134 The Light That Failed I know that Kami will let me send it to the Salon. You don’t mind, do you?” “I suppose not. But you won’t have time for the Salon.” Maisie hesitated a little. She even felt uncomfortable. “We're going over to France a month sooner because of it. I shall get the idea sketched out here and work it up at Kami’s. Dick’s heart stood still, and he came very near to being disgusted with his queen who could do no wrong. “Just when I thought I had made some headway, she goes off chasing butterflies. It’s too maddening! There was no possibility of arguing, for the redhaired girl was in the studio. Dick could only look unutterable reproach. “I’m sorry,” he said, “and I think you make a mistake. But what’s the idea of your new picture?” “T took it from a book.” “That’s bad, to begin with. Books aren’t the places for pictures. And —” “It’s this,” said the red-haired girl behind him. “I was reading it to Maisie the other day from The City of Dreadful Night. D’you know the book?” “A little. 1am sorry I spoke. There are pictures in it. What has taken her fancy?” “The description of the Melancholia — “Her folded wings as of a mighty eagle, But all too impotent to lift the regal Robustness of her earth-born strength and pride. And here again. (Maisie, get the tea, dear.) “The forehead charged with baleful thoughts and dreams, The household bunch of keys, the housewife’s gown, Voluminous indented, and yet rigid As though a shell of burnished metal frigid, Her feet thick-shod to tread all weakness down.”