sly," he said. "I have
never studied; I have had no training. I do a little of everything, and
nothing well. I am only an amateur."

It pleased Gertrude even more to think that he was an amateur than to
think that he was an artist; the former word, to her fancy, had an even
subtler connotation. She knew, however, that it was a word to use
more soberly. Mr. Wentworth used it freely; for though he had not
been exactly familiar with it, he found it convenient as a help toward
classifying Felix, who, as a young man extremely clever and active and
apparently respectable and yet not engaged in any recognized business,
was an importunate anomaly. Of course the Baroness and her brother--she
was always spoken of first--were a welcome topic of conversation between
Mr. Wentworth and his daughters and their occasional visitors.

"And the young man, your nephew, what is his profession?" asked an
old gentleman--Mr. Broderip, of Salem--who had been Mr. Wentworth's
classmate at Harvard College in the year 1809, and who came into his
office in Devonshire Street. (Mr. Wentworth, in his later years, used to
go but three times a week to his office, where he had a large amount of
highly confidential trust-business to transact.)

"Well, he 's an amateur," said Felix's uncle, with folded hands, and
with a certain satisfaction in being able to say it. And Mr. Broderip
had gone back to Salem with a feeling that this was probably a
"European" expression for a broker or a grain exporter.

"I should like to do your head, sir," said Felix to his uncle one
evening, before them all--Mr. Brand and Robert Acton being also present.
"I think I should make a very fine thing of it. It 's an interesting
head; it 's very mediaeval."

Mr. Wentworth looked grave; he felt awkwardly, as if all the company had
come in and found him standing before the looking-glass. "The Lord made
it," he said. "I don't think it is for man to make it over again."

"Certainly the Lord made it," replied Felix, laughing, "and he made
it very well. But life has been touching up the work. It is a very
interesting type of head. It 's delightfully wasted and emaciated.
The complexion is wonderfully bleached." And Felix looked round at the
circle, as if to call their attention to these interesting points.
Mr. Wentworth grew visibly paler. "I should like to do you as an old
prelate, an old cardinal, or the prior of an order."

"A prelate, a cardinal?" murmured Mr. Wentworth. "Do yo