ried little
red, white, and blue silk flags.

Lewis saw his father wince.

"Dad," he asked, "are they Americans?"

"Yes, boy," said Leighton. "Do you remember what I told you about the
evanescent spirit in art?"

Lewis nodded.

"Well," said Leighton, "a beloved flag has an evanescent spirit, too.
One shouldn't finger carelessly the image one would adore. That's why I
winced just now. Collectively, we Americans have never lowered the Stars
and Stripes, but individually we do it pretty often." Then he threw up
his head and smiled. "After all, there's a bright side even to blatant
patriotism. A nation can put up with every form of devotion so long as
it gets it from all."

"But, Dad," said Lewis, "I thought all American women were beautiful."

"So they are," said Leighton, with a laugh. "When you stop believing
that, you stop being an American. All American women are beautiful--some
outside, and the rest inside."

"Why don't you take me to the States?" asked Lewis.

Leighton turned around.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty," said Lewis.

"I'll take you," said Leighton, "when you are old enough to see the
States. It takes a certain amount of philosophy nowadays to understand
your country--and mine. Of all the nations in the world, we Americans
see ourselves least as others see us. We have a national vanity that
keeps us from studying a looking-glass. That's a paradox," said
Leighton, smiling at Lewis's puzzled look. "A paradox," he continued,
"is a verity the unpleasant truth of which is veiled."

"Anyway, I should like to go to the States," said Lewis.

"Just now," said Leighton, "our country is traveling the universal road
of commercialism, but it's traveling fast. When it gets to the end of
the road, it will be an interesting country."

CHAPTER XXV

Three years later, with the approval of Le Brux, Lewis exhibited the
"Startled Woman." He did not name it. It named itself. There was no
single remarkable trait in the handling of the life-size nude figure
beyond its triumph as a whole--its sure impression of alarm.

Leighton came to Paris for his son's debut. When he saw the statue, he
said:

"It is not great. You are not old enough for that. But it will be a
success, probably a sensation. What else have you done?"

All the modeling that Lewis had accumulated in the three years of his
apprenticeship was passed in review. Leighton scarcely looked at the
casts. He kept his eyes on Le Brux's face an