she could do it, from the visible effect of her phrases.  He glistened in repeating them; he had fallen into the habit; before witnesses too; in the presence of Miss Paynham, who had taken earnestly to the art of painting, and obtained her dear Mrs. Warwick’s promise of a few sittings for the sketch of a portrait, near the close of the season.  ’A very daring thing to attempt,’ Miss Paynham said, when he was comparing her first outlines and the beautiful breathing features.  ’Even if one gets the face, the lips will seem speechless, to those who know her.’

‘If they have no recollection,’ said Dacier.

’I mean, the endeavour should be to represent them at the moment of speaking.’

‘Put it into the eyes.’  He looked at the eyes.

She looked at the mouth.  ‘But it is the mouth, more than the eyes.’

He looked at the face.  ’Where there is character, you have only to study it to be sure of a likeness.’

‘That is the task, with one who utters jewels, Mr. Dacier.’

‘Bright wit, I fear, is above the powers of your art.’

‘Still I feel it could be done.  See—­now—­that!’

Diana’s lips had opened to say:  ’Confess me a model model:  I am dissected while I sit for portrayal.  I must be for a moment like the frog of the two countrymen who were disputing as to the manner of his death, when he stretched to yawn, upon which they agreed that he had defeated the truth for both of them.  I am not quite inanimate.’

‘Irish countrymen,’ said Dacier.

’The story adds, that blows were arrested; so confer the nationality as you please.’

Diana had often to divert him from a too intent perusal of her features with sparkles and stories current or invented to serve the immediate purpose.

Miss Paynham was Mrs. Warwick’s guest for a fortnight, and observed them together.  She sometimes charitably laid down her pencil and left them, having forgotten this or that.  They were conversing of general matters with their usual crisp precision on her return, and she was rather like the two countrymen, in debating whether it was excess of coolness or discreetness; though she was convinced of their inclinations, and expected love some day to be leaping up.  Diana noticed that she had no reminder for leaving the room when it was Mr. Redworth present.  These two had become very friendly, according to her hopes; and Miss Paynham was extremely solicitous to draw suggestions from Mr. Redworth and win his approval.

‘Do I appear likely to catch the mouth now, do you think, Mr. Redworth?’