Page:Tales of the Unexpected (1924).djvu/224

 'That creative touch! To take canvas and pigment and make a man—as Adam was made of red ochre! But this thing! If you met it walking about the streets you would know it was only a studio production. The little boys would tell it to "Garnome and git frimed." Some little touch Well—it won't do as it is.'

He went to the blinds and began to pull them down. They were made of blue holland with the rollers at the bottom of the window, so that you pull them down to get more light. He gathered his palette, brushes, and mahl stick from his table. Then he turned to the picture and put a speck of brown in the corner of the mouth; and shifted his attention thence to the pupil of the eye. Then he decided that the chin was a trifle too impassive for a vigil.

Presently he put down his impedimenta, and lighting a pipe surveyed the progress of his work. 'I'm hanged if the thing isn't sneering at me,' said Harringay, and he still believes it sneered.

The animation of the figure had certainly increased, but scarcely in the direction he wished. There was no mistake about the sneer. 'Vigil of the Unbeliever,' said Harringay. 'Rather subtle and clever that! But the left eyebrow isn't cynical enough.'

He went and dabbed at the eyebrow, and added a little to the lobe of the ear to suggest materialism. Further consideration ensued. 'Vigil's off, I'm afraid,' said Harringay. 'Why not Mephistopheles? But that's a bit too common. "A Friend of the Doge,"—not so seedy. The armour won't do, though. Too Camelot. How about a scarlet robe and call him "One of the Sacred College"? Humour in that, and an appreciation of Middle Italian History.'

'There's always Benvenuto Cellini,' said Harringay; 'with a clever suggestion of a gold cup in one corner. But that would scarcely suit the complexion.'