“You assumed such a melancholy expression all of a sudden! If it is a bore to you to paint me, monsieur, there is no reason why you should go on.”
“No, mademoiselle, on the contrary it is a great pleasure to me.”
“Oh! you say that in a very peculiar tone.”
I did not reply but went on with my work. Caroline became very serious and did not say another word.
“Would you mind smiling a little, mademoiselle? You do not usually have such a serious expression.”
“It’s because you say nothing to amuse me, and you yourself have sometimes an expression—oh! mon Dieu! what an agreeable man you are!”
“I may have memories which are not very cheerful; and what I am doing at this moment reminds me——”
“Of what?”
“Of a person whose portrait I once painted.”
“A woman?”