030 TIE

o your courteous consideration my rend, M. Victor Berigny @7 |

M. Berigny bowed, ceremoniously. M. lovell only nodded his thoughts werce hehind the screen. The Vicomte turned to his friend.

“Victor, 1 have explained to you that 1 have ahuldy had the pleasurce of an interview with Mr. Gerald Lovell.” M. Berigny bowed. “1 have also explamed to you that 1 have desired him to inform me by whose authority he exhibits a of my wifc in a public cxhibition. Fo that he has re- plied that his picture, \ Vision of the Night! is not a portrait of my wife. I request you, Victor, to state, in Mr. Gerald Lovell's pre- sence, whether that picture, in your opinion, is or is not a portrait of my wife.”

“Certainly, 1t is a portrait.”

M. l)ul“n) s accent was more marked than the Vieomte's, but stll he did speak Linglish.

[ thank you, Victor. It remains for me to once more request, inoyour presence, Mr

Crerald Lovell to explain how it was that he happened to dream of the face of my wifc last August, in the Hotel de IFlandre, at Spa M. (JC ald Lov cll, T have the honour to await your

The Vicomte, his arms crossed upon his chest, his left foot a little protruding, his head thrown back, awaited the explanation.

Mr. Lovell's thoughts ran screenwards.

“What the deuce shall T do if he discovers he- behind the sereen ?”

“Monsicur, T am waiting.”

“If he does discover her thereTEhe avrow.”

1 sl am waiting, Mr. Gevald Tovell.”

With each repetition of the statement the Vicomte's tone hecame more acidulated. "The artist arrived at a sudden resolution.

“Then T am afraid, Vicomte, that you will have to wait.”

The Vicomte looked at the artist with an cvident inclination to add a cubit to his own stature.

“Is it possible that 1 undcrstzmd your meaning, Mr. Gerald FLovell 27

“ My language 1s iently simple.”

“In Trance, Mr. Gerald Lovell, an artist is supposed to be a gentleman.”

“And so i Iingl: m(l Vicomte. And there- fore, when an artist is interrupted at his work by another gentleman, he feels himsell at liberty to beg that other gentleman—to excuse him.”

Mr. Tovell waved his hand, affably, in the direction of the door. The Vicomte's coun- tenance assumed a peculiar pallor.

S7TNRANL

MG AZLINL.

“You wre a Lovelll”

Fis friend mterposed.

“ Philippe, you had better leave the matter to me.

M. Berigny approached the with a ramrod down his back.

“ [ have the honour, Monsicur, from you the name of a friend.” “Of afriend? What for ?”

“Ah, Monsicur —to arrange the liminaries |7

“What prelimimaries 27

“Is it that Monsicur amuses himsell 27

• Is it possible that you supposc that T am

coing to light a ducel ?”?

• Monsicur mtends, then,

planation to my friend 27

“ M. Berigny, T do not wish to say to you anything uncourteous, or anything unworthy an English gentleman 5 but 1 do l)cg you to Lelieve that, because you choose to be an and your friend chooses to be an idiot, it does not follow that T choosce to be anidiot, too,”

“ Monsieur |7

“ One other observation. I have not seen much of you, M. Berigny, but that little has not disposced me to see morc. May 1 there- lkm- ask you —to leave my studio?”

• Monsieur !’

“Or must T turn you out ?”

“Turn e out !

The Vicomte had been listening to this little dialogue. He now turned towards his friend.

ALy friend, it s as he says D e will turn you out, nec and crop, as the Fnghsh sav. e will throw vou down the stairs, he will heave hall a brick at your head, to help vou on vour way. Theny when you vequire satistaction, he will refer you to a ni wistrate. Vou will sunmmon him---t will be o the papers he will be fined half-a-crown! That is how they manage these affairs in Iingland. It s true !

“But -among gentlemen U

Ay o ami; 7 poila ! In Tingland, days, there are no gentlemen 17

Mr. Lovell moved a step Borigny.

“ 1 have asked you, as leave my studio)”

“NMonsicur, you are a coward !

The painter’s eves gleamed. But he kept his temper pretty well) considering,

“You appear to have been taught sim- cularly il manners in your native country, sir. I will endeavour to teach you better manners

curious person, Mr. Gerald

painter-—

to request

]re-

to offer an ex-

NOW:l- towards M.

a gentleman, Lo