made that group ought to make a fortune； only use your influence to
get him an order for a statue； and rooms at the Institut〃
〃How you run on！〃 cried her father。 〃Why； if you had your own way； you
would be man and wife within the legal periodin eleven days〃
〃Must we wait so long？〃 said she； laughing。 〃But I fell in love with
him in five minutes； as you fell in love with mamma at first sight。
And he loves me as if we had known each other for two years。 Yes；〃 she
said in reply to her father's look； 〃I read ten volumes of love in his
eyes。 And will not you and mamma accept him as my husband when you see
that he is a man of genius？ Sculpture is the greatest of the Arts；〃
she cried； clapping her hands and jumping。 〃I will tell you
everything〃
〃What； is there more to come？〃 asked her father； smiling。
The child's complete and effervescent innocence had restored her
father's peace of mind。
〃A confession of the first importance；〃 said she。 〃I loved him without
knowing him； and； for the last hour； since seeing him； I am crazy
about him。〃
〃A little too crazy！〃 said the Baron； who was enjoying the sight of
this guileless passion。
〃Do not punish me for confiding in you；〃 replied she。 〃It is so
delightful to say to my father's heart； 'I love him！ I am so happy in
loving him！'You will see my Wenceslas！ His brow is so sad。 The sun
of genius shines in his gray eyesand what an air he has！ What do you
think of Livonia？ Is it a fine country？The idea of Cousin Betty's
marrying that young fellow！ She might be his mother。 It would be
murder！ I am quite jealous of all she has ever done for him。 But I
don't think my marriage will please her。〃
〃See； my darling； we must hide nothing from your mother。〃
〃I should have to show her the seal； and I promised not to betray
Cousin Lisbeth； who is afraid； she says； of mamma's laughing at her；〃
said Hortense。
〃You have scruples about the seal； and none about robbing your cousin
of her lover。〃
〃I promised about the sealI made no promise about the sculptor。〃
This adventure； patriarchal in its simplicity； came admirably /a
propos/ to the unconfessed poverty of the family； the Baron； while
praising his daughter for her candor； explained to her that she must
now leave matters to the discretion of her parents。
〃You understand； my child； that it is not your part to ascertain
whether your cousin's lover is a Count； if he has all his papers
properly certified； and if his conduct is a guarantee for his
respectability。As for your cousin； she refused five offers when she
was twenty years younger； that will prove no obstacle； I undertake to
say。〃
〃Listen to me； papa； if you really wish to see me married； never say a
word to Lisbeth about it till just before the contract is signed。 I
have been catechizing her about this business for the last six months！
Well； there is something about her quite inexplicable〃
〃What？〃 said her father； puzzled。
〃Well； she looks evil when I say too much； even in joke； about her
lover。 Make inquiries； but leave me to row my own boat。 My confidence
ought to reassure you。〃
〃The Lord said； 'Suffer little children to come unto Me。' You are one
of those who have come back again；〃 replied the Baron with a touch of
irony。
After breakfast the dealer was announced； and the artist with his
group。 The sudden flush that reddened her daughter's face at once made
the Baroness suspicious and then watchful； and the girl's confusion
and the light in her eyes soon betrayed the mystery so badly guarded
in her simple heart。
Count Steinbock； dressed in black； struck the Baron as a very
gentlemanly young man。
〃Would you undertake a bronze statue？〃 he asked； as he held up the
group。
After admiring it on trust； he passed it on to his wife； who knew
nothing about sculpture。
〃It is beautiful； isn't it； mamma？〃 said Hortense in her mother' ear。
〃A statue！ Monsieur； it is less difficult to execute a statue than to
make a clock like this； which my friend here has been kind enough to
bring；〃 said the artist in reply。
The dealer was placing on the dining…room sideboard the wax model of
the twelve Hours that the Loves were trying to delay。
〃Leave the clock with me；〃 said the Baron； astounded at the beauty of
the sketch。 〃I should like to show it to the Ministers of the Interior
and of Commerce。〃
〃Who is the young man in whom you take so much interest？〃 the Baroness
asked her daughter。
〃An artist who could afford to execute this model could get a hundred
thousand francs for it；〃 said the curiosity…dealer； putting on a
knowing and mysterious look as he saw that the artist and the girl
were interchanging glances。 〃He would only need to sell twenty copies
at eight thousand francs eachfor the materials would cost about a
thousand crowns for each example。 But if each copy were numbered and
the mould destroyed； it would certainly be possible to meet with
twenty amateurs only too glad to possess a replica of such a work。〃
〃A hundred thousand francs！〃 cried Steinbock； looking from the dealer
to Hortense； the Baron； and the Baroness。
〃Yes； a hundred thousand francs；〃 repeated the dealer。 〃If I were rich
enough； I would buy it of you myself for twenty thousand francs； for
by destroying the mould it would become a valuable property。 But one
of the princes ought to pay thirty or forty thousand francs for such a
work to ornament his drawing…room。 No man has ever succeeded in making
a clock satisfactory alike to the vulgar and to the connoisseur； and
this one； sir； solves the difficulty。〃
〃This is for yourself； monsieur；〃 said Hortense； giving six gold
pieces to the dealer。
〃Never breath a word of this visit to any one living；〃 said the artist
to his friend； at the door。 〃If you should be asked where we sold the
group； mention the Duc d'Herouville； the famous collector in the Rue
de Varenne。〃
The dealer nodded assent。
〃And your name？〃 said Hulot to the artist when he came back。
〃Count Steinbock。〃
〃Have you the papers that prove your identity？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur le Baron。 They are in Russian and in German； but not
legalized。〃
〃Do you feel equal to undertaking a statue nine feet high？〃
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃Well； then； if the persons whom I shall consult are satisfied with
your work； I can secure you the commission for the statue of Marshal
Montcornet； which is to be erected on his monument at Pere…Lachaise。
The Minister of War and the old officers of the Imperial Guard have
subscribed a sum large enough to enable us to select our artist。〃
〃Oh； monsieur； it will make my fortune！〃 exclaimed Steinbock；
overpowered by so much happiness at once。
〃Be easy；〃 replied the Baron graciously。 〃If the two ministers to whom
I propose to show your group and this sketch in wax are delighted with
these two pieces； your prospects of a fortune are good。〃
Hortense hugged her father's arm so tightly as to hurt him。
〃Bring me your papers； and say nothing of your hopes to anybody； not
even to our old Cousin Betty。〃
〃Lisbeth？〃 said Madame Hulot； at last understanding the end of all
this； though unable to guess the means。
〃I could give proof of my skill by making a bust of the Baroness；〃
added Wenceslas。
The artist； struck by Madame Hulot's beauty； was comparing the mother
and daughter。
〃Indeed； monsieur； life may smile upon you；〃 said the Baron； quite
charmed by Count Steinbock's refined and elegant manner。 〃You will
find out that in Paris no man is clever for nothing； and that
persevering toil always finds its reward here。〃
Hortense； with a blush； held out to the young man a pretty Algerine
purse containing sixty gold pieces。 The artist； with something still
of a gentleman's pride； responded with a mounting color easy enough to
interpret。
〃This； perhaps； is the first money your works have brought you？〃 said
Adeline。
〃Yes； madamemy works of art。 It is not the first…fruits of my labor；
for I have been a workman。〃
〃Well； we must hope my daughter's money will bring you good luck；〃
said she。
〃And take it without scruple；〃 added the Baron； seeing that Wenceslas
held the purse in his hand instead of pocketing it。 〃The sum will be
repaid by some rich man； a prince perhaps； who will offer it with
interest to possess so fine a work。〃
〃Oh； I want it too much myself； papa； to give it up to anybody in the
world； even a royal prince！〃
〃I can make a far prettier thing than that for you； mademoiselle。〃
〃But it would not be this one；〃 replied she； and then； as if ashamed
of having said too much； she ran out into the garden。
〃Then I shall break the mould and the model as soon as I go home；〃
said Steinbock。
〃Fetch me your papers； and you will hear of me before long； if you are
equal to what I expect of you； monsieur。〃
The artist on this could but take leave。 After bowing to Madame Hulot
and Hortense； who came in from the garden on purpose； he went off to
walk in the Tuileries； not bearingnot daringto return to his
attic； where his tyrant would pelt him with questions and wring his
secret from him。
Hortense's adorer conceived of groups and statues by the hundred； he
felt strong enough to hew the marble himself； like Canova； who was