and gentle Fougeres silenced all envy and all recriminations. Besides,
he had on his side all of his clan who had succeeded, and all who
expected to succeed. Some persons, touched by the persistent energy of
a man whom nothing had discouraged, talked of Domenichino and said:--

"Perseverance in the arts should be rewarded. Grassou hasn't stolen
his successes; he has delved for ten years, the poor dear man!"

That exclamation of "poor dear man!" counted for half in the support
and the congratulations which the painter received. Pity sets up
mediocrities as envy pulls down great talents, and in equal numbers.
The newspapers, it is true, did not spare criticism, but the chevalier
Fougeres digested them as he had digested the counsel of his friends,
with angelic patience.

Possessing, by this time, fifteen thousand francs, laboriously earned,
he furnished an apartment and studio in the rue de Navarin, and
painted the picture ordered by Monseigneur the Dauphin, also the two
church pictures, and delivered them at the time agreed on, with a
punctuality that was very discomforting to the exchequer of the
ministry, accustomed to a different course of action. But--admire the
good fortune of men who are methodical--if Grassou, belated with his
work, had been caught by the revolution of July he would not have got
his money.

By the time he was thirty-seven Fougeres had manufactured for Elie
Magus some two hundred pictures, all of them utterly unknown, by the
help of which he had attained to that satisfying manner, that point of
execution before which the true artist shrugs his shoulders and the
bourgeoisie worships. Fougeres was dear to friends for rectitude of