He esteemed her highly, and owed her a great debt of gratitude.

Yet in this hour he anathematized her unexpected journey to Tennis; for without it he would have obtained from Ledscha that very day what he desired, and could have returned to Alexandria with the certainty of finding her ready later to pose as the model for his Arachne.
Never could he find anywhere a more fitting one.
He had devoted himself with passionate love to his art, and even his enemies numbered him among its most promising disciples.

Yet hither to he had not succeeded in obtaining a great and undisputed success.

On the other hand, he had experienced what were termed failures in abundant measure.
The art to which he had gained entrance by so severe a struggle, and on whose soil he had laboured diligently enough, proved, so far as outward recognition was concerned, cruel to the enthusiastic disciple.

Yet even now he would not have abandoned it at any price; the joy of creation compensated him richly for suffering and disappointment.