models, was at a loss to understand the girl's action.

She neither spoke nor stirred, but remained with the counterpane
tightly wrapped round her throat, her body almost doubled up, and
scarcely showing an outline beneath her coverings.

'I won't eat you, will I?' urged Claude. 'Come, just lie as you were,
there's a good girl.'

Again she blushed to her very ears. At last she stammered, 'Oh, no,
monsieur, no--pray!'

But he began to lose his temper altogether. One of the angry fits to
which he was subject was coming upon him. He thought her obstinacy
stupid. And as in response to his urgent requests she only began to
sob, he quite lost his head in despair before his sketch, thinking
that he would never be able to finish it, and would thus lose a
capital study for his picture.

'Well, you won't, eh? But it's idiotic. What do you take me for? Have
I annoyed you at all? You know I haven't. Besides, listen, it is very
unkind of you to refuse me this service, because, after all, I
sheltered you--I gave up my bed to you.'

She only continued to cry, with her head buried in the pillow.

'I assure you that I am very much in want of this sketch, else I
wouldn't worry you.'

He grew surprised at the girl's abundant tears, and ashamed at having