Lord Edward sat forward. “Elgin had legal permission to take the carvings. As little as you may like it, he sought permission in the proper way.”
Wayles-Faire’s mouth twisted. “He wheedled permission from the Turks, who hadna any care for those pieces. They aren’t so free and easy handing out their own treasures, but the ancient Greeks—!” He gave a wave of one hand. “They never cared forthat bit, so o’ course they told Elgin he could have it—especially once he offered a hefty bribe.”
“But then it’s still a legal transfer, no matter how little you may approve,” said Lord Edward, frowning.
The artist gave him a look. “If I were to break into your house, fight you and beat you and lock you in your wine cellar, then throw wide the doors and sell your family treasures to anyone I pleased because I had claimed your property by force, would you call it legal? Or would you call me a thief and an invader, and consider yourself still the rightful owner of the pictures?”
“All right,” agreed Lord Edward. “I concede that point.”
“A great many things like that happen in war, though,” said Fanny. “Bonaparte carted away all the art he could get his encroaching little hands on. Had Elgin left them in Athens, they would merely have ended up in Paris.”
“That only proves my point,” declared Wayles-Faire, his voice rising in pitch. “What did the treaty in Vienna say? That the French must return the art and antiquities stolen—stolen!—by Napoleon. The British government was implacable upon that point—except for the items the English army had subsequently captured! Why should the English be permitted to keep their stolen treasures, while the French may not?”
“Because they are French,” said Mrs. Murray with a little laugh. “Bonaparte was awful, sir, simply awful.”
“I submit that Elgin was nearly as awful,” he replied. “It is British arrogance to force France to return what they stole, while keeping the antiquities and treasures taken by Englishmen.”
“You will start a new war, Mr. Wayles-Faire,” said Lord Edward in amusement.
The artist shook his head. “If you had seen the carvings as they were meant to be seen, on the Parthenon in the brilliance of the Mediterranean sun, you would agree with me. There, theyare the history of an ancient and brilliant people. Here, they are singular novelties, gaped at by silly, idle people who have no idea of the history they represent.”
“As one of those silly, idle people,” Fanny replied with a smile, “I confess I was rather dazzled by them.”
He ducked his head in apology. “I meant no offense. Of course many people see them and recognize their beauty. But I assure you, they were far more beautiful in their natural setting, before Elgin hacked them down with all the finesse of a butcher and absconded with them.” He turned to Richard in appeal. “You ken what I speak of, aye?Youdid not bring home entire ships’ worth of stolen artifacts from your travels.”
Richard hesitated. “I never felt moved to bring artifacts home with me, no. Certainly not ones that required chisels to extract from their native setting.”
“And why not?” prodded the artist, who clearly knew the answer.
Richard glanced at Evangeline. “Because they were not mine to take. They belonged to the people I encountered, and I wished to know the people far more than I wished to have their treasures.”
“None at all?” asked Fanny, surprised.
He shook his head. “I never traveled in search ofthings. My desire was always first to see the beauties and wonders of the world, and second to meet the people who dwelt in those places. I certainly have seen wondrous and awe-inspiring things,” he said as she drew breath to ask the question. “And some of my sponsors and benefactors would have been delighted, had I brought them back with me. But that, to me, is a false reason for traveling. I craved adventures one could not have in Europe. My pleasure came from the people I met and the experiences I shared with them.” He made a face. “Anything else is morelike... a shopping expedition at best, looting and pillaging at worst.”
“Exactly!” Wayles-Faire nodded so hard his hair fell into his face. “Looting! ’Tis exactly what it was! Those pieces never should have left Athens.”
“You brought nothing home, Sir Richard?” asked Francesca with interest.
“No, no.” He smiled. “Naturally I purchased items—clothing, blankets, supplies. Some items I admired and they were given to me as gifts. In a few instances, I fashioned my own copies of their weapons or tools, often with guidance from friendly natives. But I had no interest in acquiring much that wasn’t immediately needed. The thought of shipping it anywhere...” He held up one hand and shook his head, as if to hide from the very thought. “Also, I did not always know where home was, which certainly complicates ownership.”
“You have always had a home here,” cried his sister.
“Due to your generosity,” he said. “Only now do I feel the pull of England.” His gaze stayed on his sister, at the other end of the table from him, but Evangeline knew, with a prickle of warmth, that he also meant her.Goodness.
“But now that the Parthenon carvingsarehere,” asked Francesca tactfully, “what can be done? I very much doubt they could simply be put back where they came from.”
“Not without considerable effort and expense,” murmured her husband.
“Even more than that,” she replied, turning to the artist. “I understand they were chiseled from the plinths, in many cases. Would it even be possible to restore them to their original situation?”
“It would be difficult,” Wayles-Faire admitted, mouth twisted. “Though not impossible! Elgin hardly cared for thedifficulty of prising them from their native berth, why should we care for the difficulty of restoring them?”
“At the very least, they could be returned to the land they came from,” said Evangeline. “Here, they will be set up as a museum, and all of us charged two shillings to parade past to view them. Surely the same could be done in Athens?”
“That would not be the same, but better than this display of spoils,” grumbled the artist.
“But who would pay for it?” asked Fanny. “Itisa crass question, I know,” she said as Wayles-Faire turned to her, flushed and frowning. “Elgin could tell you how frightfully expensive it was to ship them to England. I daresay sending them back would cost no less.”
