for hanging drapery. But I sent her to the country for
to-day in order to get her off my hands this evening. It is not that
she bores me, but she is too much lacking in the ways of good society.
It would be embarrassing to my guests."

He reflected for a few seconds, and then added:

"She is a good girl, but not easy to deal with. If she knew that I was
holding a reception, she would tear out my eyes."

M. Saval had not even moved; he did not understand.

The artist came over to him.

"Since I have invited you, you are going to give me some help."

The notary said emphatically:

"Make any use of me you please. I am at your disposal."

Romantin took off his jacket.

"Well, citizen, to work! We are first going to clean up."

He went to the back of the easel, on which there was a canvas
representing a cat, and seized a very worn-out broom.

"I say! Just brush up while I look after the lighting."

M. Saval took the broom, inspected it, and then began to sweep the
floor very awkwardly, raising a whirlwind of dust.

Romantin, disgusted, stopped him: "Deuce take it! you don't know how
to sweep the floor! Look at me!"

And he began to roll before him a heap of grayish sweepings, as if he
had done nothing else all his life. Then, he gave back the broom to
the notary, who imitated him.

In five minutes, such a cloud of dust filled the studio that Romantin
asked:

"Where are you? I can't see you any longer."

M. Saval, who was coughing, came near to him. The painter said to him:

"How are you going to manage to get up a chandelier?"

The other, stunned, asked:

"What chandelier?"

"Why, a chandelier to light--a chandelier with wax candles."

The notary did not understand.

He answered: "I don't know."

The painter began to jump about, cracking his fingers.

"Well, monseigneur, I have found out a way."

Then he went more calmly:

"Have you got five francs about you?"

M. Saval replied:

"Why, yes."

The artist said:

"Well! you'll go and buy for me five francs' worth of wax candles
while I go and see the cooper."

And he pushed the notary in his evening coat into the street. At the
end of five minutes, they had returned one of them with the wax
candles, and the other with the hoop of a cask. Then Romantin plunged
his hand into a cupboard, and drew forth twenty empty bottles, which
he fixed in the form of a crown around the hoop.

He then came down, and went to borrow a ladder from the do