Non-Fiction > Books > London, 1878 - Inland voyage

230 An Inland Voyage,
politely doffed his hat upon the singer's en-
trance. "Mr. Commissary," he began, "I am
an artist," And on went the commissary's hat
again. No courtesy for the companions of
Apollo ! " They are as degraded as that," said
M. de Vmiversin, with a sweep of his cigarette.
But what pleased me most was one outbreak
of his, when we had been talking all the evening
of the rubs, indignities, and pinchings of his wan-
dering life. Some one said, it would be better
to have a million of money down, and Mdlle.
Ferrario admitted that she would prefer that
mightily. " EJi bien, vioi non ; — not I," cried De
Vaiiversin, striking the table with his hand. '' If
anyone is a failure in the world, is it not I } I
had an art, in which I have done things well —
as well as some — better perhaps than others ;
and now it is closed against me. I must go
about the country gathering coppers and sing-
ing nonsense. Do you think I regret my