"Yes," he said, in a voice with a slight French accent, in reply to some
question they had asked him, "I studied in Paris, then I came to London
last year, and have been here ever since; but, I may say, I received all
my training in France."

"Ah! I thought so," said the little French artist. "Your style is too
good for the English school. You are a Canadian, I hear. We have a good
many Canadians in London this year. I went to hear one sing last night
at Her Majesty's, Mademoiselle Laurentia. Do you know her? I can assure
you she is superb. She is a Canadian, too."

"I did know her many, years ago," said Lacroix; "but I have seldom seen
her of late; in fact, I don't think she would remember me now."

"She is here to-day, I am told," said the little Frenchman, looking round
the gallery. "Ah! there she is talking to Lady D----. See, there, that
little lady in grey!"

Lacroix glanced in the direction indicated. Was that fashionable little
lady conversing completely at her ease with one of the highest in the
land indeed Marie Gourdon, the daughter of the fisherman at Father Point?
Yes; there was no mistaking her, and he wondered a little whether Marie
had changed mentally as much as her outward circumstances had altered.

"So, you did know the prima donna before?" went on the little French
artist.

"Oh! yes; we are both natives of Father Point, on the Lower St.
Lawrence."