模范百万富翁

模范百万富翁TheModelMillionaireUNLESSoneiswealthythereisnouseinbeingacharmingfellow.Romanceistheprivilegeoftherich,nottheprofessionoftheunemployed.Thepoorshouldbepracticalandprosaic.Itisbettertohaveapermanentincomethantobefascinating.ThesearethegreattruthsofmodernlifewhichHughieErskineneverrealised.PoorHughie!Intellectually,wemustadmit,hewasnotofmuchimportance.Heneversaidabrilliantorevenanill-naturedthinginhislife.Butthenhewaswonderfullygood-looking,withhiscrispbrownhair,hisclear-cutprofile,andhisgreyeyes.Hewasaspopularwithmenashewaswithwomen,andhehadeveryaccomplishmentexceptthatofmakingmoney.Hisfatherhadbequeathedhimhiscavalrysword,andaHistoryofthePeninsularWarinfifteenvolumes.Hughiehungthefirstoverhislooking-glass,putthesecondonashelfbetweenRuff'sGuideandBailey'sMagazine,andlivedontwohundredayearthatanoldauntallowedhim.Hehadtriedeverything.HehadgoneontheStockExchangeforsixmonths;butwhatwasabutterflytodoamongbullsandbears?Hehadbeenatea-merchantforalittlelonger,buthadsoontiredofpekoeandsouchong.Thenhehadtriedsellingdrysherry.Thatdidnotanswer;thesherrywasalittletoodry.Ultimatelyhebecamenothing,adelightful,ineffectualyoungmanwithaperfectprofileandnoprofession.Tomakemattersworse,hewasinlove.ThegirlhelovedwasLauraMerton,thedaughterofaretiredColonelwhohadlosthistemperandhisdigestioninIndia,andhadneverfoundeitherofthemagain.Lauraadoredhim,andhewasreadytokisshershoe-strings.TheywerethehandsomestcoupleinLondon,andhadnotapenny-piecebetweenthem.TheColonelwasveryfondofHughie,butwouldnothearofanyengagement.`Cometome,myboy,whenyouhavegottenthousandpoundsofyourown,andwewillseeaboutit,'heusedtosay;andHughielookedveryglumonthosedays,andhadtogotoLauraforconsolation.Onemorning,ashewasonhiswaytoHollandPark,wheretheMertonslived,hedroppedintoseeagreatfriendofhis,AlanTrevor.Trevorwasapainter.Indeed,fewpeopleescapethatnowadays.Buthewasalsoanartist,andartistsareratherrare.Personallyhewasastrangeroughfellow,withafreckledfaceandaredraggedbeard.However,whenhetookupthebrushhewasarealmaster,andhispictureswereeagerlysoughtafter.HehadbeenverymuchattractedbyHughieatfirst,itmustbeacknowledged,entirelyonaccountofhispersonalcharm.`Theonlypeopleapaintershouldknow,'heusedtosay,`arepeoplewhoarebêteandbeautiful,peoplewhoareanartisticpleasuretolookatandanintellectualreposetotalkto.Menwhoaredandiesandwomenwhoaredarlingsruletheworld,atleasttheyshoulddoso.'However,afterhegottoknowHughiebetter,helikedhimquiteasmuchforhisbrightbuoyantspiritsandhisgenerousrecklessnature,andhadgivenhimthepermanententréetohisstudio.WhenHughiecameinhefoundTrevorputtingthefinishingtouchestoawonderfullife-sizepictureofabeggar-man.Thebeggarhimselfwasstandingonaraisedplatforminacornerofthestudio.Hewasawizenedoldman,withafacelikewrinkledparchment,andamostpiteousexpression.Overhisshoulderswasflungacoarsebrowncloak,alltearsandtatters;histhickbootswerepatchedandcobbled,andwithonehandheleantonaroughstick,whilewiththeotherheheldouthisbatteredhatforalms.`Whatanamazingmodel!'whisperedHughie,asheshookhandswithhisfriend.`Anamazingmodel?'shoutedTrevoratthetopofhisvoice;`Ishouldthinkso!Suchbeggarsashearenottobemetwitheveryday.Atrouvaille,mortcher;alivingVelasquez!Mystars!whatanetchingRembrandtwouldhavemadeofhim!'`Pooroldchap!saidHughie,`howmiserablehelooks!ButIsuppose,toyoupainters,hisfaceishisfortune?'`Certainly,'repliedTrevor,`youdon'twantabeggartolookhappy,doyou?'`Howmuchdoesamodelgetforsitting?'askedHughie,ashefoundhimselfacomfortableseatonadivan.`Ashillinganhour.'`Andhowmuchdoyougetforyourpicture,Alan?'`Oh,forthisIgettwothousand!'`Pounds?'`Guineas.Painters,poets,andphysiciansalwaysgetguineas.'`Well,Ithinkthemodelshouldhaveapercentage,'criedHughie,laughing;`theyworkquiteashardasyoudo.'`Nonsense,nonsense!Why,lookatthetroubleoflayingonthepaintalone,andstandingalldaylongatone'seasel!It'sallverywell,Hughie,foryoutotalk,butIassureyouthattherearemomentswhenArtalmostattainstothedignityofmanuallabour.Butyoumustn'tchatter;I'mverybusy.Smokeacigarette,andkeepquiet.'Aftersometimetheservantcamein,andtoldTrevorthattheframe-makerwantedtospeaktohim.`Don'trunaway,Hughie,'hesaid,ashewentout,`Iwillbebackinamoment.'Theoldbeggar-mantookadvantageofTrevor'sabsencetorestforamomentonawoodenbenchthatwasbehindhim.HelookedsoforlornandwretchedthatHughiecouldnothelppityinghim,andfeltinhispocketstoseewhatmoneyhehad.Allhecouldfindwasasovereignandsomecoppers.`Pooroldfellow,'hethoughttohimself,`hewantsitmorethanIdo,butitmeansnohansomsforafortnight;'andhewalkedacrossthestudioandslippedthesovereignintothebeggar'shand.Theoldmanstarted,andafaintsmileflittedacrosshiswitheredlips.`Thankyou,sir,'hesaid,`thankyou.'ThenTrevorarrived,andHughietookhisleave,blushingalittleatwhathehaddone.HespentthedaywithLaura,gotacharmingscoldingforhisextravagance,andhadtowalkhome.ThatnighthestrolledintothePaletteClubabouteleveno'clock,andfoundTrevorsittingbyhimselfinthesmoking-roomdrinkinghockandseltzer.`Wellll,Alan,didyougetthepicturefinishedallright?'hesaid,ashelithiscigarette.`Finishedandframed,myboy!'answeredTrevor;`and,by-the-bye,youhavemadeaconquest.Thatoldmodelyousawisquitedevotedtoyou.Ihadtotellhimallaboutyou-whoyouare,whereyoulive,whatyourincomeis,whatprospectsyouhave--'`MydearAlan,'criedHughie,`IshallprobablyfindhimwaitingformewhenIgohome.Butofcourseyouareonlyjoking.Pooroldwretch!IwishIcoulddosomethingforhim.Ithinkitisdreadfulthatanyoneshouldbesomiserable.Ihavegotheapsofoldclothesathome-doyouthinkhewouldcareforanyofthem?Why,hisragswerefallingtobits.'`Buthelookssplendidinthem,'saidTrevor.`Iwouldn'tpainthiminafrock-coatforanything.WhatyoucallragsIcallromance.Whatseemspovertytoyouispicturesquenesstome.However,I'lltellhimofyouroffer.'`Alan,'saidHughieseriously,`youpaintersareaheartlesslot.'`Anartist'sheartishishead,'repliedTrevor;`andbesides,ourbusinessistorealisetheworldasweseeit,nottoreformitasweknowit.àchacunsonmétier.AndnowtellmehowLaurais.Theoldmodelwasquiteinterestedinher.'`Youdon'tmeantosayyoutalkedtohimabouther?'saidHughie.`CertainlyIdid.Heknowsallabouttherelentlesscolonel,thelovelyLaura,andthe#10,000.'`Youtoldthatoldbeggarallmyprivateaffairs?'criedHughie,lookingveryredandangry.`Mydearboy,'saidTrevor,smiling,`thatoldbeggar,asyoucallhim,isoneoftherichestmeninEurope.HecouldbuyallLondonto-morrowwithoutoverdrawinghisaccount.Hehasahouseineverycapital,dinesoffgoldplate,andcanpreventRussiagoingtowarwhenhechooses.'`Whatonearthdoyoumean?'exclaimedHughie.`WhatIsay,'saidTrevor.`Theoldmanyousawto-dayinthestudiowasBaronHausberg.Heisagreatfriendofmine,buysallmypicturesandthatsortofthing,andgavemeacommissionamonthagotopainthimasabeggar.Quevoulez-vous?Lafantaisied'unmillionnaire!AndImustsayhemadeamagnificentfigureinhisrags,orperhapsIshouldsayinmyrags;theyareanoldsuitIgotinSpain.'`BaronHausberg!'criedHughie.`Goodheavens!Igavehimasovereign!'andhesankintoanarmchairthepictureofdismay.`Gavehimasovereign!'shoutedTrevor,andheburstintoaroaroflaughter.`Mydearboy,you'llneverseeitagain.Sonaffairec'estl'argentdesautres.'`Ithinkyoumighthavetoldme,Alan,'saidHughiesulkily,`andnothaveletmemakesuchafoolofmyself.'`Well,tobeginwith,Hughie,'saidTrevor,`itneverenteredmymindthatyouwentaboutdistributingalmsinthatrecklessway.Icanunderstandyourkissingaprettymodel,butyourgivingasovereigntoanuglyone-byJove,no!Besides,thefactisthatIreallywasnotathometo-daytoanyone;andwhenyoucameinIdidn'tknowwhetherHausbergwouldlikehisnamementioned.Youknowhewasn'tinfulldress.'`Whatadufferhemustthinkme!'saidHughie.`Notatall.Hewasinthehighestspiritsafteryouleft;keptchucklingtohimselfandrubbinghisoldwrinkledhandstogether.Icouldn'tmakeoutwhyhewassointerestedtoknowallaboutyou;butIseeitallnow.He'llinvestyoursovereignforyou,Hughie,payyoutheinteresteverysixmonths,andhaveacapitalstorytotellafterdinner.'`Iamanunluckydevil,'growledHughie.`ThebestthingIcandoistogotobed;and,mydearAlan,youmustn'ttellanyone.Ishouldn'tdareshowmyfaceintheRow.'`Nonsense!Itreflectsthehighestcreditonyourphilanthropicspirit,Hughie.Anddon'trunaway.Haveanothercigarette,andyoucantalkaboutLauraasmuchasyoulike.'However,Hughiewouldn'tstop,butwalkedhome,feelingveryunhappy,andleavingAlanTrevorinfitsoflaughter.Thenextmorning,ashewasatbreakfast,theservantbroughthimupacardonwhichwaswritten,`MonsieurGustaveNaudin,delapartdeM.leBaronHausberg.'`Isupposehehascomeforanapology,'saidHughietohimself;andhetoldtheservanttoshowthevisitorup.Anoldgentlemanwithgoldspectaclesandgreyhaircameintotheroom,andsaid,inaslightFrenchaccent,`HaveIthehonourofaddressingMonsieurErskine?'Hughiebowed.`IhavecomefromBaronHausberg,'hecontinued.`TheBaron--'`Ibeg,sir,thatyouwillofferhimmysincerestapologies,'stammeredHughie.`TheBaron,'saidtheoldgentleman,withasmile,`hascommissionedmetobringyouthisletter;'andheextendedasealedenvelope.Ontheoutsidewaswritten,`AweddingpresenttoHughErskineandLauraMerton,fromanoldbeggar,'andinsidewasachequefor#10,000.WhentheyweremarriedAlanTrevorwasthebest-man,andtheBaronmadeaspeechatthewedding-breakfast.`Millionairemodels,'remarkedAlan,`arerareenough;but,byJove,modelmillionairesarerarerstill!'