第47章

offeredmethepaintingofthemayor’sportrait，andahundredpoundsformytrouble。Well，ofcourseIwasmuchsurprised，andforaminuteortwocouldscarcelyspeak；recoveringmyself，however，Imadeaspeech，notsoeloquentasthatofthewatchmakerofcourse，beingnotsoaccustomedtospeaking；butnotsobadeither，takingeverythingintoconsideration，tellingthemhowflatteredIfeltbythehonourwhichtheyhadconferredinproposingtomesuchanundertaking；expressing，however，myfearsthatIwasnotcompetenttothetask，andconcludingbysayingwhatapityitwasthatCromewasdead。“Crome，“saidthelittleman，“Crome；yes，hewasacleverman，averyclevermaninhisway；hewasgoodatpaintinglandscapesandfarm-houses，buthewouldnotdointhepresentinstancewerehealive。Hehadnoconceptionoftheheroic，sir。WewantsomepersoncapableofrepresentingourmayorstridingundertheNormanarchoutofthecathedral。“Atthementionoftheheroicanideacameatonceintomyhead。“Oh，“

saidI，“ifyouareinquestoftheheroic，Iamgladthatyoucametome；don’tmistakeme，“Icontinued，“IdonotmeantosaythatI

coulddojusticetoyoursubject，thoughIamfondoftheheroic；

butIcanintroduceyoutoagreatmasteroftheheroic，fullycompetenttodojusticetoyourmayor。Nottome，therefore，bethepaintingofthepicturegiven，buttoafriendofmine，thegreatmasteroftheheroic，tothebest，thestrongest，[greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]“Iadded，for，beingamongstorators，I

thoughtawordofGreekwouldtell。’

’Well，’saidI，’andwhatdidtheoratorssay？’

’Theygazeddubiouslyatmeandatoneanother，’saidmybrother；

’atlastthewatchmakeraskedmewhothisMr。Christowas；adding，thathehadneverheardofsuchaperson；that，frommyrecommendationofhim，hehadnodoubtthathewasaverycleverman；butthattheyshouldliketoknowsomethingmoreabouthimbeforegivingthecommissiontohim。ThathehadheardofChristiethegreatauctioneer，whowasconsideredtobeanexcellentjudgeofpictures；buthesupposedthatIscarcely-Whereupon，interruptingthewatchmaker，ItoldhimthatIalludedneithertoChristonortoChristie；buttothepainterofLazarusrisingfromthegrave，apainterunderwhomIhadmyselfstudiedduringsomemonthsthatIhadspentinLondon，andtowhomIwasindebtedformuchconnectedwiththeheroic。

’“Ihaveheardofhim，“saidthewatchmaker，“andhispaintingstoo；butIamafraidthatheisnotexactlythegentlemanbywhomourmayorwouldwishtobepainted。IhaveheardsaythatheisnotaverygoodfriendtoChurchandState。Come，youngman，“headded，“itappearstomethatyouaretoomodest；Ilikeyourstyleofpainting，sodoweall，and-whyshouldImincethematter？-

themoneyistobecollectedinthetown，whyshoulditgointoastranger’spocket，andbespentinLondon？“

’ThereuponImadethemaspeech，inwhichIsaidthatarthadnothingtodowithChurchandState，atleastwithEnglishChurchandState，whichhadneverencouragedit；andthat，thoughChurchandStateweredoubtlessveryfinethings，amanmightbeaverygoodartistwhocarednotastrawforeither。IthenmadeuseofsomemoreGreekwords，andtoldthemhowpaintingwasoneoftheNineMuses，andoneofthemostindependentcreaturesalive，inspiringwhomshepleased，andaskingleaveofnobody；thatI

shouldbequiteunworthyofthefavoursoftheMuseif，onthepresentoccasion，Ididnotrecommendthema