The poor little woman and her children
were banished; and he had a room full of visitors chattering round him
while he painted. You know his wonderful facility. The atmosphere was
cloudy with tobacco-smoke; and the men were drinking that abominable
concoction of worm-wood with which young France cultivates madness and
early doom."
"It is not a pleasant picture," said Clarissa with a profound sigh.
"No, my dear Mrs. Granger; but it is a faithful one. Mr. Lovel had won a
certain reputation for his airy style of art, and was beginning to get
better prices for his pictures; but I fancy he has a capacity for spending
money, and an inability to save it, which would bring him always to the
same level of comparative insolvency. I have known so many men like that;
and a man who begins in that way so rarely ends in any other way."
"What am I to do!" exclaimed Clarissa piteously; "what can I do to help
him?"
"I am almost at a loss to suggest anything. Perhaps if you were on the
spot, your influence might do something. I know he loves you, and is more
moved by the mention of your name than by any sermon one could preach to
him. But I suppose there is no chance of your being in Paris."
"I don't know. Mr. Granger talked some time ago of spending the autumn
abroad, and asked me if I should like to see a New-Year's day in Paris. I
think, if I were to express a wish about it, he would take me there; and it
would be such happiness to me to see Austin!" And then Mrs.
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