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202 of some exquisite little pictures of still life: wild-flowers, wild-fruit, mossy wood-nests, casketing eggs that looked like pearls seen through clear green sea-water, all hung modestly beneath that coarse and preposterous canvas.

Suddenly a light tap visited my shoulder. Starting, turning, I met a face bent to encounter mine; a frowning, almost a shocked face it was.

"Que faites-vous ici?What are you doing here? [sic]" said a voice.

"Mais, monsieur, je m'amuseI am having fun,sir [sic]".

"Vous vous amusez—et à quoi, s'il vous plait? Mais d'abord, faitez-moi le plaisir de vous lever; prenez mon bras, et allons de l'autre côtéYou have fun and what, please? But first, let me pleasure you to get up, take my arm, and let the it rest the other side [sic]".

I did precisely as I was bid. M. Paul Emanuel (it was he) returned from Rome, and now a traveled man, was not likely to be less tolerant of insubordination now, than before this added distinction laureled his temples.

"Permit me to conduct you to your party", said he, as we crossed the room.

"I have no party".

"You are not alone?"

"Yes, monsieur".

"Did you come here unaccompanied?"

"No, monsieur. Dr. Bretton brought me here".

"Dr. Bretton and madame, his mother, of course?"

"No! only Dr. Bretton".

"And he told you to look at that picture?"

"By no means: I found it out for myself".

M. Paul's hair was shorn close as raven down, or I think it would have bristled on his head. Beginning now to perceive his drift, I had a certain pleasure in keeping cool, and working him up.

"Astounding insular audacity!" cried the Professor. "Singulières femmes que ces Anglaises!Singular women are those English! [sic]"

"What is the matter, monsieur?"

"Matter! How dare you, a young person, sit coolly down, with the self-possession of a garçon, and look at that picture?"

"It is a very ugly picture, but I cannot at all see why I should not look at it".

"Bon! bon!Good! Good! [sic] Speak no more of it. But you ought not to be here alone".

'If, however, I have no society—no party, as you say?