"Well, will you, Victor?"

"Will I what?"

"Take your seat here, now, and let me sketch you?"

"Certainly; but I thought you said he was to be standing?"

"I don't think I can take you for the whole figure. You are too much
occupied to be able to spare the time. And I can find another model
for the figure. I should like to take you for the whole, but you may
be going away or something before the painting is finished. But in
any case I have set my heart on giving him your head and neck."

"You flatter me awfully," I returned. "You shall have them--but that
wretched Nous is outside all this time. May I let him in?"

"Oh yes! I did not know you had brought him!" she exclaimed, and ran
herself to the door and called him in.

He came in meekly. And I stood where she had left me by the easel,
and watched her bend over him and caress him, and I thought I was
badly used.

"Now, will you sit there?" she said, coming back and indicating a
chair.

I took it in silence. Then she paused, looking at me.