have more mystery about it!«
    Mr. Guppy affects to smile; and with the view of changing the conversation,
looks with an admiration, real or pretended, round the room at the Galaxy
Gallery of British Beauty; terminating his survey with the portrait of Lady
Dedlock over the mantel-shelf, in which she is represented on a terrace, with a
pedestal upon the terrace, and a vase upon the pedestal, and her shawl upon the
vase, and a prodigious piece of fur upon the shawl, and her arm on the
prodigious piece of fur, and a bracelet on her arm.
    »That's very like Lady Dedlock,« says Mr. Guppy. »It's a speaking likeness.«
    »I wish it was,« growls Tony, without changing his position. »I should have
some fashionable conversation, here, then.«
    Finding, by this time, that his friend is not to be wheedled into a more
sociable humour, Mr. Guppy puts about upon the ill-used tack, and remonstrates
with him.
    »Tony,« says he, »I can make allowances for lowness of spirits, for no man
knows what it is when it does come upon a man, better than I do; and no man
perhaps has a better right to know it, than a man who has an unrequited image
imprinted on his art. But there are bounds to these things when an unoffending
party is in question, and I will acknowledge to you, Tony, that I don't think
your manner on the present occasion is hospitable or quite gentlemanly.«
    »This is strong language, William Guppy,« returns Mr. Weevle.
    »Sir, it may be,« retorts Mr. William Guppy, »but I feel strongly when I use
it.«
    Mr. Weevle admits that he has been wrong, and begs Mr. William Guppy to
think no more about it. Mr. William Guppy, however, having got the advantage,
cannot quite release it without a little more injured remonstrance.
    »No! Dash it, Tony,« says that gentleman, »you really ought to be careful
how you wound the feelings of a man, who has an unrequited image imprinted on
his art, and who is not altogether happy in those chords which vibrate to the
tenderest emotions. You, Tony, possess in yourself all that is calculated to
charm the eye, and allure the taste. It is not - happily for you, perhaps, and I
may wish that I could say the same - it is not your character to hover around