an odd expression of importance, he, too, spoke with
a foreign accent; but it turned out, in the course of his conversation,
that he was a born German, and had merely acquired this touch of Slavic
pronunciation by long residence in Russia. He had introduced himself as
an art-collector and professor of aesthetics; and explained that, while
making a professional journey to Italy and France, he had, to his great
joy and surprise, encountered at the hotel the countess, whom he had
known before in Berlin as an ardent art-lover. Although he had never
visited Italy, he spoke of its masterpieces of sculpture with the
greatest confidence; nor did he seem to find anything in Jansen's
studio for which he had not a formula at his tongue's end.

In the mean while Stephanopulos had turned round and recognized Felix,
and had hastened to introduce him to the lady. Her keen, brown eyes
rested with evident pleasure upon the stately figure of the young man;
she asked him how long he had enjoyed the good-fortune to be the pupil
of such an artist, and wished to see some of his own productions, a
favor which Felix politely but firmly refused to grant.

"Do you fully realize," said she, in her deep, mellow voice, "what an
enviable being you are? You unite the aristocracy of blood and talent,
and the fact that you have decided in favor of sculpture sets the crown
to your happiness. What is life, what is all other happiness in life,
but an endless series of excitements? What are all other arts but oil
to the fire, fuel for the passionate soul that yearns to free itself
from the trammels of the world, and seeks repose in the ideal, and,
instead of repose, finds merely more inspired emotions? I express
myself very awkwardly--you must supply what I mean. But, really, now,
in regard to sculpture--is it not, if only because of its material,
peculiarly suggestive of moderation and repose, even in the liveliest
plays of lines and forms? Take, for instance, that Bacchante over
there--what person, no matter how light of foot and fond of dancing,
feels when he looks at it the time of the music in the tips of his
toes, as if he heard a dance played? Even the storm and whirl of the
maddest reel is controlled by the law of beauty, much as one conceives
of the idea of the unfettered air in the spirit of the Creator of the
universe. And then this unutterably grand group of the first human
beings! All disquiet and trouble, all the fates that were reserved for