d. With her
arms uplifted, she leisurely arranged and smoothed the ribbons, her face
turned towards the golden rays of the sun. Somewhat surprised, Claude
looked in vain for the traits of childish softness that he had just
portrayed; the upper part of her face, her clear forehead, her gentle
eyes had become less conspicuous; and now the lower part stood out, with
its somewhat sensual jaw, ruddy mouth, and superb teeth. And still she
smiled with that enigmatical, girlish smile, which was, perhaps, an
ironical one.

'At any rate,' he said, in a vexed tone, 'I do not think you have
anything to reproach me with.'

At which she could not help laughing, with a slight, nervous laugh.

'No, no, monsieur, not in the least.'

He continued staring at her, fighting the battle of inexperience and
bashfulness over again, and fearing that he had been ridiculous. Now
that she no longer trembled before him, had she become contemptuously
surprised at having trembled at all? What! he had not made the slightest
attempt at courtship, not even pressed a kiss on her finger-tips. The
young fellow's bearish indifference, of which she had assuredly been
conscious, must have hurt her budding womanly feelings.

'You were saying,' she resumed, becoming sedate once more, 'that the
cabstand is at the end of the bridge on the opposite quay?'

'Yes; at the spot where there is a clump of trees.'

She had finished tying her bonnet strings, and stood ready gloved,
with her hands hanging by her side, and yet she did not go, but stared
straight in front of her. As her eyes met the big canvas turned to
the wall she felt a wish to see it, but did not dare to ask. Nothing
detained her; still she seemed to be looking around as if she had
forgotten something there, something which she could not name. At last
she stepped towards the door.

Claude was already opening it, and a small loaf placed erect against the
post tumbled into the studio.

'You see,' he said, 'you ought to have stopped to breakfast with me. My
doorkeeper brings the bread up every morning.'

She again refused with a shake of the head. When she was on the landing
she turned round, and for a moment remained quite still. Her gay smile
had come back; she was the first to hold out her hand.

'Thank you, thank you very much.'

He had taken her small gloved hand within his large one, all
pastel-stained as it was. Both hands remained like that for a few
moments, closely and cordially pres