"Not to a man of esprit, like monsieur, an admirer of beauty in every
form!" and M. Nioche cast a significant glance at his daughter's
Madonna.

"I can't fancy myself chattering French!" said Newman with a laugh. "And
yet, I suppose that the more a man knows the better."

"Monsieur expresses that very happily. Helas, oui!"

"I suppose it would help me a great deal, knocking about Paris, to know
the language."

"Ah, there are so many things monsieur must want to say: difficult
things!"

"Everything I want to say is difficult. But you give lessons?"

Poor M. Nioche was embarrassed; he smiled more appealingly. "I am not a
regular professor," he admitted. "I can't nevertheless tell him that I'm
a professor," he said to his daughter.

"Tell him it's a very exceptional chance," answered Mademoiselle Noemie;
"an homme du monde--one gentleman conversing with another! Remember what
you are--what you have been!"

"A teacher of languages in neither case! Much more formerly and much
less to-day! And if he asks the price of the lessons?"

"He won't ask it," said Mademoiselle Noemie.