"I did as she said, and now the tones of the violin reached my ears. The dying girl listened breathlessly to the sweet sounds. When the song was over, Aimee took my hand and whispered:
"'Bring her up and beg her to play at my bedside.'
"I hurried into the street and asked the gypsy to fulfil the wish of the dying girl. She did so at once, and sitting beside Aimee she played upon her instrument. How long she played I do not know, but I was thrilled by the sudden cessation of the music, and when I looked in terror at Aimee, I saw she had drawn her last breath—she had gone to her eternal slumber to the music of the violin.
"The gypsy disappeared, and I have never seen her since. But I have put her features on canvas as they are engraved in my memory, and you can understand now why I do not wish to sell the picture."
"Monsieur Sabran," said Spero when the painter had finished, "your little romance is interesting, and I am now ready to pay fifty thousand francs for the picture."
Gontram looked pityingly at the vicomte and dryly replied:
"I stick to my refusal."
Spero went away disappointed. Two days later he hurried to the painter's studio and hesitatingly said:
"Monsieur Sabran, I treated you the other day in a mean way. Please excuse me."
Gontram was surprised. Taking the vicomte's hand, he cordially said: