teaching as you may think necessary。 You shall give me formal
acknowledgment for the money I may lay out for you； and when you are
rich you shall repay me all。 But if you do not work； I shall not
regard myself as in any way pledged to you； and I shall leave you to
your fate。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried the poor fellow； still smarting from the bitterness of his
first struggle with death； 〃exiles from every land may well stretch
out their hands to France； as the souls in Purgatory do to Paradise。
In what other country is such help to be found； and generous hearts
even in such a garret as this？ You will be everything to me； my
beloved benefactress； I am your slave！ Be my sweetheart；〃 he added；
with one of the caressing gestures familiar to the Poles； for which
they are unjustly accused of servility。
〃Oh； no； I am too jealous； I should make you unhappy； but I will
gladly be a sort of comrade；〃 replied Lisbeth。
〃Ah； if only you knew how I longed for some fellow…creature； even a
tyrant； who would have something to say to me when I was struggling in
the vast solitude of Paris！〃 exclaimed Wenceslas。 〃I regretted
Siberia； whither I should be sent by the Emperor if I went home。Be
my Providence！I will work； I will be a better man than I am； though
I am not such a bad fellow！〃
〃Will you do whatever I bid you？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； then； I will adopt you as my child；〃 said she lightly。 〃Here I
am with a son risen from the grave。 Come！ we will begin at once。 I
will go out and get what I want； you can dress； and come down to
breakfast with me when I knock on the ceiling with the broomstick。〃
That day； Mademoiselle Fischer made some inquiries； at the houses to
which she carried her work home； as to the business of a sculptor。 By
dint of many questions she ended by hearing of the studio kept by
Florent and Chanor； a house that made a special business of casting
and finishing decorative bronzes and handsome silver plate。 Thither
she went with Steinbock； recommending him as an apprentice in
sculpture； an idea that was regarded as too eccentric。 Their business
was to copy the works of the greatest artists； but they did not teach
the craft。 The old maid's persistent obstinacy so far succeeded that
Steinbock was taken on to design ornament。 He very soon learned to
model ornament； and invented novelties； he had a gift for it。
Five months after he was out of his apprenticeship as a finisher； he
made acquaintance with Stidmann； the famous head of Florent's studios。
Within twenty months Wenceslas was ahead of his master； but in thirty
months the old maid's savings of sixteen years had melted entirely。
Two thousand five hundred francs in gold！a sum with which she had
intended to purchase an annuity； and what was there to show for it？ A
Pole's receipt！ And at this moment Lisbeth was working as hard as in
her young days to supply the needs of her Livonian。
When she found herself the possessor of a piece of paper instead of
her gold louis； she lost her head； and went to consult Monsieur Rivet；
who for fifteen years had been his clever head…worker's friend and
counselor。 On hearing her story； Monsieur and Madame Rivet scolded
Lisbeth； told her she was crazy； abused all refugees whose plots for
reconstructing their nation compromised the prosperity of the country
and the maintenance of peace； and they urged Lisbeth to find what in
trade is called security。
〃The only hold you have over this fellow is on his liberty；〃 observed
Monsieur Rivet。
Monsieur Achille Rivet was assessor at the Tribunal of Commerce。
〃Imprisonment is no joke for a foreigner；〃 said he。 〃A Frenchman
remains five years in prison and comes out； free of his debts to be
sure； for he is thenceforth bound only by his conscience； and that
never troubles him； but a foreigner never comes out。Give me your
promissory note； my bookkeeper will take it up； he will get it
protested； you will both be prosecuted and both be condemned to
imprisonment in default of payment； then； when everything is in due
form； you must sign a declaration。 By doing this your interest will be
accumulating； and you will have a pistol always primed to fire at your
Pole！〃
The old maid allowed these legal steps to be taken； telling her
protege not to be uneasy； as the proceedings were merely to afford a
guarantee to a money…lender who agreed to advance them certain sums。
This subterfuge was due to the inventive genius of Monsieur Rivet。 The
guileless artist； blindly trusting to his benefactress； lighted his
pipe with the stamped paper； for he smoked as all men do who have
sorrows or energies that need soothing。
One fine day Monsieur Rivet showed Mademoiselle Fischer a schedule；
and said to her：
〃Here you have Wenceslas Steinbock bound hand and foot； and so
effectually； that within twenty…four hours you can have him snug in
Clichy for the rest of his days。〃
This worthy and honest judge at the Chamber of Commerce experienced
that day the satisfaction that must come of having done a malignant
good action。 Beneficence has so many aspects in Paris that this
contradictory expression really represents one of them。 The Livonian
being fairly entangled in the toils of commercial procedure； the point
was to obtain payment； for the illustrious tradesman looked on
Wenceslas as a swindler。 Feeling； sincerity； poetry； were in his eyes
mere folly in business matters。
So Rivet went off to see； in behalf of that poor Mademoiselle Fischer；
who； as he said； had been 〃done〃 by the Pole； the rich manufacturers
for whom Steinbock had worked。 It happened that Stidmannwho； with
the help of these distinguished masters of the goldsmiths' art； was
raising French work to the perfection it has now reached； allowing it
to hold its own against Florence and the RenaissanceStidmann was in
Chanor's private room when the army lace manufacturer called to make
inquiries as to 〃One Steinbock； a Polish refugee。〃
〃Whom do you call 'One Steinbock'？ Do you mean a young Livonian who
was a pupil of mine？〃 cried Stidmann ironically。 〃I may tell you；
monsieur； that he is a very great artist。 It is said of me that I
believe myself to be the Devil。 Well； that poor fellow does not know
that he is capable of becoming a god。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Rivet； well pleased。 And then he added； 〃Though you
take a rather cavalier tone with a man who has the honor to be an
Assessor on the Tribunal of Commerce of the Department of the Seine。〃
〃Your pardon； Consul！〃 said Stidmann； with a military salute。
〃I am delighted；〃 the Assessor went on； 〃to hear what you say。 The man
may make money then？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Chanor； 〃but he must work。 He would have a tidy sum
by now if he had stayed with us。 What is to be done？ Artists have a
horror of not being free。〃
〃They have a proper sense of their value and dignity；〃 replied
Stidmann。 〃I do not blame Wenceslas for walking alone； trying to make
a name； and to become a great man； he had a right to do so！ But he was
a great loss to me when he left。〃
〃That； you see；〃 exclaimed Rivet； 〃is what all young students aim at
as soon as they are hatched out of the school…egg。 Begin by saving
money； I say； and seek glory afterwards。〃
〃It spoils your touch to be picking up coin；〃 said Stidmann。 〃It is
Glory's business to bring us wealth。〃
〃And； after all；〃 said Chanor to Rivet； 〃you cannot tether them。〃
〃They would eat the halter；〃 replied Stidmann。
〃All these gentlemen have as much caprice as talent；〃 said Chanor；
looking at Stidmann。 〃They spend no end of money； they keep their
girls； they throw coin out of window； and then they have no time to
work。 They neglect their orders； we have to employ workmen who are
very inferior； but who grow rich； and then they complain of the hard
times； while； if they were but steady； they might have piles of gold。〃
〃You old Lumignon；〃 said Stidmann； 〃you remind me of the publisher
before the Revolution who said'If only I could keep Montesquieu；
Voltaire； and Rousseau very poor in my backshed； and lock up their
breeches in a cupboard； what a lot of nice little books they would
write to make my fortune。'If works of art could be hammered out like
nails； workmen would make them。Give me a thousand francs； and don't
talk nonsense。〃
Worthy Monsieur Rivet went home； delighted for poor Mademoiselle
Fischer； who dined with him every Monday； and whom he found waiting
for him。
〃If you can only make him work；〃 said he； 〃you will have more luck
than wisdom； you will be repaid； interest； capital； and costs。 This
Pole has talent； he can make a living； but lock up his trousers and
his shoes； do not let him go to the /Chaumiere/ or the parish of
Notre…Dame de Lorette； keep him in leading…strings。 If you do not take
such precautions； your artist will take to loafing； and if you only
knew what these artists mean by loafing！ Shocking！ Why； I have just
heard that they will spend a thousand…franc note in a day！〃
This episode had a fatal influence on the home…life of Wenceslas and
Lisbeth。 The benefactress flavored the exile's bread with the wormwood
of reproof； now that she saw her money in danger； and often believed
it to be lost。 From a kind mother she became a stepmother； she took
the poor boy to task； she nagged him； scolded him for working too
slowly； and blamed him for having chosen so difficult a profession。
She could not believe that those models in red waxlittle figures and
sketches for ornamental workcould be of any value。 Before long；
vexed with herself for her severity； she would try to efface the tears
by her care and attention。
Then the poor young man； after groaning to think that he was dependent
on this shrew and under the thumb of a peasant of the Vosges； was
bewitched by her coaxing ways and by a maternal affection that
attached itself solely to the physical and material side of life。 He
was like a woman who forgives a week of ill…usage for the sake of a
kiss and a brief reconciliation。
Thus Mademoiselle Fischer obtained complete power over his mind。 The
love of dominion that lay as a germ in the old maid's heart developed
rapidly。 She could now satisfy her pride and her craving for action；
had she not a creature belonging to her； to be sc