"It'sanawfullypleasantlife,"saidJacob,"messingawayuphere.Still,it'sastupidart,Cruttendon."Hewanderedoffacrosstheroom."There'sthisman,PierreLouysnow."Hetookupabook.
"Nowmygoodsir,areyougoingtosettledown?"saidCruttendon.
"That'sasolidpieceofwork,"saidJacob,standingacanvasonachair.
"Oh,thatIdidagesago,"saidCruttendon,lookingoverhisshoulder.
"You'reaprettycompetentpainterinmyopinion,"saidJacobafteratime.
"Nowifyou'dliketoseewhatI'mafteratthepresentmoment,"saidCruttendon,puttingacanvasbeforeJacob."There.That'sit.That'smorelikeit.That's…"hesquirmedhisthumbinacircleroundalampglobepaintedwhite.
"Aprettysolidpieceofwork,"saidJacob,straddlinghislegsinfrontofit."ButwhatIwishyou'dexplain…"
MissJinnyCarslake,pale,freckled,morbid,cameintotheroom.
"OhJinny,here'safriend.Flanders.AnEnglishman.Wealthy.Highlyconnected.Goon,Flanders…."
Jacobsaidnothing.
"It'sTHAT—that'snotright,"saidJinnyCarslake.
"No,"saidCruttendondecidedly."Can'tbedone."
Hetookthecanvasoffthechairandstooditonthefloorwithitsbacktothem.
"Sitdown,ladiesandgentlemen.MissCarslakecomesfromyourpartoftheworld,Flanders.FromDevonshire.Oh,IthoughtyousaidDevonshire.Verywell.She'sadaughterofthechurchtoo.Theblacksheepofthefamily.Hermotherwriteshersuchletters.Isay—haveyouoneaboutyou?It'sgenerallySundaystheycome.Sortofchurch-belleffect,youknow."
"Haveyoumetallthepaintermen?"saidJinny."WasMallinsondrunk?Ifyougotohisstudiohe'llgiveyouoneofhispictures.Isay,Teddy…."
"Halfajiff,"saidCruttendon."What'stheseasonoftheyear?"Helookedoutofthewindow.
"WetakeadayoffonSundays,Flanders."
"Willhe…"saidJinny,lookingatJacob."You…"
"Yes,he'llcomewithus,"saidCruttendon.
Andthen,hereisVersailles.Jinnystoodonthestonerimandleantoverthepond,claspedbyCruttendon'sarmsorshewouldhavefalle