Part 37 (1/2)
The man was perpetually defying the decencies and delicacies which were as perfume in Braybrooke's nostrils.
”The doctors say that it is an excellent thing to open the pores,” said Braybrooke discreetly.
Garstin cast a glance at him, as if he now saw him for the first time.
”Do you mean to tell us you believe in doctors?” he said.
”I do, in some doctors,” said Braybrooke. ”There are charlatans in all professions unfortunately.”
”And some of them are R.A.'s,” said Miss Van Tuyn. ”By the way, d.i.c.k is going to paint me.”
”Really! How very splendid!” said Braybrooke, again with exaggerated cordiality. ”With such a subject I'm sure--”
But here he was interrupted by Garstin, who said:
”She tells everyone I'm going to paint her because she hopes by reiteration to force me to do it. But she isn't the type that interests me.”
”My dear d.i.c.k, I'll gladly take to morphia or drink if it will help,”
said Miss Van Tuyn. ”I can easily get the Cafe Royal expression. One has only to sit with a gla.s.s of something the colour of absinthe in front of one and look sea-sick. I'm perfectly certain that with a week or two's practice I could look quite as degraded as Cora.”
”Cora?” said Braybrooke, alertly, hearing a name he did not know.
”She's a horror who goes to the Cafe Royal and whom d.i.c.k calls a free woman.”
”Free from all the virtues, I suppose!” said Braybrooke smartly.
”Good-bye both of you!” said Garstin at this juncture.
”But we haven't got to the Marble Arch!”
”What's that got to do with it? I'm off.”
He seemed to be going, then stopped, and directed the two pin-points of light at Miss Van Tuyn.
”I flatly refuse to make an Academy portrait of you, so don't hope for it,” he said. ”But if you come along to the studio to-morrow afternoon you may possibly find me at work on a blackmailer.”
”d.i.c.k!” said Miss Van Tuyn, in a voice which startled Braybrooke.
”I don't promise,” said the painter. ”I don't believe in promises, unless you break 'em. But it's just on the cards.”
”You are painting a blackmailer!” said Braybrooke, with an air of earnest interest. ”How very original!”
”Original! Why is it original to paint a blackmailer?”
”Oh--well, one doesn't often run across them. They--they seem to keep so much to themselves.”
”I don't agree with you. If they did some people would be a good deal better off than they are now.”
”Ah, to be sure! That's very true. I had never looked at it in that light.”