Claude approached and felt full of compassion at the sight of that
painting, and though he was as a rule so harsh towards bad painters,
his compassion prompted him to say a word of praise.

'Ah! one can't say that you are a trickster; you paint, at any rate,
as you feel. Very good, indeed.'

However, the door of the shop had opened, and a good-looking, fair
fellow, with a big pink nose, and large, blue, short-sighted eyes,
entered shouting:

'I say, why does that herbalist woman next door always stand on her
doorstep? What an ugly mug she's got!'

They all laughed, except Mahoudeau, who seemed very much embarrassed.

'Jory, the King of Blunderers,' declared Sandoz, shaking hands with
the new comer.

'Why? What? Is Mahoudeau interested in her? I didn't know,' resumed
Jory, when he had at length grasped the situation. 'Well, well, what
does it matter? When everything's said, they are all irresistible.'

'As for you,' the sculptor rejoined, 'I can see you have tumbled on
your lady-love's finger-nails again. She has dug a bit out of your
cheek!'

They all burst out laughing anew, while Jory, in his turn, reddened.
In fact, his face was scratched: there were even two deep gashes