transaction。
  Among　resident　artists　he　enjoyed　celebrity　of　a　non…
  professional　sort。　　He　had　spent　more　money　…　no　less　than
  three　individual　fortunes；　it　was　whispered　…　than　any　of　his
  associates　could　ever　hope　to　gain。　　Apart　from　his　colonial
  career；　he　had　been　to　Greece　in　a　brigantine　with　four　brass
  carronades；　he　had　travelled　Europe　in　a　chaise　and　four；
  drawing　bridle　at　the　palace…doors　of　German　princes；　queens
  of　song　and　dance　had　followed　him　like　sheep　and　paid　his
  tailor's　bills。　　And　to　behold　him　now；　seeking　small　loans
  with　plaintive　condescension；　sponging　for　breakfast　on　an
  art…student　of　nineteen；　a　fallen　Don　Juan　who　had　neglected
  to　die　at　the　propitious　hour；　had　a　colour　of　romance　for
  young　imaginations。　　His　name　and　his　bright　past；　seen
  through　the　prism　of　whispered　gossip；　had　gained　him　the
  nickname　of　THE　ADMIRAL。
  Dick　found　him　one　day　at　the　receipt　of　custom；　rapidly
  painting　a　pair　of　hens　and　a　cock　in　a　little　water…colour
  sketching　box；　and　now　and　then　glancing　at　the　ceiling　like
  a　man　who　should　seek　inspiration　from　the　muse。　　Dick
  thought　it　remarkable　that　a　painter　should　choose　to　work
  over　an　absinthe　in　a　public　cafe；　and　looked　the　man　over。
  The　aged　rakishness　of　his　appearance　was　set　off　by　a
  youthful　costume；　he　had　disreputable　grey　hair　and　a
  disreputable　sore；　red　nose；　but　the　coat　and　the　gesture；
  the　outworks　of　the　man；　were　still　designed　for　show。　　Dick
  came　up　to　his　table　and　inquired　if　he　might　look　at　what
  the　gentleman　was　doing。　　No　one　was　so　delighted　as　the
  Admiral。
  'A　bit　of　a　thing；'　said　he。　　'I　just　dash　them　off　like
  that。　　I　…　I　dash　them　off；'　he　added　with　a　gesture。
  'Quite　so；'　said　Dick；　who　was　appalled　by　the　feebleness　of
  the　production。
  'Understand　me；'　continued　Van　Tromp；　'I　am　a　man　of　the
  world。　　And　yet　…　once　an　artist　always　an　artist。　　All　of　a
  sudden　a　thought　takes　me　in　the　street；　I　become　its　prey：
  it's　like　a　pretty　woman；　no　use　to　struggle；　I　must　…　dash
  it　off。'
  'I　see；'　said　Dick。
  'Yes；'　pursued　the　painter；　'it　all　comes　easily；　easily　to
  me；　it　is　not　my　business；　it's　a　pleasure。　　Life　is　my
  business　…　life　…　this　great　city；　Paris　…　Paris　after　dark　…
  its　lights；　its　gardens；　its　odd　corners。　　Aha！'　he　cried；
  'to　be　young　again！　　The　heart　is　young；　but　the　heels　are
  leaden。　　A　poor；　mean　business；　to　grow　old！　　Nothing　remains
  but　the　COUP　D'OEIL；　the　contemplative　man's　enjoyment；　Mr。　…
  ；'　and　he　paused　for　the　name。
  'Naseby；'　returned　Dick。
  The　other　treated　him　at　once　to　an　exciting　beverage；　and
  expatiated　on　the　pleasure　of　meeting　a　compatriot　in　a
  foreign　land；　to　hear　him；　you　would　have　thought　they　had
  encountered　in　Central　Africa。　　Dick　had　never　found　any　one
  take　a　fancy　to　him　so　readily；　nor　show　it　in　an　easier　or
  less　offensive　manner。　　He　seemed　tickled　with　him　as　an
  elderly　fellow　about　town　might　be　tickled　by　a　pleasant　and
  witty　lad；　he　indicated　that　he　was　no　precision；　but　in　his
  wildest　times　had　never　been　such　a　blade　as　he　thought　Dick。
  Dick　protested；　but　in　vain。　　This　manner　of　carrying　an
  intimacy　at　the　bayonet's　point　was　Van　Tromp's　stock…in…
  trade。　　With　an　older　man　he　insinuated　himself；　with　youth
  he　imposed　himself；　and　in　the　same　breath　imposed　an　ideal
  on　his　victim；　who　saw　that　he　must　work　up　to　it　or　lose　the
  esteem　of　this　old　and　vicious　patron。　　And　what　young　man
  can　bear　to　lose　a　character　for　vice？
  At　last；　as　it　grew　towards　dinner…time；　'Do　you　know　Paris？'
  asked　Van　Tromp。
  'Not　so　well　as　you；　I　am　convinced；'　said　Dick。
  'And　so　am　I；'　returned　Van　Tromp　gaily。　　'Paris！　　My　young
  friend　…　you　will　allow　me？　…　when　you　know　Paris　as　I　do；
  you　will　have　seen　Strange　Things。　　I　say　no　more；　all　I　say
  is；　Strange　Things。　　We　are　men　of　the　world；　you　and　I；　and
  in　Paris；　in　the　heart　of　civilised　existence。　　This　is　an
  opportunity；　Mr。　Naseby。　　Let　us　dine。　　Let　me　show　you　where
  to　dine。'
  Dick　consented。　　On　the　way　to　dinner　the　Admiral　showed　him
  where　to　buy　gloves；　and　made　him　buy　them；　where　to　buy
  cigars；　and　made　him　buy　a　vast　store；　some　of　which　he
  obligingly　accepted。　　At　the　restaurant　he　showed　him　what　to
  order；　with　surprising　consequences　in　the　bill。　　What　he
  made　that　night　by　his　percentages　it　would　be　hard　to
  estimate。　　And　all　the　while　Dick　smilingly　consented；
  understanding　well　that　he　was　being　done；　but　taking　his
  losses　in　the　pursuit　of　character　as　a　hunter　sacrifices　his
  dogs。　　As　for　the　Strange　Things；　the　reader　will　be　relieved
  to　hear　that　they　were　no　stranger　than　might　have　been
  expected；　and　he　may　find　things　quite　as　strange　without　the
  expense　of　a　Van　Tromp　for　guide。　　Yet　he　was　a　guide　of　no
  mean　order；　who　made　up　for　the　poverty　of　what　he　had　to
  show　by　a　copious；　imaginative　commentary。
  'And　such；'　said　he；　with　a　hiccup；　'such　is　Paris。'
  'Pooh！'　said　Dick；　who　was　tired　of　the　performance。
  The　Admiral　hung　an　ear；　and　looked　up　sidelong　with　a
  glimmer　of　suspicion。
  'Good　night；'　said　Dick；　'I'm　tired。'
  'So　English！'　cried　Van　Tromp；　clutching　him　by　the　hand。
  'So　English！　　So　BLASE！　　Such　a　charming　companion！　　Let　me
  see　you　home。'
  'Look　here；'　returned　Dick；　'I　have　said　good　night；　and　now
  I'm　going。　　You're　an　amusing　old　boy：　I　like　you；　in　a
  sense；　but　here's　an　end　of　it　for　to…night。　　Not　another
  cigar；　not　another　grog；　not　another　percentage　out　of　me。'
  'I　beg　your　pardon！'　cried　the　Admiral　with　dignity。
  'Tut；　man！'　said　Dick；　'you're　not　offended；　you're　a　man　of
  the　world；　I　thought。　　I've　been　studying　you；　and　it's　over。
  Have　I　not　paid　for　the　lesson？　　AU　REVOIR。'
  Van　Tromp　laughed　gaily；　shook　hands　up　to　the　elbows；　hoped
  cordially　they　would　meet　again　and　that　often；　but　looked
  after　Dick　as　he　departed　with　a　tremor　of　indignation。
  After　that　they　two　not　unfrequently　fell　in　each　other's
  way；　and　Dick　would　often　treat　the　old　boy　to　breakfast　on　a
  moderate　scale　and　in　a　restaurant　of　his　own　selection。
  Often；　too；　he　would　lend　Van　Tromp　the　matter　of　a　pound；　in
  view　of　that　gentleman's　contemplated　departure　for
  Australia；　there　would　be　a　scene　of　farewell　almost　touching
  in　character；　and　a　week　or　a　month　later　they　would　meet　on
  the　same　boulevard　without　surprise　or　embarrassment。　　And　in
  the　meantime　Dick　learned　more　about　his　acquaintance　on　all
  sides：　heard　of　his　yacht；　his　chaise　and　four；　his　brief
  season　of　celebrity　amid　a　more　confiding　population；　his
  daughter；　of　whom　he　loved　to　whimper　in　his　cups；　his
  sponging；　parasitical；　nameless　way　of　life；　and　with　each
  new　detail　something　that　was　not　merely　interest　nor　yet
  altogether　affection　grew　up　in　his　mind　towards　this
  disreputable　stepson　of　the　arts。　　Ere　he　left　Paris　Van
  Tromp　was　one　of　those　whom　he　entertained　to　a　farewell
  supper；　and　the　old　gentleman　made　the　speech　of　the　evening；
  and　then　fell　below　the　table；　weeping；　smiling；　paralysed。
  CHAPTER　II　…　A　LETTER　TO　THE　PAPERS
  OLD　Mr。　Naseby　had　the　sturdy；　untutored　nature　of　the　upper
  middle　class。　　The　universe　seemed　plain　to　him。　　'The
  thing's　right；'　he　would　say；　or　'the　thing's　wrong'；　and
  there　was　an　end　of　it。　　There　was　a　contained；　prophetic
  energy　in　his　utterances；　even　on　the　slightest　affairs；　he
  SAW　the　damned　thing；　if　you　did　not；　it　must　be　from
  perversity　of　will；　and　this　sent　the　blood　to　his　head。
  Apart　from　this；　which　made　him　an　exacting　companion；　he　was
  one　of　the　most　upright；　hot…tempered；　hot…headed　old
  gentlemen　in　England。　　Florid；　with　white　hair；　the　face　of
  an　old　Jupiter；　and　the　figure　of　an　old　fox…hunter；　he
  enlivened　the　vale　of　Thyme　from　end　to　end　on　his　big；
  cantering　chestnut。
  He　had　a　hearty　respect　for　Dick　as　a　lad　of　parts。　　Dick　had
  a　respect　for　his　father　as　the　best　of　men；　tempered　by　the
  politic　revolt　of　a　youth　who　has　to　see　to　his　own
  independence。　　Whenever　the　pair　argued；　they　came　to　an　open
  rupture；　and　arguments　were　frequent；　for　they　were　both
  positive；　and　both　loved　the　work　of　the　intelligence。　　It
  was　a　treat　to　hear　Mr。　Naseby　defending　the　Church　of
  England　in　a　volley　of　oaths；　or　supporting　ascetic　morals
  with　an　enthusiasm　not　entirely　innocent　of　port　wine。　　Dick
  used　to　wax　indignant；　and　none　the　less　so　because；　as　his
  father　was　a　skilful　disputant；　he　found　himself　not　seldom
  in　the　wrong。　　On　these　occasions；　he　would　redouble　in
  energy；　and　declare　that　black　was　white；　and　blue　yellow；
  with　much　conviction　and　heat　of　manner；　but　in　the　morning
  such　a　licence　of　debate　weighed　upon　him　like　a　crime；　and
  he　would　seek　out　his　father；　where　he　walked　before
  breakfast　on　a　terrace　overlooking　all　the　vale　of　Thyme。
  'I　have　to　apologise；　sir；　for　last　night　…　'　he　would　begin。
  'Of　cours