The Three Ages of Woman

The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
The Water lily Pond
Venus and Cupid
¡¡¡¡They went into a dingy room lined with books and littered with papers, where there was a blazing fire. A kettle steamed upon the hob, and in the midst of the wreck of papers a table shone, with plenty of wine upon it, and brandy, and rum, and sugar, and lemons. ¡¡¡¡"You have had your bottle, I perceive, Sydney." ¡¡¡¡"Two to-night, I think. I have been dining with the day's client; or seeing him dine- it's all one!" ¡¡¡¡"That was a rare point, Sydney, that you brought to bear upon the identification. How did you come by it? When did it strike you?" ¡¡¡¡"I thought he was rather a handsome fellow, and I thought I should have been much the same sort of fellow, if I had had any luck." ¡¡¡¡Mr. Stryver laughed till he shook his precocious paunch. ¡¡¡¡"You and your luck, Sydney! Get to work, get to work." ¡¡¡¡Sullenly enough, the jackal loosened his dress, went into an adjoining room, and came back with a large jug of cold water, a basin, and a towel or two. Steeping the towels in the water, and partially wringing them out, he folded them on his head in a manner hideous to behold, sat down at the table, and said, "Now I am ready!"