"My address? Oh yes!" And the gentleman drew a card from his pocket-book
and wrote something upon it. Then hesitating a moment he said, "If I
don't like it when it it's finished, you know, I shall not be obliged to
take it."

The young lady seemed as good a guesser as himself. "Oh, I am very sure
that monsieur is not capricious," she said with a roguish smile.

"Capricious?" And at this monsieur began to laugh. "Oh no, I'm not
capricious. I am very faithful. I am very constant. Comprenez?"

"Monsieur is constant; I understand perfectly. It's a rare virtue. To
recompense you, you shall have your picture on the first possible day;
next week--as soon as it is dry. I will take the card of monsieur." And
she took it and read his name: "Christopher Newman." Then she tried to
repeat it aloud, and laughed at her bad accent. "Your English names are
so droll!"

"Droll?" said Mr. Newman, laughing too. "Did you ever hear of
Christopher Columbus?"

"Bien sur! He invented America; a very great man. And is he your
patron?"

"My patron?"

"Your patron-saint, in the calendar."

"Oh, exactly; my parents named me for him."