“But why d’you come here then?” interrupted Philip.
“I see the better course, but do not follow it. Miss Price, who is cultured, will remember the Latin of that.”
“I wish you would leave me out of your conversation, Mr. Clutton,” said Miss Price brusquely.
“The only way to learn to paint,” he went on, imperturbable, “is to take a studio, hire a model, and just fight it out for yourself.”
“That seems a simple thing to do,” said Philip.
“It only needs money,” replied Clutton.
He began to paint, and Philip looked at him from the corner of his eye. He was long and desperately thin; his huge bones seemed to protrude from his body; his elbows were so sharp that they appeared to jut out through the arms of his shabby coat. His trousers were frayed at the bottom, and on each of his boots was a clumsy patch. Miss Price got up and went over to Philip’s easel.
“If Mr. Clutton will hold his tongue for a moment, I’ll just help you a little,” she said.
“Miss Price dislikes me because I have humour,” said Clutton, looking meditatively at his canvas, “but she detests me because I have genius.”
He spoke with solemnity, and his colossal, misshapen nose made what he said very quaint. Philip was obliged to laugh, but Miss Price grew darkly red with anger.