“Now I don’t go so far as to say that. No; I laughed when my little effort came back, with regrets. I said I can bide my time, and I can. The people will come to me, Haldiman, you see if they don’t.” “They do already, Barney--those who want to borrow money.” “Now look here, Hurst, don’t throw my beastly cash in my teeth. Am I to blame if I am rich? Do I allow it to make a difference between man and man? We were talking about art, not money.” “So we were. About your pictures. Go on.” “I only wanted to point out to you that one must take things philosophically. Now if Birmingham had rejected one of your pictures it would have depressed you for a week.” “Birmingham has got me on the other alley, Barney. It has accepted two of mine. Hence my gloom after what you have told me.” Barney beamed on his visitor. Here was his argument clinched, but he repressed his desire to say, “I told you so”; still he could not allow the occasion to pass without improving it with a little judicious counsel. “There you are, Haldiman, there you are. Does not the fact that you are accepted of Birmingham make you pause and think?” “I’m staggered. It’s a knock-down blow. I’ll be into the Academy next.” “Oh, not so bad as that. You see, Haldiman, you have talent of a certain kind----” “Now, Barney, you lay it on too thick. I like flattery, of course, but it must be delicately done. You are gross in your praise.” “I am not flattering you, Haldiman, ’pon my soul, I’m not. Most other fellows would be offended at what I’m going to say, but you’re a sensible man----” “There you go again.” “Listen to me. You have a certain talent--technique, perhaps, I should call it; a slight skill in technique.” “Ah, that’s better. Now go on.” “You got the praise and the prizes in Paris because of your technique, and that set you on the wrong tack. You are merely only doing well what hosts of other men have done well before you. You are down among the ruck. Now I strive after individuality.” “You get it, Barney.” “That’s not for me to say; anyhow, individuality and strength are what I want to see in my pictures, and there will some time come a critic with a mind unbiased enough to recognize these qualities. Then my day will have arrived. You mark my words, I shall found a school.” “Like Julian’s?” “No, like Whistler’s. You know very well what I mean. That’s your nasty way of showing you are offended because I’m frank enough to tell you the truth.” “I suppose none of us likes the candid friend, however much we may pretend to. Well, I must be going. I’ve got some technique to do for one of the magazines.”