ing on. And she did look on with interest, and, at last, with
profound admiration. Hitherto she had thought, with many other persons,
that, if a man's hand was the stronger, a woman's was the neater; but
now she saw the same hand, which had begun by hewing away the coarse
outlines of the model, bestow touches of the chisel so unerring and
effective, yet so exquisitely delicate, that she said to herself, "No
woman's hand could be so firm, yet so feather-like, as all this."

And the result was as admirable as the process. The very texture of the
ivory forehead began to come under those master-touches, executed with
perfect and various instruments: and, for the first time perhaps in the
history of this art, a bloom, more delicate far than that of a plum,
crept over the dimpled cheek. But, indeed, when love and skill work
together, expect a masterpiece.

Henry worked on it four afternoons, the happiest he had ever known.
There was the natural pleasure of creating, and the distinct glory and
delight of reproducing features so beloved; and to these joys were
added the pleasure of larger conversation. The model gave Grace
many opportunities of making remarks, or asking questions, and Henry
contrived to say so many things in answer to one. Sculptor and sitter
made acquaintance with each other's minds over the growing bust.

And then the young ladies and gentlemen dropped in, and gazed, and said
such wonderfully silly things, and thereby left their characters behind
them as fruitful themes for conversation. In short, topics were never
wanting now.

As for Jael, she worked, and beamed, and pondered every word her idol
uttered, but seldom ventured to say anything, till he was gone, and then
she prattled fast enough about him.

The work drew near completion. The hair, not in ropes, as heretofore,
but its silken threads boldly and accurately shown, yet not so as to
cord the mass, and unsatin it quite. The silk dress; the lace collar;
the blooming cheek, with its every dimple and incident; all these were
completed, and one eyebrow, a masterpiece in itself. This carved
eyebrow was a revelation, and made everybody who saw it wonder at the
conventional substitutes they had hitherto put up with in statuary of
all sorts, when the eyebrow itself was so beautiful, and might it seems
have been imitated, instead of libeled, all these centuries.

But beautiful works, and pleasant habits, seem particularly liable to
interruption. Just whe