Viewing page 118 of 143

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Between my mother and freedom there was only the modest sum of 1.000 franes saved up since a long while. It was obvious that work of of some sort had to be found at once. In my perplexity I turned to the newspaper for advice. "Le Journal" offered remunerative work for those having free evenings at home. What that work might have been remained a mystery even now I wonder at its possibilities. 
   
More explicit were the demands for models. These I decided to investigate and after discarding my sailor-suit -- by attracting attention it made me feel uncomfortable -- I put on an ugly long-skirted- tight-in-the-waist affair and ventured forth to one of the studios in the Quarter Latin.
 
My first quest proved successful and even brought me promise of regular sittings. The artist, an English-men began at once to paint me in my ugly dress and sailor hat. Subsequently the painting showed me seated on the green banks of a river. After each sitting this Englishman offered me tea and cakes. we became great friends and he thought it right to give me as much good advice as possible. He feared that I should become a Gocotte, and I remember his simple reasoning against such eventuality; only those specially gifted for such an adventure could hope to come out on top; the others lost both their time and youth. 

To show that I really belonged to the artists' community I drew on his pad a series of devils' and angels' heads. These made him laugh. I felt hurt and resented this show of male superiority. 
  
It was this same artist who told me that my mother was by law forced to support me. Why this comforting news did not hold my attention is hard to say, but the fact remains I chose that very moment to dart off again in an entirely different direction.