'I know Miss Laurence and Miss Clive very well.' There was charm in his voice, and Mildred was already interested in him. Cissy and Elsie had drawn a curtain at the end of the room and were peeping into the studio. 'Miss Laurence and Miss Clive,' he said, 'worked here for more than a year. They made a great deal of progress--a great deal. They worked also in the ladies' studio, opposite.' 'Ah, that is what I wanted to speak to you about. Would you advise me to work in the men's studio? Do you think it would be advisable? Do you think there would be any advantages?' 'We have some very clever pupils here--very clever; of course it is of great advantage to work with clever pupils.' 'That is what I think, but I am not certain.' 'If Mademoiselle intends to study painting seriously.' 'Oh, but I do; I am very serious.' 'Then I do not think there can be any doubt which studio she should choose.' 'Very well.' 'This studio is a hundred francs a month--for a lady; the ladies' studio is sixty francs a month.' 'Why is that?' 'Because, if it were not so, we should be overcrowded. Ladies prefer to work in this studio, it is much more advantageous. If you would like to see the studio first?' There were more than thirty in the studio; about twenty men and fifteen women. Some sat on low stools close under the platform whereon the model stood, some worked at easels drawn close together in a semicircle round the room. The model was less shocking than Mildred had imagined; he stood with his hands on his hip, a staff in his hand; and, had it not been for a slight swaying motion, she would hardly have known he was alive. She had never drawn before from the living model, and was puzzled to know how to begin. She was going to ask Elsie to tell her, when M. Daveau drew the curtain aside, and picking his way through the pupils, came straight to her. He took the stool next her, and with a pleasant smile asked if she had ever drawn from the life. 'No,' she said, 'I have only copied a few pictures, you learn nothing from copying.' He told her how she must count the number of heads, and explained to her the advantage of the plumb-line in determining the action of the figure. Mildred was much interested; she wondered if she would be able to put the instruction she was receiving into practice, and was disappointed when the model got down from the table and put on his trousers. 'The model rests for ten minutes every three quarters of an hour. He'll take the pose again presently. It is now eleven o'clock.' M. Daveau laid the charcoal upon her easel, and promised to come and see how she was getting on later in the afternoon. But, just as the model was about to take the pose again, a young girl entered the studio. 'Do you want a model?' 'Yes, if she has a good figure,' said a student. 'Have you a good figure?' he added with a smile. 'Some people think so. You must judge for yourselves,' she answered, taking off her hat.