He took a devout satisfaction in his hard-earned wisdom
and his happy frugality. Rowland went the next day, by appointment,
to look at his sketches, and spent a whole morning turning them over.
Singleton talked more than he had ever done before, explained them all,
and told some quaintly humorous anecdote about the production of each.
"Dear me, how I have chattered!" he said at last. "I am afraid you had
rather have looked at the things in peace and quiet. I did n't know I
could talk so much. But somehow, I feel very happy; I feel as if I had
improved."
"That you have," said Rowland. "I doubt whether an artist ever passed a
more profitable three months. You must feel much more sure of yourself."
Singleton looked for a long time with great intentness at a knot in the
floor. "Yes," he said at last, in a fluttered tone, "I feel much more
sure of myself. I have got more facility!" And he lowered his voice as
if he were communicating a secret which it took some courage to impart.
"I hardly like to say it, for fear I should after all be mistaken. But
since it strikes you, perhaps it 's true.
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