r　plaster　with　a　layer　of　ochre；　which　gave　it　almost　the　weather…beaten　and　sunburned　tone　of　the　model。　The　Arabs；　when　they　saw　it；　uttered　a　stifled　exclamation；　〃Bou…Said！〃　（the　father　of　good　fortune）。　This　was　the　surname　of　the　Nabob　in　Tunis；　the　label；　as　it　were；　of　his　luck。　The　Bey；　for　his　part；　thinking　that　some　one　had　wished　to　play　a　trick　on　him　in　thus　leading　him　to　inspect　the　bust　of　the　hated　trader；　regarded　his　guide　with　mistrust。
  〃Jansoulet？〃　said　he　in　his　guttural　voice。
  〃Yes；　Highness：　Bernard　Jansoulet；　the　new　deputy　for　Corsica。〃
  This　time　the　Bey　turned　to　Hemerlingue；　with　a　frown　on　his　brow。
  〃Deputy？〃
  〃Yes；　monseigneur；　since　this　morning；　but　nothing　is　yet　settled。〃
  And　the　banker；　raising　his　voice；　added　with　a　stutter：
  〃No　French　Chamber　will　ever　admit　that　adventurer。〃
  No　matter。　The　stroke　had　fallen　on　the　blind　faith　of　the　Bey　in　his　baron　financier。　The　latter　had　so　confidently　affirmed　to　him　that　the　other　would　never　be　elected　and　that　their　action　with　regard　to　him　need　not　be　fettered　or　in　any　way　hampered　by　the　least　fear。　And　now；　instead　of　a　man　ruined　and　overthrown；　there　rose　before　him　a　representative　of　the　nation；　a　deputy　whose　portrait　in　stone　the　Parisians　were　coming　to　admire；　for　in　the　eyes　of　the　Oriental；　an　idea　of　distinction　being　mingled　in　spite　of　everything　with　this　public　exhibition；　that　bust　had　the　prestige　of　a　statue　dominating　a　square。　Still　more　yellow　than　usual；　Hemerlingue　internally　accused　himself　of　clumsiness　and　imprudence。　But　how　could　he　ever　have　dreamed　of　such　a　thing？　He　had　been　assured　that　the　bust　was　not　finished。　And　in　fact　it　had　been　there　only　since　morning；　and　seemed　quite　at　home；　quivering　with　satisfied　pride；　defying　its　enemies　with　the　good…tempered　smile　of　its　curling　lip。　A　veritable　silent　revenge　for　the　disaster　of　Saint…Romans。
  For　some　minutes　the　Bey；　cold　and　impassible　as　the　sculptured　image；　gazed　at　it　without　saying　anything；　his　forehead　divided　by　a　straight　crease　wherein　his　courtiers　alone　could　read　his　anger；　then；　after　two　quick　words　in　Arabic；　to　order　the　carriages　and　to　reassemble　his　scattered　suite；　he　directed　his　steps　gravely　towards　the　door　of　exit；　without　consenting　to　give　even　a　glance　to　anything　else。　Who　shall　say　what　passes　in　these　august　brains　surfeited　with　power？　Even　our　sovereigns　of　the　West　have　incomprehensible　fantasies；　but　they　are　nothing　compared　with　Oriental　caprices。　Monsieur　the　Inspector　of　Fine　Arts；　who　had　made　sure　of　taking　his　Highness　all　round　the　exhibition　and　of　thus　winning　the　pretty　red…　and…green　ribbon　of　the　Nicham…Iftikahr；　never　knew　the　secret　of　this　sudden　flight。
  At　the　moment　when　the　white　/haiks/　were　disappearing　under　the　porch；　just　in　time　to　see　the　last　wave　of　their　folds；　the　Nabob　made　his　entry　by　the　middle　door。　In　the　morning　he　had　received　the　news；　〃Elected　by　an　overwhelming　majority〃；　and　after　a　sumptuous　luncheon；　at　which　the　new　deputy　for　Corsica　had　been　extensively　toasted；　he　came；　with　some　of　his　guests；　to　show　himself；　to　see　himself　also；　to　enjoy　all　his　new　glory。
  The　first　person　whom　he　saw　as　he　arrived　was　Felicia　Ruys；　standing；　leaning　on　the　pedestal　of　a　statue；　surrounded　by　compliments　and　tributes　of　admiration；　to　which　he　made　haste　to　add　his　own。　She　was　simply　dressed；　clad　in　a　black　costume　embroidered　and　trimmed　with　jet；　tempering　the　severity　of　her　attire　with　a　glittering　of　reflected　lights；　and　with　a　delightful　little　hat　all　made　of　downy　plumes；　the　play　of　colour　in　which　her　hair；　curled　delicately　on　her　forehead　and　drawn　back　to　the　neck　in　great　waves；　seemed　to　continue　and　to　soften。
  A　crowd　of　artists　and　fashionable　people　were　assiduous　in　their　attentions　to　so　great　a　genius　allied　to　so　much　beauty；　and　Jenkins；　bareheaded；　and　puffing　with　warm　effusiveness；　was　going　from　one　to　the　other；　stimulating　their　enthusiasm　but　widening　the　circle　around　this　young　fame　of　which　he　constituted　himself　at　once　the　guardian　and　the　trumpeter。　His　wife　during　this　time　was　talking　to　the　young　girl。　Poor　Mme。　Jenkins！　She　had　heard　that　savage　voice；　which　she　alone　knew；　say　to　her；　〃You　must　go　and　greet　Felicia。〃　And　she　had　gone　to　do　so；　controlling　her　emotion；　for　she　knew　now　what　it　was　that　hid　itself　at　the　bottom　of　that　paternal　affection；　although　she　avoided　all　discussion　of　it　with　the　doctor；　as　if　she　had　been　fearful　of　the　issue。
  After　Mme。　Jenkins；　it　is　the　turn　of　the　Nabob　to　rush　up；　and　taking　the　artist's　two　long；　delicately…gloved　hands　between　his　fat　paws；　he　expresses　his　gratitude　with　a　cordiality　which　brings　the　tears　to　his　own　eyes。
  〃It　is　a　great　honour　that　you　have　done　me；　mademoiselle；　to　associate　my　name　with　yours；　my　humble　person　with　your　triumph；　and　to　prove　to　all　this　vermin　gnawing　at　my　heels　that　you　do　not　believe　the　calumnies　which　have　been　spread　with　regard　to　me。　Yes；　truly；　I　shall　never　forget　it。　In　vain　I　may　cover　this　magnificent　bust　with　gold　and　diamonds；　I　shall　still　be　your　debtor。〃
  Fortunately　for　the　good　Nabob；　with　more　feeling　than　eloquence；　he　is　obliged　to　make　way　for　all　the　others　attracted　by　a　dazzling　talent；　the　personality　in　view；　extravagant　enthusiasms　which；　for　want　of　words　to　express　themselves；　disappear　as　they　come；　the　conventional　admirations　of　society；　moved　by　good…will；　by　a　lively　desire　to　please；　but　of　which　each　word　is　a　douche　of　cold　water；　and　then　the　hearty　hand…shakes　of　rivals；　of　comrades；　some　very　frank；　others　that　communicate　to　you　the　weakness　of　their　grasp；　the　pretentious　great　booby；　at　whose　idiotic　eulogy　you　must　appear　to　be　transported　with　gladness；　and　who；　lest　he　should　spoil　you　too　much；　accompanies　it　with　〃a　few　little　reserves；〃　and　the　other；　who；　while　overwhelming　you　with　compliments；　demonstrates　to　you　that　you　have　not　learned　the　first　word　of　your　profession；　and　the　excellent　busy　fellow；　who　stops　just　long　enough　to　whisper　in　your　ear　〃that　so…　and…so；　the　famous　critic；　does　not　look　very　pleased。〃　Felicia　listened　to　it　all　with　the　greatest　calm；　raised　by　her　success　above　the　littleness　of　envy；　and　quite　proud　when　a　glorious　veteran；　some　old　comrade　of　her　father；　threw　to　her　a　〃You've　done　very　well；　little　one！〃　which　took　her　back　to　the　past；　to　the　little　corner　reserved　for　her　in　the　old　days　in　her　father's　studio；　when　she　was　beginning　to　carve　out　a　little　glory　for　herself　under　the　protection　of　the　renown　of　the　great　Ruys。　But；　taken　altogether；　the　congratulations　left　her　rather　cold；　because　there　lacked　one　which　she　desired　more　than　any　other；　and　which　she　was　surprised　not　to　have　yet　received。　Decidedly　he　was　more　often　in　her　thoughts　than　any　other　man　had　ever　been。　Was　it　love　at　last；　the　great　love　which　is　so　rare　in　an　artist's　soul；　incapable　as　that　is　of　giving　itself　entirely　up　to　the　sway　of　sentiment；　or　was　it　perhaps　simply　a　dream　of　honest　/bourgeoise/　life；　well　sheltered　against　/ennui/；　that　spiritless　/ennui/；　the　precursor　of　storms；　which　she　had　so　much　reason　to　dread？　In　any　case；　she　was　herself　taken　in　by　it；　and　had　been　living　for　some　days　past　in　a　state　of　delicious　trouble；　for　love　is　so　strong；　so　beautiful　a　thing；　that　its　semblances；　its　mirages；　allure　and　can　move　us　as　deeply　as　itself。
  Has　it　ever　happened　to　you　in　the　street；　when　you　have　been　preoccupied　with　thoughts　of　some　one　dear　to　you；　to　be　warned　of　his　approach　by　meeting　persons　with　a　vague　resemblance　to　him；　preparatory　images；　sketches　of　the　type　to　appear　directly　afterward；　which　stand　out　for　you　from　the　crowd　like　successive　appeals　to　your　overexcited　attention？　Such　presentiments　are　magnetic　and　nervous　impressions　at　which　one　should　not　be　too　disposed　to　smile；　since　they　constitute　a　faculty　of　suffering。　Already；　in　the　moving　and　constantly　renewed　stream　of　visitors；　Felicia　had　several　times　thought　to　recognise　the　curly　head　of　Paul　de　Gery；　when　suddenly　she　uttered　a　cry　of　joy。　It　was　not　he；　however；　this　time　again；　but　some　one　who　resembled　him　closely；　whose　regular　and　peaceful　physiognomy　was　always　now　connected　in　her　mind　with　that　of　her　friend　Paul　through　the　effect　of　a　likeness　more　moral　than　physical；　and　the　gentle　authority　which　both　exercised　over　her　thoughts。
  〃Aline！〃
  〃Felicia！〃
  If　nothing　is　more　open　to　suspicion　than　the　friendship　of　two　fashionable　ladies　sharing　the　prerogatives　of　drawing…room　royalty　and　lavishing　on　each　other　epithets；　and　the　trivial　graces　of　feminine　fondness；　the　friendships　of　childhood　keep　in　the　grown　woman　a　frankness　of　manner　which　distinguishes　them；　and　makes　them　recognisable　among　all　others；　bonds　woven　naively　and　firm　as　the　needlework　of　little　girls　in　which　an　experienced　hand　had　been　prodigal　of　thread　and　big　knots；　plants　reared　in　fresh　soil；　in　flower；　but　with　strong　roots；　full　of　vitality　and　new　shoots。　And　what　a　joy；　hand　in　handyou　glad　dances　of　boarding…school　days；　where　are　you？to　retrace　some　steps　of　one's　way　with　somebody　who　has　an　equal　acquaintance　with　it　and　its　least　incident