MEN I HAVE PAINTED
change in colour there appeared a decided likeness to Mr. Gladstone. I called my wife, who instantly recognized the change, and exclaimed, "Why, you can make it like with very little." Having sufficiently rubbed off the surface, I dried the canvas, and cleaned it with petroleum. Then taking the palette I made a colour similar to the film I had removed, and scumbled over the head with it, so that the work and detail all appeared through it. This was a good surface to work into while still wet, so I hurried off to the castle, where I found Mr. Gladstone reading, and in the same light and position as in the portrait.
As I worked, putting in an accent here and a light there, and enhancing the reflected light from the book on the face, the resemblance so much strengthened that it brought forth an exclamation of pleasure from Mrs. Drew when she entered the room, as she was in the habit of doing, to see how I was progressing. I began to feel that this small portrait was really growing under my brush, and had risen to a happy frame of mind, when an untoward and strange thing happened. There was a visitor at the castle, Lady Phillimore. I had met her at tea in the drawing-room the day before. She suddenly appeared behind me and asked me in a whisper to join her in the drawing-room, as she had something to say to me. Imagine my feelings! I knew that Mr. Gladstone would stop reading in a few minutes. I could not ask him to continue, as we had agreed upon perfect liberty of action. The portrait could not be painted on the following day, because the paint would be dry, and dry paint cannot be worked into. It can be worked upon only, and that spoils it. A few minutes more would finish the head, and I was asked to give those precious minutes to this lady!
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