s, and was walking resignedly through the
hall, thinking: 'no wonder you're left; almost all the others are
better,' I saw three gentlemen standing before my little daub, engaged
in eager conversation and pointing so frequently to the picture, that I
at first thought they were making fun of it; but no, they talked as
gravely and earnestly as if they were standing before some master piece
from which a whole theory on aesthetics might be demonstrated. I now
recognized one of the gentlemen, a well known connoisseur in art, Baron
L., and he also recognized me and whispered something in the ear of the
taller of his two companions, who had a very aristocratic air, after
which they continued to converse for some time in a low tone, the
aristocratic gentleman looking at me through his eye glasses, till I
was really embarrassed and tried to slink away. But the baron called to
me and begged me to return, he wanted to introduce me to His Highness,
Prince Bataroff, who wished to make my acquaintance. Well I couldn't
escape, I was obliged to answer a multitude of questions, especially
about art, how I painted, what my thoughts were while painting, and
even _why_ I painted, as if that were not as much a matter of course,
to an artist as eating and drinking. At last, after the prince had said
something in Russian to his companions, he asked me what I earned a
year by my pictures on an average. I quickly made a rough estimate and
named the sum, which of coarse is no princely revenue, and on which
alone I could not live. Upon this His Highness said: 'Would you pledge
yourself, Herr Koenig, on your word of honor, to give everything you
paint to me, and not touch a brush without my orders? In return I would
give you a regular yearly income, four times the amount of the sum you
have named. But you understand me: if you should break your promise--'
here the professor interposed and said that was not to be feared from
me, that I was known to be a man of principle and religion, but he
winked at me to accept the offer without a moment's hesitation. Tell me
yourself, my dear Herr Mohr, could I have justified my action to my
child if I had delayed? I joyfully agreed to the proposal, and am now
in a situation to take my daughter to Switzerland next May, perhaps
even on a little trip into Italy. Wasn't I right in saying that the
ways of Providence are wonderful?"

"Wonderful indeed," replied Mohr, "so wonderful that in your place I
should have bee