The Washington herald., 1907-04-07

with his dirty money? I spit upon it! I
despise him. I shall never paint his pic
ture! Jamais-jamais-au grand jamais"
Injustice 20 a millionaire.
Be calm, jules. said J. in explanation
and propitiation You do him an injus-
tee. He is not a sacre bourgeois. True.
ne IS a bourgeois, but with extenuating
circumstances. He was born so-his IA
Their was bourgeois, his mother bourgeois.
True. he is rich-enormously. disgustngly
rich But that he cannot help. He prob
ably inherited riches, and has added to the
crime with the years. But the poor man
means well. and he admires you i'm
mensely."
But he is a usurer. a pawnbroker. a
shylocki" cried Tavernier. "saprlsti. Be
cause he has loaned me money he thinks
he owns my brush, that lac can enslave
and debauch the art of Tavernier"
Not so" / replied. he worships you
from afar. He tells me lie has not been
near your studio for weeks" Tavernier
nodded assent. And he said 20 me. ]
vent on. that he feared you did not Ike
him. but he urged me 10 send you little
your tastes And he swOre me TO the ut
most profound secrecy. / have broken
my OATH. I went on. but ] could not
bear 10 have you rail at this generous
this Supplemented, this admirable mil
iiOuaire. LOathsome as is his capitals
tic condition, he looks up at you as a
worm IN the mire looks up at Il star.
lie admires and reveres you, Jules, for
your genius. Do not, therefor, speak so
harshly Of this lowly bourgeois who thus
idolizes you
Tayernier gazed at me for few mo-
ments speeches.. His long mustachios
bristled At first I thought it was with
rage But it was excitement Rushing TO
dark corner of the studio. he dragged
forth a canvas on a strecheT, placed it
ON an easel, and as it was already dark
he lighted about six or eight candles in
the millionaire's elaret bottles, and went
10 work on the milliOnaires canvas
Some weeks elapsed. I had not seen
Tavernier, and had avoided his studio
When dealing with irritable genuses and
geniuses / have always believed implicitly
In Tallyrand's dictum Above all. not
too much zeal"
AT last / met my millionaire, and he in
formed me that the picture had been COM
pleted, delivered, and paid for. He was
effusively grateful, thanked me. and gave
me cigar-a Key West cigar.
Price Soon Consumed.
Leaving him. repaired to Tavernier's
studio Ny knock for a time remained un-
answered. But I was experienced in the
artists ways and did not at once depart
After a time the door opened on a jar.
and 7 was scrutinized through the crack.
Ny identity being established, I was at
once admitted, and the door carefully
barred behind me Within was a small
circle of studio intimates. But there were
no drinkables in sight. and Marion Wells
was smoking q clay pipe. 1t was evident
that the price Of the picture had been
already consumed
/ looked toward the easel, but il was
empty
THE last time I was here. Jules" said
/. you hao upon your easel a picture for
that estimaGle citizen, Blank i see il is
gone. Have you finished it2"
Finished il" cried Tavernier. with
bristling mustachlos "Ah. ben, oui. l
believe you then, Sapristi. I have I'm
ished with IL and with him. Scrgnong-
nonsnOn.'
Why, what has that good. that admira-
bic bourgeois done" I asked In surprise.
He is not an admirable bourgeois" re-
piled Tayernier, bitterly. he IS a sacre
canaille, What do you think he has done2
Je vous en- dome en- mile You could
never guess. When he paid me for the
picture he actually held out the money
owed him.
Stupefed I fell back into a chair. as
around the studio there ran a low murmur
Of horror