Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 2 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/95

 and shook his head. Then raising them to a more intimate intelligence: "Monsieur knows what Paris is. Dangerous to beauty when beauty has n't the sou."

"Ah, but that's not the case with your daughter. Is n't she rich now?"

"We're rich—yes, for six months. But if my daughter were less attractive I should sleep none the worse."

"You're afraid of the young men?"

"The young and the old!"

"She ought to get a husband."

"Ah, monsieur, one does n't get a husband for nothing. Her husband must take her as she is; I can't give her a liard. But the young men don't see with that eye."

"Oh," said Newman, "her talent's in itself a good outfit."

"Heuh, for that it needs first to be converted into specie!"—and M. Nioche slapped his purse tenderly before he stowed it away. "The miracle does n't take place every day."

"Well, your young men have very little grit; that's all I can say. They ought to pay for your daughter," Newman said, "and not ask money themselves."

"Those are very noble ideas, monsieur; but what will you have? They're not the ideas of this country. We want to know where we are when we marry."

"Well, how much will it take to show where your daughter is?" M. Nioche stared as if he wondered what might be coming next; but he promptly recovered himself, at a venture, and replied that he 65