onsidered to be
a much greater master of the heroic than myself; and that, with regard to
the money being spent in the city, I had no doubt that they would not
weigh for a moment such a consideration against the chance of getting a
true heroic picture for the city. I never talked so well in my life, and
said so many flattering things to the hunchback and his friends, that at
last they said that I should have my own way; and that if I pleased to go
up to London, and bring down the painter of Lazarus to paint the mayor, I
might; so they then bade me farewell, and I have come up to London.'

'To put a hundred pounds into the hands of--'

'A better man than myself,' said my brother, 'of course.'

'And have you come up at your own expense?'

'Yes,' said my brother, 'I have come up at my own expense.'

I made no answer, but looked in my brother's face. We then returned to
the former subjects of conversation, talking of the dead, my mother, and
the dog.

After some time my brother said, 'I will now go to the painter, and
communicate to him the business which has brought me to town; and, if you
please, I will take you with me and introduce you to him.' Having
expressed my willingness, we descended into the street.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

PAINTER OF THE HEROIC--I'LL GO!--A MODEST PEEP--WHO IS THIS?--A CAPITAL
PHARAOH--DISPROPORTIONABLY SHORT--IMAGINARY PICTURE--ABOUT ENGLISH
FIGURES

The painter of the heroic resided a great way off, at the western end of
the town. We had some difficulty in obtaining admission to him; a
maid-servant, who opened the door, eyeing us somewhat suspiciously: it
was not until my brother had said that he was a friend of the painter
that we were permitted to pass the threshold. At length we were shown
into the studio, where we found the painter, with an easel and brush,
standing before a huge piece of canvas, on which he had lately commenced
painting a heroic picture. The painter might be about thirty-five years
old; he had a clever, intelligent countenance, with a sharp grey eye--his
hair was dark brown, and cut a-la-Rafael, as I was subsequently told,
that is, there was little before and much behind--he did not wear a
neckcloth; but, in its stead, a black riband, so that his neck, which was
rather fine, was somewhat exposed--he had a broad, muscular breast, and I
make no doubt that he would have been a very fine figure, but
unfortunately his legs and thighs were somewhat short.