"Sixth is head of the fine arts department," explained the Mater. "His full name is Sprague Sixth; six generations ago we had a great artist called Sprague, who was for twenty years our secretary of the fine arts, and one of his sons has borne his name ever since, until it has become a tradition in Massachusetts that we must have a Sprague at the head of our fine arts. This man Sprague Sixth, whom we call Sixth for short, doesn't believe anybody can be good at art unless he has studied in the state school. Now Anna did not show any talent until her school days were over and she had been assigned to work in the store." "And now there is no chance for her," said Ariston ironically. "What do you mean," exclaimed Cleon, taking Ariston seriously, "she can be a great artist, without being recognized?" "I am not sure I want to be recognized," said Anna. "If I were recognized I should have to spend half my day in doing dull things for the state to please Sixth; whereas, now one half of the day is spent in doing mechanical work at the store; the other half I have fresh for my own work. I am going to ask to be assigned to a factory; for factory work is still more mechanical than that of the store, and I can then be more free to think of my own work." All this was very strange and illuminating. A sculptor asking to do factory work! "But won't factory work be very hard and brutalizing?" I asked. Anna looked at me, puzzled, and Ariston came to her rescue. "I don't think," he said, "Anna appreciates your point of view. In your day all factory work was done purely to make money; the factories were uncomfortable places, and workmen had to work eight and ten hours a day. Now that most of us have to do some factory work during the year, inventiveness has set to work to make the factory comfortable, and as we all of us have to work for the state and we no longer have to pay the cost of competition, three or four hours a day are all that are necessary to furnish the whole community with the necessaries and comforts of life." "And so I can give the rest of the day to sculpture," said Anna. "Without any anxiety as to whether her sculpture will pay or not," added Ariston. "She just has to please herself," said the Mater comfortably. "I am dreaming!" said I. "No, you're not," said the Mater; and she pinched me till I started. Everybody found this very funny--and so I took it as good-naturedly as I could. But I made up my mind to have a little revenge, so I asked the Mater quite loud as soon as they had finished laughing: "Tell me, is Lydia the only Demetrian here?" All looked shocked except Cleon, who laughed louder than ever, but Anna looked at him severely and said: "Cleon, I'm surprised." I noticed, too, a smile curl Ariston's lip. The Mater put a warning finger to her mouth and shook her head reproachfully.