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(22 WILD MARGARET.
7. Are you fond of art, Lord. Ferrers?” he inguired, ina |
. Brave voice. foha, be coors
‘Blair, shook his head. ‘
“TI like a: good picture, but I don’t iknow anything
about it,” he said. .** You have avery fine collection, have
you not?”
The prince shr ugged. his shoulders.
‘Not so fine as that at Leyton Court, Lord Ferrers,’ he
said, with a. bow. -‘‘ But I possess one picture which I :0
value above all.the others... 1am so attached to it that it
travels about with me; it. is here, in my writing room.
. Would you care to see it? I think it will repay you for
‘your trouble.”’. Do es :
Blair rose at once. .. .
**T should like to very much, ” he said. |
The-prince led the way toa small room on the same floor,
and stood before a picture, closely curtained.
‘You will want plenty.-of light,’’ he said, ‘turning: up
the gas as he spoke, ‘‘ and. if. you will sit just, there, Lord
ferrers, you will be in the most favorable position,” ae
At the same time he himself took up his stand by. the
curtain, with his eyes fixed piercingly upon Blair’s face.
: ‘Now, *? he said, ‘I want you to. tell me exactly how
this picture strikes you at first sight. You shall examine
it closely and criticise it afterward. I ought to tell you
that it has made the artist famous.” ‘
As he. spoke, still. keeping his eyes fixed upon. Blair's
face, he drew the curtain,: Blair had not. felt: much, in-|
‘terest in the proceedings, and expected tosee some piece of
artistic trickery, and so ‘leant back to take ib.at his ease;
when suddenly, as if the veil of the past had been. rent
asunder, there sprung upon his sight the picture of. his
Mar garet lying on the rocks at Appleford; the exact rep-
resentation of her death as he had pictured it, alas! how, . |
often!
Trembling and almost beside himself, he had forgotten:
the presence of the. prince, who,..mute as himself, stood
with folded arms regarding him. with a stern look. .
“Does: the picture please you, Lord Ferrers?” he said,
and there was something ominous in his voice.
Blair started and turned to him,
_‘*I—I beg your pardon. Yes, it isa marvelous picture.
But there is something connected with it; I——”’ he sank
into the chair and covered. his face with his. hands.
__ The prince stood regarding him in silence for a moment; -
then he drew the cuftain over the picture aud turned to
Blair,
picture. There need be nob one word spoken between us
“My lord, you will understand why [ showed you that