Model Millionaire – Oscar
Wilde
The Protagonist of the
short story “Model Millionaire” by Oscar Wilde is a young man called Hughie
Erskine. Hughie is handsome, charming and popular but he has been very unlucky
as far as financial matters are concerned. He was left nothing of any great
value in his father’s will. He has tried his hand at several different
businesses, all of which have failed. Having no job, Hughie has only source of
income is two hundred pounds a year, which is given to him by an elderly aunt.
Hughie has fallen in love with a woman named Laura Merton and she loves him in
return. Laura’s father, Colonel Merton, is fond of Hughie but, due to his poor
financial prospects, he does not want the young man to marry his daughter. He
has often told Hughie that he will only allow him to be engaged to Laura after
he has earned ten thousand pounds.
One day Hughie goes to
see his artist friend Alan Trevor in his
studio. He finds that Alan is painting a portrait of an old man who appears to
be a beggar. The old man is wearing a tattered brown cloak and boots, which
have been mended several times. He has a rough walking staff in one hand and in
the other hand, he is holding out an old hat as if to beg alms. His face is
heavily wrinkled and he looks extremely sad. Both Alan Trevor and Hughie
Erskine agree that the old man is an excellent subject for a painting. Hughie,
however, cannot help feeling sorry for the measurable state of the man. He
thinks it is unfair that, although paintings regularly sell for two thousand
guineas, He only pays his models one shilling for an hour to pose for him and
does not give them a percentage of the money, which he makes from sales of
their portraits.
When Alan leaves the
studio to meet frame designer for his paintings, Hughie fumbles his pockets,
finds sovereign, and drops it into the withered hands of a beggar. Hughie gives
the coin to the old man, who appears very happy to receive it although it means
great value to him for the expense of the entire month. Soon Hughie leaves the
studio.
Alan and Hughie meet
again in a smoking room of a restaurant. The artist, Alan tells his friend
that, after he left, and old man asked several questions about him. Alan goes
on to say that he told the old man all about Hughie, Laura Merton and the
condition, which Colonel Merton set that prevents their marriage. Hughie fells
very unhappy that his friend told that old beggar all about his private life. Hughie
amused that Alan tells Hughie that the old man he was painting was Baron
Hausberg, one of the wealthiest men in Europe and someone who often buys Alan’s
paintings. For reasons, which Alan does not really understand, the millionaire
baron had asked to be painted as a beggar. Alan supplied the tattered clothes
he was wearing. Hughie feels ashamed about having given a coin to a
millionaire, although Alan tells him not to worry.
The following day, a
representative of Baron Hausberg comes to Hughie’s house with an envelope. The writing
on the envelope says that it contains a wedding present “from an old beggar”.
Inside the envelope, Hughie finds a bank cheque for ten thousand pounds. Hughie
and Laura get married. Baron Hausberg attends their wedding feast.
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