Page:Life of Octavia Hill as told in her letters.djvu/238

 216 LIFE OF OCTAVIA HILL CHAP. from them each, who and what he was. To me his quiet face comments in its silence on our hurry and uncertainty ; and, as I sit drawing him, I hope to gather reproach enough from his still eyes to teach me to live quietly. It is rather a grand piece of work ; and is to be kept in the gallery of the Society, after being sent to Germany, to be chromo-lithographed for publi- cation in their " Archaeologia." The Secretary of the National Gallery had noticed my work, and recommended me to the Secretary of the National Portrait Gallery, to do the work. It is expected by them, and by the Director of Antiquaries, to lead to much more, and would really make me rich, in spite of myself; but there is small chance of time to do it in. I have also two portraits waiting to be done, miniatures ; but happily I do them at home at odd half-hours. I am also much interested in my large drawing-class at the Working-women's College. Eighteen hardwork- ing, intelligent women attend regularly. Our daily pupils have increased to six, which, with six residents, are as much as we can manage well, and we have refused any more, daily or resident. When we once get the tone up, the new pupils will fall into it naturally ; but, after increasing our number and parting from some, we have had hard work this term to battle with the school- girl element, which was strong in new-comers, and gained strength from numbers. Our old pupils have come out finely ; but the experience has made it a difficult term. And now for another side of our lives. We are every moment expecting Mr. Maurice. He comes in now we are such near neighbours, and sits and talks so very delightfully. We hope he will spend an evening here, while Mrs. Maurice is at Bath, and we should not be robbing her of him. MacDonald is so kind and nice.