other time, but that we would not touch it for the present. Satisfied
with what I said, all the rest was at my disposal, and I found in her a
talent which had attained great perfection in spite of her precocity.

The young Helene faithfully handed to her sister the six francs I had
given her, and she told her the way in which she had earned them. Before
I left the house she told me that, as she was in want of money, she felt
disposed to make some abatement on the price of twenty-five louis. I
answered with a laugh that I would see her about it the next day. I
related the whole affair to Patu, who accused me of exaggeration; and
wishing to prove to him that I was a real connoisseur of female beauty I
insisted upon his seeing Helene as I had seen her. He agreed with me that
the chisel of Praxiteles had never carved anything more perfect. As white
as a lily, Helene possessed all the beauties which nature and the art of
the painter can possibly combine. The loveliness of her features was so
heavenly that it carried to the soul an indefinable sentiment of ecstacy,
a delightful calm. She was fair, but her beautiful blue eyes equalled the
finest black eyes in brilliance.

I went to see her the next evening, and, not agreeing about the price, I
made a bargain with her sister to give her twelve francs every time I
paid her a visit, and it was agreed that we would occupy her room until I
should make up my mind to pay six hundred francs. It was regular usury,
but the Morphi came from a Greek race, and was above prejudices. I had no
idea of giving such a large sum, because I felt no wish to obtain what it
would have procured me; what I obtained was all I cared for.

The elder sister thought I was duped, for in two months I had paid three
hundred francs without having done anything, and she attributed my
reserve to avarice. Avarice, indeed! I took a fancy to possess a painting
of that beautiful body, and a German artist painted it for me splendidly
for six louis. The position in which he painted it was delightful. She
was lying on her stomach, her arms and her bosom leaning on a pillow, and
holding her head sideways as if she were partly on the back. The clever
and tasteful artist had painted her nether parts with so much skill and
truth that no one could have wished for anything more beautiful; I was
delighted with that portrait; it was a speaking likeness, and I wrote
under it, "O-Morphi," not a Homeric word, but a Greek one after