The Argosy — page 150: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

138 Playing with Fire, “You have just come from Madeira,” he said, quickly. “ That accounts . “ For what?” ‘‘For my not having seen you before.” “Then I may conclude that you go out a great deal,” she said, ‘and that not to know you argues oneself unknown.” “Not quite that,” he returned, smiling. ‘But I am pretty con- stant at my people’s chariot wheels. It is not often that I get any reward for my devotion, though,”—and as he said it, his look implied that on this occasion at least, he Aad been rewarded. ‘“‘T suppose you are not fond of going out ?” ‘Well, I don’t think the game is worth the candle.” ‘No doubt you have exhausted all this sort of thing, but to me it is rather amusing—and exciting besides. At one of these recep- tions one might meet someone one had been longing to know for years.” “Yes, that is an advantage which Lady Gamgee’s and kindred receptions have over those which are less by way of being literary. One may sometimes, among the Postlethwaites and Maudles, meet a real star.” “That is what I meant. It is sad, though, that as a rule, the ‘star’ does not think it worth while to shew any heavenly spark, and considers remarks on the heated atmosphere to be quite good enough for us sublunary mortals.” “Well, if the ‘star’ happens to be Dr. Wiseman, or one of the hygeinic set, his ideas on that subject might be worth having.” “‘T never did care about hygeine, and if I had, one hears so little else in Madeira that I should have been long ago surfeited with it. I wish you would tell me who all these people are.” “Of course you know that handsome man talking to Lady - Gamgee?” ‘“T know that it is Sir John Holman, the new R. A., but I have never had the honour of speaking to him,” “You care for his work then?” ‘* Care for it? I worship it. Yet one can’t help wondering whether there are such lovely women as he paints, or whether they have birth only in the consciousness of the master.” ‘‘T know there are such women,” he answered, in a slightly changed voice, and looking at her earnestly. *‘T am so glad to hear you say so, for it makes me hope that I may some day meet some of them,” she said, smiling. ‘They might inspire my pencil as they do his.” “You paint then ?” “Yes, Ihave given a good deal of time to it. There was so little to amuse one at home.” \ “‘ Have you ever exhibited? No? I should have so liked to see your pictures.” \ ile comichooks.com t