The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-06-05

For Morsieur de Lastrin's curiosity hao
apparently rot survived until the end OF
tie week, and in Miss Methuen's heart OF
hearts there was hardly confessed sensa
ton of disappointment that none OF her
acquaint onces had been surprised by his
appearing on the scene, not to mention
the humiliation of feeling that be had ig-
n ored her invitation. When every one had
gone she still fingered, scarcely admitting
to herself that she was allowing him Few
minutes grace, yet her heart certainly
beat quicker when the door opened once
more and the servant announced monsieur
lie Marquis de Lastrin."
She turned toward him with gracious
"a moment MORE" she said, "and
should have left the studio. carrying my
medallion with me. Think what disap-
pointmeut that would have been Tor US
both"
81 should have regretted it, he replied
looking not at her, but at her work, which
was hung in the most favorable light the
studio afforded.
Take care" cried Dora gaily you must
not say anything that can construe into
a compliment 1 have had too many a.
ready, and don't expect such things from
you"
He appeared not to hear her remark-he
certainly vouchsafed no answer to 1t. For
some minutes be examined the medallion
in silence.
s'Your model is considered one Of the
beauties of Brussels he said, somewhat
irrelevantly, when he spoke at last.
There was another pause.
'You are pleased with itl' he began
again abruptly.
"Well surprising that am, what thena"
"Then l congratulate YOU"
'sThat is rather ambiguous. ON what 40
you congratulate mel"
ION having achieved what plesses you"
was his reply
"And supposing am not pleased" re-
sumed Dora, show then"
"She hardly knew why she said it-why
she allowed his impassibility to make her
communicative.
De Lastrin gave a sharp glance into her
face. IF that be the case" he said, Il
congratulate still more warmly. 1 congrst-
ulate you on being able to see instead Oh
for being blind"
Dora's eyes flashed for q moment. II
hope | am clear-sighted enough, she re-
Joined, trying to steady a tell-tale tremor
in her voice, ''to see without any help that
the thing is an utter failure. l hope l am
sincere enough to judge even my own work
fairly"
'sYou form q remarkable exception to
the rest OF your species if you are. " he said
dryly; then there was another long pause;
butt he continued, and there was de-
cided softening In his tone, ''you are
wrong in calling it an utter failure-lust
as wrong os if you had fancied il COM
plete success. You would have done bet
ter il, he spoke slowly and hesitatingly,
'If-to be quite honest-you had known
how to-"
He looked into her face, and she noticed
that his large gray eyes were brighter than
she had ever before seen them. How he
enjoys the part he is playingV' was her
mental comment Aloud she said
s'Of course 1 wish you to be honest, but
may as well tell you that both my London
master and Monsieur Fusain consider me
quite capable Of working from life"
(which y rejoined her cousin coolly, ''is
in a certain sense true. Life is the one
and only school for the art student; but
to continue speaking honestly-the work
should be very humble and very patient.
Your masters, Fusian included, have flat
tered you. You have talent, it is true, but
il you want to run you must first learn to
walk. You have apparently not the least
inkling of the long drudgery which Is nee
essary before your hand and eye have the
technical skin necessary to success In such
an undertaking as this. Your talent is
absolutely helpless without that technical
skill" De Lastrin spoke with unwonted
animation.
.Pendantic creature" thought Dora, 81
suppose he picks up all these phrases for
the sake of sounding superior. l have al
ways done all that my masters have sug-
gested," she informed him in reply. Il
suppose l shall grow more skiIlful in
time.'
My dear cousin, - he rejoined in the same
tone, ''thas is just what you will not do.
You will-if you continue to work on the
lines you are now fouowing-always be
conscious of lack in your powers of exc
cution and in what you achieve. This at
tempt and its results will repeat itself ad
intinitum. Perhaps you viii not care If
it is so-perhsps you aim no higher"
81 am as high as l can get" she said pet
ulantly; land l do not understand the
vague things you say about the lines
work on.n
Her voice seemed lost on De Lastrin. He
was once more looking intently at the me-
oallion. Presently he spoke again, slowly
and constrainedly.
Il would be less vague some other time
if you would allow me-, he said. Il might
look in some afternoon when you are at
work here and explain myself. | do not
think Fusian would object even If made
few suggestions"
You are very kind, !" reioined Dora with
chilly politeness. "Of course, l should be
grateful for any suggestions of value"
Then De Lastrln looked at his watch, and
took hurried leave, as if the time he could
never kill to his own satisfaction were in-
fnitely precious.
"If l had had grain of spirit, solilo-
quized Miss Methuen as she drove home
ward. Il should have told him not to come.
How could l allow myself to be patronized
80 detestibly! And Oh, what vanity TO set
himself up as an authority higher than
such masters as l have had WHAT would
Simonne say if told her all about it, She
would laugh at me, indeed
So it came about that Nine. Van der
Heyden heard but an outline of the scene
which had taken place. Even in that she
found food for merriment.
she laughed. My dear Dora / shouldn't
have thought you wanted another master.
And do remember that the relation between
master and pupil is rather a dangerous
one?n
''My dear Simonne," replied Miss Me-
thuen, 'if l never run any greater danger
than the present one, my peace of mind
will be tolerably secure"
sWait till the lessons are over, my dear.
There is an old proverb which warns US
not 10 shout before we are out of the
wood" And Nine. Van der Heyden look
ing extremely wise seated herself at the
piano and began to accompany herself
softly while she sang Garments wierd,
sweet song, Isl ut ne m'aimes pas, ie
taime, ct 81 je taime prends garde toi."
CONCLUDED NEXT sUNDAY.]
NON cn nan 1. Fruru .rr