For a full half-hour, Mademoiselle Clairfait sat quietly before me, with her hands crossed on her lap, and her eyes fixed on the bracelet.

This happy alteration enabled me to do something toward completing the outline of her face and figure.

I might even, under fortunate circumstances, have vanquished the preliminary difficulties of my task at one effort; but the fates were against me that day.

While I was still working rapidly and to my satisfaction, a servant knocked at the door to announce luncheon, and mademoiselle lightly roused herself from her serious reflection and her quiet position in a moment.
"Ah me!" she said, turning the miniature round on her wrist till it was out of sight.

"What animals we are, after all! The spiritual part of us is at the mercy of the stomach.