“Except,” he continued, “some fellow like me, who doesn’t know anything.
_I_ think it’s lovely, you know; I mean to hang it in my mother’s
sitting-room.” He rose and clasped my hand in his adhesive pressure. “I’m
awfully obliged to you for telling me this; but perhaps you won’t mind my
asking you not to mention our talk to Miss Copt? It might bother her, you
know, to think the picture isn’t exactly up to the mark; and it won’t make
a rap of difference to me.”