He shrugged his shoulders and moved slightly round, apparently to get a
better light upon what he was reading, but in reality to turn still more
away from me. The gesture of avoidance was so marked, that with the best
will in the world, it would have been impossible for me to address him
again. I therefore relapsed into silence.

Presently I saw a sudden change flash over him.

Now, in turning away from myself, he had faced round towards a narrow
looking-glass panel which reflected part of the opposite side of the
room; and chancing, I suppose, to lift his eyes from the paper, he had
seen something that arrested his attention. His head was still bent; but
I could see that his eyes were riveted upon the mirror. There was
alertness in the tightening of his hand before his mouth--in the
suspension of his breathing.

Then he rose abruptly, brushed past me as if I were not there, and
crossed to where Mueller, sketch-book in hand, was in the very act of
taking his portrait.

I jumped up, almost involuntarily, and followed him. Mueller, with an
unsuccessful effort to conceal his confusion, thrust the book into
his pocket.

"Monsieur," said the stranger, in a low, resolute voice, "I protest
against what you have been doing. You have no right to take my likeness
without my permission."

"Pardon, Monsieur, I--I beg to assure you--" stammered Mueller.

"That you intended no offence? I am willing to suppose so. Give me up
the sketch, and I am content."

"Give up the sketch!" echoed Mueller.

"Precisely, Monsieur."

"Nay--but if, as an artist, I have observed that which leads me to
desire a--a memorandum--let us say of the pose and contour of a certain
head," replied Mueller, recovering his self-possession, "it is not likely
that I shall be disposed to part from my memorandum."

"How, Monsieur! you refuse?"

"I am infinitely sorry, but--"

"But you refuse?"

"I certainly cannot comply with Monsieur's request."

The stranger, for all his bronzing, grew pale with rage.

"Do not compel me, Monsieur, to say what I must think of your conduct,
if you persist in this determination," he said fiercely.

Mueller smiled, but made no reply.

"You absolutely refuse to yield up the sketch?"

"Absolutely."

"Then, Monsieur, _c'est une infamie_--_et vous etes un lache_!"

But the last word had scarcely hissed past his lips before Mueller dashed
his coffee dregs full in the stranger's face.

In one second, the table w