of their grasp; the pretentious great booby, at whose idiotic eulogy you must appear to be transported with gladness, and who, lest he should spoil you too much, accompanies it with “a few little reserves,” and the other, who, while overwhelming you with compliments, demonstrates to you that you have not learned the first word of your profession; and the excellent busy fellow, who stops just long enough to whisper in your ear “that so-and-so, the famous critic, does not look very pleased.”  Felicia listened to it all with the greatest calm, raised by her success above the littleness of envy, and quite proud when a glorious veteran, some old comrade of her father, threw to her a “You’ve done very well, little one!” which took her back to the past, to the little corner reserved for her in the old days in her father’s studio, when she was beginning to carve out a little glory for herself under the protection of the renown of the great Ruys.  But, taken altogether, the congratulations left her rather cold, because there lacked one which she desired more than any other, and which she was surprised not to have yet received.  Decidedly he was more often in her thoughts than any other man had ever been.  Was it love at last, the great love which is so rare in an artist’s soul, incapable as that is of giving itself entirely up to the sway of sentiment, or was it perhaps simply a dream of honest bourgeoise life, well sheltered against ennui, that spiritless ennui, the precursor of storms, which she had so much reason to dread?  In any case, she was herself taken in by it, and had been living for some days past in a state of delicious trouble, for love is so strong, so beautiful a thing, that its semblances, its mirages, allure and can move us as deeply as itself.

Has it ever happened to you in the street, when you have been preoccupied with thoughts of some one dear to you, to be warned of his approach by meeting persons with a vague resemblance to him, preparatory images, sketches of the type to appear directly afterward, which stand out for you from the crowd like successive appeals to your overexcited attention?  Such presentiments are magnetic and nervous impressions at which one should not be too disposed to smile, since they constitute a faculty of suffering.  Already, in the moving and constantly renewed stream of visitors, Felicia had several times thought to recognise the curly head of Paul de Gery, when suddenly she uttered a cry of joy.  It was not he, however, this time again, but some one who resembled him closely, whose regular and peaceful physiognomy was always now connected in her mind with that of her friend Paul through the effect of a likeness more moral than physical, and the gentle authority which both exercised over her thoughts.

“Aline!”

“Felicia!”