Part 119 (1/2)

”Sir Seymour's had a good look at your portrait, Arabian.”

”Indeed!” said Arabian.

”And he thinks it's d.a.m.n fine. As I'm giving it to you, I thought you'd like to know that it's appreciated.”

There was an unmistakably malicious expression on Garstin's face as he spoke, and his small eyes travelled quickly from Arabian to Sir Seymour.

”In fact,” added Garstin, lifting the decanter to pour the whisky into Arabian's gla.s.s, ”Sir Seymour is so pleased with my work that I shouldn't wonder if he lets me paint him.”

”Ah!” said Arabian, looking at Sir Seymour, with a sudden hard intensity which strangely transformed his face, ”this is good news. I am pleased.

But--thank you!” (to Garstin who poured out some more whisky) ”that will do, please! But you are not afraid of the drawback?”

”What drawback?” asked Sir Seymour.

”Mr. d.i.c.k Garstin makes us all look like _canaille_!”

”Indeed!”

”But have you not noticed this?” said Arabian.

And the agreeable softness of his voice altered, giving way to an almost rasping quality of sound. He put down his gla.s.s and got up, with a lithe and swift movement that seemed somehow menacing. It was so light, so agile, so noiseless and controlled.

”Surely you have. Please, look at all these!”

He made a sweeping circular movement with his arm. Sir Seymour got on his feet.

”Do you not see? There is the same thing in all. We are all placed by Mr. d.i.c.k Garstin in the same boat. Even the judge, he is there too.

Look!”

Sir Seymour looked from canvas to canvas and then at Arabian.

”Well?” said Arabian, still in the rasping voice. ”Do I say true? Are we not all turned into _canaille_ by d.i.c.k Garstin?”

Sir Seymour did not answer.

”With you if you are painted,” continued Arabian, ”it will be the same.

d.i.c.k Garstin must see bad in us all.”

He laughed and his laugh was oddly shrill and ugly.

”It is an _idee fixe_,” he said. ”You see, I am frank. I say what I think, d.i.c.k Garstin.”

”No objection to that!” said Garstin, with a mischievous smile. ”But if you don't like your picture you won't want to have it. So let us consider our bargain cancelled.”

”Oh, no,” said Arabian, ”the picture is mine.”

”The bargain we made,” said Garstin, turning to Sir Seymour, ”was this: Mr. Arabian was to be kind enough to sit to me on two conditions. One was in my favour, the other in his.”

”I beg your pardon!” said Arabian sharply.