"You are an enthusiast in art," she said.
"Until to-day," replied Raphael, with a meaning glance. "Until to-day, my one sole aspiration in life was to become an artist-painter!"
"And why until to-day? How has to-day changed your purpose?" softly inquired Sybil.
The boy dropped his eyes, blushed, and shivered, and at length replied:
"Because to-day I have a loftier aspiration!"
"A loftier aspiration than for excellence in art there cannot be," said Sybil, gravely.
The lad could not and did not contradict her. But she understood as well as if he had explained, that his "loftier aspiration" was to serve and to please herself.
She carefully examined his sketches, and praised his natural genius. And he listened to her commendations in breathless delight.
At length he ventured to ask her:
"Do you, madam, who so much appreciate my poor attempts, do you also sketch from nature?"