on an old ceiling?

_The S.P._ Hardly. I should define Damp as the product of Nature--not
_Art_.

_The R.L._ Oh, yes; if you put it in that way, of _course_! I only
meant it as an illustration--the two things are really as different
as possible. (_Changes the subject._) They don't seem to mind _what_
coloured paper they use for Pastels, do they?

_The S.P._ (_oracularly_). It is--er--always advisable in Pastels
to use a tone of paper to harmonise as nearly as possible with the
particular tone you--er--want. Because, you see, as the colour doesn't
always cover the _whole_ of the paper, if the paper which shows
through is different in tone, it--er--

_The R.L._ Won't match? I _see_. How clever! (_She arrives at a highly
eccentric composition, and ventures upon an independent opinion._) Now
I can't say I care for _that_--there's so very little done to it, and
what there is is so glaring and _crude_, don't you think? I call it
_stupid_.

_The S.P._ I was just about to say that it is the cleverest thing in
the Exhibition--from an artistic point of view. No special interest in
it, but the scheme of colour very harmonious--and very decorative.

_The R.L._ Oh, _isn't_ it? That's _just_ the right word for it--it is
_so_ decorative! and I do like the scheme of colour. Yes, it's very
clever. I quite feel _that_ about it. (_With a gush_.) It is _so_ nice
looking at pictures with somebody who has exactly the same tastes as