The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-03

By HENRY JAMES.
cYyv&SM 1895. ~ He~ry Js~sl

~ By HENRY JAMES.
~ opyr&eM 1905. ~ He.ry Js~s
when the porter's wife 1shs used to answez
the house belD announced. "A gentleman
with lady. sif.r.I had. a. I often had In thoss
days for the Wish was father to the Thought,
IA Immediate vision Of sitters. sitters my
visitors In this Case Nroved - hs; but not In
The sense I should have preferred. However.
thsre was nothing at first to indicate that they
might not have como for portrait The gen
tleman. man Of Hfty. very high and very
Straight with a nioustaohe slightly srfsslSd
and dark gray walking coat admirably htted.
both OF which noted Professionalism don't
moan either as o barber or tailor-would
have struck me as celebrity II celebrities
often were striking. It was truth OF which
had for some time been conscious that hgute
with good deal Of frontage WAS, a. one might
say. almost never public institution. "A
glance at the Indy helped to remind me Of
this paradoxical law: she also looked too dis-
tinsuished to be a".peISpnAlity." Moreover
one would scarcely come Scross two variations
together
Neither Of tho pair smoke imm sdiately-th
only prolonged the preliminary Eaxe which
suggested that each wished to gtve tho
other chance. They were visibly shy: they
stopd there letting me take them in-which. 80
Iaiterward perceived. WAS tho most practical
thing they could have done. In this WAY their
embarrassment served their cause had
seen people painfully reluctant to mention
thSt they desired anything 30 gross - to be
represented on canvas: but the scn1ples OF my
new friends appeared almost insurm ountsblo.
Yet the gentleman might have said. II should
like portrait OF my wife," and the lady might
hsve said. should like portrait Of ny hus-
band" Perhaps they weee not husband and
wife. This naturally would mako the matter
more delicate. Perhaps they wished to be
donc together. In which case they ought to
have brought o third person to break the
naws. ~.
1--WE como from Mr.. Rlvet," tho lady said ct
last, with q dim smile. which had the enect OF
. moist spongs passed over = sunk" piece OF
painting. as we'll as OF vague allusion to van
ished beauty. She was as tall and straight. In
her degree. as her companion. and with ten
years less to carry. She looked - sad -
woman could look whose face was not charged
With expression: that ia. her tinted oval mask
showed friction. as an exposed surface shows
it. The hand Of time had played over her
freely. but only to simplify. She was slim and
,tia. aud 40 well dressed. In dark blue cloth.
Jvith lappets and pockets and buttons, thattt
.sas clear she employed the same tailor as her
husband. The couple had an indennable air
II prosperous thrift-they evidently got good
deal Of luxury for their money. II WAS to be
ono OF their luxuries 1t would behoove me to
sonsider my terms
"Ah. Claude Rivet recommended mop
inquired; and added that 1t was very kind Of
him. though could reflect that as he only
s,ainted landscape. this was not sacrifice.
The lady looked very hard ct the gentleman.
md the gentleman looked round the room.
rhen staring at the floor . moment and srrok-
ing his moustache. he rested his pleasant eyes
IN me with the remark: He said you were
the right one" = 49,
"Itry to be. whom people want TO sit"
Eyes. we should like TO-" said the lady.
anxiously.
I" Do you mean tosether2" tI
NY visitors exchanged . glance. II you
could do anything with me. suppose It would
be double." the gentleman stammsred.
"Oh. yes. you. naturally make . higher
charge fortwo figures than for one" -
I'VE should like to mako It Day" the hus.
band confessed. ID. r.
.-S.Thnt's very good OF you" returned. ap-
ptecla&inR so unwonted . sympAthy-for. I
supposed he meant pay the artist. :. ~,
Asense OF stransensss seemed to dawn on
che lady. We mean for the illustrations-Mr.
Rivet said you might p,,t oneIn."
;:'Put one in-an iliustrstionr r was equally
confused. -
Sketch her of. you know" said the gentle.
MIN. colorinG. -.
Rvs only then that Understood tho ser.
viss Clduie Rivst hth rendered mo: he had
toid them that Ew,,rkad In black and white. Tor
magazines. for story books. for sketches Of
coptcmporary life. and consequently bad fire.
uuont employment for models. These things
were true. but It was not less true that II may
confess 1t nnw-whcther, because the asplra-
tipn was to lead to everything or to nothing
Have tho reader to guess) couldn't gothic
hofl5rs. j, say nothing Of tho emoluments. pta
great painter ~ portraits out OF my he9d. My
ILLUSTRATIONS" woro my pot boilers; Ilooked
tola different branch Of art liar and away the
most Interesting 1t had always seemed to mel
t,Ferpstulte my fame. There was no shame
ah;,Iopkins I" II also t. mako my fortune:
from being mado. fronS- tho moment my
visitors wished IT,, DO done" for moth.
'nE va, distpn ,lnt,d: for. in the
pictorial sense. l hat immediately seen them
I hal seized their type-T had already settled
S6a. I would 10 WITH It. Something that
,.bui,Int absolutely hnv. pleased them. I
'.iterward reflected. But that's nothink: .
portrait IL almost always bnd In direct proper.
:lt,n ~ II 4 ntin'1 the original or his friend2
Hstlln,s~lf c,n pltass hlI frlends: tho triumph
j the pn'ntss il to plv.so his enemies; they
ant ne; "v,r that. At any rate. the delight OF
The sitter is IN general n bad note 49,
':Ah. you'.'s -j,ure -n-3' began. As soon
ASH ii ,n..stercd my Surpriss. couldn't
bring Jt tn. dlngy wnrd models:" 1t seemed
to II the cas-" ~ little.
"Ne haven't hal much practice" said the
Indy. ..'
,"',H,s've got to do something. and we've
Thought tllntnn artist. In your line. might per-
h,bs maze something 81 M" hcr husband
threw M. II" furth.r nhentionol that thoy
iii In kn,w many artists. AMI that they hal
gone t, IN the on al,nnce The painted vlows.
ofri.oars,. but 50 II 'tl,les put in ngures--per-
haps. 1 r,meni e'edl e. Nc. Rivet. whom they
hal ms. u t"wyalrs b ,io.e at q place In Nor.
fok W Iure b, WAS skotc ling.