They knew but little of each other, and the same chance which had brought them together might separate them again at any moment, but each felt that the other exercised some influence over his life.
Andre was the first to recover himself.
"You must excuse me; but I was wrong to leave so precious an article about." Paul bowed with the air of a man who accepts an apology which he considers his due; and Andre went on,-- "I very rarely receive any one except my friends; but to-day I have broken through my rule." Paul interrupted him with a magniloquent wave of the hand.
"Believe me, sir," said he, in a voice which he endeavoured to render cutting and sarcastic, "had it not been for the imperative duty I before alluded to, I should not have intruded." And with these words he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
"The deuce take the impudent fool!" muttered Andre.

"I was strongly tempted to pitch him out of the window." Paul was in a furious rage for having visited the studio with the kindly desire of humiliating the painter.

He could not but feel that the tables had been turned upon himself.
"He shall not have it all his own way," muttered he; "for I will see the lady," and not reflecting on the meanness of his conduct, he crossed the street, and took up a position from which he could obtain a good view of the house where Andre resided.

It was snowing; but Paul disregarded the inclemency of the weather in his eagerness to act the spy.
He had waited for fully half an hour, when a cab drove up.

Two women alighted from it.