"You say you found a chance for these," indicating the sketches. "How splendid of you! Tell me all about it." He was eagerly attentive, but she might never have mentioned her story. Apparently, that part of her report simply had not registered in his brain.
Mary's spirits suddenly dropped. She had come from an interview in which she was treated as a serious artist, and her husband could not even hear the account of her success. She rose and began to prepare their luncheon, recounting her adventures meanwhile in a rather flat voice. Stefan listened to her description of McEwan's metamorphosis only half credulously.
"Don't tell me," he commented, "that the cloven hoof will not out. Do you mean to say it's to him that you owe this chance?"
"I don't see how we can take favors from that brute," he said, running his hands moodily into his pockets.
Mary looked at him in frank astonishment.
"I don't understand you, Stefan," she said. "Mr. McEwan was kindness itself, and I am grateful to him, but there can be no question of receiving favors on your part. He introduced me to Mr. Farraday as a writer, and it was only through me that your work was mentioned at all." She was hurt by his narrow intolerance, and he saw it.
"Very well, goddess, don't flash your lightnings at me." He laughed gaily, and sat down to his luncheon. Throughout it Mary listened to a detailed account of his morning's work.
Next day she received by the first post a cheque for two hundred dollars, with a formal typewritten note from Farraday, expressing pleasure, and a hope that the Household Publishing Company might receive other manuscripts from her for its consideration. Stefan was setting his pallette for a morning's work on the Danaë. She called to him rather constrainedly from the door where she had opened the letter.
"Stefan, I've received a cheque for two hundred dollars for my story."
"That's splendid," he answered cheerfully. "If I sell these sketches we shall be quite rich. We must move from this absurd place to a proper studio flat. Mary shall have a white bathroom, and a beautiful blue and gold bed. Also minions to set food before her. Tra-la-la," and he hummed gaily. "I'm ready to begin, beloved," he added.