I saw the force of this, but I was still a little uneasy, and said so.
“There is no occasion,” said he. “The mould is amply strong enough to cast from. It might possibly break in separating the cast, but that would be of no consequence, as you would then have the cast, which would be the medal, itself. And it could then be put into bronze or silver.”
“Very well,” I said, “if you guarantee the safety of the operation, I am satisfied. I should love to see it in silver; or perhaps it might look even better in gold.”
Having disposed of the works, themselves, we fell to discussing the question of suitable settings or frames; and this led us to the subject of the portraits. Thorndyke glanced over the collection, and picking up one, which happened to be my own favourite, looked at it thoughtfully.
“It is a beautiful face,” said he, “and this seems to have been a singularly happy portrait. In red chalk autotype, it would make a charming little picture. Did you take it?”
“Yes; and as I have the negative I am inclined to adopt your suggestion. I am surprised that I never thought of it myself, for red chalk is exactly the right medium.”
“Then let Polton have the negative. He is quite an expert in autotype work.”
I accepted the offer gladly and we then came back to the question of framing. Thorndyke’s suggestion was that the portrait should be treated as a medallion and enclosed in a frame to match that of the medal. The idea appealed to me rather strongly, and presently a further one occurred to me, though it was suggested indirectly by Thorndyke, who had taken up the tress of Stella’s hair and was looking at it admiringly as he drew it softly between his fingers.
“Human hair,” he remarked, “and particularly a woman’s hair, is always a beautiful material, no matter what its colour may be; but this red-gold variety is one of the most gorgeous of Nature’s productions.”
“Yes,” I agreed, “it is extremely decorative. Barbara had her tress made up into a thin plait and worked into the frame of a miniature of Stella. I liked the idea, but somehow the effect is not so very pleasing. But it is an oblong frame.”