Long sittings fatigued the invalid; so it was resolved to take two each day, and the young artist came regularly twice every day.  As by degrees the strength of the sick man declined, the portrait advanced.  At length, at the end of twelve days, it was finished:  this was about a week before the death of M. G——.

At the same time that she was painting this portrait, Mlle d’Orbe worked with ardour on her large painting, always hoping to have it ready in time.  This hope did not fail her until some days before the 1st of February.  There was but a week longer to work:  and this year she must abandon the idea of sending to the Exposition.

Some artists who had seen her picture had encouraged her very much; she could count, in their opinion, on brilliant success.  This she desired with all her heart:  first, from that noble thirst of glory which God has implanted in the souls of artists; and, secondly, from the influence it would have on the prospects of her little Jules, whom she loved with a mother’s tenderness, and whom she wished to be able to endow with all the treasures of education.  This disappointment, these long hours of toil, rendered so vain at the very moment when she looked forward to receive her reward, so depressed the young artist, that she became dangerously ill.

Mlle d’Orbe had very few friends, as she was an orphan, and lived in great retirement; she found herself therefore completely left to the care of her young attendant.  When Jules met Henry at the drawing-school he told him of his sister’s illness:  Henry informed his mother, and Mme G——­ immediately hastened to Mlle d’Orbe, whom she found in the delirium of a fever from which she had been suffering for some days.  The servant said that her mistress had refused to send for a doctor, pretending that her illness did not signify.  Mme G——­, terrified at the state of her young friend, went out and soon returned with Dr Raymond.

The invalid was delirious:  she unceasingly repeated the words—­’portrait,’ ‘Anna Boleyn,’ ‘exposition,’ ‘fortune,’ ‘disappointed hopes;’ which plainly indicated the cause of her illness, and brought tears into the eyes of Mme G——.  ‘Alas!’ she said, ’it is on my account she suffers:  I am the cause of her not finishing her picture.  Doctor, I am very unfortunate.’

‘All may be repaired,’ replied the doctor:  ’if you will promise to nurse the invalid, I will answer for her recovery.’

In fact, Mme G——­ never left the sick-bed of Mlle d’Orbe.  The doctor visited her twice in the day, and their united care soon restored the health of the interesting artist.