July 1892 - The Emma Hardinge Britten Archive

190 The Mystery oj NO.9, Stanhope Street.
woman, with dark, waving hair and lustrous, brown eyes,.
as Max Muller has to suggest that the original Adam
and Eve be painted with india rubber skins, black wool
on their heads, and mouths considerably more prominent
than their flat nasal organs. Be this as it may, I didn't
know any better-thought of Mrs. Adam as of Mrs.
Balfour in prospective, and married the girl I wished to
paint but objected to degrade. The result-thus far, old
fellow, was unfortunate-showed I was neither well informed
concerning original, at feast B£blz'caf, crea/£ve fore.
or woman's nature. My picture was rejected, and-I
must say as much-every other sent in was the same.
But something in my picture must have struck the rich
prize-giver, for-would you believe it-he sent for me,
told me I had got the wrong kind of Eve, being (I suppose)
personally acquainted with the lady, and knowing
her to be a blonde, not a brunette, he complimented
me on my artistic skill, and assured me that if, within
three years from that time, I could find a blonde Eve, all
the rest was assured, and the five thousand should be
mine unconditionally."
" Now, Dick, fine and complimentary as all this seemed
to be, it was just like water poured on a duck's back. My
Eve fever had burnt out. Marriage cares came upon me.
Time went on, and 1 having some talent, I suppose, and
much industry, have just gone on working up daily bread
and household supplies pretty successfully. I manage
to win the supplies, and Madame Balfour knows how to
spend them. A warm and cordial invitation from some
relatives of mine at Twickenham-only a few miles from
hence, you know-induced me to come to my native land
on a holiday trip, a recuperative rest I much need, and
now, being here, my un-reason of reason induces me to
think there is an tmder, or it may be an upper, current
of influence, that moves us poor mortals very much as if