like it
compared to the modern?"

"We have very few modern portraits; and none of any ladies later than
George II."

"No?" enquired the young man anxiously. "No lady later than that? Ah,
then I have been misinformed!" he added in a disappointed tone.

"Had you heard of our collection, then?"

"Yes--no--that is--I believe, in most old family houses, there is a
regular series of portraits that may enable the student to trace the
alterations of the English school from its very commencement."

"Oh--a student--are you?--that is--have I the pleasure of speaking to
a painter?" enquired Miss Arabel with great dignity.

"Oh no, madam; only an admirer of the art."

"And you are disappointed at the want of recent female portraits,"
said Arabel more graciously, the faintest possible hope springing to
her heart that he was disappointed at the absence of her own.

"I should like to have heard the opinion of a competent judge on so
interesting a subject. A comparison between Kneller for instance and
Sir Joshua would be worthy of your taste."

"Oh, Kneller by all means, and Lely better than both! I believe, now
that you put me in mind of it, there is a pale colourless Sir Joshua
in the nursery--the school-room I mean."

"A lady?" enquired the stranger.

"A person," replied Miss Arabel, who never allowed lady's rank to any
one whose status she did not know--"with long hair falling about her
face, and a little boy lying asleep in her lap. Whether she was a lady
or not, I don't know, but I rather think not, for I never heard of her
being connected with our family. Perhaps she was a nurse."

"And are you sure it is a Sir Joshua?"

"Oh, yes!--His name is written on the back; and Mr Ochre, my
drawing-master, says it is all out of proportion, and of no merit at
all. But why are you so anxious about the daub? Mr Ochre wishes to be
allowed to retouch it."

"If he lays a brush on it"--the stranger began in a furious tone, but
checked himself--"if he lays a brush on it, he will spoil an old
master."

"A master!" said Miss Arabel with a contemptuous giggle. "I only wish
you could see it."

"I wish I could," replied the young gentleman; "but I am afraid I
shall never be so happy."

"Oh!"--The young lady did not say any thing more, but looked at the
stranger, as if taking measure of his respectability to see if an
_entree_ to Surbridge Hall was really above his hopes. He was tall,
well made, with an air such as she had not se