or delighted to have
escaped them."

"I think in your place I would be furious," said Newman, "because they
may arrive yet, and then your fury will still be of use to you. Whereas
if you were delighted and they were afterwards to turn up, you might not
know what to do with your delight."

"You give me excellent advice, and I already feel better. I will be
furious; I will let them go to the deuce and I myself will go with
you--unless by chance you too have a rendezvous."

"It is not exactly a rendezvous," said Newman. "But I have in fact come
to see a person, not a picture."

"A woman, presumably?"

"A young lady."

"Well," said Valentin, "I hope for you with all my heart that she is not
clothed in green tulle and that her feet are not too much out of focus."

"I don't know much about her feet, but she has very pretty hands."

Valentin gave a sigh. "And on that assurance I must part with you?"

"I am not certain of finding my young lady," said Newman, "and I am not
quite prepared to lose your company on the chance. It does not strike
me as particularly desirable to introduce you to her, and yet I should
rather like to have your opinion of her."

"Is she pretty?"

"I guess you will think so."

Bellegarde passed his arm into that of his companion. "Conduct me to her
on the instant! I should be ashamed to make a pretty woman wait for my
verdict."

Newman suffered himself to be gently propelled in the direction in
which he had been walking, but his step was not rapid. He was turning
something over in his mind. The two men passed into the long gallery of
the Italian masters, and Newman, after having scanned for a moment its
brilliant vista, turned aside into the smaller apartment devoted to
the same school, on the left. It contained very few persons, but at the
farther end of it sat Mademoiselle Nioche, before her easel. She was
not at work; her palette and brushes had been laid down beside her, her
hands were folded in her lap, and she was leaning back in her chair and
looking intently at two ladies on the other side of the hall, who, with
their backs turned to her, had stopped before one of the pictures. These
ladies were apparently persons of high fashion; they were dressed with
great splendor, and their long silken trains and furbelows were spread
over the polished floor. It was at their dresses Mademoiselle Noemie was
looking, though what she was thinking of I am unable to say. I hazard
the supposition t