New-York tribune., 1919-10-19

her daughters he finds something more
useful
" The talk drifts to shis afternoon
promenades They ars an old habit /
lie takes the tramAfFotn the Place Pi- /
gale to the Porte de Vincennes and
stroils for a while on the fortifca-
ions Then another tram and another
walk and ne is home, He goes to
MontrQuge, and Auteuil. He is espe-
-laily fond of Montmartre, for he
knows all the streets there and does
not need to ask his way. But it hardly
matters where he goes, with his poor
eyes. Pauline warns him to be pru-
Jent, reminding him of the taxis and
other dangers of the highway. Yes.
He knows. Zoe is always warning him
and is in terror if he is late in return
ing. But he can't stay eternally at
home. He needs the air. She tells
Alm he moves as swiftly as a rabbit.
he has seen him near the Moulin
Rouge, and he went up the Rue Lepic
700 quickly for her to overtake him.
lie laughs. Yes, have still good
legs" He does not like to- 20 out at
hight. The streets are too badly light
| I'd. lie rarely accepts an invitation
TO dinner Besides, it would keen him
| lp too late. Pauline reminds him that
| ne goes to bed at nine. He sighs, and
hen breaks out in rebellion against
his semi blindness. 1t is hdeous not
70 see clearly. For years he has had
| o renounce drawing and painting, and
| has had to content himself with scuIp-
ture If his sight goes on failing he
will have to abandon even that Then.
| what will he do with his days? lie
Will die of ennui and disgust What
I has he done that he should be thus
tortured? All his life has been con-
secrated to his work. Never has he
sought honors or riches. He appeals
/ to high heaven to spare him the tor
ment Of going blind. His model tries
TO comfort him. He is not going blind.
He is fatgtrd, and the day is cold
/ Finer days viii make him better. Does
Pauline think SO? The thought cheers
him. She rcitcrates it, The doctors
would tell him the same thing. He is
doing very well for a man of seventy
SIX. He works every day, even on
Sundays and holidays. Younger ar
lists do not work 20 hard, He has
,ood appetite and good digestion; he
ccps well and has no rheumatism
Ike his old friend the collector, Rou-
art. He laughs and goes to work.
At Work, Laughing and Singing
Precious, inspiring, rejuvenating
work! Degas sings fragment from
Don Giovanni" as his fingers fly;
sings in a voice which Pauline finds
sweet and Expressive" and he trans
lates the text for his listener. lie
knows the Italian operas by heart, and
some days passes the whole morning
singing them over his clay pausing to
cry out: "Is not this dcicious?" He
wandcrs off into fantastic monologues
and sometimes forgets himself using
words which are enough Pauline tells
him, TO make a trooper blush. He
apologies for offending her "chaste
cars" He knows not what he s say
ing when he is at work. She asks for
II rest from the difficult pose and for
the air he has just been singing. 1t
is the air Of II mIuuct, and ns he sings
they face one another IN the movcme mt
Of the dance. lie grows happy. The
minuct fnished he seizes her hand and
swinqs her in ronde singing tho
While an old aong little giddy at
The end Of Il, he subsidies upon Il
lounge and ssks: what is prcttier or
more gracious than these old French
rondcsp" Zoe comes in with bowl
Of tinnne. He drinks it with laughter
and chuckles over the idea of himself
as n Don Juan Aside from his lapse
'nto bad language his conduct with
hia models 10 i'm pcccable. but he glec-
fully pleads with Pauline to sse that