The sketch was quite grotesque, and very fine. I immediately introduced myself, and we became instant friends.”The others looked at the young man, taking in his threadbare clothes, his gauntness, the hatchet face below the oddly cut chestnut hair. Finally, Ada moved from the painting, approached Japheth and took his hand. “We’re pleased that you could join our little soirée. I am Ada Artemis. Sebastian says you sketch.”“He has a remarkable talent for diabolic scenes,” Sebastian crowed, “which got him into a bit of trouble in his hometown. Thus he has found his way to Gershom, where he will find neither judgment nor condemnation.”“You exaggerate, Sebastian, as always,” said Max, who strolled to the boy and introduced himself. “You’ve only just criticized my art!”“What I mean is, we do not critique personality. We do not hound or harass because one’s art is morbid. We do not moralize; we know that art can express anything.”“And have you been hounded?”
