Polly and Her Friends Abroad, Page 8

  CHAPTER VIII--DODO MEETS ANOTHER "TITLE"

  The next day they visited the Gobelin Tapestries. There was but one wordto express the wonderful work exhibited--and that was "Exquisite." Someof these tapestries are "worth a crown."

  "It doesn't seem possible that anyone could weave such delicatelace-like patterns with mere threads and human hands," said Polly.

  "And such colorings, too! Did you ever see such green velvety lichen asseems growing on those old grey monoliths?" added Eleanor.

  "See the tiny dash of red that is necessary, given by the pigeon berrygrowing in that lichen," remarked Polly.

  The others said nothing, because they were so impressed by the beauty ofthe complete picture that the details failed to reach them. Then Mr.Fabian told the history of the Gobelins.

  "In its foundation year there were two hundred and fifty weavers engagedin weaving these marvellous tapestries. But that number has dwindled,today, to sixty. And there used to be an annual appropriation of twohundred thousand francs that today has dwindled, also; to fifty thousandfrancs.

  "The famous old Gobelins owned by the State, and exhibited at theMuseums and at public buildings in Paris, are today worth fortunes. Feware owned by the Trade and such as are are the more modern pieces thatdate back to Napoleon III.

  "Many pieces of rare Gobelins were sold because of royal vicissitudesprevious to 1870, but since then no tapestries have been available tothe public. This enhances the value of any Gobelin that was sold toassist the Treasury in 1852.

  "One of the most famous series ever produced, known as 'Portieres of theGods,' consists of eight pieces, representing the four seasons and thefour elements. Each design is personified by one of the gods orgoddesses of Olympus. This series has been repeated until there are twohundred and thirty-seven sets that left the looms.

  "When one of these portieres of the gods appear in a sale there is mostlively bidding for it, and prices soar higher than any other Gobelinusually brings.

  "The 'Don Quixote' series of five pieces, is perhaps the most famous ofall Gobelins recently sold. To show the keen appreciation of suchtapestry, the price paid at a sale of such was six hundred thousandfrancs."

  As Mr. Fabian concluded, Polly laughingly remarked: "I wonder if Nollaand I will ever reach that degree in decorating where a customer willcommission us to go and buy such a tapestry."

  "Of course you will! As soon as I marry that title that Ma is hunting upfor me, I'll give you the order for the whole set," laughed Dodo.

  "Let's hope we may have to wait forever, then, if the commission dependson your misery," retorted Eleanor.

  After leaving the Gobelins, Mr. Fabian took his party to some of the oldcurio shops in Paris, where one can spend many interesting hours--if onelikes antiques.

  That evening Mr. Alexander insisted upon their going, as his guests, toone of the famous cafes. And as they sat at one of the way-side tableswatching the stream of pleasure-seekers go past, Dodo suddenly drew theattention of her companions to a man who was strolling by.

  "Now there's what I call a really handsome Frenchman," whispered she.

  "Why, if it isn't Count Chalmys!" exclaimed Nancy, jumping up to catchhold of the gentleman's arm.

  "What's that! Anuther title?" asked Mr. Alexander with a frown.

  "Yes, but don't worry, Pa," laughed Dodo, encouragingly. "If Ma's notabout there's no danger for you and me."

  The others laughed at Mr. Alexander's evident concern and Dodo's instantrejoinder to his question. Then Nancy brought the gentleman over to meether friends. He shook hands with Mrs. Fabian and then turned toacknowledge the introductions.

  "This is Miss Polly Brewster and Miss Eleanor Maynard whom I told youabout, when they discovered the gold mine on the mountains inColorado--you remember?"

  "Ah, to be sure!" responded the Count.

  "And Miss Dorothy Alexander from Denver, Mr. Alexander her father, andmy father, Mr. Fabian. This is Count Chalmys, of Northern Italy,friends."

  Everyone acknowledged the introduction, and the Count seemed over-joyedto meet so many of "Mees Nancy's" friends. He sat down with the groupand soon led the conversation. Mr. Alexander sat glowering at him but itwas difficult to read the little man's thoughts.

  The Count seemed more attracted to Polly than to the other girls, butthen he had heard of Rainbow Cliffs and that Gold Mine, thought Dodo. Onthe walk to the hotel, he mentioned a famous collector's sale whichwould begin the following day at one of the Auction Galleries.

  "Oh, are you interested in antiques, then?" asked Polly, eagerly.

  "I like paintings--old masters and such things. I never lose anopportunity to secure one when it is offered for sale. My palace, nearVenice, is a museum of paintings. You must visit it when you tourItaly," responded the Count.

  Mr. Fabian now asked: "Is it possible for us to secure an entrance tothis sale, Count?"

  "I can easily secure tickets and a catalogue for you, Monsieur Fabian.Will the young ladies be pleased to attend, also?"

  "Oh yes, it is for their interests that I would like to attend, andexplain various objects that might be found in the collection."

  "Then leave it to me, Monsieur. I will arrange everything for theirconvenience."

  The Count left the Americans at the hotel door, and said good-night. Asthey all walked laughingly through the main lobby, the clerk sent a pageafter them with a cablegram. It was for Mr. Alexander and he felt atremor of apprehension as he took it.

  He turned to the others and said (exactly as he had heard Mr. Fabian do)"Pardon me, whiles I read what the missus has to say now." Then hequickly opened the envelope.

  "Well, that settles my vacation!" exclaimed he.

  "What's the matter, Pa?" asked Dodo, anxiously.

  "Ma's gone and got that roadster for two--it is a Packard the same asour other car, but now she wants to tour around, and she thinks she willbring Jimmy over to Paris for a little jaunt."

  "Jimmy! Good gracious, why will she have to bring that child with her?"complained Dodo, poutingly.

  "She wouldn't bring him, Dodo, if she thought there were better'handles' to be had on the Continent," laughed Eleanor.

  "That's a good idea! Pa, we'll wire Ma to leave Jimmy there, as she'llhave more fun selecting her future son-in-law from the crowd of titlesshe can have for the asking, over here," eagerly suggested Dodo.

  Mr. Alexander seemed to take the suggestion seriously, for he returned:"I'll step over, now, and send a word that will keep that little Osgoodboy at home with his folks."

  No one knew what Mr. Alexander said in his message, but the next day areply came, saying: "I will do as you say, and not come over at once.Try and arrange everything satisfactorily for us."

  Even Dodo could not coax her father to tell what he had said, but it wasevident that Mrs. Alexander felt satisfied to remain in England andleave other matters in the hands of her spouse.

  The Count called on the tourists at the hotel, that morning, with thetickets of admission to the sale, and Mr. Alexander drove them to theGallery, and left them there for the day.

  They were given good seats in the front row of buyers, and the momentthe sale began everyone was interested in the collection. That day,Polly secured a Gothic wedding-chest with ornamented and beautifullycarved sides and lid. Mr. Fabian bought two panels from a XVI centurydoor which he planned to use for two table-ends for his library table.

  Eleanor and Dodo bought a few smaller trifles, but that day's salebrought out such a conglomeration of beautiful objects, as well asdreadful imitations, that Mr. Fabian warned the girls about biddinginjudiciously.

  "This sale offers a fine opportunity of study for us, girls, but let meadvise you before you bid on anything. I want you to look well ateverything put up, and tell me why it is good, or what makes itimpossible. In this way, you will learn a great deal, even though youmay not care to buy the articles we criticise."

  Then he turned to Dodo and added: "One cannot train his eyes torecognize art and beauty at
once, you see. Your eyes may criticise andyour hands may accomplish art-work, but the inspiration that trulyexpresses art comes from Mind alone. Thus the finer and more harmoniousthe thoughts of the mentality that thinks, the more beautiful andperfect will be his achievement in any line of work.

  "Take our own line, for instance--interior decorating. The genius is onewho has sympathy, tact, good sense, and practicality, _combined_ withhis talent to select, assort, group and arrange the numerous objectsnecessary to create an atmosphere.

  "Wall-coverings and hangings, floor-coverings, pictures,lighting-fixtures and trim of rooms, are fully as important a feature inan effect, as the furniture of the room, for it all goes to make thecomplete picture of a home.

  "No novice can win laurels in this line, Dodo. But one who earnestlystudies and conscientiously applies the valuable experiences of othersuccessful artists of the past, will win. That is why I wanted my girlsto see the collections in Europe--to benefit them by the successes andhard work of others, whose work of past times is still found to be thebest of its kind, and now are on free exhibition in museums and chateauxof the Continent."

  Turning to the other girls who were listening to him, he added: "Nowgaze about and remember. Tell me how _not_ to decorate with impossibleobjects on view here and elsewhere; and how to use what is really goodthat will combine to present a perfect interior."

  Then the girls took a new interest in studying and criticising thedifferent pieces that were placed on sale. Dodo showed an aptitude thatastonished Mr. Fabian and his students, for no one had given her creditfor having such a critical sense on works of art.

  The first piece exhibited for sale was a secretaire. The other girlswere still musing over its form and construction when Dodo exclaimedimpetuously: "Oh what a monstrosity! even though it has a beautifulgrain in the wood, it is so awfully clumsy."

  "Why do you say that?" asked Mr. Fabian, highly pleased, while the Countturned to notice the girl he had paid no attention to, before this.

  "Why just look at it! With its heavy thick-set legs that belong to arhinoceros, and its slender graceful body that looks like a fawn's."

  Everyone within hearing of this remark, laughed softly. Loud speaking ordisturbing sounds were forbidden, so Polly and Eleanor had to hush theirmerriment with their handkerchiefs.

  The Count suddenly adjusted the monocle he affected and whispered toPolly: "You must be proud of your fellow-student."

  Polly instantly replied, without explaining the situation: "Oh yes, weare. Dodo is very remarkable in many ways."

  But Mr. Fabian said, as soon as he could control his sense of humor,"Dodo, you have a true eye for lines, and that criticism is worthy of anews-paper man--it is so graphic."

  Following the secretaire, were several pieces of nondescript furniturethat was quickly bid upon and sold to people who wanted mere articlesfor use and not for beauty. Then a suite of furniture was placed uponthe dais and the auctioneer began to point out its especial claims tobeauty.

  "Girls, is anything wrong with that furniture? Who would use it in ahome, and what style of house does it belong in?" said Mr. Fabian.

  Again Dodo was the first with her criticism. "Who wants dolefulfurniture, in a bed-room, to make you weep just as you loseconsciousness in sleep? One needs cheerful objects to close one's eyesupon, and also to bid you good-morning when you wake up."

  "Fine!" complimented Count Chalmys, still more interested in thisprecocious young lady of not yet seventeen.

  "True, and who wants majestic pieces in a nursery?" said Eleanor.

  "Or dainty personal lounges or chairs in the City Hall," added Polly,smilingly.

  "Exactly, girls! I am so proud of you all that I feel as if someone hadpresented me with a bouquet of flowers."

  The impossible set of furniture had been sold and now a Gothic armchairof carved deadwood, upholstered in faded tapestry with beautiful blendsof colors that only great age could produce was brought out and placedon exhibition. The moment Polly saw it she made up her mind to have it.But she now knew how to go about bidding in a public sale, because ofthe experience Eleanor and she had had in New York, when they went aboutwith Mr. Fabian.

  The auctioneer started the chair at a reasonable figure and instantlythere was lively bidding for it. Polly said not a word but waitedeagerly. Then one bidder after another fell out of the contest, until itfinally narrowed down to two men.

  Polly's companions knew that she was but waiting her time to speak out.And they were anxiously watching the two men who seemed bent on gettingthe chair. Finally one of the men shook his head to indicate that hewould go no higher, and the auctioneer said: "What! Is this all I canget for this fine example of cabinet-work?"

  Very calmly and quietly, then, Polly raised the last bid.

  Everyone turned to glance at the unexpected contestant, and theamazement expressed on many faces, as well as on that of the auctioneerbecause of the girl's youth amused Polly's friends. The auctioneerasked: "Did the young lady make a bid?"

  Polly noded affirmatively. But the man who was bidding thought to cuther out by raising his bid considerably higher. The salesman turned thento Polly to see if she still wished to bid.

  "Double his bid!" called out Polly.

  Again there was surprise shown by others, and the man who thought he hadfrightened off his youthful opponent, frowned.

  When the auctioneer smilingly looked to the collector to increase hisbid, the man carefully raised it a small sum. Polly now knew he was waryof spending his money, so she took advantage of the cue to call out afigure that was startlingly higher than the collector's; so that heinstantly shook his head in refusal of any further bidding or interestin the chair.

  "What! no higher bid from you when you want this chair?" coaxed theauctioneer.

  Again the man frowned and shook his head positively, but he did thishoping Polly would weaken, and then he would come back and mention aslight increase on her price.

  The auctioneer thinking his negative signal was final, turned to Pollyand said: "It's yours, Miss. And allow me to congratulate you, not aloneon having acquired the finest bit in this entire lot, but also on beinga very clever and experienced buyer."

  The moment the collector realized that the auctioneer had knocked downthe chair to his adversary without again consulting him, he protested."I claim that chair!" cried he.

  "By what right?" demanded the auctioneer.

  "Because I was bidding on it against this young lady, and you did notcry it three times as you should have done."

  "I asked you, and you shook your head. Then I told you it was worthhigher bidding, but you denied going higher--a shake of the head is aslegal a denial as a spoken word, in this case. I have witnesses that yourefused to go higher, so I sold it to the young lady."

  The man who was a dealer and had a customer for such a chair, wasfurious at having lost it to a mere girl. He began an argument, but theauctioneer calmly remarked: "This is a public sale, and as such, ordermust be maintained. I shall have to ask anyone creating a disturbance toleave the premises."

  That quieted the disputant, and Polly kept her chair. Her companionscongratulated her on securing it, but Mr. Fabian wished to know why shetook such a sudden fancy for the piece of furniture, when there wereother fine pieces that might appeal to a girl.

  "Because, the moment I saw that chair tapestry it reminded me of my homeat Pebbly Pit. We have just such wonderful sunsets as that chaircovering represents. Glorious colors that flare in points at someplaces, and then fade away in the western sky like misty violets in arivulet; or like the gray of twilight before night falls," explainedPolly, reminiscently.

  "Oh yes, Polly," assented Eleanor. "Just like we saw over RainbowCliffs, so many times."

  "Miss Polly is some artiste natural born, I think," said the Count, whohad been deeply impressed by the girl's remark.

  "Polly's a poet and doesn't know it!" declared Dodo, fervently. "If Iever could say such a lovely thing in words about an old chair, I'dbegi
n to believe I had escaped Ma's plans for a title in the family."

  Of course her companions laughed at her unconscious rhyme and, also, ather quaint expression of face, but the Count wondered what she meant by"a title in the family."

  After Polly secured the armchair, Eleanor bid upon and got a XVI centurycabinet of the Lyonnaise school; and Dodo bought a Renaissance halltable. Mr. Fabian secured a Spanish Renaissance divan, and the Countmanaged to buy the pictures he wanted. Towards the end of the day, Pollyand Eleanor secured a few odd things, such as an iron lock, chiselledfrom a solid block of metal that was said to date from the XV century;and Polly got an old door-knocker that was more than two hundred yearsold.

  The last group of furniture pieces put up for sale, that day, wasarranged on the dais just as Mr. Fabian was preparing to go. He turnedand saw it, then the auctioneer called out: "Here is a splendid suite offurniture for a bachelor's den. Now what am I bid for it?"

  Mr. Fabian whispered to the girls: "It is a pity the man should try tosell that set by praising it as he did. He knows, only too well, that itis unsuitable for a man's room. But tell me why, girls?"

  Dodo curled her lips in scorn at the elaborate pieces and remarked:"Would one wish to decorate a ball-room with black crepe?"

  Her friends laughed at the very sarcastic criticism, and the Count said,smilingly: "But that is not mourning furniture!"

  "No, but it is just as bad taste for a man's room. Why should abachelor's _den_ use soft tints and motifs of Louis XVI period, whenthey are more appropriate in a reception room, or a lady's boudoir?"

  That last retort from such a prepossessing girl, completed the havoc inthe Count's susceptible heart. He thenceforth planned to lay his titleand encumbered Italian estate at Dodo's feet. But he found it not aseasy as he had thought for, when he took this fervent decision.

  He invited the American party to be his guests that night, at dinner,and he arranged so that he could sit next to Dodo. But that was all thegood it did him, for the girls were so full of the fun and joys ofbargain hunting that they spoke of nothing else.

  After the exultation of possession had calmed down, somewhat, NancyFabian said: "Daddy, why are some such atrocious pieces of furniture aswe saw today flung to the people?"

  "One reason why France has, of recent years, had some such uncouthfurniture made, is because the Guild of Cabinet Makers is no longer inexistence to enforce its laws. There was once a provision made, in 1645,that every piece of furniture made in France had to be passed upon bythe Guild. And that is why old furniture from these French cabinetmakers, is so highly prized by collectors, now.

  "This Guild examined every aspirant to the title of Master Craftsman,and without a certificate signed by ten of the jurors of the Guild, hedared not establish himself; their regulations were very strict so as toprotect art, consequently but few atrocities were cast upon the marketof France for more than two hundred years after the founding of thisprotective Guild."

  "Well, it's too bad we haven't a Guild in America," said Polly, her tonecausing her friends to laugh heartily.