ThereisnoneofthehorridEnglishbarbarityoffeelingaboutthesocialpositionofanartistinthishouse。Somuchofmyearlylifehasbeenpassedabroad，thatIhavequitecastmyinsularskininthatrespect。
IwishIcouldsaythesameofthegentry——detestableword，butIsupposeImustuseit——ofthegentryintheneighbourhood。TheyaresadGothsinArt，MrHartright。People，Idoassureyou，whowouldhaveopenedtheireyesinastonishment，iftheyhadseenCharlesthefifthpickupTitian’sbrushforhim。Doyoumindputtingthistrayofcoinsbackinthecabinet，andgivingmethenextonetoit？Inthewretchedstateofmynerves，exertionofanykindisunspeakablydisagreeabletome。Yes。Thankyou。’
Asapracticalcommentaryontheliberalsocialtheorywhichhehadjustfavouredmebyillustrating，MrFairlie’scoolrequestratheramusedme。Iputbackonedrawerandgavehimtheother，withallpossiblepoliteness。
Hebegantriflingwiththenewsetofcoinsandthelittlebrushesimmediately；
languidlylookingatthemandadmiringthemallthetimehewasspeakingtome。
`Athousandthanksandathousandexcuses。Doyoulikecoins？Yes。SogladwehaveanothertasteincommonbesidesourtasteforArt。Now，aboutthepecuniaryarrangementsbetweenus——dotellme——aretheysatisfactory？’
`Mostsatisfactory，MrFairlie。’
`Soglad。And——whatnext？Ah！Iremember。Yes。Inreferencetotheconsiderationwhichyouaregoodenoughtoacceptforgivingmethebenefitofyouraccomplishmentsinart，mystewardwillwaitonyouattheendofthefistweek，toascertainyourwishes。And——whatnext？Curious，isitnot？Ihadagreatdealmoretosay：andIappeartohavequiteforgottenit。Doyoumindtouchingthebell？Inthatcorner。Yes。Thankyou。’
Irang；andanewservantnoiselesslymadehisappearance——aforeigner，withasetsmileandperfectlybrushedhair——avaleteveryinchofhim。
`Louis，’saidMrFairlie，dreamilydustingthetipsofhisfingerswithoneofthetinybrushesforthecoins，`Imadesomeentriesinmytablettesthismorning。Findmytablettes。Athousandpardons，MrHartright，I’mafraidIboreyou。’
Ashewearilyclosedhiseyesagain，beforeIcouldanswer，andashedidmostassuredlyboreme，Isatsilent，andlookedupattheMadonnaandChildbyRaphael。Inthemeantime，thevaletlefttheroom，andreturnedshortlywithalittleivorybook。MrFairlie，afterfirstrelievinghimselfbyagentlesigh，letthebookdropopenwithonehand，andheldupthetinybrushwiththeother，asasigntotheservanttowaitforfurtherorders。
`Yes。rustso！’saidMrFairlie，consultingthetablettes。`Louis，takedownthatportfolio。’Hepointed，ashespoke，toseveralportfoliosplacednearthewindow，onmahoganystands。`No。Nottheonewiththegreenback——thatcontainsmyRembrandtetchings，MrHartright。Doyoulikeetchings？
Yes？Sogladwehaveanothertasteincommon。Theportfoliowiththeredback，Louis。Don’tdropit！YouhavenoideaofthetorturesIshouldsuffer，MrHartright，ifLouisdroppedthatportfolio，Isitsafeonthechair？
Doyouthinkitsafe，MrHartright？Yes？Soglad。Willyouobligemebylookingatthedrawings，ifyoureallythinktheyarequitesafe。Louis，goaway。Whatanassyouare。Don’tyouseemeholdingthetablettes？DoyousupposeIwanttoholdthem？Thenwhynotrelievemeofthetabletteswithoutbeingtold？Athousandpardons，MrHartright；servantsaresuchasses，aretheynot？Dotellme——whatdoyouthinkofthedrawings？Theyhavecomefromasaleinashockingstate——Ithoughttheysmeltofhorriddealers’andbrokers’fingerswhenIlookedatthemlast。Canyouundertakethem？’
AlthoughmynerveswerenotdelicateenoughtodetecttheodourofplebeianfingerswhichhadoffendedMrFairlie’snostrils，mytastewassufficientlyeducatedtoenablemetoappreciatethevalueofthedrawings，whileI
turnedthemover。Theywere，forthemostpart，reallyfinespecimensofEnglishwater-colourart；andtheyhaddeservedmuchbettertreatmentatthehandsoftheirformerpossessorthantheyappearedtohavereceived。
`Thedrawings，’Ianswered，`requirecarefulstrainingandmounting；
and，inmyopinion，theyarewellworth——’
`Ibegyourpardon，’interposedMrFairlie。`Doyoumindmyclosingmyeyeswhileyouspeak？Eventhislightistoomuchforthem。Yes？’
`lwasabouttosaythatthedrawingsarewellworthallthetimeandtrouble——’
MrFairliesuddenlyopenedhiseyesagain，androlledthemwithanexpressionofhelplessalarminthedirectionofthewindow。
`Ientreatyoutoexcuseme，MrHartright，’hesaidinafeebleflutter。
`ButsurelyIhearsomehorridchildreninthegarden——myprivategarden——below？’
`Ican’tsay，MrFairlie。Iheardnothingmyself。’
`Obligeme——youhavebeensoverygoodinhumouringmypoornerves——obligemebyliftingupacorneroftheblind。Don’tletthesuninonme，MrHartright！Haveyougottheblindup？Yes？Thenwillyoubesoverykindastolookintothegardenandmakequitesure？’
Icompliedwiththisnewrequest。Thegardenwascarefullywalledin，allround。Notahumancreature，largeorsmall，appearedinanypartofthesacredseclusion。IreportedthatgratifyingfacttoMrFairlie。
`Athousandthanks。Myfancy，Isuppose。Therearenochildren，thankHeaven，inthehouse；buttheservants(personsbornwithoutnerves)willencouragethechildrenfromthevillage。Suchbrats——oh，dearme，suchbrats！ShallIconfessit，MrHartright？——Isadlywantareformintheconstructionofchildren。Nature’sonlyideaseemstobetomakethemmachinesfortheproductionofincessantnoise。SurelyourdelightfulRaffaello’sconceptionisinfinitelypreferable？’
HepointedtothepictureoftheMadonna，theupperpartofwhichrepresentedtheconventionalcherubsofItalianArt，celestiallyProvidedwithsittingaccommodationfortheirchins，onballoonsofbuff-colouredcloud。
`Quiteamodelfamily！’saidMrFairlie，leeringatthecherubs。`Suchniceroundfaces，andsuchnicesoftwings，and——nothingelse。Nodirtylittlelegstorunabouton，andnonoisylittlelungstoscreamwith。
Howimmeasurablysuperiortotheexistingconstruction！Iwillclosemyeyesagain，ifyouwillallowme。Andyoureallycanmanagethedrawings？
Soglad。Isthereanythingelsetosettle？ifthereis，IthinkIhaveforgottenit。ShallweringforLouisagain？’
Being，bythistime，quiteasanxious，onmyside，asMrFairlieevidentlywasonhis，tobringtheinterviewtoaspeedyconclusion，IthoughtI
wouldtrytorenderthesummoningoftheservantunnecessary，byofferingtherequisitesuggestiononmyownresponsibility。
`Theonlypoint，MrFairlie，thatremainstobediscussed，’Isaid，`refers，Ithink，totheinstructioninsketchingwhichIamengagedtocommunicatetothetwoyoungladies。’
`Ah！justso，’saidMrFairlie。`IwishIfeltstrongenoughtogointothatpartofthearrangement——butIdon’t。Theladieswhoprofitbyyourkindservices，MrHartright，mustsettle，anddecide，andsoon，forthemselves。
Mynieceisfondofyourcharmingart。Sheknowsjustenoughaboutittobeconsciousofherownsaddefects。Pleasetakepainswithher。Yes。Isthereanythingelse？No。Wequiteunderstandeachother——don’twe？I
havenorighttodetainyouanylongerfromyourdelightfulpursuit——
haveI？Sopleasanttohavesettledeverything——suchasensiblerelieftohavedonebusiness。DoyoumindringingforLouistocarrytheportfoliotoyourownroom？’
`Iwillcarryittheremyself，MrFairlie，ifyouwillallowme。’
`Willyoureally？Areyoustrongenough？HownicetobesostrongI
Areyousureyouwon’tdropit？SogladtopossessyouatLimmeridge，MrHartright。IamsuchasuffererthatIhardlydarehopetoenjoymuchofyoursociety。Wouldyoumindtakinggreatpainsnottoletthedoorsbang，andnottodroptheportfolio？Thankyou。Gentlywiththecurtains，please——theslightestnoisefromthemgoesthroughmelikeaknife。Yes。Goodmorning！’
Whenthesea-greencurtainswereclosed，andwhenthetwobaizedoorswereshutbehindme，Istoppedforamomentinthelittlecircularhallbeyond，anddrewalong，luxuriousbreathofrelief。Itwaslikecomingtothesurfaceofthewaterafterdeepdiving，tofindmyselfoncemoreontheoutsideofMrFairlie’sroom。
AssoonasIwascomfortablyestablishedforthemorninginmyprettylittlestudio，thefirstresolutionatwhichIarrivedwastoturnmystepsnomoreinthedirectionoftheapartmentsoccupiedbythemasterofthehouse，exceptintheveryimprobableeventofhishonouringmewithaspecialinvitationtopayhimanothervisit。HavingsettledthissatisfactoryplanoffutureconductinreferencetoMrFairlie，Isoonrecoveredtheserenityoftemperofwhichmyemployer’shaughtyfamiliarityandimpudentpolitenesshad，forthemoment，deprivedme。Theremaininghoursofthemorningpassedawaypleasantlyenough，inlookingoverthedrawings，arrangingtheminsets，trimmingtheirraggededges，andaccomplishingtheothernecessarypreparationsinanticipationofthebusinessofmountingthem。Iought，perhaps，tohavemademoreprogressthanthis；but，astheluncheon-timedrewnear，Igrewrestlessandunsettled，andfeltunabletofixmyattentiononwork，eventhoughthatworkwasonlyofthehumblemanualkind。
Attwoo’clockIdescendedagaintothebreakfast-room，alittleanxiously。
Expectationsofsomeinterestwereconnectedwithmyapproachingreappearanceinthatpartofthehouse。MyintroductiontoMissFairliewasnowcloseathand；and，ifMissHalcombe’ssearchthroughhermother’slettershadproducedtheresultwhichsheanticipated，thetimehadcomeforclearingupthemysteryofthewomaninwhite。
WomaninWhite：Chapter3[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter3VIIWhenIenteredtheroom，IfoundMissHalcombeandanelderlyladyseatedattheluncheon-table。
