"I seemed to myself merely saying the obvious thing, the
common sense, about the picture, on the ground of your own statement
of your meaning in it. I am annoyed with myself if I have been
talking of things I know nothing about."
"On the contrary, MacPhail, you are so entirely right in what you
say, that I cannot for the life of me understand where or how you
can have got it."
"Mr Graham used to talk to me about everything."
"Well, but he was only a country schoolmaster."
"A good deal more than that, sir," said Malcolm, solemnly. "He is
a disciple of him that knows everything. And now I think of it, I
do believe that what I've been saying about your picture, I must
have got from hearing him talk about the revelation, in which is
included Isis herself, with her brother and all their train."
Lenorme held his peace. Malcolm had taken his place again
unconsciously, and the painter was working hard, and looking very
thoughtful. Malcolm went again to the picture.
"Hillo!" cried Lenorme, looking up and finding no object in the
focus of his eyes.
Malcolm returned directly.
"There was just one thing I wanted to see," he said, "--whether
the youth worshipping his goddess, had come into her presence
clean."
"And what is your impression of him?" half murmured Lenorme, without
lifting his head.
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