Have you finished?
Come, then, and let me show you the pictures.

We have the whole afternoon before us." They explored the fine old house well-nigh from roof to basement, while St Aubyn recounted all the associations connected with the different rooms.

Then they went into the picture-gallery.

Austin, breathless with interest, hung upon St Aubyn's lips as he pointed out the peculiarities of each great master represented, and explained how, for instance, by a fold of the drapery or the crook of a finger, the characteristic mannerisms of the painter could be detected, and the school to which a given work belonged could approximately be determined; drew attention to the unifying and grouping of the different features of a composition; spoke learnedly of textures, qualities, and tactile values; and laid stress on the importance of colour, light, atmosphere, and the sense of motion, as contrasted with the undue preponderance too often attached by critics to mere outline.
All this was new to Austin, who had really never seen any good pictures before, and his enthusiasm grew with what it fed on.

St Aubyn was an admirable cicerone; he loved his pictures, and he knew them--knew everything that could be known about them--and, inspired by the intelligent appreciation of his guest, spared no pains to do them justice.