t meant absolute wealth
compared with the penury of the old days. The question was, would it
last? Was he just, in a secondary sort of way, the fashion of the
moment in certain circumscribed circles, to be shortly superseded by
somebody who had scored in a night, by some fortunate accident, the
same kind of sudden success? In short, should he take that letter to
the Baron Salmoros or not? That was the vital question. In his
undecided mood, he sought Degraux, who received him with great
cordiality, but who had now made it up so effectually with the still
powerful Bauquel that he had no opening for another violinist.

"Privately, my friend, I agree with your old Papa Peron that as an
artist pure and simple you are the superior of Bauquel. But what can
one do? Bauquel has got the name, he has ten years' reputation behind
him. At any moment he may be relegated to a back seat, but at present
he fills, he draws. He is an asset to an impresario. In a word, he
represents gate money. His name on an announcement fills the house.
Five years hence, I predict it will be very different."

Nello pondered these wise and sensible sayings. "Do you think it
possible, Monsieur, that I could gain the standing of Bauquel? You
have seen and known so much, I can believe in your opinion."

The great director shrugged his shoulders. "You ask me a little too
much, my friend. I cannot see into the future. You have made a very
considerable success, you created quite a respectable furore on that
night--but----" he paused significantly.

"But!" repeated Nello quietly. "Please be quite frank with me. I want
to hear the truth."

"I cannot say that you have progressed much since that night. You ask
me to speak frankly, and I should say, on the contrary, that you have
gone back a bit. No doubt you are doing quite well at these private
concerts--that is Mosenstein's specialty. But, supposing I could ask
you to play for me at my next big concert, which I can't because
Bauquel will be there, I doubt if you would repeat the success."

"In a word, I am far from being in the first, even in the second
rank?" queried Nello. His life had been so full of disappointments,
that he had become hardened in the process. He did not seem as
disturbed as Degraux had expected he would be by this uncomfortable
cold _douche_ of plain speaking.

"Fairly well on in the second rank. Mark you, I am not speaking of
your standing as an artist, but just from the box-office p