the midst of all the crush Sadler arrived, extraordinarily smart
in an immaculate frock-coat and a beautifully embroidered tie, his big
powerful face shining with friendliness. "Gee! What a swell affair
you've got on!" he shouted in Wyndham's ear. "I thought there'd be
something of the kind, you old brute, so I rigged myself out."

"You are certainly fascinating," smiled Wyndham.

"Yes, it's a jolly good coat!" declared Sadler, glancing down at
himself. "I gave the tailor hell over it. Gee! you've fetched them this
time! We shan't be able to squeeze past your damned picture at the
Academy!"

The crowd still kept surging up the stairs, and Sadler was swept aside.
But Wyndham was not only receiving his visitors; with great address he
was here and there, pointing out his Exhibition pictures, explaining his
ideas and motives, accepting choruses of laudation. He had good reason
to be elated with this afternoon of tribute and foreshadowing!

In the last two or three weeks, moreover, Mr. Robinson had been drumming
up the further commission for which his daughter had enlisted his good
services. He had heard that one of the great joint-stock banks meditated
presenting their retiring general manager with his portrait; the gift to
be made with full ceremonial at the next meeting of the shareholders.
Mr. Robinson was himself an important shareholder, and two of the
directors were his personal friends, but although they worked strongly
on his side, he had a far more difficult task than usual in achieving
his purpose. He was forced to expend his choicest diplomacy and pull
enough strings for a piece of international politics, but the majority
of the directors, who knew what was appropriate to the dignity of the
bank, wanted a full-blown Royal Academician, and were strongly in favour
of following the lead of another great institution, which, under the
like circumstances, had approached one of the most learned of the body
Academic, and had honoured him and themselves with their command. There
were dissensions at several board meetings, but the opposition,
sedulously fanned by Mr. Robinson, could not be beaten down.
Academicians, they argued, sometimes went down wofully in the sale-room
only a few years after their demise. Surely it was better to choose a
genius, the connection with whom would be everlastingly honourable to
the bank, whose insight might become historic. In the end a small
sub-committee was appointed to investigate a