第246章

She would have received intense gratification from the offer--so much so that she would have been almost consoled for her husband's ruin; but she would have scolded her lover, and would have explained to him the great iniquity of which he was guilty. It was clear to him that at this present time he could not make any special terms with her as to Clara Van Siever. At such a moment as this he could hardly ask her to keep out of the way, in order that he might have his opportunity. But when he suggested that probably it might be better, in the present emergency, to give up the idea of any further sitting in her room, and proposed to send for his canvas, colour-box, and easel, she told him that, as far as she was concerned, he was welcome to have that one other sitting for which they had all bargained. 'You had better come tomorrow, as we had agreed,' she said; 'and unless I shall have been turned out into the street by the creditors, you may have the room as you did before. And you must remember, Conway, that though Mrs Van Siever says that Musselboro is to have Clara, it doesn't follow that Clara should give way.' When we consider everything, we must acknowledge that this was, at any rate, good-natured. Then there was a tender parting, with many tears, and Conway Dalrymple escaped from the house.

He did not for a moment doubt the truth of the story which Mrs Broughton had told, as far, at least, as it referred to the ruin of Dobbs Broughton. He had heard something of this before, and for some weeks had expected that a crash was coming. Broughton's rise had been very sudden, and Dalrymple had never regarded his friend as firmly placed in the commercial world. Dobbs was one of those men who seem born to surprise the world by a spurt of prosperity, and might, perhaps, have a second spurt, or even a third, could he have kept himself from drinking in the morning. But Dalrymple, though he was hardly astonished by the story, as it regarded Broughton, was put out by that part of it which had reference to Musselboro. He had known that Musselboro had been introduced to Broughton by Mrs Van Siever, but, nevertheless, he had regarded the man as being nor more than Broughton's clerk. And now he was told that Musselboro was to marry Clara Van Siever, and have all Mrs Van Siever's money. He resolved, at last, that he would run his risk about the money, and take Clara either with or without it, if she would have him. And as for that difficulty in asking her, if Mrs Broughton would give him no opportunity of putting the question behind her back, he would put it before her face. He had not much leisure for consideration on these points, as the next day was the day for the last sitting.

On the following morning he found Miss Van Siever already seated in Mrs Broughton's room when he reached it. And at the moment Mrs Broughton was not there. As he took Clara's hand he could not prevent himself from asking her whether she had heard anything? 'Heard what?' asked Clara.

'Then you have not,' said he. 'Never mind now, as Mrs Broughton is here.' Then Mrs Broughton had entered the room. She seemed to be quite cheerful, but Dalrymple perfectly understood, from a special glance which she gave to him, that he was to perceive that her cheerfulness was assumed for Clara's benefit. Mrs Broughton was showing how great a heroine she could be on behalf of her friends. 'Now, my dear,' she said, 'do remember that this is the last day. It may be very well, Conway, and, of course, you know best; but as far as I can see, you have not made half as much progress as you ought to have done.' 'We shall do excellently well,' said Dalrymple. 'So much the better,' said Mrs Broughton; 'and now, Clara, I'll place you.' And so Clara was placed on her knees, with the turban on her head.

Dalrymple began his work assiduously, knowing that Mrs Broughton would not leave the room for some minutes. It was certain that she would remain for a quarter of an hour, and it might be as well that he should really use that time on the picture. The peculiar position in which he was placed probably made his word difficult to him. There was something perplexing in the necessity which bound him to look upon the young lady before him both as Jael and as the future Mrs Conway Dalrymple, knowing as he did that she was at present simply Clara Van Siever. A double personification was not difficult to him. He had encountered it with every model that had sat to him, and with every young lady he had attempted to win--if he had ever made such an attempt with one before.

But the triple character joined to the necessity of the double work, was distressing to him. 'The hand a little further back, if you don't mind,' he said, 'and the wrist more turned towards me. That is just it. Lean a little more over him. There--that will do exactly.' If Mrs Broughton did not go very quickly, he must begin to address his model on a totally different subject, even while she was in the act of slaying Sisera.

'Have you made up your mind who is to be Sisera?' asked Mrs Broughton.

'Not in the least,' said Clara, speaking without moving her face --almost without moving her lips.

'That will be excellent,' said Mrs Broughton. She was still quite cheerful, and really laughed as she spoke. 'Shall you like the idea, Clara, of striking the nail right through his head?'

'Oh, yes; as well as his head's as another's. I shall seem to be having my revenge for all the trouble he has given me.'

There was a slight pause, and then Dalrymple spoke. 'You have had that already, in striking me right through the heart.'

'What a very pretty speech! Was it not, my dear?' said Mrs Broughton.

And then Mrs Broughton laughed. There was something slightly hysterical in her laugh which grated on Dalrymple's ears --something which seemed to tell him that at the present moment his dear friend was not going to assist him honestly in his effort.