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character。　Ginevra　was　able；　therefore；　to　study　Luigi；　to　know　him；

and　before　long　they　mutually　esteemed　each　other。　The　girl；　who　was

older　than　Luigi；　found　a　charm　in　being　courted　by　a　youth　already　so

grand；　so　tried　by　fate；a　youth　who　joined　to　the　experience　of　a

man　the　graces　of　adolescence。　Luigi；　on　his　side；　felt　an　unspeakable

pleasure　in　allowing　himself　to　be　apparently　protected　by　a　woman；

now　twenty…five　years　of　age。　Was　it　not　a　proof　of　love？　The　union　of

gentleness　and　pride；　strength　and　weakness　in　Ginevra　were；　to　him；

irresistible　attractions；　and　he　was　utterly　subjugated　by　her。　In

short；　before　long；　they　loved　each　other　so　profoundly　that　they　felt

no　need　of　denying　to　each　other　their　love；　nor　yet　of　telling　it。



One　day；　towards　evening；　Ginevra　heard　the　accustomed　signal。　Luigi

scratched　with　a　pin　on　the　woodwork　in　a　manner　that　produced　no　more

noise　than　a　spider　might　make　as　he　fastened　his　thread。　The　signal

meant　that　he　wished　to　come　out　of　his　retreat。



Ginevra　glanced　around　the　studio；　and　not　seeing　Laure；　opened　the

door；　but　as　she　did　so　Luigi　caught　sight　of　the　little　pupil　and

abruptly　retired。　Surprised　at　his　action；　Ginevra　looked　round；　saw

Laure；　and　said；　as　she　went　up　to　the　girl's　easel：



〃You　are　staying　late；　my　dear。　That　head　seems　to　me　finished；　you

only　want　a　high…light；see！　on　that　knot　of　hair。〃



〃You　would　do　me　a　great　kindness；〃　said　Laure；　in　a　trembling　voice；

〃if　you　would　give　this　copy　a　few　touches；　for　then　I　could　carry

away　with　me　something　to　remind　me　of　you。〃



〃Willingly；〃　said　Ginevra；　painting　a　few　strokes　on　the　picture。　〃But

I　thought　it　was　a　long　way　from　your　home　to　the　studio；　and　it　is

late。〃



〃Oh！　Ginevra；　I　am　going　away；　never　to　return；〃　cried　the　poor　girl；

sadly。



〃You　mean　to　leave　Monsieur　Servin！〃　exclaimed　Ginevra；　less　affected；

however；　by　this　news　than　she　would　have　been　a　month　earlier。



〃Haven't　you　noticed；　Ginevra；　that　for　some　days　past　you　and　I　have

been　alone　in　the　studio？〃



〃True；〃　said　Ginevra；　as　if　struck　by　a　sudden　recollection。　〃Are　all

those　young　ladies　ill；　or　going　to　be　married；　or　are　their　fathers

on　duty　at　court？〃



〃They　have　left　Monsieur　Servin；〃　replied　Laure。



〃Why？〃



〃On　your　account；　Ginevra。〃



〃My　account！〃　repeated　the　Corsican；　springing　up；　with　a　threatening

brow　and　her　eyes　flashing。



〃Oh！　don't　be　angry；　my　kind　Ginevra；〃　cried　Laure；　in　deep　distress。

〃My　mother　insists　on　my　leaving　the　studio。　The　young　ladies　say　that

you　have　some　intrigue；　and　that　Monsieur　Servin　allows　the　young　man

whom　you　love　to　stay　in　the　dark　attic。　I　have　never　believed　these

calumnies　nor　said　a　word　to　my　mother　about　them。　But　last　night

Madame　Roguin　met　her　at　a　ball　and　asked　her　if　she　still　sent　me

here。　When　my　mother　answered　yes；　Madame　Roguin　told　her　the

falsehoods　of　those　young　ladies。　Mamma　scolded　me　severely；　she　said

I　must　have　known　it　all；　and　that　I　had　failed　in　proper　confidence

between　mother　and　daughter　by　not　telling　her。　Oh！　my　dear　Ginevra！

I；　who　took　you　for　my　model；　oh！　how　grieved　I　am　that　I　can't　be

your　companion　any　longer。〃



〃We　shall　meet　again　in　life；　girls　marry〃　said　Ginevra。



〃When　they　are　rich；〃　signed　Laure。



〃Come　and　see　me；　my　father　has　a　fortune〃



〃Ginevra；〃　continued　Laure；　tenderly。　〃Madame　Roguin　and　my　mother　are

coming　to　see　Monsieur　Servin　to…morrow　and　reproach　him；　hadn't　you

better　warn　him。〃



A　thunderbolt　falling　at　Ginevra's　feet　could　not　have　astonished　her

more　than　this　revelation。



〃What　matter　is　it　to　them？〃　she　asked；　naively。



〃Everybody　thinks　it　very　wrong。　Mamma　says　it　is　immoral。〃



〃And　you；　Laure；　what　do　you　say？〃



The　young　girl　looked　up　at　Ginevra；　and　their　thoughts　united。　Laure

could　no　longer　keep　back　her　tears；　she　flung　herself　on　her　friend's

breast　and　sobbed。　At　this　moment　Servin　came　into　the　studio。



〃Mademoiselle　Ginevra；〃　he　cried；　with　enthusiasm；　〃I　have　finished　my

picture！　it　is　now　being　varnished。　What　have　you　been　doing；

meanwhile？　Where　are　the　young　ladies；　are　they　taking　a　holiday；　or

are　they　in　the　country？〃



Laure　dried　her　tears；　bowed　to　Monsieur　Servin；　and　went　away。



〃The　studio　has　been　deserted　for　some　days；〃　replied　Ginevra；　〃and

the　young　ladies　are　not　coming　back。〃



〃Pooh！〃



〃Oh！　don't　laugh；〃　said　Ginevra。　〃Listen：　I　am　the　involuntary　cause

of　the　loss　of　your　reputation〃



The　artist　smiled；　and　said；　interrupting　his　pupil：



〃My　reputation？　Why；　in　a　few　days　my　picture　will　make　it　at　the

Exposition。〃



〃That　relates　to　your　talent；〃　replied　the　girl。　〃I　am　speaking　of

your　morality。　Those　young　ladies　have　told　their　mothers　that　Luigi

was　shut　up　here；　and　that　you　lent　yourselftoour　love。〃



〃There　is　some　truth　in　that；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　the　professor。

〃The　mothers　of　those　young　ladies　are　foolish　women；　if　they　had　come

straight　to　me　I　should　have　explained　the　matter。　But　I　don't　care　a

straw　about　it！　Life　is　short；　anyhow。〃



And　the　painter　snapped　his　fingers　above　his　head。　Luigi；　who　had

heard　part　of　the　conversation；　came　in。



〃You　have　lost　all　your　scholars；〃　he　cried。　〃I　have　ruined　you！〃



The　artist　took　Luigi's　hand　and　that　of　Ginevra；　and　joined　them。



〃Marry　one　another；　my　children；〃　he　said；　with　fatherly　kindness。



They　both　dropped　their　eyes；　and　their　silence　was　the　first　avowal

they　had　made　to　each　other　of　their　love。



〃You　will　surely　be　happy；〃　said　Servin。　〃There　is　nothing　in　life　to

equal　the　happiness　of　two　beings　like　yourselves　when　bound　together

in　love。〃



Luigi　pressed　the　hand　of　his　protector　without　at　first　being　able　to

utter　a　word；　but　presently　he　said；　in　a　voice　of　emotion：



〃To　you　I　owe　it　all。〃



〃Be　happy！　I　bless　and　wed　you；〃　said　the　painter；　with　comic　unction；

laying　his　hands　upon　the　heads　of　the　lovers。



This　little　jest　put　an　end　to　their　strained　emotion。　All　three

looked　at　one　another　and　laughed　merrily。　Ginevra　pressed　Luigi's

hand　in　a　strong　clasp；　with　a　simplicity　of　action　worthy　of　the

customs　of　her　native　land。



〃Ah　ca；　my　dear　children；〃　resumed　Servin；　〃you　think　that　all　will　go

right　now；　but　you　are　much　mistaken。〃



The　lovers　looked　at　him　in　astonishment。



〃Don't　be　anxious。　I'm　the　only　one　that　your　romance　will　harm。　But

the　fact　is；　Madame　Servin　is　a　little　straitlaced；　and　I　don't　really

see　how　we　are　to　settle　it　with　her。〃



〃Heavens！　and　I　forgot　to　tell　you；〃　exclaimed　Ginevra；　〃that　Madame

Roguin　and　Laure's　mother　are　coming　here　to…morrow　to〃



〃I　understand；〃　said　the　painter。



〃But　you　can　easily　justify　yourself；〃　continued　the　girl；　with　a

proud　movement　of　her　head。　〃Monsieur　Luigi；〃　she　added；　turning　to

him　with　an　arch　look；　〃will　no　longer　object　to　entering　the　royal

service。　Well；　then；〃　after　receiving　a　smile　from　the　young　man；　〃to…

morrow　morning　I　will　send　a　petition　to　one　of　the　most　influential

persons　at　the　ministry　of　War；a　man　who　will　refuse　nothing　to　the

daughter　of　the　Baron　di　Piombo。　We　shall　obtain　a　'tacit'　pardon　for

Captain　Luigi；　for；　of　course；　they　will　not　allow　him　the　rank　of

major。　And　then；〃　she　added；　addressing　Servin；　〃you　can　confound　the

mothers　of　my　charitable　companions　by　telling　them　the　truth。〃



〃You　are　an　angel！〃　cried　Servin。



While　this　scene　was　passing　at　the　studio　the　father　and　mother　of

Ginevra　were　becoming　impatient　at　her　non…return。



〃It　is　six　o'clock；　and　Ginevra　not　yet　home！〃　cried　Bartolomeo。



〃She　was　never　so　late　before；〃　said　his　wife。



The　two　old　people　looked　at　each　other　with　an　anxiety　that　was　not

usual　with　them。　Too　anxious　to　remain　in　one　place；　Bartolomeo　rose

and　walked　about　the　salon　with　an　active　step　for　a　man　who　was　over

seventy…seven　years　of　age。　Thanks　to　his　robust　constitution；　he　had

changed　but　little　since　the　day　of　his　arrival　in　Paris；　and；　despite

his　tall　figure；　he　walked　erect。　His　hair；　now　white　and　sparse；　left

uncovered　a　broad　and　protuberant　skull；　which　gave　a　strong　idea　of

his　character　and　firmness。　His　face；　seamed　with　deep　wrinkles；　had

taken；　with　age；　a　nobler　expression；　preserving　the　pallid　tones

which　inspire　veneration。　The　ardor　of　passions　still　lived　in　the

fire　of　his　eyes；　while　the　eyebrows；　which　were　not　wholly　whitened；

retained　their　terrible　mobility。　The　aspect　of　the　head　was　stern；

but　it　conveyed　the　impression　that　Piombo　had　a　right　to　be　so。　His

kindness；　his　gentleness　were　known　only　to　his　wife　and　daughter。　In

his　functions；　or　in　presence　of　strangers；　he　never　laid　aside　the

majesty　that　time　had　impressed　upon　his　person；　and　the　habit　of

frowning　with　his　heavy　eyebrows；　contracting　the　wrinkles　of　his

face；　and　giving　to　his　eyes　a　Napoleonic　fixity；　made　his　manner　of

accosting　others　icy。



During　the　course　of　his　political　life　he　had　been　so　generally

feared　that　he　was　thought　unsocial；　and　it　is　not　difficult　to

explain　the　causes　of　that　opinion。　The　life；　morals；　and　fidelity　of

Piombo　made　him　obnoxious　to　most　courtiers。　In　spite　of　the　fact　that

delicate　missions　were　constantly　intrusted　to　his　discretion　which　to

any　other　man　about　the　court　would　have　proved　lucrative；　he

possessed　an　income　of　not　more　than　thirty　thousand　francs　from　an

investment　in　the　Grand　Livre。　If　we　recall　the　cheapness　of

government　securities　under　the　Empire；　and　the　liberality　of　Napoleon

towards　those　of　his　faithful　servants　who　knew　how　to　ask　for　it；　we

can　readily　see　that　the　Baron　di　Piombo　must　have　been　a　man　of　stern

integrity。　He　owed　his　plumage　as　baron　to　the　necessity　Napoleon　felt

of　giving　him　a　title　before　sending　him　on　missions　to　foreign

courts。



Bartolome