o
Lilienfeld, from Lilienfeld to the attorneys, Brown and Samuelson, from
Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue, from Fourth Avenue to Fifth Avenue,
finally to knock at the door of Mr. Garry himself, the head of the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and represent to
him Ingigerd Hahlstroem's position, which was, that by preventing her
appearance, the society would expose her to material want in a strange
country. Mr. Garry refused to receive Frederick.

Fortunately for him, Willy Snyders the good-hearted, in order to make
things as easy as possible for him, sacrificed himself by obtaining an
afternoon's leave of absence from work. His saucy, healthy humour, his
jolly remarks on New York conditions helped Frederick through many
unpleasant moments.

Frederick was happy when the next morning came and he could go at his
modelling again. His brain, whirling with the rattle and clatter of New
York, could spend itself in his passionate occupation, which employed
both his eyes and his hands. He deemed himself fortunate for being
genuinely unpractical and not having to take part in that gruesome
horse-racing and sack-racing and target-shooting, that crawling and
dancing and jumping for the sacrosanct dollar. The very breath of that
frenzied life tore the garments of his soul into shreds, as it were,
while this simple occupation of modelling the details of the athlete's
arm, was healing to his soul. He was conscious of it. Now and then Miss
Burns came in to inspect his work and exchange a few words with him. He
liked this. Her companionable presence soothed him and even made him
happy. Her figure, her gestures, her conversation seemed to be the very
essence of firmness and repose, and her self-sufficiency always aroused
Frederick's silent admiration. When he told her how perceptibly his new
work acted as a sedative upon him, she replied that she had had the same
experience, and if he did not fly off at a tangent but remained steadily
at the work, he would feel the good it did him even more.

XVI

Ingigerd Halstroem had "invited" the artists to her rehearsal at twelve
o'clock. When they gathered in Miss Burns's room--beside Frederick, there
were Ritter, Lobkowitz, Willy Snyders, Miss Burns, and the gypsy-like
painter Franck, who carried a portfolio and sketching material--there was
a certain solemnity in their manner.

It was a clear day and the streets were dry, and they decided to walk to
the theatre. On