And now I'll let them in." They came; Madame first--tall, buxom, large-featured, fresh-colored, radiant in flowers, lace, and Palais Royal jewelry; then Monsieur--short, fat, bald, rosy and smiling, with a huge frill to his shirt-front and a nankeen waistcoat.
Mueller introduced them with much ceremony and many apologies.
"Permit me, milord," he said, "to present Monsieur and Madame Tapotte--Monsieur and Madame Tapotte; Milord Smithfield." I rose and bowed with the gravity becoming my rank.
"I have explained to milord," continued Mueller, addressing himself partly to the new-comers, partly to me, and chiefly to the study on the easel, "that having no second room in which to invite Monsieur and Madame to repose themselves, I am compelled to ask them into the studio--where, however, his lordship is so very kind as to say that they are welcome." (Hereupon Madame Tapotte curtsied again, and Monsieur ducked his bald head, and I returned their salutations with the same dignity as before.) "If Monsieur and Madame will be pleased to take seats, however, his lordship's sitting will be ended in about ten minutes.

_Mille pardons_, the face, milord, a little more to the right.
Thank you--thank you very much.

And if you will do me the favor to look at me ...

for the expression of the eye--just so--thank you! A most important point, milord, is the expression of the eye.

When I say the expression, I mean the fire, the sparkle, the liquidity ...