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"I hope so; at any rate, I am not a sham one;" and Miss Van Siever as she said this looked very savage. "I shouldn't take you to be a sham in anything." "Ah, that would be saying a great deal for myself. Who can undertake to say that he is not a sham in anything?" As she said this the ladies were getting up.
"If you ask me, I think he has," said Mr Musselboro. "Then I'll go into it, and I'll find it out, and if it is so, as sure as my name's Van Siever, I'll sew him up." Having uttered which terrible threat, the old woman drew a chair to the table and seated herself fairly down, as though she were determined to go through all the books of the office before she quitted that room.
You don't give me any power of keeping a hand upon Dobbs Broughton. I suppose you have security from Dobbs Broughton, but I don't know what security you have, Mrs Van Siever. He owes you now L915 16s 2d on last year's account!" "Why doesn't he give me a cheque for the money?" "He says he can't spare it. You may have L500, and the rest when he can give it to you.
The artist at last took the matter into his own hand by declaring that Miss Van Siever would sit the subject much better without jewels, and therefore all Mrs Broughton's gewgaws were put back into their boxes.
"But Mr Dalrymple can paint his Sisera without making me a Jael," said Miss Van Siever. "Of course he can," said Mrs Broughton. "But I never will," said the artist. "I conceived the subject as connected with you, and I will never disjoin the two ideas." "I think it no compliment, I can assure you," said Miss Van Siever. "And none was intended.
He knew too well what the suggestions of his Madalina were worth, and the motives from which they sprung. But he thought it might be true that Mrs Van Siever had absorbed all there was of property, and possibly, also, that Musselboro was to marry her daughter. At any rate, he would go to Dalrymple's rooms, and if he could find him, would learn the truth.
For some time Dalrymple did not observe this; but at last there was a little sound, even the ill-nature of Miss Demolines could hardly have called it a snore, and he became aware that for practical purposes he and Miss Van Siever were again alone together. "Clara," he said in a whisper. Mrs Broughton instantly aroused herself from her slumbers, and rubbed her eyes.
Then she curtseyed low, and walked out on to the landing-place. "Clara," she cried, "I'm waiting for you, sixpence a quarter of an hour, remember that." In a minute or two Clara came out to her, and then Mrs Van Siever and Miss Van Siever took their departure. "Oh, Conway, what am I to do? what am I to do?" said Mrs Dobbs Broughton.
Why should not Dalrymple paint Miss Van Siever as well as any other lady? It is his special business to paint ladies." "Look here, Mr Eames " And now Miss Demolines, as she spoke, drew her own seat closer to that of her companion and pushed away the little table.
Of course Miss Van Siever understood well what was the prize of which he was speaking; and as she was a young woman with a will and purpose of her own, no doubt she was already prepared with an answer. But it was necessary that the question should be put to her in properly distinct terms. Conway Dalrymple certainly had not put his question in properly distinct terms at present.
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