Короли и капуста
Masters of arts
"Whatkindofapictureisittobe?"
"It’salongstory,"saidKeogh.
"Goaheadwithit.Ifyoudon’tmind,whileyoutalkI’lljustkeepmyeyeonthesesausages.Let’emgetoneshadedeeperthanaVandykebrownandyouspoil’em."
Keoghexplainedhisproject.TheyweretoreturntoCoralio,whereWhitewastoposeasadistinguishedAmericanportraitpainterwhowastouringinthetropicsasarelaxationfromhisarduousandremunerativeprofessionallabours.Itwasnotanunreasonablehope,eventothosewhohadtrodinthebeatenpathsofbusiness,thatanartistwithsomuchprestigemightsecureacommissiontoperpetuateuponcanvasthelineamentsofthepresident,andsecureashareofthepesosthatwereraininguponthecatererstohisweaknesses.
Keoghhadsethispriceattenthousanddollars.Artistshadbeenpaidmoreforportraits.HeandWhiteweretosharetheexpensesofthetrip,anddividethepossibleprofits.ThushelaidtheschemebeforeWhite,whomhehadknownintheWestbeforeonedeclaredforArtandtheotherbecameaBedouin.
Beforelongthetwomachinatorsabandonedtherigourofthebarestudioforasnugcornerofacafé.Theretheysatfarintothenight,witholdenvelopesandKeogh’sstubofbluepencilbetweenthem.
Attwelveo’clockWhitedoubledupinhischair,withhischinonhisfist,andshuthiseyesattheunbeautifulwall-paper.
"I’llgoyou,Billy,"hesaid,inthequiettonesofdecision.
