“I think it seems always rude to speak the truth,” said Greta.  Miss Naylor looked at her in that concentrated manner with which she was in the habit of expressing displeasure.

But at this moment a servant came, and said that Mrs. Decie would be glad to see Herr Harz.  The painter made them a stiff bow, and followed the servant to the house.  Miss Naylor and the two girls watched his progress with apprehensive eyes; it was clear that he had been offended.

Crossing the veranda, and passing through an open window hung with silk curtains, Hart entered a cool dark room.  This was Mrs. Decie’s sanctum, where she conducted correspondence, received her visitors, read the latest literature, and sometimes, when she had bad headaches, lay for hours on the sofa, with a fan, and her eyes closed.  There was a scent of sandalwood, a suggestion of the East, a kind of mystery, in here, as if things like chairs and tables were not really what they seemed, but something much less commonplace.

The visitor looked twice, to be quite sure of anything; there were many plants, bead curtains, and a deal of silverwork and china.

Mrs. Decie came forward in the slightly rustling silk which—­whether in or out of fashion—­always accompanied her.  A tall woman, over fifty, she moved as if she had been tied together at the knees.  Her face was long, with broad brows, from which her sandy-grey hair was severely waved back; she had pale eyes, and a perpetual, pale, enigmatic smile.  Her complexion had been ruined by long residence in India, and might unkindly have been called fawn-coloured.  She came close to Harz, keeping her eyes on his, with her head bent slightly forward.

“We are so pleased to know you,” she said, speaking in a voice which had lost all ring.  “It is charming to find some one in these parts who can help us to remember that there is such a thing as Art.  We had Mr. C—–­here last autumn, such a charming fellow.  He was so interested in the native customs and dresses.  You are a subject painter, too, I think?  Won’t you sit down?”

She went on for some time, introducing painters’ names, asking questions, skating round the edge of what was personal.  And the young man stood before her with a curious little smile fixed on his lips.  ’She wants to know whether I’m worth powder and shot,’ he thought.

“You wish to paint my nieces?” Mrs. Decie said at last, leaning back on her settee.

“I wish to have that honour,” Harz answered with a bow.

“And what sort of picture did you think of?”

“That,” said Harz, “is in the future.  I couldn’t tell you.”  And he thought:  ’Will she ask me if I get my tints in Paris, like the woman Tramper told me of?’