Wilbur smiled emphatically; that sentiment was quite proper.
CHAPTER XII
In spite of the preoccupations incident to the season, Miss Anthon found an opportunity of seeing Erard. She preferred to tell him of her new step rather than write a letter; for her curiosity about his opinion on the subject was quite keen. They were examining an Ingres at the Louvre and Erard was engaged in convincing her of its regular merits. In her present mood the smooth, polished surface of the nude figures struck her as vacant and useless. Imaginatively she began to see that all art was of the same nature as this Ingres,—a little dead.
“I have taken your advice,” she remarked casually, “and chosen the active life. I am to marry—Mr. Wilbur.”
“Ah!” Erard exclaimed, recovering his balance neatly. “You will be the Chicago matron after all. And what shall I do for an assistant? I had just taught you a few things: you were beginning to be useful!”
“That was mere play, you know well enough. I could never be more than an intelligent clerk.” She was disappointed that his manner was so completely impersonal. He took it altogether as too trivial a matter, too much of course. After a few minutes he returned to the subject.
“May I paint you, Miss Anthon, as La grande dame de Chicago, U. S. A. I should like to make you a wedding gift, and perhaps, if Mr. Wilbur doesn’t object, it might be in this form.”
“You may ask him,” she replied shortly, silly pique rising at his insolent calmness. She evidently meant very little to him, personally. He was quite right; but to please her, he ought to be wrong. Even his interest in lecturing to her about pictures seemed to flag; making some conventional excuse he cut short the visit to the Louvre. It was as if he regarded time spent on her now as wasted—it would lead to nothing. As they parted he arranged for sittings, and then remarked,—
“You will be very happy of course, after you have shaken into place and got used to yourself. The commonplace thing is the best for most of us.”
“Yes, I shall be very happy,” she replied shortly, turning away.