"It was vexing, but there it was, and there was no help for it. I went about my affairs in the practical way, did I not?"
"Yes, my dear; it was the only way to arrive at the truth."
"And to look it straight in the face. I kept to the main road, but if a view of a narrow lane had presented itself, I believe I should have been tempted to wander a little. My dear, I paid all the accounts, and I was left with--how much do you think?"
"I am afraid to guess, Kingsley."
"Something under ten pounds. Was I dashed? Did I despair? Not at all. Said I to myself, said I--by the way, Nansie, I once came across an old novel with just that title; an odd one, isn't it?--said I to myself, said I, to work, to work! Something must be done, for my dear Nansie's sake."
"How proud I am of you, Kingsley!"
"Thank you, dear. So what did I do? I can sketch a little in colors, you know."
"You can paint very well, Kingsley. When you said, the other night, that you saw pictures but could not paint them, I knew you were wrong, though I did not contradict you."
"Thank you again, dear. Nothing would please me better than to be a poor artist, with you, rich and influential, for my patron."
"I should give you every shilling I possessed, Kingsley."