“It is art you are in pursuit of, not pomps and vanities?  Then keep clear of Fairfield.  The first thing for success in imaginative work is a soul unruffled:  what manner of work could you do to-day?  You will never paint a stroke the better for anything Lady Latimer can do for you; but lay yourself open to the chafe and fret of her patronage now, and you are done for.  Ten, twenty years hence, she will be harmless, because you will have the confidence of a name.”

“And she will remember that she bought my first sketch; she will say she made me,” said young Christie.

“You will not care then:  everybody knows that a man makes himself.  Phipps calls her vain-glorious; Carnegie calls her the very core of goodness.  In either case you don’t need her.  There is only one patron for men of art and literature in these days, and that is the General Public.  The times are gone by for waiting in Chesterfield’s ante-room and hiding behind Cave’s screen.”

Harry recited all this for Bessie’s instruction.  Bessie was convinced that he had spoken judiciously:  the safest way to avoid a fall is not to be in too much haste to climb.  It is more consistent with self-respect for genius in low estate to defend its independence against the assaults of rich patrons, seeking appendages to their glory, than to accept their benefits, and complain that they are given with insolence.  It is an evident fact that the possessors of rank and money value themselves as of more consequence than those whom God has endowed with other gifts and not with these.  Platitudes reveal themselves to the young as novel and striking truths.  Bessie ruminated these in profound silence.  Harry offered her a penny for her thoughts.

“I was thinking,” said she, with a sudden revelation of the practical, “that young Christie will suffer a great deal in his way through the world if he stumble at such common kindness as Lady Latimer’s.”  And then she told the story of the cheese-cake.  “I beheld my lady then as a remote and exalted sphere, where never foot of mine would come.  I have entered it since by reason of belonging to an old house of gentry, and I find that I can breathe there.  So may he some day, when he has earned a title to it, but he would be very uncomfortable there now.”

“And so may I some day, when I have earned a title to it, but I should be very uncomfortable there now.  Meanwhile we have souls above cheese-cakes, and don’t choose to bear my lady’s patronage.”

Bessie felt that she was being laughed at.  She grew angry, and poured out her sentiments hot:  “There is a difference between you and young Christie; you know quite well that there is, Harry.  No, I sha’n’t explain what it consists in.  Lady Latimer meant to encourage him:  to see that she thinks well enough of his sketches to buy one may influence other people to buy them.  He can’t live on air; and if he is to be a painter he must study.  You are not going to rise in the world without working?  If you went to her house, she would make you acquainted with people it might be good for you to know:  it is just whether you like that sort of thing or not.  I don’t; I am happier at home.  But men don’t want to keep at home.”