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I must have known it all； and that I had failed in proper confidence
between mother and daughter by not telling her。 Oh！ my dear Ginevra！
I； who took you for my model； oh！ how grieved I am that I can't be
your companion any longer。〃
〃We shall meet again in life； girls marry〃 said Ginevra。
〃When they are rich；〃 signed Laure。
〃Come and see me； my father has a fortune〃
〃Ginevra；〃 continued Laure； tenderly。 〃Madame Roguin and my mother are
coming to see Monsieur Servin to…morrow and reproach him； hadn't you
better warn him。〃
A thunderbolt falling at Ginevra's feet could not have astonished her
more than this revelation。
〃What matter is it to them？〃 she asked； naively。
〃Everybody thinks it very wrong。 Mamma says it is immoral。〃
〃And you； Laure； what do you say？〃
The young girl looked up at Ginevra； and their thoughts united。 Laure
could no longer keep back her tears； she flung herself on her friend's
breast and sobbed。 At this moment Servin came into the studio。
〃Mademoiselle Ginevra；〃 he cried； with enthusiasm； 〃I have finished my
picture！ it is now being varnished。 What have you been doing；
meanwhile？ Where are the young ladies； are they taking a holiday； or
are they in the country？〃
Laure dried her tears； bowed to Monsieur Servin； and went away。
〃The studio has been deserted for some days；〃 replied Ginevra； 〃and
the young ladies are not coming back。〃
〃Pooh！〃
〃Oh！ don't laugh；〃 said Ginevra。 〃Listen： I am the involuntary cause
of the loss of your reputation〃
The artist smiled； and said； interrupting his pupil：
〃My reputation？ Why； in a few days my picture will make it at the
Exposition。〃
〃That relates to your talent；〃 replied the girl。 〃I am speaking of
your morality。 Those young ladies have told their mothers that Luigi
was shut up here； and that you lent yourselftoour love。〃
〃There is some truth in that； mademoiselle；〃 replied the professor。
〃The mothers of those young ladies are foolish women； if they had come
straight to me I should have explained the matter。 But I don't care a
straw about it！ Life is short； anyhow。〃
And the painter snapped his fingers above his head。 Luigi； who had
heard part of the conversation； came in。
〃You have lost all your scholars；〃 he cried。 〃I have ruined you！〃
The artist took Luigi's hand and that of Ginevra； and joined them。
〃Marry one another； my children；〃 he said； with fatherly kindness。
They both dropped their eyes； and their silence was the first avowal
they had made to each other of their love。
〃You will surely be happy；〃 said Servin。 〃There is nothing in life to
equal the happiness of two beings like yourselves when bound together
in love。〃
Luigi pressed the hand of his protector without at first being able to
utter a word； but presently he said； in a voice of emotion：
〃To you I owe it all。〃
〃Be happy！ I bless and wed you；〃 said the painter； with comic unction；
laying his hands upon the heads of the lovers。
This little jest put an end to their strained emotion。 All three
looked at one another and laughed merrily。 Ginevra pressed Luigi's
hand in a strong clasp； with a simplicity of action worthy of the
customs of her native land。
〃Ah ca； my dear children；〃 resumed Servin； 〃you think that all will go
right now； but you are much mistaken。〃
The lovers looked at him in astonishment。
〃Don't be anxious。 I'm the only one that your romance will harm。 But
the fact is； Madame Servin is a little straitlaced； and I don't really
see how we are to settle it with her。〃
〃Heavens！ and I forgot to tell you；〃 exclaimed Ginevra； 〃that Madame
Roguin and Laure's mother are coming here to…morrow to〃
〃I understand；〃 said the painter。
〃But you can easily justify yourself；〃 continued the girl； with a
proud movement of her head。 〃Monsieur Luigi；〃 she added； turning to
him with an arch look； 〃will no longer object to entering the royal
service。 Well； then；〃 after receiving a smile from the young man； 〃to…
morrow morning I will send a petition to one of the most influential
persons at the ministry of War；a man who will refuse nothing to the
daughter of the Baron di Piombo。 We shall obtain a 'tacit' pardon for
Captain Luigi； for； of course； they will not allow him the rank of
major。 And then；〃 she added； addressing Servin； 〃you can confound the
mothers of my charitable companions by telling them the truth。〃
〃You are an angel！〃 cried Servin。
While this scene was passing at the studio the father and mother of
Ginevra were becoming impatient at her non…return。
〃It is six o'clock； and Ginevra not yet home！〃 cried Bartolomeo。
〃She was never so late before；〃 said his wife。
The two old people looked at each other with an anxiety that was not
usual with them。 Too anxious to remain in one place； Bartolomeo rose
and walked about the salon with an active step for a man who was over
seventy…seven years of age。 Thanks to his robust constitution； he had
changed but little since the day of his arrival in Paris； and； despite
his tall figure； he walked erect。 His hair； now white and sparse； left
uncovered a broad and protuberant skull； which gave a strong idea of
his character and firmness。 His face； seamed with deep wrinkles； had
taken； with age； a nobler expression； preserving the pallid tones
which inspire veneration。 The ardor of passions still lived in the
fire of his eyes； while the eyebrows； which were not wholly whitened；
retained their terrible mobility。 The aspect of the head was stern；
but it conveyed the impression that Piombo had a right to be so。 His
kindness； his gentleness were known only to his wife and daughter。 In
his functions； or in presence of strangers； he never laid aside the
majesty that time had impressed upon his person； and the habit of
frowning with his heavy eyebrows； contracting the wrinkles of his
face； and giving to his eyes a Napoleonic fixity； made his manner of
accosting others icy。
During the course of his political life he had been so generally
feared that he was thought unsocial； and it is not difficult to
explain the causes of that opinion。 The life； morals； and fidelity of
Piombo made him obnoxious to most courtiers。 In spite of the fact that
delicate missions were constantly intrusted to his discretion which to
any other man about the court would have proved lucrative； he
possessed an income of not more than thirty thousand francs from an
investment in the Grand Livre。 If we recall the cheapness of
government securities under the Empire； and the liberality of Napoleon
towards those of his faithful servants who knew how to ask for it； we
can readily see that the Baron di Piombo must have been a man of stern
integrity。 He owed his plumage as baron to the necessity Napoleon felt
of giving him a title before sending him on missions to foreign
courts。
Bartolomeo had always professed a hatred to the traitors with whom
Napoleon surrounded himself； expecting to bind them to his cause by
dint of victories。 It was he of whom it is told that he made three
steps to the door of the Emperor's cabinet after advising him to get
rid of three men in France on the eve of Napoleon's departure for his
celebrated and admirable campaign of 1814。 After the second return of
the Bourbons Bartolomeo ceased to wear the decoration of the Legion of
honor。 No man offered a finer image of those old Republicans；
incorruptible friends to the Empire； who remained the living relics of
the two most energetic governments the world has ever seen。 Though the
Baron di Piombo displeased mere courtiers； he had the Darus； Drouots；
and Carnots with him as friends。 As for the rest of the politicians；
he cared not a whiff of his cigar's smoke for them； especially since
Waterloo。
Bartolomeo di Piombo had bought； for the very moderate sum which
Madame Mere； the Emperor's mother； had paid him for his estates in
Corsica； the old mansion of the Portenduere family； in which he had
made no changes。 Lodged； usually； at the cost of the government； he
did not occupy this house until after the catastrophe of
Fontainebleau。 Following the habits of simple persons of strict
virtue； the baron and his wife gave no heed to external splendor；
their furniture was that which they bought with the mansion。 The grand
apartments； lofty； sombre； and bare； the wide mirrors in gilded frames
that were almost black； the furniture of the period of Louis XIV。 were
in keeping with Bartolomeo and his wife； personages worthy of
antiquity。
Under the Empire； and during the Hundred Days； while exercising
functions that were liberally rewarded； the old Corsican had
maintained a great establishment； more for the purpose of doing honor
to his office than from any desire to shine himself。 His life and that
of his wife were so frugal； so tranquil； that their modest fortune
sufficed for all their wa