or those
bits of scumblings of theirs, won't think of anything under gold
Fredericks."

But Albertine declared that Edmund Lehsen painted for the love of the
thing much more than for money, and would be sure to charge very
little. And she kept on at her father so assiduously, that at last he
agreed to go to Edmund Lehsen, and see what he would say about a
portrait.

We can imagine the delight with which Edmund expressed his readiness to
undertake the Commissionsrath's portrait; and his delight became
rapture when he heard that it was Albertine who put the idea in her
father's head. He saw, of course, that her notion was that this would
give him opportunities of seeing her. So that it was a matter of course
that when the Commissionsrath asked, rather anxiously, about the price,
Edmund said that the honour of being admitted, for the sake of Art, to
the house and society of a gentleman such as he, was more than
sufficient remuneration for any little effort of his.

"Good Heavens! Can I believe my ears?" the Commissionsrath cried. "No
money, dearest Mr. Lehsen? No gold Fredericks for your trouble? Not
even the expense of your paints and canvas?"

Edmund laughingly said all that was too insignificant to be taken into
account.

"But," Bosswinkel said, "I'm afraid you don't know that I'm thinking of
having a three-quarters length life-size."

"It doesn't matter in the slightest," the painter answered.

The Commissionsrath pressed him warmly to his heart, and cried, while
tears of joy rose to his eyes, "Oh, heavenly powers! Are there human
souls of this degree of disinterestedness in this world which lieth in
wickedness? First his cigars, and now this picture. Marvellous man!--or
'youth' I ought to say. Dear Mr. Lehsen, within your soul dwell those
virtues, and that true German singleness of heart, which one reads of
more than enough, but which are rare in these times of ours. But let me
tell you, though I am a Commissionsrath, and dress in French fashions,
I am quite of the same way of thinking as yourself. I can appreciate
your large-mindedness, and am as unselfish, and as free with my money,
as anybody in the land."

Crafty Miss Albertine had, of course, known exactly how Edmund would
proceed with her father's commission, and her object was attained.
Bosswinkel overflowed with laudation of this grand young fellow, so
entirely free from the least trace of that greediness which is such a
hateful quality in a man. An