FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  
re me to change her expression?" "One question in the first place," I replied: "Will your work suffer by such a change, supposing that I desire it?" "Probably. If you cut the wings of a bird you hinder its flight." "Another question: Is it I, or the _other person_ whom the statue best represents?" "You, madame; that goes without saying, for you are the present, she the past." "But, to desert the past for the present is a bad thing and goes by a bad name, monsieur; and yet you proclaim it with a very easy air." "True," said Monsieur Dorlange, laughing, "but art is ferocious; wherever it sees material for its creations, it pounces upon it desperately." "Art," I replied, "is a great word under which a multitude of things shelter themselves. The other day you told me that circumstances, too long to relate at that moment, had contributed to fix the image of which I was the reflection in your mind, where it has left a vivid memory; was not that enough to excite my curiosity?" "It was true, madame, that time did not allow of my making an explanation of those circumstances; but, in any case, having the honor of speaking to you for the first time, it would have been strange, would it not, had I ventured to make you any confidences?" "Well, but now?" I said, boldly. "Now, unless I receive more express encouragement, I am still unable to suppose that anything in my past can interest you." "Why not? Some acquaintances ripen fast. Your devotion to my Nais has advanced our friendship rapidly. Besides," I added, with affected levity, "I am passionately fond of stories." "But mine has no conclusion to it; it is an enigma even to myself." "All the better; perhaps between us we might find the key to it." Monsieur Dorlange appeared to take counsel with himself; then, after a short pause he said:-- "It is true that women are admirably fitted to seize the lighter shades of meaning in acts and sentiments which we men are unable to decipher. But this confidence does not concern myself alone; I should have to request that it remain absolutely between ourselves, not even excepting Monsieur de l'Estorade from this restriction. A secret is never safe beyond the person who confides it, and the person who hears it." I was much puzzled, as you can well suppose, about what might follow; still, continuing my explorations, I replied:-- "Monsieur de l'Estorade is so little in the habit of hearing everything from me
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Monsieur
 

person

 

replied

 
present
 

Dorlange

 

circumstances

 

madame

 

suppose

 

question

 

unable


change

 
Estorade
 

conclusion

 
enigma
 
stories
 

affected

 

advanced

 

rapidly

 

friendship

 

Besides


devotion

 

levity

 

acquaintances

 

passionately

 

interest

 
confides
 

secret

 

absolutely

 

excepting

 

restriction


puzzled

 

hearing

 
explorations
 

continuing

 

follow

 

remain

 

request

 

admirably

 

fitted

 

appeared


counsel
 
lighter
 

confidence

 

concern

 

decipher

 
encouragement
 

shades

 
meaning
 
sentiments
 

monsieur