Oh；　no！　Very　much　alive；　on　the　contrary。　Delighted；　made　young　again　by　the　triumph　of　her　goddaughter；　who　had　made　what　is　decidedly　the　success　of　the　exhibition；　she　passes　about　among　the　crowd　of　artists　and　fashionable　people；　who；　wedged　together　and　stifling　themselves　in　order　to　get　a　look　at　the　two　points　where　the　works　sent　by　Felicia　are　exhibited；　form　as　it　were　two　solid　masses　of　black　backs　and　jumbled　dresses。　Constance；　ordinarily　so　timid；　edges　her　way　into　the　front　rank；　listens　to　the　discussions；　catches；　as　they　fly；　disjointed　phrases；　formulas　which　she　takes　care　to　remember；　approves　with　a　nod；　smiles；　raises　her　shoulders　when　she　hears　a　stupid　remark　made；　inclined　to　murder　the　first　person　who　should　not　admire。
  Whether　it　be　the　good　Crenmitz　or　another；　you　will　always　see　it　at　every　opening　of　the　/Salon/；　that　furtive　silhouette；　prowling　near　wherever　a　conversation　is　going　on；　with　an　anxious　manner　and　alert　ear；　sometimes　a　simple　old　fellow；　some　father；　whose　glance　thanks　you　for　any　kind　word　said　in　passing；　or　assumes　a　grieved　expression　by　reason　of　some　epigram；　flung　at　the　work　of　art；　that　may　wound　some　heart　behind　you。　A　figure　not　to　be　forgotten；　certainly；　if　ever　it　should　occur　to　any　painter　with　a　passion　for　modernity　to　fix　on　canvas　that　very　typical　manifestation　of　Parisian　life；　the　opening　of　an　exhibition　in　that　vast　conservatory　of　sculpture；　with　its　paths　of　yellow　sand；　and　its　immense　glass　roof　beneath　which；　half…way　up；　stand　out　the　galleries　of　the　first　floor；　lined　by　heads　bent　over　to　look　down；　and　decorated　with　improvised　flowing　draperies。
  In　a　rather　cold　light；　made　pallid　by　those　green　curtains　that　hang　all　around；　in　which　one　would　fancy　that　the　light…rays　become　rarefied；　in　order　to　give　to　the　vision　of　the　people　walking　about　the　room　a　certain　contemplative　justice；　the　slow　crowd　goes　and　comes；　pauses；　disperses　itself　over　the　seats　in　serried　groups；　and　yet　mixing　up　different　sections　of　society　more　thoroughly　than　any　other　assembly；　just　as　the　weather；　uncertain　and　changeable　at　this　time　of　the　year；　produces　a　confusion　in　the　world　of　clothes；　causes　to　brush　each　other　as　they　pass；　the　black　laces；　the　imperious　train　of　the　great　lady　come　to　see　how　her　portrait　looks；　and　the　Siberian　furs　of　the　actress　just　back　from　Russia　and　anxious　that　everybody　should　know　it。
  Here；　no　boxes；　no　stalls；　no　reserved　seats；　and　it　is　this　that　gives　to　this　/premiere/　in　full　daylight　so　great　a　charm　of　curiosity。　Genuine　ladies　of　fashion　are　able　to　form　an　opinion　of　those　painted　beauties　who　receive　so　much　commendation　in　an　artificial　light；　the　little　hat；　following　a　new　mode　of　the　Marquise　de　Bois　l'Hery；　confronts　the　more　than　modest　toilette　of　some　artist's　wife　or　daughter；　while　the　model　who　posed　for　that　beautiful　Andromeda　at　the　entrance；　goes　by　victoriously；　clad　in　too　short　a　skirt；　in　wretched　garments　that　hide　her　beauty　beneath　all　the　false　lines　of　fashion。　People　observe；　admire；　criticise　each　other；　exchange　glances　contemptuous；　disdainful；　or　curious；　interrupted　suddenly　at　the　passage　of　a　celebrity；　of　that　illustrious　critic　whom　we　seem　still　to　see；　tranquil　and　majestic；　his　powerful　head　framed　in　its　long　hair；　making　the　round　of　the　exhibits　in　sculpture　followed　by　a　dozen　young　disciples　eager　to　hear　the　verdict　of　his　kindly　authority。　If　the　sound　of　voices　is　lost　beneath　that　immense　dome；　sonorous　only　under　the　two　vaults　of　the　entrance　and　the　exit；　faces　take　on　there　an　astonishing　intensity；　a　relief　of　movement　and　animation　concentrated　especially　in　the　huge；　dark　bay　where　refreshments　are　served；　crowded　to　overflowing　and　full　of　gesticulation；　the　brightly　coloured　hats　of　the　women　and　the　white　aprons　of　the　waiters　gleaming　against　the　background　of　dark　clothes；　and　in　the　great　space　in　the　middle　where　the　oval　swarming　with　visitors　makes　a　singular　contrast　with　the　immobility　of　the　exhibited　statues；　producing　the　insensible　palpitation　with　which　their　marble　whiteness　and　their　movements　as　of　apotheosis　are　surrounded。
  There　are　wings　poised　in　giant　flight；　a　sphere　supported　by　four　allegorical　figures　whose　attitude　of　turning　suggests　some　vague　waltz…measurea　total　effect　of　equilibrium　well　conveying　the　illusion　of　the　sweeping　onward　of　the　earth；　and　there　are　arms　raised　to　give　the　signal；　bodies　heroically　risen；　containing　an　allegory；　a　symbol　which　stamps　them　with　death　and　immortality；　secures　to　them　a　place　in　history；　in　legend；　in　that　ideal　world　of　museums　which　is　visited　by　the　curiosity　or　the　admiration　of　the　nations。
  Although　Felicia's　group　in　bronze　had　not　the　proportions　of　these　large　pieces；　its　exceptional　merit　had　caused　it　to　be　selected　to　adorn　one　of　the　open　spaces　in　the　middle；　from　which　at　this　moment　the　public　was　holding　itself　at　a　respectful　distance；　watching；　over　the　hedge　of　custodians　and　policemen；　the　Bey　of　Tunis　and　his　suite；　an　array　of　long　bernouses　falling　in　sculptural　folds；　which　had　the　effect　of　placing　living　statues　opposite　the　other　ones。
  The　Bey；　who　had　been　in　Paris　since　a　few　days　before；　and　was　the　lion　of　all　the　/premieres/；　had　desired　to　see　the　opening　of　the　exhibition。　He　was　〃an　enlightened　prince；　a　friend　of　art；〃　who　possessed　at　the　Bardo　a　gallery　of　remarkable　Turkish　paintings　and　chromo…lithographic　reproductions　of　all　the　battles　of　the　First　Empire。　The　moment　he　entered；　the　sight　of　the　big　Arab　greyhound　had　struck　him　as　he　passed。　It　was　the　/sleughi/　all　over；　the　true　/sleughi/；　delicate　and　nervous；　of　his　own　country；　the　companion　of　all　his　hunting　expeditions。　He　laughed　in　his　black　beard；　felt　the　loins　of　the　animal；　stroked　its　muscles；　seemed　to　want　to　urge　it　on　still　faster；　while　with　nostrils　open；　teeth　showing；　all　its　limbs　stretched　out　and　unwearying　in　their　vigorous　elasticity；　the　aristocratic　beast；　the　beast　of　prey；　ardent　in　love　and　the　chase；　intoxicated　with　their　double　intoxication；　its　eyes　fixed；　was　already　enjoying　a　foretaste　of　its　capture　with　a　little　end　of　its　tongue　which　hung　and　seemed　to　sharpen　the　teeth　with　a　ferocious　laugh。　When　you　only　looked　at　the　hound　you　said　to　yourself；　〃He　has　got　him！〃　But　the　sight　of　the　fox　reassured　you　immediately。　Beneath　the　velvet　of　his　lustrous　coat；　cat…like　almost　lying　along　the　ground；　covering　it　rapidly　without　effort；　you　felt　him　to　be　a　veritable　fairy；　and　his　delicate　head　with　its　pointed　ears；　which　as　he　ran　he　turned　towards　the　hound；　had　an　expression　of　ironical　security　which　clearly　marked　the　gift　received　from　the　gods。
  While　an　Inspector　of　Fine　Arts；　who　had　rushed　up　in　all　haste；　with　his　official　dress　in　disorder；　and　a　head　bald　right　down　to　his　back；　explained　to　Mohammed　the　apologue　of　〃The　Dog　and　the　Fox；〃　related　in　the　descriptive　catalogue　with　these　words　inscribed　beneath；　〃Now　it　happened　that　they　met；〃　and　the　indication；　〃The　property　of　the　Duc　de　Mora；〃　the　fat　Hemerlingue；　perspiring　and　puffing　by　his　Highness's　side；　had　great　difficulty　to　convince　him　that　this　masterly　piece　of　sculpture　was　the　work　of　the　beautiful　young　lady　whom　they　had　encountered　the　previous　evening　riding　in　the　Bois。　How　could　a　woman；　with　her　feeble　hands；　thus　mould　the　hard　bronze；　and　give　to　it　the　very　appearance　of　the　living　body？　Of　all　the　marvels　of　Paris；　this　was　the　one　which　caused　the　Bey　the　most　astonishment。　He　inquired　consequently　from　the　functionary　if　there　was　nothing　else　to　see　by　the　same　artist。
  〃Yes；　indeed；　monseigneur；　another　masterpiece。　If　your　Highness　will　deign　to　step　this　way　I　will　conduct　you　to　it。〃
  The　Bey　commenced　to　move　on　again　with　his　suite。　They　were　all　admirable　types；　with　chiselled　features　and　pure　lines；　warm　pallors　of　complexion　of　which　even　the　reflections　were　absorbed　by　the　whiteness　of　their　/haiks/。　Magnificently　draped；　they　contrasted　with　the　busts　ranged　on　either　side　of　the　aisle　they　were　following；　which；　perched　on　their　high　columns；　looking　slender　in　the　open　air；　exiled　from　their　own　home；　from　the　surroundings　in　which　doubtless　they　would　have　recalled　severe　labours；　a　tender　affection；　a　busy　and　courageous　existence；　had　the　sad　aspect　of　people　gone　astray　in　their　path；　and　very　regretful　to　find　themselves　in　their　present　situation。　Excepting　two　or　three　female　heads；　with　opulent　shoulders　framed　in　petrified　lace；　and　hair　rendered　in　marble　with　that　softness　of　touch　which　gives　it　the　lightness　of　a　powdered　wig；　excepting；　too；　a　few　profiles　of　children　with　their　simple　lines；　in　which　the　polish　of　the　stone　seems　to　resemble　the　moistness　of　the　living　flesh；　all　the　rest　were　only　wrinkles；　crow's…feet；　shrivelled　features　and　grimaces；　our　excesses　in　work　and　in　movement；　our　nervousness　and　our　feverishness；　opposing　themselves　to　that　art　of　repose　and　of　beautiful　serenity。
  The　ugliness　of　the　Nabob　had　at　least　energy　in　its　favour；　the　vulgar　side　of　him　as　an　adventurer；　and　that　expression　of　benevolence；　so　well　rendered　by　the　artist；　who　had　taken　care　to　underlay　her　plas