“And the cheapest,” observed Tiffles; “which is an important consideration when you have an acre or two of canvas to paint.  It would cost a deal more to put in the sun and moon, travelling caravans, and other objects of interest, here and there.”

“Incidentally it may be the cheapest,” said Patching.  “But that is a question for capitalists, and not for artists to determine.  True Art never thinks of the expense.”

“It always seemed to me to be the easiest school of Art,” said Marcus Wilkeson.  “I suppose, now, that you can dash off twenty or thirty rods of this a day.”

Patching smiled with a lofty pity.  “So I can.  Not because it is the easiest, though—­far from it; but because I happen to have a genius for quick and sure touches.  You, not being a professional artist, think the execution of that scrap of desert and sky an easy matter.  Perhaps you fancy that you could do it.”  There was the least infusion of satire in the artist’s tone.

“Oh, no!” replied Marcus Wilkeson, who ever shrank from wounding the self-love of a fellow creature.  “I am not rash enough to suppose that I could do it.  I merely observed that it seemed—­to my inexperienced eyes—­an easy matter.  A few strokes of yellow paint here, for sand, and a few strokes of blue paint there, for sky.  But I am not even an amateur, and so my opinion goes for nothing.”

“I admire your frankness,” said Patching.  “Now let me convince you practically.  Be good enough to stand near this window with me.”

Marcus moved to the spot indicated by the artist.

“Here,” said Patching, “you are at about the same distance from the desert as the front row of spectators will be.  Now look at it critically.”

Marcus shaded his eyes with his left hand, cocked his head over his right shoulder, in the true critical style, and gazed on the scene.

“Do you see the harmony—­the TONE, I may say—­in the desert?” asked Patching, after a short pause.

“I think I do,” responded Marcus, willing to oblige the artist.

“And the spiritual, or INNER meaning of the sky?”

“Ye-yes.  It is quite perceptible.”

“These are the effects of severe simplicity.  But you must understand that a single mis-stroke of the brush would have spoiled all the harmony in the desert, or reduced the sky to a mere inexpressive field of blue vapor.  Why?  Genius alone can achieve such grand results by such apparently simple means.  You comprehend?”

“Perfectly,” said Marcus Wilkeson.

“Then I shall take a real pleasure in showing you more of the panorama which is already completed and rolled up.  With this idea of severe simplicity in your mind, you will be prepared to appreciate the work,”

“I believe I have already remarked, that Mr. Wilkeson is a capitalist, and comes here expressly to look at the panorama,” said Tiffles; with a wink at the artist.

“With every respect for him as a capitalist,” returned Patching, “I see in him only the ingenuous student of Art, whom it is a happiness to teach.”