Pharos the Egyptian | Page 9

very often, but
when we do we enjoy ourselves, and--why, man alive! just consider--I
haven't seen you since last autumn, and if you think I'm going to let you
escape now, you're very much mistaken. Such a thing is not to be
thought of, is it, mother?"
Thus appealed to, Mrs. Merridew was kind enough to say that she
hoped I would comply with her husband's wishes. The daughters
murmured something, which I have no doubt was intended to be a
complimentary expression of their feelings, while the son commenced a
remark, failed to make himself intelligible, and then lapsed into silence
again.
Thus hemmed in, it remained for me to invent a valid excuse, or to fall
in with their plans. I effected a compromise, informed them that I
should be very pleased to accompany them to the Academy, but that it
was quite impossible I should dine with them afterwards, or even visit
the theatre in their company, having, as was quite true, already
accepted an invitation for that evening. Five minutes later the matter
was settled, and we were making our way towards Piccadilly and
Burlington House.
In the light of all that has happened since, I can only regard my
behaviour on that occasion with a contemptuous sort of pity. The
minutest details connected with that afternoon's amusement are as
clearly photographed upon my brain as if it had only occurred but
yesterday. If I close my eyes for a moment, I can see, just as I saw it
then, the hawkers selling catalogues in the busy street outside, the great
courtyard with the lines of waiting carriages, the fashionable crowd
ascending and descending the stairs, and inside the rooms that surging
mass of well-dressed humanity so characteristic of London and the
Season. When we had fought our way to the vestibule, I was for doing
the round of the rooms in the orthodox fashion. This, however, it
appeared, was by no means to George Merridew's taste. He received
my suggestion with appropriate scorn.

"Come, come, old fellow," he replied, "we're first going to see your
picture. It was that which brought us here; and, as soon as I have told
you what I think of it, the rest of the daubs may go hang as far as I am
concerned."
Now, it is an indisputable fact that, whatever Nature may, or may not,
have done for me, she has at least endowed me with an extremely
sensitive disposition. My feelings, therefore, may be imagined when I
tell you that my old friend spoke in a voice that was quite audible
above the polite murmur of the crowd, and which must have penetrated
to the farthest end of the room. Not content with that, he saluted me
with a sounding smack on the back, bidding me, at the same time,
consign my modesty to the winds, for everybody knew--by everybody,
I presume he meant his neighbours in the country--that I was the rising
man of the day, and would inevitably be elected President before I died.
To avert this flood of idiotic compliment, and feeling myself growing
hot from head to foot, I took him by the arm and conducted him hastily
through the room towards that portion of the building where my picture
was displayed.
Whether the work was good, bad, or indifferent, the public at least paid
me the compliment of bestowing their attention upon it, and their
behaviour on this occasion was no exception to the rule. I hope I shall
not be considered more conceited than my fellows; at the risk of it,
however, I must confess to a feeling of pride as I glanced, first at the
crowd wedged in before the rail, and then at the party by my side.
George Merridew's face alone was worth the trouble and time I had
spent upon the canvas. His eyes were opened to their fullest extent; his
lips were also parted, but no sound came from them. Even the face of
my formidable friend, the tennis champion, betrayed a measure of
interest that, in the light of her previous behaviour, was more than
flattering. For some moments we stood together on the outskirts of the
throng. Then those who were directly in front moved away, and my
friends immediately stepped into the gap and took their places. As there
was no reason why I should follow their example, I remained outside,
watching the faces and noting the different effects the picture produced
upon them.

I had not been alone more than a few seconds, however, before I
became conscious of a curious sensation. It was accompanied by a
lowering of the pulse that was quite perceptible, followed by an
extraordinary feeling of nausea. I battled against it in vain. The room
and its occupants