Meanwhile Esther had a talk with Mr. Hazard which left her more in doubt than ever as to what she had best do. He urged her to begin something new and to do it in a more strenuous spirit.
"You are learning from Wharton," said he. "Why should you stop at the very moment when you have most to gain?"
"I am learning nothing but what I knew before," she answered sadly. "He can teach only grand art and I am fit only for trifles."
"Try one more figure!"
Esther shook her head.
"My Cecilia is a failure," she went on. "Mr. Wharton said it would be, and he was right. I should do no better next time, unless I took his design and carried it out exactly as he orders."
"One's first attempt is always an experiment. Try once more!"
"I should only spoil your church. In the middle of your best sermon your audience would see you look up here and laugh."
"You are challenging compliments."
"What I could do nicely would be to paint squirrels and monkeys playing on vines round the choir, or daisies and buttercups in a row, with one tall daisy in each group of five. That is the way for a woman to make herself useful."