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"I have I like them, but I’m not sure hoould have felt had soenius"

"Exactly," said Marois, suddenly sitting forward, more animated than Beauvoir had seen him Excited even "That’s what makes my job like Christ this is the day his genius will be discovered, every dealer wakes up believing this is the day he’ll discover genius"

"But who’s to say?"

"That’s what "

Beauvoir could see the , his hands were gesturing, not wildly, but with excitement

"The portfolio I believe is brilliant someone else can look at and think is dull, derivative Witness our reactions to Clara Morrow’s paintings"

"I still say they’re just not interesting," said Castonguay

"And I say they are, and who’s to say who’s right? That’s what drives artists and dealers crazy It’s so subjective"

"I think they’re born crazy," ree

"So that explains you being at the vernissage," said Ga to decide howto hide his indecision

Gamache waited Beauvoir, notebook and pen out, started to doodle A stick figure and a horse Or perhaps it was a uay breathing

"I had a client once Dead now, years ago Lovely man A commercial artist, but also a very fine creative artist His hos I discovered hih now that I think of it, he was younger than I a

"He was one of my first clients and he did quite well He was thrilled, as was his wife One day he asked a favor Could his wife put in a few of her works into his next shoas polite, but declined But he was quite uncharacteristically insistent I didn’t know her well, and didn’t know her art at all I suspected she was putting pressure on the old man But I could see how important it was to him, so I relented Gave her a corner, and a hammer"

He paused and his eyes flickered