Chapter 2 Summary

Wyatt Gwyon studies art in Germany and settles in Paris, where he works afternoons as an art restorer and nights painting his own canvases. Wyatt eschews the cafés and bars where bohemians, prostitutes and other denizens of the Parisian unberworld thrive. One day he stumbles, exhausted, back to his one-room flat to find a man waiting outside who introduces himself as Cremer, art critic for the newspaper. Crémer tells Wyatt they met previously at an art gallery and that he is interested in seeing some of his recent work. Wyatt invites him inside, where Crémer tells him that he would like to write a favorable review of his work but doesn't really need to see it. He insinuates that being an art critic doesn't pay well, but that he can help Wyatt if Wyatt agrees to give him 10 percent of...