And the young man? Doris perceived at once his likeness to his father--a
feeble likeness. But he was evidently simple and good-natured, and to
all appearance completely in the power of the enchantress. He fanned her
assiduously. He picked up all the various belongings--gloves,
handkerchiefs, handbag--which she perpetually let fall. He ran after the
dog whenever it escaped from the lady's lap and threatened mischief in
the studio; and by way of amusing her--the purpose for which he had been
imported--he kept up a stream of small cryptic gossip about various
common acquaintances, most of whom seemed to belong to the music-hall
profession, and to be either "stars" or the satellites of "stars."
Madame listened to him with avidity, and occasionally broke into a
giggling laugh. She had, however, two manners, and two kinds of
conversation, which she adopted with the young man and the Academician
respectively. Her talk with the youth suggested the jealous ascendency
of a coarse-minded woman. She occasionally flattered him, but more
generally she teased or "ragged" him. She seemed indeed to feel him
securely in her grip; so that there was no need to pose for him,
as--figuratively as well as physically--she posed for Bentley. To the
artist she gave her opinions on pictures or books--on the novels of Mr.
Wells, or the plays of Mr. Bernard Shaw--in the languid or drawling tone
of accepted authority; dropping every now and then into a broad cockney
accent, which produced a startling effect, like that of unexpected
garlic in cookery. Bentley's gravity was often severely tried, and Doris
altered the position of her own easel so that he and she could not see
each other. Meanwhile Madame took not the smallest notice of Mr.
Bentley's niece, and Doris made no advances to the young man, to whom
her name was clearly quite unknown. Had Circe really got him in her
toils? Doris judged him soft-headed and soft-hearted; no match at all
for the lady. The thought of her walking the lawns or the drawing-rooms
of Crosby Ledgers as the betrothed of the heir stirred in Arthur