an tell him at
once by the extraordinary finish of all the accessories. Now look at
that girdle--isn't that HOLBEIN all over?

_Flippant P._ Not quite all over, old fellow. Catalogue says it's
painted by PARIS BORDONE.

_The Int. P._ Possibly--but it's HOLBEIN'S _manner_, and, looking at
these portraits, you see at once how right FROUDE'S estimate was of the
King.

_F. P._ Does FROUDE say how he got that nasty one on the side of his
nose?

_A Visitor._ Looks overfed, don't he?

_Second V. (sympathetically)._ Oh, he did himself very well; you can see
that.

_The Aunt._ Wait a bit, JOHN--don't read so fast. I haven't made out the
middle background yet. And where's the figure of St. Michael rising
above the gilt tent, lined with _fleurs-de-lis_ on a blue ground? Would
this be GUISNES, or ARDRES, now? Oh, ARDRES on the right--so _that's_
ARDRES--yes, yes; and now tell me what it says about the two gold
fountains, and that dragon up in the sky.

[JOHN _calculates that, at this rate, he has a very poor chance of
getting away before the Gallery closes_.

_The Patronising Persons._ 'Um! HOLBEIN again, you see--very curious
their ideas of painting in those days. Ah, well, Art has made great
progress since then--like everything else!

_Miss Fisher._ So _that's_ the beautiful QUEEN MARY! I wonder if it is
really _true_ that people have got better-looking since those days?

[_Glances appealingly at Phlegmatic Fiance._

_Her Phlegmatic Fiance._ I wonder.

_Miss F._ You hardly ever see such small hands now, do you? With those
lovely long fingers, too!

_The Phl. F._ No, never.

_Miss F._ Perhaps people in some other century will wonder how anybody
ever saw anything to admire in _us_?

_The Phl. F._ Shouldn't be surprised.

[Miss F. _does wish secretly that_ CHARLES _had more conversation_

_The Aunt._ JOHN, just find out who No. 222 is.

_John. (sulkily)._ Sir GEORGE PENRUDDOCKE, Knight.

_His Aunt (with enthusiasm)._ Of course--_how_ interesting this is,
isn't it?--seeing all these celebrated persons exactly as they were in
life! Now read who he _was_, JOHN, please.

_The Int. Person._ FROUDE tells a curious incident about----

_Flippant P._ I tell you what it is, old chap, if you read so much
history, you'll end by _believing_ it!

_The Int. P. (pausing before the Shakspeare portraits.)_ "He was not for
an age, but for all time."

_The Fl. P._ I suppose that's why they've painted none of them