‘Oh no! If you care to see my poor attempts at pictures, I shall be delighted to show you them.’
‘I have heard great things of your “poor attempt at pictures,” Miss Ford.’
‘Have you? Some partial friend——’
‘It was Professor Wilhelmi, your master, I think.’
‘Yes. Well, he is a very partial friend. He has been goodness itself to me. I should never have done anything without his help. But when you see what he has praised, you can judge for yourself.’
‘I am no judge when the work is the work of a friend,’ said Jerome, smiling.
‘To-morrow they expect at Trockenau a most formidable person—Herr Rudolf Falkenberg.’
‘The Frankfort banker?’
‘I don’t know whether he is a banker or not, though I believe I have heard that he is. The important thing to me is, that he is a great judge of pictures; and that, as he is rich, he can afford to buy them when they please him: but I have heard as well that he is very severe, and most difficult to please.’
‘Surely that does not trouble you!’