ts of aversion
and darkness, shaped in black and burnt in after the approved fashion.

'My brothers Sol and Dan did most of the actual work,' said Ethelberta,
'though I drew the outlines, and designed the tiles round the fire. The
flowers, mice, and spiders are done very simply, you know: you only press
a real flower, mouse, or spider out flat under a piece of glass, and then
copy it, adding a little more emaciation and angularity at pleasure.'

'In that "at pleasure" is where all the art lies,' said he.

'Well, yes--that is the case,' said Ethelberta thoughtfully; and
preceding him upstairs, she threw open a door on one of the floors,
disclosing Dan in person, engaged upon a similar treatment of this floor
also. Sol appeared bulging from the door of a closet, a little further
on, where he was fixing some shelves; and both wore workmen's blouses. At
once coming down from the short ladder he was standing upon, Dan shook
Christopher's hand with some velocity.

'We do a little at a time, you see,' he said, 'because Colonel down
below, and Mrs. Petherwin's visitors, shan't smell the turpentine.'

'We be pushing on to-day to get it out of the way,' said Sol, also coming
forward and greeting their visitor, but more reluctantly than his brother
had done. 'Now I'll tell ye what--you two,' he added, after an uneasy
pause, turning from Christopher to Ethelberta and back again in great
earnestness; 'you'd better not bide here, talking to we rough ones, you
know, for folks might find out that there's something closer between us
than workmen and employer and employer's friend. So Berta and Mr.
Julian, if you'll go on and take no more notice o' us, in case of
visitors, it would be wiser--else, perhaps, if we should be found out
intimate with ye, and bring down your gentility, you'll blame us for it.
I get as nervous as a cat when I think I may be the cause of any disgrace
to ye.'

'Don't be so silly, Sol,' said Ethelberta, laughing.

'Ah, that's all very well,' said Sol, with an unbelieving smile; 'but if
we bain't company for you out of doors, you bain't company for we
within--not that I find fault with ye or mind it, and shan't take
anything for painting your house, nor will Dan neither, any more for
that--no, not a penny; in fact, we are glad to do it for 'ee. At the
same time, you keep to your class, and we'll keep to ours. And so, good
afternoon, Berta, when you like to go, and the same to you, Mr. Julian.
Dan, is