The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-02-19

to acknowledge by what he deemed her
| want of candOr.
But in fact she wished nothing more than
to take him into her confidence, and was
thinking how provokingly II happened that
FRANCHISE was present just then. After
Inner, when they were alone together, she
found it impossible to recur to the subject,
for Nj. Renaut produced iormidableOok.
ing accountbook, and buried himself in il
for the rest Of the evening.
But ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS evening |
will tell him all, )" she resolved.
On the following morning "Monsicur
Vautreau" made his appearance at nc
shop in mood which his assistant de.
scribed in confidence to himself as crush,
ing"
To do the money.lender justice, II was
but seldom he INDUCED in such a frame;
as rule, however he might try other
peoples tempers, he contrived to keep his
own.
AT about eleven o'clock he went out,
greatly to his subordinate's relief, announc-
ing that he should be absent about an hour.
twas a sweet Spring morning mild and
sky Paris, with its dazzlingly white house.
fronts, its brilliant bOuleyards, where the
trees were just bursting into leaf, its bloom.
ing gardens, its fountains splashing and
sparkling m the sunshine, It's general air of
brightness, lightness, and newness, looked
like fairy city, conjured up in single
night
The money-lender, who never noticed the
weather except when it compelled him to
wear an 0vercoat or carry an umbrella,
went his way leisurely, with his hands
behind him, acknowledging the greetings
Of passing acquaintance by touching the
brim Of his hat with his forefnger. Down
the Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin, crossing
the Boulevard DIES ltaliens, into the once
aristocratic Rue Louis-le.Grand He stop
ped at a tall, faded.looking house at the
further end of the street, with q hair
dressers shop on the ground-hoor, Toll
ing up four flights of slippery stairs, he
paused at door on which was nailed
card with the inscription; Leon Leclerc;
Artiste.PeinTe," y and applied his knuckles
very discreety to the upper panel,
His modest summons meeting with no
response, he opened the door few inches
and looked in
A large light bare room, unfinished,
except for small palletbed in one corner,
and the usual litter Of an artists studio;
easels, canvases, lay figure half smoth.
cred in drapesy, dusty plaster casts, and
anatomical drawings.
Near the window was tall easel sup
porting q half-finished picture, and before
it, in a paint-stained holland blouse and
down-at-heel slippers, with his dark hair in
disorder about his forehead sat the artist,
Leon Leclerc.
He was a tall, slight young fellow Of
four or fve-and.twenty, with a handsome
olive face, mobile lips and dark eyes full
Of dreams under fine level brows. There
were haggard shadows under his eyes, and
between the brows was that upright turrow
which is 50 pathetic in young face, telling
as il does Of some deep.seated grief or
gnawing care.
He had pallet and brushes in hand, but
he was no, painting. He sat with one
elbow on his knee, in Il listiess attitude,
pulling the ends of his long moustache,
and staring modify at the picture before
him.
The visitor, after watching him a few
moments in silence, coughed to attract his
attention. He started and turned, and
seeing who il was, rose and made hasty
movement as if he would have concealed
the picture. lie checked himself however,
and stood with the color mantling in his
dark check, looking with an expression,
half proud, half defiant, and altogether
hostile, at the intruder
Col l.,. T.r,rtytvr I o,1,vg .tgyt1rJ
you, fear, the latter began, in his dry,
deliberate tones, Is he entered and closed
the door.
Il did not hear you knock"
No, Won werc-h'm-busy. Why, what
is this:" he continued, approaching the
easel 81 have not seen this canvas be-
fore"
Leon dabbcd some more color on his
palette and began to paint with sudden
energy.
Il know you have not. did not intend
you to see it till it was exhibited in the
Salon"
His companion gave him an odd look
under his bent uroWs.
"Ah, indeed: it was not intended for
me, then; Humph!"
lie adjusted his spectacles with great
nicely, and backed away from the picture
till he got il at the proper focus.
1t represented a street Of sOmbrc stone
houses in medieval Florence; in the fore
ground were the figures Of three ladies,
advancing towards the spectator; two were
clad in rich, dark draperics, the third, who
walked between her companions, in spot
less white. The face Of this figure was
unfinished At the side in the shadow of
heavy portico, stood youth, who was
gazing at the maiden in white with look
of rapt and passionate admiration.
"The meeting Of Dante and Beatrice"
the artist explained, "irom a passage in
the Vita Nuova' There is the book on
! the table"
The money-lcnder took up the volume
a French transIation--and read aloud, in
monotonous voice, "'This wonderful crea.
ture appeared to me in white robes between
two gentle ladies who were older than she,
and passing by in the street she turned her
eyes upon me, and in ner iueflable courtesy
saluted me so graciously, that | seemed
then to see the heights of all blessedness.'
see, Yes. Humphw
The artist gave afurtye anxious glance
at his face, but his features might have
been carved in wood for any clue they
gave to his thoughts.
"lt is nearly finished, see," he remark
ed at length, "when you have painted in
the face of your Beatrice--"