Megilp, sprung from a race which has supplied the world with a large share of its versatility of talent and its adventurous proclivities, was familiarly known at Gruyere’s as “Mac.”  He was removed above want by the possession of an income sufficient, with some ingenuity of management, to provide him with the bare necessaries of life.

He found leisure to come every day to retail the gossip of the studios, and fortify himself for the desultory labors in which he was engaged.  He liked the society of young men for several reasons.  For one thing, they were more free with their purses than his older cronies.  The association, he also thought, threw a sort of glamour of youth about his own person.  Finally, they listened to the disquisitions and artistic rhapsodies in which he was fond of indulging, with an attention by no means accorded by his compeers.

Barwood was of a speculative turn of mind, and had also by nature a strong leaning towards whatever was curious and out of the common.  These proclivities Megilp’s conversation, pursuits, and studio full of trumpery were calculated to gratify.  A moderate sort of friendship had in consequence sprung up between them.

They made mutual protestations of pleasure at this meeting.  Barwood considered it an occasion worthy of a bottle of Dry Verzenay, which was not demurred to by Megilp.

The payment of specie was so entire a novelty that, when the inquiries and explanations natural after a long separation were concluded, it was among the first topics touched upon.

“Sure it’s the first hard money I’ve seen these ten years, so it is,” said Megilp.

“That is my case also,” said Barwood.  “I took as little interest in the matter as any boy of fourteen might be expected to; but I remember very well how rapidly specie disappeared at the beginning of the war.”

“And where has it been?” said Megilp.  “There’s many fine points of interest about it, do you see.  Consider the receptacles in which it has been hoarded—­the secret places in chimneys, under floors and under ground, the vaults, old stockings, cabinets, and caskets that have teemed and glittered with it.  Then there’s the characters again, of all its various owners:  the timid doubters about the government, the speculators, the curiosity hunters, the misers”—­

“Yes,” said Barwood, “the history of a single one of these pieces for the period would probably make a story full of interest.”  It did not detract from the value of Megilp’s conversation, in Barwood’s view, that the worthy artist said “foine” and “hoorded” instead of adopting the more conventional pronunciation.