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tribe。 When I last heard of his progress he was hard on the heels
of Hippocrates； but had no immediate prospect of tripping up his
successor； Is this the sort of occupation （I ask myself） in which
a modern young lady is likely to feel the slightest interest？
Once again； clearly not。
Owen's favorite employment is； in its way； quite as
characteristic as Morgan's； and it has the great additional
advantage of appealing to a much larger variety of tastes。 My
eldest brothergreat at drawing and painting when he was a lad；
always interested in artists and their works in after lifehas
resumed； in his declining years； the holiday occupation of his
schoolboy days。 As an amateur landscape…painter； he works with
more satisfaction to himself； uses more color； wears out more
brushes； and makes a greater smell of paint in his studio than
any artist by profession； native or foreign； whom I ever met
with。 In look； in manner； and in disposition； the gentlest of
mankind； Owen； by some singular anomaly in his character； which
he seems to have caught from Morgan； glories placidly in the
wildest and most frightful range of subjects which his art is
capable of representing。 Immeasurable ruins； in howling
wildernesses； with blood…red sunsets gleaming over them；
thunder…clouds rent with lightning； hovering over splitting trees
on the verges of awful precipices； hurricanes； shipwrecks； waves；
and whirlpools follow each other on his canvas； without an
intervening glimpse of quiet everyday nature to relieve the
succession of pictorial horrors。 When I see him at his easel； so
neat and quiet； so unpretending and modest in himself； with such
a composed expression on his attentive face； with such a weak
white hand to guide such bold； big brushes； and when I look at
the frightful canvasful of terrors which he is serenely
aggravating in fierceness and intensity with every successive
touch； I find it difficult to realize the connection between my
brother and his work； though I see them before me not six inches
apart。 Will this quaint spectacle possess any humorous
attractions for Miss Jessie？ Perhaps it may。 There is some slight
chance that Owen's employment will be lucky enough to interest
her。
Thus far my morning cogitations advance doubtfully enough； but
they altogether fail in carrying me beyond the narrow circle of
The Glen Tower。 I try hard； in our visitor's interest； to look
into the resources of the little world around us； and I find my
efforts rewarded by the prospect of a total blank。
Is there any presentable living soul in the neighborhood whom we
can invite to meet her？ Not one。 There are； as I have already
said； no country seats near us； and society in the county town
has long since learned to regard us as three misanthropes；
strongly suspected； from our monastic way of life and our dismal
black costume； of being popish priests in disguise。 In other
parts of England the clergyman of the parish might help us out of
our difficulty； but here in South Wales； and in this latter half
of the nineteenth century； we have the old type parson of the
days of Fielding still in a state of perfect preservation。 Our
local clergyman receives a stipend which is too paltry to bear
comparison with the wages of an ordinary mechanic。 In dress；
manners； and tastes he is about on a level with the upper class
of agricultural laborer。 When attempts have been made by
well…meaning gentlefolks to recognize the claims of his
profession by asking him to their houses； he has been known； on
more than one occasion； to leave his plowman's pair of shoes in
the hall； and enter the drawing…room respectfully in his
stockings。 Where he preaches； miles and miles away from us and
from the poor cottage in which he lives； if he sees any of the
company in the squire's pew yawn or fidget in their places； he
takes it as a hint that they are tired of listening； and closes
his sermon instantly at the end of the sentence。 Can we ask this
most irreverend and unclerical of men to meet a young lady？ I
doubt； even if we made the attempt； whether we should succeed； by
fair means； in getting him beyond the servants' hall。
Dismissing； therefore； all idea of inviting visitors to entertain
our guest； and feeling； at the same time； more than doubtful of
her chance of discovering any attraction in the sober society of
the inmates of the house； I finish my dressing and go down to
breakfast； secretly veering round to the housekeeper's opinion
that Miss Jessie will really bring matters to an abrupt
conclusion by running away。 I find Morgan as bitterly resigned to
his destiny
as ever； and Owen so affectionately anxious to make himself of
some use； and so lamentably ignorant of how to begin； that I am
driven to disembarrass myself of him at the outset by a
stratagem。
I suggest to him that our visitor is sure to be interested in
pictures； and that it would be a pretty attention； on his part；
to paint her a landscape to hang up in her room。 Owen brightens
directly； informs me in his softest tones that he is then at work
on the Earthquake at Lisbon； and inquires whether I think she
would like that subject。 I preserve my gravity sufficiently to
answer in the affirmative； and my brother retires meekly to his
studio； to depict the engulfing of a city and the destruction of
a population。 Morgan withdraws in his turn to the top of the
tower； threatening； when our guest comes； to draw all his meals
up to his new residence by means of a basket and string。 I am
left alone for an hour； and then the upholsterer arrives from the
county town。
This worthy man； on being informed of our emergency； sees his
way； apparently； to a good stroke of business； and thereupon wins
my lasting gratitude by taking； in opposition to every one else；
a bright and hopeful view of existing circumstances。
〃You'll excuse me； sir；〃 he says； confidentially； when I show him
the rooms in the lean…to； 〃but this is a matter of experience。
I'm a family man myself； with grown…up daughters of my own； and
the natures of young women are well known to me。 Make their rooms
comfortable； and you make 'em happy。 Surround their lives； sir；
with a suitable atmosphere of furniture； and you never hear a
word of complaint drop from their lips。 Now； with regard to these
rooms； for example； siryou put a neat French bedstead in that
corner； with curtains conformablesay a tasty chintz； you put on
that bedstead what I will term a sufficiency of bedding； and you
top up with a sweet little eider…down quilt； as light as roses；
and similar the same in color。 You do that； and what follows？ You
please her eye when she lies down at night； and you please her
eye when she gets up in the morningand you're all right so far；
and so is she。 I will not dwell； sir； on the toilet…table； nor
will I seek to detain you about the glass to show her figure； and
the other glass to show her face； because I have the articles in
stock； and will be myself answerable for their effect on a lady's
mind and person。〃
He led the way into the next room as he spoke； and arranged its
future fittings； and decorations； as he had already planned out
the bedroom； with the strictest reference to the connection which
experience had shown him to exist between comfortable furniture
and female happiness。
Thus far； in my helpless state of mind； the man's confidence had
impressed me in spite of myself； and I had listened to him in
superstitious silence。 But as he continued to rise； by regular
gradations； from one climax of upholstery to another； warning
visions of his bill disclosed themselves in the remote background
of the scene of luxury and magnificence which my friend was
conjuring up。 Certain sharp professional instincts of bygone
times resumed their influence over me； I began to start doubts
and ask questions； and as a necessary consequence the interview
between us soon assumed something like a practical form。
Having ascertained what the probable expense of furnishing would
amount to and having discovered that the process of transforming
the lean…to （allowing for the time required to procure certain
articles of rarity from Bristol） would occupy nearly a fortnight；
I dismissed the upholsterer with the understanding that I should
take a day or two for consideration； and let him know the result。
It was then the fifth of September； and our Queen of Hearts was
to arrive on the twentieth。 The work； therefore； if it was begun
on the seventh or eighth； would be begun in time。
In making all my calculations with a reference to the twentieth
of September； I relied implicitly； it will be observed； on a
young lady's punctuality in keeping an appointment which she had
herself made。 I can only account for such extraordinary
simplicity on my part on the supposition that my wits had become
sadly rusted by long seclusion from society。 Whether it was
referable to this cause or not； my innocent trustfulness was at
any rate destined to be practically rebuked before long in the
most surprising manner。 Little did I suspect； when I parted from
the upholsterer on the fifth of the month； what the tenth of the
month had in store for me。
On the seventh I made up my mind to have the