And then quite a dispute commenced. It was easy to talk of realism,
but the young man would have no realism at all.

"I would not have it in anything, you hear!" said he, raising his
voice. "No, not in anything! it degrades art."

People would soon be seeing some fine things on the stage, indeed! Why
didn't Noemi follow out her actions to their logical conclusion? And
he illustrated his remark with a gesture which quite scandalized the
ladies. Oh, how horrible! However, when Madame Deberle had declared
that the actress produced a great effect, and Madame Levasseur had
related how a lady had fainted in the balcony, everybody agreed that
the affair was a great success; and with this the discussion stopped
short.

The young man sat in an arm-chair, with his legs stretched out among
the ladies' flowing skirts. He seemed to be quite at home in the
doctor's house. He had mechanically plucked a flower from a vase, and
was tearing it to pieces with his teeth. Madame Deberle interrupted
him:

"Have you read that novel which--"

He did not allow her to finish, but replied, with a superior air, that
he only read two novels in the year.

As for the exhibition of paintings at the Art Club, it was not worth
troubling about; and then, every topic being exhausted, he rose and
leaned over Juliette's little sofa, conversing with her in a low
voice, while the other ladies continued chatting together in an