Famous painting

Famous painting
Archer looked at him with startled eyes. New York, for a young man who had frequented the Goncourts and Flaubert, and who thought the life of ideas the only one worth living! He continued to stare at M. Rivière perplexedly, wondering how to tell him that his very superiorities and advantages would be the surest hindrance to success.
``New York -- New York -- but must it be especially New York?'' he stammered, utterly unable to imagine what lucrative opening his native city could offer to a young man to whom good conversation appeared to be the only necessity.
A sudden flush rose under M. Rivière's sallow skin.
-201-``I -- I thought it your metropolis: is not the intellectual life more active there?'' he rejoined; then, as if fearing to give his hearer the impression of having asked a favour, he went on hastily: ``One throws out random suggestions -- more to one's self than to others. In reality, I see no immediate prospect -- '' and rising from his seat he added, without a trace of constraint: ``But Mrs. Carfry will think that I ought to be taking you upstairs.''