Madame Roustan was completely taken aback:
'But Monsieur, we are poor, and our tastes are so
simple ... my brother. . . /
He waved these objections aside: 'Saint Loup will
not always be poor, I assure you. Chere Madame,
believe me, the day will arrive when your charming
Saint Loup will become the fashion. A fine beach,
a warm sea, cheap wine, cheap fruit, much sunshine
and really exquisite mountains. What do you think
brought me here, chere Madame — apart, of course,
from my tonsilitis? A small picture, it was, that
brought me here, a picture of the harbour with the
mountains beyond —I discovered it on the Rive
Gauche in Paris. I said to the salesman: "How much
does he want?55 And he answered: "Not much, he
is quite a poor artist." Then I said: "I will take his
name and address, in addition to which I will buy
his bad picture." Madame, the thing is a master-
piece; you shall see it, I have it in my portmanteau.
Bien, Madame, this spring when I visited the Salon
there were two more pictures by that same artist,
pictures of the little side-streets of your town — very
cleverly done, very clean, true colour. The man's
name is Beauvais; I believe he is young and that
those were his first important exhibits. But the
point is this; his pictures were attracting a very great
deal of admiration, so that doubtless this Beauvais
will come here again, and through him may well
come other good artists, and through them the town
of Saint Loup will get known — they will do all our
advertising for nothing. Ah, Madame, forgive me
if my tongue runs away, the fault lies with my great
enthusiasm. Already I see Paris gowns in your win-
dow, and fine lingerie, and gay bathing costumes . . /
*In my window?3 she asked him incredulously.
'But surely, Madame — in your window, why not?
It will be but a step from the drapery business/
236