Chapter 13

           HehadbeentoAmsterdam,Mr.BankeswassayingashestrolledacrossthelawnwithLilyBriscoe.HehadseentheRembrandts.HehadbeentoMadrid.Unfortunately,itwasGoodFridayandthePradowasshut.HehadbeentoRome.HadMissBriscoeneverbeentoRome?Oh,sheshould—Itwouldbeawonderfulexperienceforher—theSistineChapel;MichaelAngelo;andPadua,withitsGiottos.Hiswifehadbeeninbadhealthformanyyears,sothattheirsight-seeinghadbeenonamodestscale.

           ShehadbeentoBrussels;shehadbeentoParisbutonlyforaflyingvisittoseeanauntwhowasill.ShehadbeentoDresden;thereweremassesofpicturesshehadnotseen;however,LilyBriscoereflected,perhapsitwasbetternottoseepictures:theyonlymadeonehopelesslydiscontentedwithone’sownwork.Mr.Bankesthoughtonecouldcarrythatpointofviewtoofar.Wecan’tallbeTitiansandwecan’tallbeDarwins,hesaid;atthesametimehedoubtedwhetheryoucouldhaveyourDarwinandyourTitianifitweren’tforhumblepeoplelikeourselves.Lilywouldhavelikedtopayhimacompliment;you’renothumble,Mr.Bankes,shewouldhavelikedtohavesaid.Buthedidnotwantcompliments(mostmendo,shethought),andshewasalittleashamedofherimpulseandsaidnothingwhileheremarkedthatperhapswhathewassayingdidnotapplytopictures.Anyhow,saidLily,tossingoffherlittleinsincerity,shewouldalwaysgoonpainting,becauseitinterestedher.