Francis Lisle's face fell for a moment, then it brightened again.
"A commission?" he said. "Yes, yes. May I ask the name of your client?"
Mr. Arnheim opened his lips to give the name, but once again met the imploring gaze of the sweet eyes, and kept the name back.
"It is not usual to give our clients' names, Mr. Lisle," he said with an affectation of shrewdness. "We dealers are business men pure and simple, and are never too ready with information that may injure us. I hope you will consider it sufficient that a gentleman has made inquiries after some work of yours, and—er—be prepared to come to terms with me. Of course, I only act as the agent."
Francis Lisle flushed and bit his lip, but a gratified smile was creeping over his thin, wan face.
"I understand, Mr. Arnheim," he said pompously. "I am very busy just at present; indeed, I have only just finished a picture for—er—a patron, for which I have received a fairly large sum, and I have a number of studies in hand; but—er—I think I may say that I shall be willing to paint a picture for you—or your unknown client, if you prefer to put it in that way; but I can only do so on one condition, Mr. Arnheim."
The dealer bowed.
"And what is that condition, Mr. Lisle?" he asked gravely.
"That your client permit any picture he may purchase of me to be exhibited at the Royal Academy Exhibition."
"Certainly, certainly. I'll undertake that he shall accord that permission," said Mr. Arnheim.