Jacqueline -- Volume 1

they were smoking together in the conservatory, after

ike Jacqueline to come

t?" cried the painter, letting hi

ou had proposed to

en. "I only spoke of painting it so

ad that she would like to give her mamma a magnificent present- a present that, of course, we shall unite to give her. For some time past I have been thinking of asking you to paint a portrait of my daughter," continu

ink I have the tim

. What can absorb you so entirely? I know

are you sure that Madame de

s looking forward to the pleasure it will give her. There is something very touching to me in the affection of that little thing for-for her mother." M. de Nailles usually hesitated a moment before saying t

head with an ai

rtrait would be really accep

er daughter!-done by a great master? However, of course, if we are putting you t

lease Madame de Nailles, was equally desirous to stand well with her husband. "Yet I own that all the mystery that mu

hult. Well, Mademoiselle Schult will bring her to your studio in

ill be concealments, f

es might prefer to be a

! my dear Marien, am I, or am I not, the father, of Ja

But do you think that Jacqueline will ke

are all too glad to have somethin

you like u

long known women and knew very little of mere girls, he had had his suspicions that a drama was being enacted in Jacqueline's heart, a drama of which he himself was the hero. He amused himself by watching it, though he did nothing to promote it. He was

ast she had gone to church every time she took a walk, and had offered a prayer and a candle that her wish might be granted. How very anxious and excited she had been all that week! The famous composition of which she had spoken to Giselle, the subject of which had so astonished the young girl brought up by the Benedictine nuns, felt the inspiration of her emotion and excitement. Jacqueline was in a frame of mind which made reading those three masterpieces by three great poets, and pondering the meaning of their words, very dangerous. The poems did not affect her with the melancholy they inspire in those who have "lived

sing hour of bliss she thought she had already enjoyed. She was sure that for a long time past she had loved

to her for a week. On the other hand Colette and Dolly, who never had aspired to literary triumphs, were moved to tears when the "Study on the comparative merits of Three Poems, 'Le Lac,' 'Souvenir,' and 'La Tristesse d'Olympio,'" signed "Mademoiselle de Nailles," received the honor of being read aloud. This reading was followed by a murmur of applause, mingled with some hisses which may have proceeded from the viper of jealousy. But the paper made a sensation like that of some new scandal. Mothers and governesses whispered t

romantic. But on this point Jacqueline's behavior was calculated to reassure her. She laughed about her composition, she frolicked

nt of her birth, as if she had been her own foster-child, arrived at the studio of Hubert Marien in the Rue de Prony, bearing a box which she said contained all that would b

ike a fly in mil

her. I altered it to fit her, for it is one of Madame's dresses. Mademoiselle

approval o

ave his consent. But for that I certainly shou

r his sitter the next day, by turning two or three studies of the

bit with Fraulein Schult and Jacqueline to keep up a lively stream of talk during their walks, and their discourse was not always about the

xile. This future husband was an apothecary, and the idea that he pounded out verses as he pounded his drugs in a mortar, and rolled out rhymes with his pills, sometimes inclined Jacqueline to laugh, but she listened patiently to the plaintive outpourings of her 'promeneuse', because she wished to acquire a right to reciprocate by a few half- confidences of her own. In her turn, therefore, she confided to Fra

ebody a boy o

ven young men of fashion-she had seen some of them on Tuesdays-Raoul Wermant, the one who so distinguished himself as a leader in the 'german', or Yvonne's brother, the officer of chasseurs, who had gained the p

ank?" asked Fraulein

or to birth! There are more ways than one of acquiring an illustrious

e would not tell was not nearly so old as Goethe, and she herself was much less childish than Bettina. But, above all, it was his genius that attracted her-though his face, too, was very pleasing. And she went on to describe his appear

ther I ever saw. And his talk is so amusing-and-" here Jacqueline lowered her voice as if

re she had read an English novel (no others were allowed to come into her hands). It was rather a stupid book, with many tedious passages, but in it she was told how the high-minded hero, not being

a bunch of violets he had gathered for her in the country. Yes! When she came to think of it, she felt certain he must have seen her furtively lay her hand upon that cigarette; that cigarette had compromised her. Then it was he must have said to himself that it was due to her parents, who had always shown him kindness, to surmount an attachment that could come to nothing-nothing at pres

couragement which succeeded one another in the mind of her precocious pupil, guessed, the moment that Jacqueline came to her, in a tran

ut giving a great deal too much importance to a very innocent piece of childish folly; she therefore determined to say nothing about it, but to keep a strict watch in the mean ti

ould do w

ord to mamma, whatever

que

urally compliant, and above all things she was anxious to get paid for as many hours of her time as possible-much like the

. In truth, she had pictured to herself so many impossible scenes beforehand, had rehearsed the probable questions and answers in so many strange dialogues, had soothed he

of the studios of several celebrated masters. That of Marien was remarkable only for its vast dimensions and its abundance of light. Studies and sketches hung on the walls, were piled one

ound of tapestry, adorned this lofty hall, which had none of that confusion of decorative ob

upon an easel, all

t, with the tips of her fingers, she was drawing aside the covering he had cast over his Death of Savonarola, the picture he was then at work upon. It was not the least

ready," said Jacqueline, ob

are? That jacket suits you.

running up to the box which was half open. "You'll

about your toilette. I certain

ernese governess, saying: "Call me when yo

nd more, passed, and no

ut of patience, k

autifying yourself?" he

lied a low voice

hich had made the little girl seem hardly to belong to any sex, an indefinite being, condemned, as it were, to childishness? How tall, and slender, and graceful she looked in that long gown, the folds of which fell from her waist in flowing lines, a waist as round and flexible as the branch of a willow; what elegance there was in her modest corsage, which displayed for the first time her lovely arms and neck, half afraid of their own exposure. She still was not robust, but the leanness that s

n, with a searching glance to see how she impresse

elf in that fashion?" he asked, with an affectation of '

mured, in a low voice. Tears came

see Jac

-but I am better than

concerts me. Give me time to get used to her. But once ag

fore I have finished my education, and that my mind may be diverted from serious subjects. It is no doubt all intended for my good, but I should not lose much time if I turned up my hair like this, and what harm could there be in lengthening my skirts an inch or two? My picture wi

rien, smiling in

how like the great hollows under the collar- bones that Dolly shows, for instance-but Dolly look

ette, that she might not see him laugh, "I grant that you have bones-yes, many b

at," said Jacque

question. Where did you

that I have see

ed from her first shock, and was now ready to talk; "it is the

growled Marien,

y of Scribe's, which was to be given at the house of Madame d'Avrigny-the house in all Paris most addicted to private theatricals. This reproduction of a forgotten play, with its characters attired in the costume of the period in which the play was placed, had had great success, a

with gold, in which, on that memorable evening, she had captured more than one heart, and which had had its influence on

was it half so pretty

by her st

eantime went

sk for. She had worn it only once, and then put it away. The gauze is a little yellow from lying by, don't you think so? But we asked my father, who said it was all right, that I should look less dark in it, and that the dress was of no particular date, which was always an advantage. These Grecian dresses

shall only take a thre

ri

ll be 'decolletee', at any rate. I shall wear a comb. No one would

sight. You are

d Jacqueline, clasping her

just as you are. Your hands before you, hanging down-so. Your fingers loosely clasped-that's it. Tur

tudio, busy with her crochet. "You see," said the look, "that he has found

rst: "You are mad-you must wait. I shall not let Jacqueline marry till she is seventeen." But long engagements, she had heard, had great delights, though in France they are not the fashion. At last, after being long entreated, she was sure that M. and Madame de Nailles would end by giving their consent-they were so fon

a may have felt for her rags after her successes at the ball, departed with the del

r instance when Marien, absorbed in his work, had not paused, except to say, "Turn

d no thought of pleasing her. Little did she suspect that he was saying to himself: "Fool that I am!-A man of my age to take pleasure in seeing that little head filled with follies and fancies of which I am the object. But can one-let one be ever so old-always act-or think re

hair on her head with the effect of a queenly diadem. Not only had her dawning loveliness been revealed to him alone, but to him it seemed that he had helped to make her lovely. The innocent tenderness she felt for him had accomplished this miracle. Why should he refuse to inhale an incense so pure, so genuine? How could he help being sensible to its fragrance? Would it not be in his power to put an end to the whole affair whenever he pleased? But till then might he not bask in it, as one does in a warm ray of spring sunshine? He put aside, therefore, all scruples. And when he did this Jacqueline with rapt

s change of behavior produced on Jacqueline only the same effect that the caprices of a coquette produce upon a very young admirer. Sh

ure. If she could seem to him as beautiful as he had ma

to Marien with a laugh of delight. "It seem

re more beautiful than seems natural, like the beauties in the keepsakes.

animation, declaring that no one but a hopelessly realistic pai

s adding a quick wit to her other charms-

ten his one objection to the picture, "that you have given her a look-how can I put it?-an expression very charming no doubt, but which is not that of a child of her age. You know what I m

the young girl, st

ned to reply, "it was probably the fatigu

acqueline, more

h her father attributed to her, when standing before him she gave herself up to thoughts the current of which he followed easily, watching on her candid

the work, persisted in his objection that it made Jacqueline too old. But since the painter saw her thus they

uence; you will grow up to it some of these days. And I pay y

," she thought, "for parents to persist in keepin