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"I smiled, thinking how different my vision had been from these. Teleny, who was watching me, noticed the movement of my lips.
"'Gentlemen,' said the musician, 'Odillot's vision was provoked not by my playing, but by some good-looking young girl he had been ogling; as for yours they are simply reminiscences of some pictures or ballets.'
"'What was your vision, then?' asked Briancourt.
"'I was just going to put you the same question,' retorted the pianist.
"'My vision was something like Odillot's, though not exactly the same.'
"'Then it must have been le revers de la medaille—the back side,' quoth the lawyer, laughing; 'that is, two snow-clad lovely hillocks and deep in the valley below, a well, a tiny hole with a dark margin, or rather a brown halo around it.'
"'Well, let us have your vision now,' insisted Briancourt.
"'My visions are so vague and indistinct, they fade away so quickly, that I can hardly
