iately.
Decidedly, that good fellow Mahoudeau was turning traitor, and drifting
towards gracefulness, in spite of himself, for pretty things ever sprang
from under his big fingers, former stonecutter though he was. Since
his colossal 'Vintaging Girl,' he had gone on reducing and reducing the
proportions of his figures without appearing to be aware of it himself,
always ready to stick out ferociously for the gigantic, which agreed
with his temperament, but yielding to the partiality of his eyes for
sweetness and gracefulness. And indeed real nature broke at last through
inflated ambition. Exaggerated still, his 'Bathing Girl' was already
possessed of great charm, with her quivering shoulders and her
tightly-crossed arms that supported her breast.

'Well, you don't like her?' he asked, looking annoyed.

'Oh, yes, I do! I think you are right to tone things down a bit, seeing
that you feel like that. You'll have a great success with this. Yes,
it's evident it will please people very much.'

Mahoudeau, whom such praises would once have thrown into consternation,
seemed delighted. He explained that he wished to conquer public opinion
without relinquishing a tithe of his convictions.

'Ah! dash it! it takes a weight off my mind to find you pleased,' said
he, 'for I should have destroyed it if you had told me to do so, I
give you my word! Another fortnight's work, and I'll sell my skin to no
matter whom in order to pay the moulder. I say, I shall have a fine show
at the Salon, perhaps get a medal.'

He laughed, waved his arms about, and then, breaking off:

'As we are not in a hurry, sit down a bit. I want to get the wraps quite
thawed.'

The stove, which was becoming red hot, diffused great heat. The figure,
placed close by, seemed to revive under the warm air that now crept up
her from her shins to her neck. And the two friends, who had sat down,
continued looking the statue full in the face, chatting about it and
noting each detail. The sculptor especially grew excited in his delight,
and indulged in caressing gestures.

All at once, however, Claude fancied he was the victim of some
hallucination. To him the figure seemed to be moving; a quiver like
the ripple of a wavelet crossed her stomach, and her left hip became
straightened, as if the right leg were about to step out.

'Have you noticed the smooth surface just about the loins?' Mahoudeau
went on, without noticing anything. 'Ah, my boy, I took great pains over