allthathadmadethatwealth；goingtoleaveher，too，apartofallhehadmissedinlife，byhissaneandsteadypursuitofwealth。All！Whathadhemissed?’DutchFishingBoats’respondedblankly；hecrossedtotheFrenchwindow，anddrawingthecurtainaside，openedit。Awindhadgotup，andoneoflastyear’soakleaveswhichhadsomehowsurvivedthegardener’sbrooms，wasdraggingitselfwithatinyclickingrustlealongthestoneterraceinthetwilight。Exceptforthatitwasveryquietoutthere，andhecouldsmelltheheliotropewaterednotlongsince。Abatwentby。Abirduttereditslast’cheep。’Andrightabovetheoaktreethefirststarshone。Faustintheoperahadbarteredhissoulforsomefreshyearsofyouth。Morbidnotion！Nosuchbargainwaspossible，thatwasrealtragedy！Nomakingoneselfnewagainforloveorlifeoranything。Nothinglefttodobutenjoybeautyfromafaroffwhileyoucould，andleaveitsomethinginyourWill。Buthowmuch?And，asifhecouldnotmakethatcalculationlookingoutintothemildfreedomofthecountrynight，heturnedbackandwentuptothechimney-piece。Therewerehispetbronzes——aCleopatrawiththeaspatherbreast；aSocrates；agreyhoundplayingwithherpuppy；astrongmanreininginsomehorses。’Theylast！’hethought，andapangwentthroughhisheart。Theyhadathousandyearsoflifebeforethem！
’Howmuch?’Well！enoughatalleventstosavehergettingoldbeforehertime，tokeepthelinesoutofherfaceaslongaspossible，andgreyfromsoilingthatbrighthair。Hemightliveanotherfiveyears。Shewouldbewelloverthirtybythen。’Howmuch?’Shehadnoneofhisbloodinher！Inloyaltytothetenorofhislifeforfortyyearsandmore，eversincehemarriedandfoundedthatmysteriousthing，afamily，camethiswarningthought——
Noneofhisblood，norighttoanything！Itwasaluxurythen，thisnotion。Anextravagance，apettingofanoldman’swhim，oneofthosethingsdoneindotage。Hisrealfuturewasvestedinthosewhohadhisblood，inwhomhewouldliveonwhenhewasgone。
Heturnedawayfromthebronzesandstoodlookingattheoldleatherchairinwhichhehadsatandsmokedsomanyhundredsofcigars。Andsuddenlyheseemedtoseehersittingthereinhergreydress，fragrant，soft，dark-eyed，graceful，lookingupathim。
Why！Shecarednothingforhim，really；allshecaredforwasthatlostloverofhers。Butshewasthere，whethershewouldorno，givinghimpleasurewithherbeautyandgrace。Onehadnorighttoinflictanoldman’scompany，norighttoaskherdowntoplaytohimandlethimlookather——fornoreward！Pleasuremustbepaidforinthisworld。’Howmuch?’Afterall，therewasplenty；hissonandhisthreegrandchildrenwouldnevermissthatlittlelump。