The American

nt, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame. Newman, among the distract

accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith. But behold me at last! And behold also the pretty Madonna. Place it on a chair, my f

g light, and looked, to Newman's eyes, wonderfully splendid and precious. It seemed to him a very happy purchase, and he felt rich in the possession of it. He sto

father, sir; but as one man of taste addressing another I cannot help observing that you have there an exquisite work. It is hard to produce such things and to have to part with them. If our means only allowed us the luxury of keeping it! I really may say, sir-" and M. Nioche gave a little feebly

es of French, with words anglicized by a process of his own, and with native idioms literally translated. The result, in the form in which he in all humility presented it, would be scarcely comprehensible to the reader, so that I have ventured to trim and sift it. Newman only half understood it, but it amused him, and the old man's decent forlornness appealed to his democratic instincts. The

ou, then, with the f

" said the old man, smiling agreeably, but

give me a

appen to desire to discharge his debt." And he drew a paper from his pocket-book and presented it to

dropped the napoleons one by one, solemnly

y?" asked Newman. "She mad

is very good. Monsieur

ry pretty,

, she is v

he harm in her

ooking up at Newman with a gaze that seemed to brighten and expand, "Monsieur

he case with your daug

s. But if my daughter were a plain gi

raid of the

ng and t

t to get

. Her husband must take her as she is; I can't give

, "her talent is

and M. Nioche slapped his purse tenderly before he stow

wman; "that's all I can say. They ought to pay

ll you have? They are not the ideas of this countr

tion does your

ed himself, at a venture, and replied that he knew a very nice young man, employe

f a dozen pictures for me, a

r dowry! Monsieur is not

n the Louvre as pretty as that Madonna, I

zed at him with watery eyes. "As pretty as that? They shall be a thousand times prettier-they shall be magnificent, sublime. Ah, if I only knew how to

hanked me enoug

express my gratitude, I will charge you noth

Listening to your English," added Newman

tainly," said M. Nioche. "But for my own a

his is a very good hour. I am going to have my coffee; com

also?" cried M. Nioche. "Truly,

gin. The coffee is almighty hot

our hero so much easy entertainment and propounded so many curious problems to his inquiring and practical mind. Newman was fond of statistics; he liked to know how things were done; it gratified him to learn what taxes were paid, what profits were gathered, what commercial habits prevailed, how the battle of life was fought. M. Nioche, as a reduced capitalist, was familiar with these considerations, and he formulated his information, which he was proud to be able to impart, in the neatest possible terms and with a pinch of snuff between finger and thumb. As a Frenchman-quite apart from Newman's napoleons-M. Nioche loved conversation, and even in his decay his urbanity had not grown rusty. As a Frenchman, too, he could give a clear account of things, and-still as a Frenchman-when his knowledge was at fault he could supply its lapses with the most convenient and ingenious hypotheses. The little shrunken financier was intensely delighted to have questions asked him, and he scraped together information, by frugal processes, and took notes, in his little greasy pocket-book, of incidents which might interest his munificent friend. He read old almana

aggregation of copper coins, and in the minute subdivision of labor and profit. He questioned M. Nioche about his own manner of life, and felt a friendly mixture of compassion and respect over the recital of his delicate frugalities. The worthy man told him how, at one period, he and his daughter had supported existence comfortably upon the sum of fiftee

young, one is pretty, one needs new dresses and fresh gloves;

enough to pay for her o

o, without a suspicion or a question, had admitted him to equal social rights. He compromised, and declared that while it was obvious that Mademoiselle Noémie's reproductions of the old masters had only to be seen to be coveted, the prices which, in consideration of t

r art," Newman once observed, "why should you have

nevolent confidence-he felt a tremulous impulse to speak out all his trouble. "Ah, she is an artist, my dear sir, most assuredly," he declared. "But, to tell you the truth, she is a

ppy with your wi

le backward jerks of his head. "

eceive

at last. I have only been once in my life a man to be afraid of; I know it very well; it was in that ho

s not

one to her

er, then," said Newman encour

e of her shoe! But Noémie has no need of influence.

n't obey

elf of her palette and brushes. Some of our friends in the quartier pronounced the idea fantastic: they recommended her to try bonnet making, to get a situation in a shop, or-if she was more ambitious-to advertise for a place of dame de compagnie. She did advertise, and an old lady wrote her a letter and bade her come and see her. The old lady liked her, and offered her her living and six hundred francs a year; but Noémie discovered that she passed her life in her armchair and had only two visitors, her confessor and her nephew: the confessor very strict, and the nephew a man of fifty, with a broken nose and a government clerkship of two thousand francs. She threw her old lady over, bought a paint-box, a canvas, and a new dress, and went and set up her easel in the Louvre. There in one place and another, she has passed the last two years; I can't say it has made us milliona

thing will happ

shoot her!" said t

ou manage it; and I will go and see her tomorrow at the

to thank him in person. The morning after the conversation just narrated, Newman reverted to his intention of meeting Mademoiselle Noémie at the Louvre. M. Nioche appeared preoccupied, and left his budget of anecdotes unopened; he took a great deal of sn

atter?" our h

confidence, but I can't help giving you a warning. After all, you are a man, you are young

tume, but wore her bonnet and gloves and carried her parasol, in honor of the occasion. These articles had been selected with unerring taste, and a fresher, prettier image of youthful alertness and blooming discretion was not to be conceived. She made Newman a most respectful curtsey and expressed her gratitude for his liberality in a wonderfully graceful little speech

" said Mademoiselle Noémie,

had no desire to bring her public interview with her striking-looking patron to a close. Newman perceived that prosperity agreed with her. The little thin-lip

do you desire?" she ask

d Newman. "But I want so

old Louvre. But we will see what we can find. You speak

" said Newman. "I am too

émie, with a clear, shrill laugh. "You are a v

gentleman. He never l

lle Noémie, "and as honest as the day. Oh, an excep

s obey him?"

ey

o what he

ek, and in her expressive French eye, which projected too much for perfect beau

I want

d girl?" And she g

innocence, Newman felt ready on the spot to affirm that she had never parted with it. She had simply never had any; she had been looking at the world since she was ten years old, and he would have been a wise man who could tell her any secrets. In her long mornings at the Louvre she had not only studied Madonnas and St. Johns; she had kept an eye upon all the variously embodied human nature around her, and she had formed her conclus

ld be very bad manners in me to ju

mplained to you," sai

you are a

ng such things to gentlemen

n gravely, "I do

then pointed to a small Italian picture, a Marriage o

Newman. "The young lady in th

connoisseur," murmure

no; I know very

ty women

I am hard

asked, indicating a superb Italian portrait of a

e? Why not as larg

f the Venetian masterpiece and gave a little toss of

dly, I must have her, as large as lif

with her mocking smile, "It certainly ought to b

ean?" asked Ne

u want that portrait-the golden hair, the purple sa

ng-just a

ing else do

other things, but

uely about her. At last she came back. "It must be charming to be able to order pictures at such a rate. Ven

d to travel,"

buying, spe

shall spend

to have it. And you

you mean

bother you-no family,

m tolerab

y," said Mademoise

n, proving that he had learne

ou stay in Paris?" th

few da

you go

ot, and I must g

Lakes and mountains, romantic valleys and icy peaks! Oh, I congratulate you. Me

t it," said Newman. "Do

leased him, and Mademoiselle Noémie generally criticised it, and proposed somethi

the other day in the Salon

ed your

esitated a

hing rashly,"

were going to speak to me. I never dreamed I should be

natural," ob

have never walked about in public with a gentleman before. What

his unjust accusati

she said. "Five copies as brilliant and beautiful as I can make them. We have one more to choose. Shouldn't you

e that," said Newman.

suddenly rose and stood before him, with her hands hanging and clasped in front of her. "I do

nly," said Newman, putting

s! I don't know

n't kno

d a picture until you bought that thing the other day." And as

augh. "Why do you tel

see a clever man blunder so.

one I p

rather wors

wman, "I like i

der of yours is impossible, you know. What do you take me for? It is work for ten men. You pick out the six most difficult pictures in the L

honest than her leaving him in error would have been. She was playing a game; she was not simply taking pity on his ?sthetic verdancy. What was it she expected to win? The stakes were high and the risk was great; the prize therefore must have been comme

" he said, "or a

moiselle Noémie, but with

hey are painted. If you can't do all that,

bad," said Made

determined it shall be bad, of course it

ng else; I have

eiving your

itated a moment. "

red; "I am sure he

t any rate. And I like being here; it is a place to come to, every day; it is better than sitt

said Newman. "But for a poor girl isn

e. "But rather than earn my living as some girls do-toiling with a needle, i

," Newman answered; "your

r of

I told him I would give yo

he account I make of it! Why should you

I hold to my offer; do what you c

the ground. At last, looking up, "What sort of a husba

me he knows some ve

ma?tres de cafés! I will not ma

fastidious," said Newman. "That'

aid!" cried the young girl. "It has do

d you expect

't help i

bad," he said, "but you are too clever for me, nevertheless

her hand, which clasped the rail in front of the pictures. Newman stood a moment and then turned on his heel and retreated. He had unders