AshehadtoldLadyMaryPercy，MacMasterhadfoundtheimperativeinspirationofhispurposeinTreffinger’sunfinishedpicture，theMarriageofPhaedra。HehadalwaysbelievedthatthekeytoTreffinger’sindividualitylayinhissingulareducation；intheRomandelaRose，inBoccaccio，andAmadis，thoseworkswhichhadliterallytranscribedthemselvesupontheblanksouloftheLondonstreetboy，andthroughwhichhehadbeenbornintotheworldofspiritualthings。Treffingerhadbeenamanwholivedafterhisimagination；andhismind，hisidealsand，asMacMasterbelieved，evenhispersonalethics，hadtothelastbeencoloredbythetrendofhisearlytraining。Therewasinhimalikethefreshnessandspontaneity，thefrankbrutalityandthereligiousmysticism，whichlaywellbackofthefifteenthcentury。IntheMarriageofPhaedraMacMasterfoundtheultimateexpressionofthisspirit，thefinalwordastoTreffinger’spointofview。
AsinallTreffinger’sclassicalsubjects，theconceptionwaswhollymedieval。ThisPhaedra，justturningfromherhusbandandmaidenstogreetherhusband’sson，givinghimherfirstfearsomeglancefromunderherhalf-liftedveil，wasnodaughterofMinos。Thedaughterofheathenesseandtheearlychurchshewas；doomedtotorturingvisionsandscourgings，andthewranglingofsoulwithflesh。ThevenerableTheseusmighthavebeenvictoriousCharlemagne，andPhaedra’smaidensbelongedratherinthetrainofBlancheofCastilethanattheCretancourt。IntheearlierstudiesHippolytushadbeendonewithamorepagansuggestion；butineachsuccessivedrawingthegloriousfigurebadbeendefloweredofsomethingofitssereneunconsciousness，until，inthecanvasundertheskylight，heappearedaveryChristianknight。Thismalefigure，andthefaceofPhaedra，paintedwithsuchmagicalpreservationoftoneundertheheavyshadowoftheveil，wereplainlyTreffinger’shighestachievementsofcraftsmanship。Bywhatlaborhehadreachedtheseeminglyinevitablecompositionofthepicture——withitstwentyfigures，itsplenitudeoflightandair，itsrestfuldistancesseenthroughwhiteporticoes——countlessstudiesborewitness。
FromJames’sattitudetowardthepictureMacMastercouldwellconjecturewhatthepainter’shadbeen。ThispicturewasalwaysuppermostinJames’smind；itscustodianshipformed，inhiseyes，hisoccupation。Hewasmanifestlyapprehensivewhenvisitors——notmanycamenowadays——lingerednearit。“ItwastheMarriageaskilled’im，“hewouldoftensay，“andforthematter’othat，itdidliketo’avbeenthedeathofallofus。“
BytheendofhissecondweekinLondonMacMasterhadbegunthenotesforhisstudyofHughTreffingerandhiswork。WhenhisresearchesledhimoccasionallytovisitthestudiosofTreffinger’sfriendsanderstwhiledisciples，hefoundtheirTreffingermannerfadingastheringofTreffinger’spersonalitydiedoutinthem。OnebyonetheywerestealingbackintothefoldofnationalBritishart；thehandthathadwoundthemupwasstill。MacMasterdespairedofthemandconfinedhimselfmoreandmoreexclusivelytothestudio，tosuchofTreffinger’slettersaswereavailable——theywereforthemostpartsingularlynegativeandcolorless——andtohisinterrogationofTreffinger’sman。
HecouldnothimselfhavetracedthesuccessivestepsbywhichhewasgraduallyadmittedintoJames’sconfidence。