"If so, he is of the very highest class, for I have seldom seen a better-bred man." "There are very well-bred artists," said Lady Penelope.

"It is the profession of a gentleman." "Certainly," answered Lady Binks; "but the poorer class have often to struggle with poverty and dependence.

In general society, they are like commercial people in presence of their customers; and that is a difficult part to sustain.

And so you see them of all sorts--shy and reserved, when they are conscious of merit--petulant and whimsical, by way of showing their independence--intrusive, in order to appear easy--and sometimes obsequious and fawning, when they chance to be of a mean spirit.

But you seldom see them quite at their ease, and therefore I hold this Mr.Tyrrel to be either an artist of the first class, raised completely above the necessity and degradation of patronage, or else to be no professional artist at all." Lady Penelope looked at Lady Binks with much such a regard as Balaam may have cast upon his ass, when he discovered the animal's capacity for holding an argument with him.