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the　next　day；　that　arrangements　might　be　made　to　secure　the　comfort　of

the　family。　The　value　of　Piombo's　property　in　Corsica；　if　sold；　would

scarcely　maintain　him　honorably　in　Paris。



Fifteen　years　elapsed　between　the　time　of　Piombo's　arrival　with　his

family　in　Paris　and　the　following　event；　which　would　be　scarcely

intelligible　to　the　reader　without　this　narrative　of　the　foregoing

circumstances。







CHAPTER　II



THE　STUDIO



Servin；　one　of　our　most　distinguished　artists；　was　the　first　to

conceive　of　the　idea　of　opening　a　studio　for　young　girls　who　wished　to

take　lessons　in　painting。



About　forty　years　of　age；　a　man　of　the　purest　morals；　entirely　given

up　to　his　art；　he　had　married　from　inclination　the　dowerless　daughter

of　a　general。　At　first　the　mothers　of　his　pupils　bought　their

daughters　themselves　to　the　studio；　then　they　were　satisfied　to　send

them　alone；　after　knowing　the　master's　principles　and　the　pains　he

took　to　deserve　their　confidence。



It　was　the　artist's　intention　to　take　no　pupils　but　young　ladies

belonging　to　rich　families　of　good　position；　in　order　to　meet　with　no

complaints　as　to　the　composition　of　his　classes。　He　even　refused　to

take　girls　who　wished　to　become　artists；　for　to　them　he　would　have

been　obliged　to　give　certain　instructions　without　which　no　talent

could　advance　in　the　profession。　Little　by　little　his　prudence　and　the

ability　with　which　he　initiated　his　pupils　into　his　art；　the　certainty

each　mother　felt　that　her　daughter　was　in　company　with　none　but　well…

bred　young　girls；　and　the　fact　of　the　artist's　marriage；　gave　him　an

excellent　reputation　as　a　teacher　in　society。　When　a　young　girl　wished

to　learn　to　draw；　and　her　mother　asked　advice　of　her　friends；　the

answer　was；　invariably：　〃Send　her　to　Servin's。〃



Servin　became；　therefore；　for　feminine　art；　a　specialty；　like　Herbault

for　bonnets；　Leroy　for　gowns；　and　Chevet　for　eatables。　It　was

recognized　that　a　young　woman　who　had　taken　lessons　from　Servin　was

capable　of　judging　the　paintings　of　the　Musee　conclusively；　of　making

a　striking　portrait；　copying　an　ancient　master；　or　painting　a　genre

picture。　The　artist　thus　sufficed　for　the　educational　needs　of　the

aristocracy。　But　in　spite　of　these　relations　with　the　best　families　in

Paris；　he　was　independent　and　patriotic；　and　he　maintained　among　them

that　easy；　brilliant；　half…ironical　tone；　and　that　freedom　of　judgment

which　characterize　painters。



He　had　carried　his　scrupulous　precaution　into　the　arrangements　of　the

locality　where　his　pupils　studied。　The　entrance　to　the　attic　above　his

apartments　was　walled　up。　To　reach　this　retreat；　as　sacred　as　a　harem；

it　was　necessary　to　go　up　a　small　spiral　staircase　made　within　his　own

rooms。　The　studio；　occupying　nearly　the　whole　attic　floor　under　the

roof；　presented　to　the　eye　those　vast　proportions　which　surprise

inquirers　when；　after　attaining　sixty　feet　above　the　ground…floor；

they　expect　to　find　an　artist　squeezed　into　a　gutter。



This　gallery；　so　to　speak；　was　profusely　lighted　from　above；　through

enormous　panes　of　glass　furnished　with　those　green　linen　shades　by

means　of　which　all　artists　arrange　the　light。　A　quantity　of

caricatures；　heads　drawn　at　a　stroke；　either　in　color　or　with　the

point　of　a　knife；　on　walls　painted　in　a　dark　gray；　proved　that；

barring　a　difference　in　expression；　the　most　distinguished　young　girls

have　as　much　fun　and　folly　in　their　minds　as　men。　A　small　stove　with　a

large　pipe；　which　described　a　fearful　zigzag　before　it　reached　the

upper　regions　of　the　roof；　was　the　necessary　and　infallible　ornament

of　the　room。　A　shelf　ran　round　the　walls；　on　which　were　models　in

plaster；　heterogeneously　placed；　most　of　them　covered　with　gray　dust。

Here　and　there；　above　this　shelf；　a　head　of　Niobe；　hanging　to　a　nail；

presented　her　pose　of　woe；　a　Venus　smiled；　a　hand　thrust　itself

forward　like　that　of　a　pauper　asking　alms；　a　few　〃ecorches；〃　yellowed

by　smoke；　looked　like　limbs　snatched　over…night　from　a　graveyard；

besides　these　objects；　pictures；　drawings；　lay　figures；　frames　without

paintings；　and　paintings　without　frames　gave　to　this　irregular

apartment　that　studio　physiognomy　which　is　distinguished　for　its

singular　jumble　of　ornament　and　bareness；　poverty　and　riches；　care　and

neglect。　The　vast　receptacle　of　an　〃atelier；〃　where　all　seems　small；

even　man；　has　something　of　the　air　of　an　Opera　〃coulisse〃；　here　lie

ancient　garments；　gilded　armor；　fragments　of　stuffs；　machinery。　And

yet　there　is　something　mysteriously　grand；　like　thought；　in　it；　genius

and　death　are　there；　Diana　and　Apollo　beside　a　skull　or　skeleton；

beauty　and　destruction；　poesy　and　reality；　colors　glowing　in　the

shadows；　often　a　whole　drama；　motionless　and　silent。　Strange　symbol　of

an　artist's　head！



At　the　moment　when　this　history　begins；　a　brilliant　July　sun　was

illuminating　the　studio；　and　two　rays　striking　athwart　it　lengthwise；

traced　diaphanous　gold　lines　in　which　the　dust　was　shimmering。　A　dozen

easels　raised　their　sharp　points　like　masts　in　a　port。　Several　young

girls　were　animating　the　scene　by　the　variety　of　their　expressions；

their　attitudes；　and　the　differences　in　their　toilets。　The　strong

shadows　cast　by　the　green　serge　curtains；　arranged　according　to　the

needs　of　each　easel；　produced　a　multitude　of　contrasts；　and　the

piquant　effects　of　light　and　shade。　This　group　was　the　prettiest　of

all　the　pictures　in　the　studio。



A　fair　young　girl；　very　simply　dressed；　sat　at　some　distance　from　her

companions；　working　bravely　and　seeming　to　be　in　dread　of　some　mishap。

No　one　looked　at　her；　or　spoke　to　her；　she　was　much　the　prettiest；　the

most　modest；　and；　apparently；　the　least　rich　among　them。　Two　principal

groups；　distinctly　separated　from　each　other；　showed　the　presence　of

two　sets　or　cliques；　two　minds　even　here；　in　this　studio；　where　one

might　suppose　that　rank　and　fortune　would　be　forgotten。



But；　however　that　might　be；　these　young　girls；　sitting　or　standing；　in

the　midst　of　their　color…boxes；　playing　with　their　brushes　or

preparing　them；　handling　their　dazzling　palettes；　painting；　laughing；

talking；　singing；　absolutely　natural；　and　exhibiting　their　real

selves；　composed　a　spectacle　unknown　to　man。　One　of　them；　proud；

haughty；　capricious；　with　black　hair　and　beautiful　hands；　was　casting

the　flame　of　her　glance　here　and　there　at　random；　another；　light…

hearted　and　gay；　a　smile　upon　her　lips；　with　chestnut　hair　and

delicate　white　hands；　was　a　typical　French　virgin；　thoughtless；　and

without　hidden　thoughts；　living　her　natural　real　life；　a　third　was

dreamy；　melancholy；　pale；　bending　her　head　like　a　drooping　flower；　her

neighbor；　on　the　contrary；　tall；　indolent；　with　Asiatic　habits；　long

eyes；　moist　and　black；　said　but　little；　and　reflected；　glancing

covertly　at　the　head　of　Antinous。



Among　them；　like　the　〃jocoso〃　of　a　Spanish　play；　full　of　wit　and

epigrammatic　sallies；　another　girl　was　watching　the　rest　with　a

comprehensive　glance；　making　them　laugh；　and　tossing　up　her　head；　too

lively　and　arch　not　to　be　pretty。　She　appeared　to　rule　the　first　group

of　girls；　who　were　the　daughters　of　bankers；　notaries；　and　merchants；

all　rich；　but　aware　of　the　imperceptible　though　cutting　slights

which　another　group　belonging　to　the　aristocracy　put　upon　them。　The

latter　were　led　by　the　daughter　of　one　of　the　King's　ushers；　a　little

creature；　as　silly　as　she　was　vain；　proud　of　being　the　daughter　of　a

man　with　〃an　office　at　court。〃　She　was　a　girl　who　always　pretended　to

understand　the　remarks　of　the　master　at　the　first　word；　and　seemed　to

do　her　work　as　a　favor　to　him。　She　used　an　eyeglass；　came　very　much

dressed；　and　always　late；　and　entreated　her　companions　to　speak　low。



In　this　second　group　were　several　girls　with　exquisite　figures　and

distinguished　features；　but　there　was　little　in　their　glance　or

expression　that　was　simple　and　candid。　Though　their　attitudes　were

elegant　and　their　movements　graceful；　their　faces　lacked　frankness；　it

was　easy　to　see　that　they　belonged　to　a　world　where　polite　manners

form　the　character　from　early　youth；　and　the　abuse　of　social　pleasures

destroys　sentiment　and　develops　egotism。



But　when　the　whole　class　was　here　assembled；　childlike　heads　were　seen

among　this　bevy　of　young　girls；　ravishingly　pure　and　virgin；　faces

with　lips　half…opened；　through　which　shone　spotless　teeth；　and　on

which　a　virgin　smile　was　flickering。　The　studio　then　resembled　not　a

studio；　but　a　group　of　angels　seated　on　a　cloud　in　ether。



By　mid…day；　on　this　occasion；　Servin　had　not　appeared。　For　some　days

past　he　had　spent　most　of　his　time　in　a　studio　which　he　kept

elsewhere；　where　he　was　giving　the　last　touches　to　a　picture　for　the

Exposition。　All　of　a　sudden　Mademoiselle　Amelie　Thirion；　the　leader　of

the　aristocrats；　began　to　speak　in　a　low　voice；　and　very　earnestly；　to

her　neighbor。　A　great　silence　fell　on　the　group　of　patricians；　and　the

commercial　party；　surprised；　were　equally　silent；　trying　to　discover

the　subject　of　this　earnest　conference。　The　secret　of　the　young　ULTRAS

was　soon　revealed。



Amelie　rose；　took　an　easel　which　stood　near　hers；　carried　it　to　a

distance　from　the　noble　group；　and　placed　it　close　to　a　board

partition　which　separated　the　studio　from　the　extreme　end　of　the

attic；　where　all　broken　casts；　defaced　canvases　and　the　winter　supply

of　wood　were　kept。　Amelie's　action　caused　a　murmur　of　surprise；　which

did　not　prevent　her　from　accomplishing　the　change　by　rolling　hastily

to　the　side　of　the　easel　the　stool；　the　box　of　colors；　and　even　the

picture　by　Prudhon；　which　the　absent　pupil　was　copying。　After　this

coup　d'etat　the　Right　began　to　work　in　silence；　but　the　Left

discoursed　at　length。



〃What　will　Mademoiselle　Piombo　say　to　that？〃　asked　a　young　girl　of

Mademoiselle　Matilde　Roguin；　the　lively　oracle　of　the　banking　group。



〃She's　not　a　girl　to　say　anything；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　fifty　years

hence　she'll　remember　the　insult　as　if　it　were　done　to　her　the　night

before；　and　revenge　it　cruelly。　She　is　a　person　that　I；　for　one；　don't

want　to　be　at　war　with。〃



〃The　slight　these　young　ladies　mean　to　put　upon　her　is　all　the　more

unkind；〃　said　another　young　girl；　〃because　yesterday；　Mademoiselle

Ginevra　was　very　sad。　Her　father；　they　say；　has　just　resigned。　They

ought　not　to　add　to　her　trouble；　for　she　was　very　considerate　of　them

during　the　Hundred　Days。　Never　did　she　say　a　word　to　wound　them。　On

the　contrary；　she　avoided　politics。　But　I　think　our　ULTRAS　are　acting

more　from　jealousy　than　from　party　spite。〃



〃I　have　a　great　mind　to　go　and　get　Mademoiselle　Piombo's　easel　and

place　it　next　to　mine；〃　said　Matilde　Roguin。　She　rose；　but　second

thoughts　made　her　sit　down　again。



〃With　a　character　like　hers；〃　she　said；　〃one　can't　tell　how　she　would

take　a　civility；　better　wait　events。〃



〃Ecco　la；〃　said　the　young　girl　with　the　black　eyes；　languidly。