Indeed, it was more specially in the sky that the error had been committed. He took up the brushes and with broad, vigorous, powerful strokes he repainted the skies of both pictures in one minute: the one calm, serene and azure, leaving a glimpse of the splendours of Dante's paradise through the blue of the firmament; the other low, cloudy, charged with electricity, ready to burst forth into lightning flashes. All the young painters learnt in an instant the secrets of decoration, which they had been hours groping after on the previous day. Nobody cared about working at night. Besides, thanks to the lesson given by Ciceri _père,_ things were progressing with giant strides. There was no more news of Delacroix than if he had never existed. On the night of the second day I sent to him to ask if he remembered that the ball was fixed for the next day. He sent reply that I need not be anxious and he would come at breakfast-time next morning. Work began with the dawn next day. Most of the workers, moreover, had their task three-quarters finished. Clément Boulanger and Barye had done. Louis Boulanger had no more than three or four hours' work. Decamps was putting the last touches to his _Debureau,_ and Jadin to his poppies and corn-flowers; Grandville was at work on his door tops, when, as he had promised, Delacroix arrived. "Well, now, how are you getting on?" he asked. "You see for yourself," said each worker, standing aside to let his work be seen. "Oh, really! but you are doing miniature-work here! You should have told me: I would have come a month ago." He went round all the four rooms, stopping before each panel and finding something pleasant to say to each of his confrères, thanks to the charming spirit with which he is endowed. Then, as they were going to breakfast, he breakfasted too. "Well?" he asked, when breakfast was done, turning towards the empty panel. "Well, there it is!" I said. "It is the panel for the _Crossing of the Red Sea_; the sea has gone back, the Israelites have crossed, the Egyptians have not yet arrived." "Then I will take advantage of the fact to do something else. What would you like me to stick up there?" "Oh, you know, a King Rodrigo after a battle: 'Sur les rives murmurantes Du fleuve aux oncles sanglantes, Le roi sans royaume allait, Froissant, dans ses mains saignantes, Les grains d'or d'un chapelet.'" "Ah, is that what you want?" "Yes." "You will not ask me for something else when it is half done?" "Of course not!" "Here goes, then, for King Rodrigo!"