t resort helped me here, as it had
before."

"Your last resort?"

"Yes; the remark that, after all, the matter really was not worth so
much trouble as I had given to it; and perhaps, on the whole, she was
wise in only wishing to show her figure with the aid of dress. This was
too much for the vain little creature, and she consented to come as a
model--but no one but myself must ever enter the studio. I
thoughtlessly broke this agreement to-day in admitting you."

Felix stepped before the statue of the Bacchante.

"Unless you have greatly flattered her, you are to be congratulated on
finding so good a one," he said. "And, as far as I have been able to
see in to-day's wanderings through the town, you must have every reason
to be satisfied with most of the figures you can find here."

Jansen did not answer. He seemed to be absorbed in gazing at his
friend, who happened to be standing at the moment in a most favorable
light. Then, muttering to himself, he went over to the cupboard in
which the girl had been rummaging, searched a while in its
compartments, and at last came back to Felix, hiding behind him a great
pair of shears. The young man still stood absorbed in admiration of the
Bacchante.

"Before we do anything else, my dear boy," said the sculptor, "you must
allow me to crop this hair of yours into a more rational shape. Sit
down there on that stool. In less than five minutes we shall have it
all arranged; and that neck of yours, that looks like the neck of the
Borghese Gladiator--the very best point about you--will be got out of
all this thicket."

At first Felix laughingly refused; but finally he submitted; and his
friend's skillful hand cropped his long hair, and trimmed his full
beard more closely.

"There!" said Jansen. "Now a man needn't be ashamed to be seen with
you. And, as a reward for this submission, I will show you something
that until now very few mortal eyes have had the privilege of seeing."

He approached the great veiled group in the middle of the studio, and
began cautiously to unwrap the damp cloths in which the work was
everywhere enveloped.

The figure of a youth appeared, of more than mortal strength and
stature, lying stretched upon the ground in an attitude of perfect and
natural grace and beauty. Sleep seemed to have just left his eyes; for
he lay with his head a little raised, leaning upon his right arm, and
passing the left across his forehead as though to clear away the mists