"But he should not have accepted a valuable picture," said the Youth, with decision. "No doubt you offered it to him when you saw he admired it. But now—when he must understand that—well, in fact, that circumstances are altered—he will have the good sense to give it you back again."
"Oh, I hope not," she says, with her embarrassment not diminishing. "I—I should not like that! I—I should be vexed."
"A person of good tact and good taste," says this venturesome young man, "would make a joke of it—would insist that you never meant it—and would prefer to buy the picture."
"I think not. I think Dr. Sutherland has as good taste as any one. He would know that that would vex me very much."
"Oh, well," says he, with a sort of carelessness, "every one to his liking. If he cares to accept so valuable a present, good and well."
"You don’t suppose he asked me for it?" she says, rather warmly. "I gave it him. He would have been rude to have refused it. I was very much pleased that he cared for the picture."
"Oh, he is a judge of art, also? I am told he knows everything."
"He was kind enough to say he liked the sketch; that was enough for me."
"He is very lucky; that is all I have to say."
"I dare say he has forgotten all about such a trifle. He has more important things to think about."
"Well," said he, with a good-natured laugh, "I should not consider such a picture a trifle if any one presented it to me. But it is always the people who get everything they want who value things least."
"Do you think Dr. Sutherland such a fortunate person?" says she. "Well, he is fortunate in having great abilities; and he is fortunate in having chosen a profession that has already secured him great honour, and that promises a splendid future to him. But that is the result of hard work; and he has to work hard now. I don’t think most men would like to change places with him just at present."
"He has one good friend and champion, at all events," he says, with a pleasant smile.
"Oh," says she, hastily and anxiously, "I am saying what I hear. My acquaintance with Dr. Sutherland is—is quite recent, I may say; though I have met him in London. I only got to know something about him when he was in Edinburgh, and I happened to be there too."