted　out。
  〃Why？〃　said　Harz；　frowning。
  〃Greta　is　so　youngthere　are　lessonsit　is　such　a　waste　of　time！〃
  His　eyebrows　twitched：　〃Ah！　You　think　so！〃
  〃I　don't　see　why　it　is　a　waste　of　time；〃　said　Christian　quietly；
  〃there　are　lots　of　hours　when　we　sit　here　and　do　nothing。〃