l'Opera.

'That is the opera-house,' Mildred said, 'and that is the Cafe de la
Paix.... You haven't been to Paris before?'

'No; this is my first visit. But I didn't come to Paris to see Paris.
I came to see you. I could not help myself. Your letters were so
charming. I have read them over a thousand times. I couldn't go on
reading them without seeing you.... I got afraid that you'd find some
one here you'd fall in love with. Some one whom you'd prefer to me.
Have you?'

'No; I don't know that I have.'

'Then why shouldn't we be married? That's what I've come to ask you.'

'You mean now, in Paris?'

'Why not? If you haven't met any one you like better, you know.'

'And give up my painting, and just at the time I'm beginning to get
on! You said I had improved in my drawing.'

'Ah, your drawing interests you more than I.'

'I'd give anything to draw like Misal. You don't know him--a student
of the _Beaux Arts._'

'When you'd learnt all he knows, you wouldn't be any nearer to
painting a picture.'