When Catherine begged to have every thing begun again, Wharton hesitated. Esther's work was not to his taste, but he was not at all sure that she would do equally well if she tried to imitate his own manner.
"You know I wanted Miss Dudley to put more religious feeling and force into her painting," said he, "but you all united and rode me down."
"I will look like a real angel this time," said Catherine. "Now I know what it is you want."
"I am more than half on her side," went on Wharton. "I am not sure that she is wrong. It all comes to this: is religion a struggle or a joy? To me it is a terrible battle, to be won or lost. I like your green dress with the violets. Whose idea was that?"
"Petrarch's. You know I am Laura. St. Cecilia has the dress which Laura wore in church when Petrarch first saw her."
"No!" said Wharton, after another pause, and long study of the two figures. "Decidedly I will not rub you out; but I mean to touch up Petrarch."
"O! You won't spoil the likeness!"
"Not at all! But if I am going to posterity by your side I want some expression in my face. Petrarch was a man of troubles."
"You promise not to change the idea?"
"I promise to look at you as long as you look at me," said Wharton gloomily.