We went straight to that empty room. Zena could not persuade the old man to have some tea first.
"Tea! I am not taking tea to-day. Bring me a little weak brandy and water, my dear."
"Don't you feel well?"
"Yes, but I am a little exhausted by talking to a man who thinks he understands art and doesn't."
"Oh, Murray doesn't pretend to understand it."
"Murray is not such a fool as he pretends to be, even in art; but I was thinking of the secretary, not Murray."
The brandy was brought, and then the professor turned to me.
"You suggested that perhaps Forbes was not the born artist that Musgrave is. What is your opinion now, Wigan?"
"I am chiefly impressed with the fact that Zena was right when she said the real woman was probably between Forbes's bust and Musgrave's picture."
"And I am chiefly impressed with the fact that they are both great artists," said Quarles. "I said Musgrave was, but I reserved my opinion of Forbes until I had seen this group. It has convinced me. Now, for my idea concerning the dancer. The first germ was in the notion that in Musgrave's picture lay the key to the mystery. Knowing something of the painter's power and ideals, I felt that the portrait must be true from one point of view. What was his standpoint? He explained it to you. He was detached, unbiased, putting on to his canvas that which he saw behind the mere outer mask. When I saw Forbes's bust, one of two things was certain: either he was incapable of seeing below the surface, or in this particular case he was incapable of doing so. I could not decide until I had seen other work of his. To-day I know he is as capable with his chisel as Musgrave is with his brush. You have only to study the standing and crouching figures in the group to see how virile and full of insight he can be."