Upon the chimney-piece were displayed a pair of foils, a lute, a skull, an antique German drinking-mug, and several very modern empty bottles.

In the middle of the room stood two large easels, a divan, a round table, and three or four chairs; while the floor was thickly strewn with empty color-tubes, bits of painting-rag, corks, cigar-ends, and all kinds of miscellaneous litter.
All these things I had observed as I passed in; for this, be it remembered, was my first visit to Mueller in his own territory.
I heard him go through the studio and close the door behind him, and then I heard him open the door upon the public staircase.

Presently he came back, shutting the door behind him as before.
"My dear fellow," he exclaimed, breathlessly, "you have brought luck with you! What do you think?
A sitter--positively, a sitter! Wants to be sketched in at once--_Vive la France_!" "Man or woman?
Young or old?
Plain or pretty ?" "Elderly half-length, feminine gender--Madame Tapotte.

They are both there, Monsieur and Madame Excellent couple--redolent of the country--husband bucolic, adipose, auriferous--wife arrayed in all her glory, like the Queen of Sheba.

I left them in the Salle d'Attente--told them I had a sitter--time immensely occupied--half-lengths furiously in demand ...