"One of them is an artist. She paints portraits, and possibly other things. Oh, I was going to say there is an art-gallery at the top of the house. Her husband--I mean Mrs. Phillips'--was a painter and collector himself; and after dinner we went up there, and a curious man came in, propelling a wheeled chair--a sort of death's-head at the feast.... But don't let me get too far away from the matter in hand. She is dark and a bit tonguey--the artist-girl; and I believe she would be sarcastic and witty if she weren't held down pretty well. I think she's a niece: the relationship leaves her free, as I suppose she feels, to express herself. If you like the type you may have it; but wit in a woman, or even humor, always makes me uncomfortable. The feminine idea of either is a little different from ours. "Another girl is a musician. She plays the violin--quite tolerably. Yes, yes, I recall your views about violin-playing: it's either good or bad--nothing between. I'll say this, then: she played some simple and unpretentious things and did them very deftly. Simple, unpretentious: oddest thing in the world, for she is a recent graduate of our school of music and began this fall as an instructor. Wouldn't you have expected to find her demanding a chance to perform a sonata at the least, or pining miserably for a concerto with full orchestra? Well, this young lady I put down as a plain boarder--you can't maintain a big house on memories and a collection of paintings. She's a nice child, and I dare say makes as good a boarder as any nice child could. "The third girl--if you want to hear any more about them--seems to be a secretary. Think of having the run of a house where a social secretary is required! I'm sure she sends out the invitations and keeps the engagement-book. Besides all that, she writes poetry--she is the minstrel of the court. She does verses about her chatelaine--is quite the mistress of self-respecting adulation. _She_ would know the difference between Herrick and Cowper!"... Cope pulled out his watch. Then he resumed.