"I should think so. Why?"
"You have a very individual technique, haven't you?" pursued Wimsey. "Do you exhibit much?"
"Here and there. I've never had a show in London."
"I fancy I once saw a couple of small sea-scapes of yours somewhere. Manchester, was it? or Liverpool? I wasn't sure of your name, but I recognised the technique immediately."
"I dare say. I did send a few things to Manchester about two years ago."
"Yes—I felt sure I couldn't be mistaken. I want to buy the portrait. Here's my card, by the way. I'm not a journalist; I collect things."
Crowder looked from the card to Wimsey and from Wimsey to the card, a little reluctantly.
"If you want to exhibit it, of course," said Lord Peter, "I should be delighted to leave it with you as long as you liked."
"Oh, it's not that," said Crowder. "The fact is, I'm not altogether keen on the thing. I should like to—that is to say, it's not really finished."
"My dear man, it's a bally masterpiece."