The great painter was asked，one day to paint a picture of“Pharaoh crossing the Red Sea”．A little while after the picture had been commenced，a hitch¹ arose over the fee，and Hogarth found that he would have to complete the commission for about half the sum he expected． When the work was com pleted， the patron was asked to come and inspect it．As a matter of fact，the picture was just one daub of brilliant red．

“What's this？” exclaimed the purchaser．I asked for theRed Sea， on the occasion of the celebrated² passage．”

“That's it，”replied Hogarth．

“But，where are the Israelites？”

“They are all gone over．”

“Where are the Egyptians？”

“They're all drowned．”

59．霍 迦 斯

一天，有人请这位伟大的画家画一幅“法老王渡红海”图。这幅画刚开始不久，酬金就出现了问题。霍迪斯发现，完成这幅画后，他只能得到他想要的大约一半的钱。当作品完成之后，那位主顾被请来看画。其实，这幅画不过是胡乱涂抹的一片鲜红。

“这是什么？”那位买主喊了起来。“我要的是红海，是那次著名的航海。”

“这就是，”霍迦斯回答说。

“可是以色列人在哪儿？”

“他们都已经渡过去了。”

“埃及人在哪儿？”

“他们全都淹死了。”