Madame Foa, you will bring her. I count on you absolutely to bring
her. Even if it is only to be a sketch--the merest hint. But I must do it."

"Oh, yes, Madame," said Madame Foa with all the Italian charm. "Dauphin
must paint you. The contrary is unthinkable. My husband and I have often
said so."

"To-morrow?" Dauphin suggested.

"Ah! To-morrow, my little Dauphin, I cannot," said Madame Foa.

"Nor I," said Audrey.

"The day after to-morrow, then. I will send my auto. What address?
Half-past eleven. That goes? In any case, I insist. Be kind! Be kind!"

Audrey blushed. Half the foyer was staring at the group. She was flattered.
She saw herself remarkable. She thought she would look more particularly,
with perfect detachment, at the mirror that night, in order to decide
whether her appearance was as striking, as original, as distinguished, as
Dauphin's attitude implied. There must surely be something in it.

"About that advice--may I call to-morrow?" It was Mr. Gilman's voice at her
elbow.

"Advice?" She had forgotten her announced intention of asking his advice.
(The subject was to be Zacatecas.) "Oh, yes. How nice of you! Please do
call. Come for tea." She was delightful to him, but at the same time there
was in her tone a little of the condescending casualness proper to the tone
of a girl openly admired by the confidant and painter of princesses and
archduchesses, the man who treated all plain women and women past the prime
with a desolating indifference.

She thought:

"I am a rotten little snob."

Mr. Gilman gave thanksgivings and departed, explaining that he must return
to Madame Piriac.

Foa and Dauphin and the Oriental resumed the argument about Musa's talent
and the concert. Miquette would say nothing as to the success of the
concert. Foa asserted that the concert was not and would not be a success.
Dauphin pooh-poohed and insisted vehemently that the success was
unmistakable and increasing. Moreover, he criticised the hall, the choice
of programme, the orchestra, the conductor. "I discovered Musa," said he.
"I have always said that he is a great concert player, and that he is
destined for a great world-success, and to-night I am more sure of it than
ever." Whereupon Madame Foa said with much sympathy that she hoped it was
so, and Foa said: "You create illusions for yourself, on purpose." Dauphin
bore him down with wavy gestures and warm cries of "No! No! No!" And he
appealed to Audrey as-a woman in