Mademoiselle Noemie glanced at the glowing splendor of the Venetian
masterpiece and gave a little toss of her head. "I don't like that
woman. She looks stupid."

"I do like her," said Newman. "Decidedly, I must have her, as large as
life. And just as stupid as she is there."

The young girl fixed her eyes on him again, and with her mocking smile,
"It certainly ought to be easy for me to make her look stupid!" she
said.

"What do you mean?" asked Newman, puzzled.

She gave another little shrug. "Seriously, then, you want that
portrait--the golden hair, the purple satin, the pearl necklace, the two
magnificent arms?"

"Everything--just as it is."

"Would nothing else do, instead?"

"Oh, I want some other things, but I want that too."

Mademoiselle Noemie turned away a moment, walked to the other side of
the hall, and stood there, looking vaguely about her. At last she came
back. "It must be charming to be able to order pictures at such a rate.
Venetian portraits, as large as life! You go at it en prince. And you
are going to travel about Europe that way?"

"Yes, I intend to travel," said Newman.