of his body as foolishly as one of the ladies here would carry a hod
of bricks; because he isn't safe, steady, and light on his pins, as
he would be if he could forget himself for a minute, and leave his
body to find its proper balance of its own accord. If the painter of
that picture had known his business he would never have sent his man
up to the scratch in such a figure and condition as that. But you
can see with one eye that he didn't understand--I won't say the
principles of fighting, but the universal principles that I've told
you of, that ease and strength, effort and weakness, go together.
Now," added Cashel, again addressing Lucian; "do you still think
that notion of mine nonsense?" And he smacked his lips with
satisfaction; for his criticism of the picture had produced a marked
sensation, and he did not know that this was due to the fact that
the painter, Mr. Adrian Herbert, was present.

Lucian tried to ignore the question; but he found it impossible to
ignore the questioner. "Since you have set the example of expressing
opinions without regard to considerations of common courtesy," he
said, shortly, "I may say that your theory, if it can be called one,
is manifestly absurd."

Cashel, apparently unruffled, but with more deliberation of manner
than before, looked about him as if in search of a fresh
illustration. His glance finally rested on the lecturer's seat, a
capacious crimson damask arm-chair that stood unoccupied at some
distance behind Lucian.

"I see you're no judge of a picture," said he, good-humoredly,
putting down the candle, and stepping in front of Lucian. who
regarded him haughtily, and did not budge. "But just look at it in