millionaire

1

TheModelMillionaire

--OscarWilde

Anoteofadmirationk

eisthe

privilegeoftherich,rshouldbe

ttertohaveapermanentincomethantobefascinating.

Th

Hughie!Intellectually,wemustadmit,rsaid

nhewaswonderfully

good-looking,withhiscrispbrownhair,hisclear-cutprofile,

wasaspopularwithmenashewaswithwomen,andhehadeveryaccomplishment

herhadbequeathedhimhiscavalrysword,anda

hungthefirstoverhis

looking-glass,putthecondonashelfbetweenRuff'sGuideandBailey'sMagazine,

riedeverything.

HehadgoneontheStockExchangeforsixmonths;butwhatwasabutterflytodo

amongbullsandbears?Hehadbeenatea-merchantforalittlelonger,buthadsoon

dnotanswer;

telyhebecamenothing,adelightful,ineffectual

youngmanwithaperfectprofileandnoprofession.

Tomakematterswor,lhelovedwasLauraMerton,the

daughterofaretiredColonelwhohadlosthistemperandhisdigestioninIndia,and

doredhim,andhewasreadytokissher

rethehandsomestcoupleinLondon,andhadnotapenny-piece

onelwasveryfondofHughie,butwouldnothearofany

engagement.

2

'Cometome,myboy,whenyouhavegottenthousandpoundsofyourown,andwe

willeaboutit,'heudtosay;andHughielookedveryglumonthodays,andhad

togotoLauraforconsolation.

Onemorning,ashewasonhiswaytoHollandPark,wheretheMertonslived,he

droppedintoeagreatfriendofhis,,few

asalsoanartist,andartistsareratherrare.

Personallyhewasastrangeroughfellow,withafreckledfaceandaredraggedbeard.

However,whenhetookupthebrushhewasarealmaster,andhispictureswere

eenverymuchattractedbyHughieatfirst,itmustbe

acknowledged,entirelyonaccountofhispersonalcharm.'Theonlypeopleapainter

shouldknow,'heudtosay,'arepeoplewhoarebeteandbeautiful,peoplewhoare

are

dandiesandwomenwhoaredarlingsruletheworld,atleasttheyshoulddoso.'

However,afterhegottoknowHughiebetter,helikedhimquiteasmuchforhis

brightbuoyantspiritsandhisgenerousrecklessnature,andhadgivenhimthe

permanententreetohisstudio.

WhenHughiecameinhefoundTrevorputtingthefinishingtouchestoawonderful

garhimlfwasstandingonaraid

wizenedoldman,withafacelike

wrinkledparchment,sshoulderswasflunga

coarbrowncloak,alltearsandtatters;histhickbootswerepatchedandcobbled,

andwithonehandheleantonaroughstick,whilewiththeotherheheldouthis

batteredhatforalms.

'Whatanamazingmodel!'whisperedHughie,asheshookhandswithhisfriend.

'Anamazingmodel?'shoutedTrevoratthetopofhisvoice;'Ishouldthinkso!Such

aille,mortcher;aliving

Velasquez!Mystars!whatanetchingRembrandtwouldhavemadeofhim!'

'Pooroldchap!saidHughie,'howmirablehelooks!ButIsuppo,toyoupainters,

hisfaceishisfortune?'

3

'Certainly,'repliedTrevor,'youdon'twantabeggartolookhappy,doyou?'

'Howmuchdoesamodelgetforsitting?'askedHughie,ashefoundhimlfa

comfortableatonadivan.

'Ashillinganhour.'

'Andhowmuchdoyougetforyourpicture,Alan?'

'Oh,forthisIgettwothousand!'

'Pounds?'

'rs,poets,andphysiciansalwaysgetguineas.'

'Well,Ithinkthemodelshouldhaveapercentage,'criedHughie,laughing;'theywork

quiteashardasyoudo.'

'Nonn,nonn!Why,lookatthetroubleoflayingonthepaintalone,and

standingalldaylongatone'al!It'sallverywell,Hughie,foryoutotalk,butI

assureyouthattherearemomentswhenArtalmostattainstothedignityofmanual

mustn'tchatter;I'cigarette,andkeepquiet.'

Aftersometimethervantcamein,andtoldTrevorthattheframe-makerwantedto

speaktohim.

'Don'trunaway,Hughie,'hesaid,ashewentout,'Iwillbebackinamoment.'

Theoldbeggar-mantookadvantageofTrevor'sabncetorestforamomentona

edsoforlornandwretchedthatHughie

couldnothelppityinghim,

couldfindwasasovereignandsomecoppers.'Pooroldfellow,'hethoughttohimlf,

'hewantsitmorethanIdo,butitmeansnohansomsforafortnight;'andhewalked

acrossthestudioandslippedthesovereignintothebeggar'shand.

Theoldmanstarted,andafaintsmileflittedacrosshiswitheredlips.'Thankyou,sir,'

hesaid,'thankyou.'

4

ThenTrevorarrived,andHughietookhisleave,blushingalittleatwhathehaddone.

HespentthedaywithLaura,gotacharmingscoldingforhixtravagance,andhadto

walkhome.

ThatnighthestrolledintothePaletteClubabouteleveno'clock,andfoundTrevor

sittingbyhimlfinthesmoking-roomdrinkinghockandltzer.

'Well,Alan,didyougetthepicturefinishedallright?'hesaid,ashelithiscigarette.

'Finishedandframed,myboy!'answeredTrevor;'and,by-the-bye,youhavemadea

tellhimallabout

you-whoyouare,whereyoulive,whatyourincomeis,whatprospectsyouhave--'

'MydearAlan,'criedHughie,'IshallprobablyfindhimwaitingformewhenIgo

dwretch!IwishIcoulddo

gotheapsofoldclothesathome-doyouthinkhewouldcareforanyofthem?Why,

hisragswerefallingtobits.'

'Buthelookssplendidinthem,'saidTrevor.'Iwouldn'tpainthiminafrock-coatfor

emspovertytoyouis

r,I'lltellhimofyouroffer.'

'Alan,'saidHughieriously,'youpaintersareaheartlesslot.'

'Anartist'sheartishishead,'repliedTrevor;'andbesides,ourbusinessistorealithe

worldasweeit,tell

modelwasquiteinterestedinher.'

'Youdon'tmeantosayyoutalkedtohimabouther?'saidHughie.

'sallabouttherelentlesscolonel,thelovelyLaura,andthe

10,000.'

'Youtoldthatoldbeggarallmyprivateaffairs?'criedHughie,lookingveryredand

angry.

5

'Mydearboy,'saidTrevor,smiling,'thatoldbeggar,asyoucallhim,isoneofthe

dbuyallLondonto-morrowwithoutoverdrawinghis

houineverycapital,dinesoffgoldplate,andcanpreventRussia

goingtowarwhenhechoos.'

'Whatonearthdoyoumean?'exclaimedHughie.

'WhatIsay,'saidTrevor.'Theoldmanyousawto-dayinthestudiowasBaron

reatfriendofmine,buysallmypicturesandthatsortofthing,and

lez-vous?La

fantaisied'unmillionnaire!AndImustsayhemadeamagnificentfigureinhisrags,

orperhapsIshouldsayinmyrags;theyareanoldsuitIgotinSpain.'

'BaronHausberg!'criedHughie.'Goodheavens!Igavehimasovereign!'andhesank

intoanarmchairthepictureofdismay.

'Gavehimasovereign!'shoutedTrevor,andheburstintoaroaroflaughter.'Mydear

boy,you'airec'estl'argentdesautres.'

'Ithinkyoumighthavetoldme,Alan,'saidHughiesulkily,'andnothaveletmemake

suchafoolofmylf.'

'Well,tobeginwith,Hughie,'saidTrevor,'itneverenteredmymindthatyouwent

derstandyourkissingapretty

model,butyourgivingasovereigntoanuglyone-byJove,no!Besides,thefactis

thatIreallywasnotathometo-daytoanyone;andwhenyoucameinIdidn'tknow

whewasn'tinfulldress.'

'Whatadufferhemustthinkme!'saidHughie.

'nthehighestspiritsafteryouleft;keptchucklingtohimlfand

n'tmakeoutwhyhewassointerested

toknowallaboutyou;'llinvestyoursovereignforyou,Hughie,

payyoutheinteresteverysixmonths,andhaveacapitalstorytotellafterdinner.'

'Iamanunluckydevil,'growledHughie.'ThebestthingIcandoistogotobed;and,

mydearAlan,youmustn'dn'tdareshowmyfaceintheRow.'

6

'Nonn!Itreflectsthehighestcreditonyourphilanthropicspirit,

don'othercigarette,andyoucantalkaboutLauraasmuchasyou

like.'

However,Hughiewouldn'tstop,butwalkedhome,feelingveryunhappy,andleaving

AlanTrevorinfitsoflaughter.

Thenextmorning,ashewasatbreakfast,thervantbroughthimupacardonwhich

waswritten,'MonsieurGustaveNaudin,nHausberg.'

'Isuppohehascomeforanapology,'saidHughietohimlf;andhetoldthervant

toshowthevisitorup.

Anoldgentlemanwithgoldspectaclesandgreyhaircameintotheroom,andsaid,in

aslightFrenchaccent,'HaveIthehonourofaddressingMonsieurErskine?'

Hughiebowed.

'IhavecomefromBaronHausberg,'hecontinued.'TheBaron--'

'Ibeg,sir,thatyouwillofferhimmysincerestapologies,'stammeredHughie.

'TheBaron,'saidtheoldgentleman,withasmile,'hascommissionedmetobringyou

thisletter;'andheextendedaaledenvelope.

Ontheoutsidewaswritten,'AweddingprenttoHughErskineandLauraMerton,

fromanoldbeggar,'andinsidewasachequefor10,000.

WhentheyweremarriedAlanTrevorwasthebest-man,andtheBaronmadeaspeech

atthewedding-breakfast.

'Millionairemodels,'remarkedAlan,'arerareenough;but,byJove,model

millionairesarerarerstill!'