"Les femmes sont tres braves avec le peur d'autrui."

By this trait Gerard now profited. Margaret and Reicht were agreed that
a man should always take the bull by the horns. Gerard's only course was
to marry Margaret Brandt off-hand; the old people would come to after
a while, the deed once done. Whereas, the longer this misunderstanding
continued on its present footing, the worse for all parties, especially
for Gerard.

"See how pale and thin they have made him amongst them."

"Indeed you are, Master Gerard," said Reicht. "It makes a body sad to
see a young man so wasted and worn. Mistress, when I met him in the
street to-day, I had liked to have burst out crying: he was so changed.

"And I'll be bound the others keep their colour; ah, Reicht? such as it
is."

"Oh, I see no odds in them."

"Of course not. We painters are no match for boors. We are glass, they
are stone. We can't stand the worry, worry, worry of little minds; and
it is not for the good of mankind we should be exposed to it. It is hard
enough, Heaven knows, to design and paint a masterpiece, without having
gnats and flies stinging us to death into the bargain."

Exasperated as Gerard was by his father's threat of violence, he
listened to these friendly voices telling him the prudent course was
rebellion. But though he listened, he was not convinced.