“If I had all these beautiful things in my drawing-room, I should consider myself richer than the Sultana Valida.”
“This evening, Mademoiselle, my Chinese parlor shall be transferred to your hotel.”
“Well then, doctor, I will go and prepare for it. I hope you are in earnest, for the fun of the thing, even if it were only to shame the Parisians by your generosity. By the bye, wouldn’t you like to sketch my left foot also? What will you do with one foot without the other—don’t be modest—have the match to it!”
“Mademoiselle, I dared not ask you—”
“Ah! I am always generous—I don’t do things by halves.”
“What kindliness and grace! Mademoiselle, it is not this miserable collection I should offer you. I would I could place at your feet the pagoda of the suburb Vai lo ching, which is of porcelain, with tiles of massive gold!”
“That would suit me exactly, particularly the tiles!—Is my foot placed right?”
“My design is completed, Mademoiselle; my gratitude for your kindness will never end—may I call to-morrow to visit you?”
“To-morrow—dear doctor, to-morrow is an unlucky day! I dance to-morrow, and must practice for five hours.”
“The day after, then?”