BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 87
in a critical attitude before the picture, " and it is given to genius when it paints to realize its visions. Something of a nightmare this one, eh, Phil ? Tell me all about it. For a bit of rapid work it is marvelous."
" You think it is good? Well, I am glad, because I rather fancied it myself," said the artist, putting in a fresh touch or two in order to heighten the effect of the figures standing out against the sky. It was a long almost un- broken sweep of lurid cloud, suggesting the hopelessness of the prisoners, as much as the weakness of a setting sun that had beneath it the cold dreary waste of a Siberian landscape in winter.
" You are a genius, Phil ; that woman's face is a stroke of inspiration."
" How particularly amiable, you are to-day," was the young artist's reply.
" Just, Philip, not amiable ; just. If I have hitherto been more critical than complimentary, I have been influ- enced by a desire to keep you from taking the bit into your mouth and bolting with some wild idea ; but when one has evidence of power in a friend's work, why not admit it ? I don't hesitate in your case, because I feel sure you will appreciate the responsibility of what is called genius."
How little Dick Chetwynd imagined that his previous efforts to guard Philip Forsyth from letting his genius run away with him would all be discounted in the history of this picture, though in a direction of danger utterly dif- ferent from anything that could possibly have occurred to him ! We are all more or less engaged in protecting our- selves from dangers and troubles that never occur, to fall into pits and snares and toils the least looked for among all our forecasts of possible misfortunes.
11 Don't think for a moment that I accept your kindly verdict about genius," said the artist ; " it gives me plea- sure when you like my work, but what, in your estimation, is genius ? "
