offeredmethepaintingofthemayor’sportrait，andahundredpoundsformytrouble。Well，ofcourseIwasmuchsurprised，andforaminuteortwocouldscarcelyspeak；recoveringmyself，however，Imadeaspeech，notsoeloquentasthatofthewatchmakerofcourse，beingnotsoaccustomedtospeaking；butnotsobadeither，takingeverythingintoconsideration，tellingthemhowflatteredIfeltbythehonourwhichtheyhadconferredinproposingtomesuchanundertaking；expressing，however，myfearsthatIwasnotcompetenttothetask，andconcludingbysayingwhatapityitwasthatCromewasdead。“Crome，“saidthelittleman，“Crome；yes，hewasacleverman，averyclevermaninhisway；hewasgoodatpaintinglandscapesandfarm-houses，buthewouldnotdointhepresentinstancewerehealive。Hehadnoconceptionoftheheroic，sir。WewantsomepersoncapableofrepresentingourmayorstridingundertheNormanarchoutofthecathedral。“Atthementionoftheheroicanideacameatonceintomyhead。“Oh，“
saidI，“ifyouareinquestoftheheroic，Iamgladthatyoucametome；don’tmistakeme，“Icontinued，“IdonotmeantosaythatI
coulddojusticetoyoursubject，thoughIamfondoftheheroic；
butIcanintroduceyoutoagreatmasteroftheheroic，fullycompetenttodojusticetoyourmayor。Nottome，therefore，bethepaintingofthepicturegiven，buttoafriendofmine，thegreatmasteroftheheroic，tothebest，thestrongest，[greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]“Iadded，for，beingamongstorators，I
thoughtawordofGreekwouldtell。’