Королі та капуста
Masters of arts
PaintthatpresidentmanasOldKingCole,orVenus,oralandscape,orafresco,orabunchoflilies,oranythinghethinkshelookslike.Butgetthepaintonthecanvasandcollectthespoils.Youwouldn’tthrowmedown,Carry,atthisstageofthegame.Thinkofthattenthousand."
"Ican’thelpthinkingofit,"saidWhite,"andthat’swhathurts.I’mtemptedtothroweveryidealIeverhaddowninthemire,andsteepmysoulininfamybypaintingthatpicture.Thatfivethousandmeantthreeyearsofforeignstudytome,andI’dalmostsellmysoulforthat."
"Nowitain’tasbadasthat,"saidKeogh,soothingly."It’sabusinessproposition.It’ssomuchpaintandtimeagainstmoney.Idon’tfallinwithyourideathatthatpicturewouldsoeverlastinglyjolttheartsideofthequestion.GeorgeWashingtonwasallright,youknow,andnobodycouldsayawordagainsttheangel.Idon’tthinksobadofthatgroup.IfyouwastogiveJupiterapairofepauletsandasword,andkindofworkthecloudsaroundtolooklikeablackberrypatch,itwouldn’tmakesuchabadbattlescene.Why,ifwehadn’talreadysettledontheprice,heoughttopayanextrathousandforWashington,andtheangeloughttoraiseitfivehundred."
"Youdon’tunderstand,Billy,"saidWhite,withanuneasylaugh."SomeofusfellowswhotrytopainthavebignotionsaboutArt.Iwantedtopaintapicturesomedaythatpeoplewouldstandbeforeandforgetthatitwasmadeofpaint.
