At last he rose abruptly, put on his hat, and approached the young lady.

He placed himself before her picture and looked at it for some moments, during which she pretended to be quite unconscious of his inspection.

Then, addressing her with the single word which constituted the strength of his French vocabulary, and holding up one finger in a manner which appeared to him to illuminate his meaning, "Combien ?" he abruptly demanded.
The artist stared a moment, gave a little pout, shrugged her shoulders, put down her palette and brushes, and stood rubbing her hands.
"How much ?" said our friend, in English.

"Combien ?" "Monsieur wishes to buy it ?" asked the young lady in French.
"Very pretty, splendide.

Combien ?" repeated the American.
"It pleases monsieur, my little picture?
It's a very beautiful subject," said the young lady.
"The Madonna, yes; I am not a Catholic, but I want to buy it.