There is the glow and the
mystery of love in both their faces, and nothing more."
"And is not that enough?" said Lenorme.
"No," answered Malcolm. "And yet it may be too much," he added,
"if you are going to hang it up where people will see it."
As he said this, he looked hard at the painter for a moment. The
dark hue of Lenorme's cheek deepened; his brows lowered a little
farther over the black wells of his eyes; and he painted on without
answer.
"By Jove!" he said at length.
"Don't swear, Mr Lenorme," said Malcolm. "--Besides, that's my
Lord Liftore's oath.--If you do, you will teach my lady to swear."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Lenorme, with offence plain enough
in his tone.
Thereupon Malcolm told him how on one occasion, himself being
present, the marquis her father happening to utter an imprecation,
Lady Florimel took the first possible opportunity of using the very
same words on her own account, much to the marquis's amusement and
Malcolm's astonishment. But upon reflection he had come to see that
she only wanted to cure her father of the bad habit.
The painter laughed heartily, but stopped all at once and said,
"It's enough to make any fellow swear though, to hear a--groom
talk as you do about art."
"Have I the impudence? I didn't know it," said Malcolm, with some
dismay.
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