“It is I who have had the talk now,” said Lionel, in his softest tone. He was bent on coaxing three pounds out of his richer friend, and that might require some management. For amongst the wild youngsters in Mr. Vance’s profession, there ran many a joke at the skill with which he parried irregular assaults on his purse; and that gentleman, with his nose more than usually in the air, having once observed to such scoffers “that they were quite welcome to any joke at his expense,” a wag had exclaimed, “At your expense! Don’t fear; if a joke were worth a farthing, you would never give that permission.” So when Lionel made that innocent remark, the softness of his tone warned the artist of some snake in the grass, and he prudently remained silent. Lionel, in a voice still sweeter, repeated,--“It is I who have all the talk now!” “Naturally,” then returned Vance, “naturally you have, for it is you, I suspect, who alone have the intention to pay for it, and three pounds appear to be the price. Dearish, eh?” “Ah, Vance, if I had three pounds!” “Tush; and say no more till we have supped. I have the hunger of a wolf.” Just in sight of the next milestone the young travellers turned a few yards down a green lane, and reached a small inn on the banks of the Thames. Here they had sojourned for the last few days, sketching, boating, roaming about the country from sunrise, and returning to supper and bed at nightfall. It was the pleasantest little inn,--an arbour, covered with honeysuckle, between the porch and the river,--a couple of pleasure-boats moored to the bank; and now all the waves rippling under the moonlight. “Supper and lights in the arbour,” cried Vance to the waiting-maid, “hey, presto, quick! while we turn in to wash our hands. And hark! a quart jug of that capital whiskey-toddy.” CHAPTER IV. Being a chapter that links the past to the future by the gradual elucidation of antecedents. O wayside inns and pedestrian rambles! O summer nights, under honeysuckle arbours, on the banks of starry waves! O Youth, Youth! Vance ladled out the toddy and lighted his cigar; then, leaning his head on his hand and his elbow on the table, he looked with an artist’s eye along the glancing river. “After all,” said he, “I am glad I am a painter; and I hope I may live to be a great one.” “No doubt, if you live, you will be a great one,” cried Lionel, with cordial sincerity. “And if I, who can only just paint well enough to please myself, find that it gives a new charm to Nature--” “Cut sentiment,” quoth Vance, “and go on.” “What,” continued Lionel, unchilled by the admonitory interruption, “must you feel who can fix a fading sunshine--a fleeting face--on a scrap of canvas, and say ‘Sunshine and Beauty, live there forever!’”