Part 23 (1/2)
”_Subjects in hand for the Second Part._
”1. Illuminated page. Tenniel. Representing Redlaw going upstairs, and the Tetterby family below.
”2. The Tetterby Supper. Leech.
”3. The boy in Redlaw's room, munching his food and staring at the fire.”
A preliminary sketch (in pencil and indian-ink) for the first subject was immediately submitted to the novelist for approval, and elicited the following reply:--
”We are unanimous.
”The drawing of Milly on the chair is CHARMING. I cannot tell you how much the little composition and expression please me. Do that, by all means.
PLATE LII
”MILLY AND THE OLD MAN”
_Facsimile_ of the Original Drawing for ”The Haunted Man” by
FRANK STONE, A.R.A.
_Lent by Mr. Marcus Stone. R.A._
[Ill.u.s.tration]
”I fear she must have a little cap on. There is something coming in the last part about her having had a dead child, which makes it yet more desirable than the existing text does that she should have that little matronly sign about her. Unless the artist is obdurate indeed, and then he'll do as he likes.
”I am delighted to hear that you have your eye on her in the students' room. You will really, pictorially, make the little woman whom I love....”
The original sketch of Milly on the chair has fortunately been preserved, and has been kindly lent for reproduction by Mr. Marcus Stone, R.A. The drawing of the old man in the published engraving is hardly so satisfactory as the delineation of him in the sketch. The second ill.u.s.tration, ”Milly and the Student,” was duly executed; it is a very graceful design, the pose of the male figure being excellently rendered. Respecting the third ill.u.s.tration, the novelist communicated to the artist the following facts, to a.s.sist him in realising the princ.i.p.al theme:--
”There is a subject I have written to-day for the third part, that I think and hope will just suit you.
Scene--Tetterby's. Time--morning. The power of bringing back people's memories of sorrow, wrong, and trouble has been given by the ghost to Milly, though she don't know it herself. As she comes along the street, Mr. and Mrs.
Tetterby recover themselves and are mutually affectionate again, and embrace, closing _rather_ a good scene of quarrel and discontent. The moment they do so, Johnny (who has seen her in the distance and announced her before, from which moment they begin to recover) cries 'Here she is!'and she comes in, surrounded by the little Tetterbys, the very spirit of morning, gladness, innocence, hope, love, domesticity, &c. &c. &c. &c.
”I would limit the ill.u.s.tration to her and the children, which will make a fitness between it and your other ill.u.s.trations, and give them all a character of their own.
The exact words of the pa.s.sage I enclose on another slip of paper. Note: There are six boy Tetterbys present (young 'Dolphus is not there), including Johnny; and in Johnny's arms is Mulock, the baby, who is a girl.... Don't wait to send me the drawing of this. I know how pretty she will be with the children in your hands, and should be a stupendous jacka.s.s if I had any distrust of it....”
(_Slip of paper enclosed._)
”'Hurrah! here's Mrs. Williams!' cried Johnny.
”So she was, and all the Tetterby children with her; and as she came in, they kissed her and kissed one another, and kissed the baby, and kissed their father and mother, and then ran back and flocked and danced about her, trooping on with her in triumph.