"
The sudden change in her manner, from the extreme of flighty
gayety to the extreme of quiet sadness, would have looked
theatrical in a woman of any other nation. It seemed, however,
perfectly natural and appropriate in her. I went back to my
drawing, rather perplexed. Who was "Sister Rose"? Not one of the
Lanfray family, apparently. The composure of the young ladies
when the name was mentioned showed plainly enough that the
original of the miniature had been no relation of theirs.
I tried to stifle my curiosity on the subject of Sister Rose, by
giving myself entirely to my work. 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.
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