THE HANDSOME MODEL. 91 



Rossignol roared as he was overpowered by Therese's weight, who for her 

 part fancied herself delivered over to the evil one. The finest model in the 

 capital, who was half stifled, pinched and pushed her, swearing like one 

 possessed. Therese, who had almost lost all consciousness, allowed herself 

 to be pinched and pushed without moving, being firmly persuaded the atelier 

 was crowded with a legion of spectres. " Get away mills pipes get away 

 then," cried the fine model. " Sac position I am stifled. Come, old 

 woman, do you mean to stay here till to-morrow?" "Ah! Beelzebub! 

 Astaroth ! Asmodeus ! do with me what you please I submit." " No, 

 sacre bleu! I'll do nothing at all. Get up, old woman, will you?" " My 

 dear grandfather it is your orders your wish I obey." " To the devil 

 with your grandfather and all the family ! here is a pretty Venus tumbled on 

 me !" I laughed ready to burst, when all at once the door opened, and M. 

 Dermilly entered. His surprise may be imagined at seeing me dressed as a 

 knight, whilst his old servant and his model, were rolling together at the 

 bottom of the chest. " What does all this mean?" said the painter, run- 

 ning to the chest, from whence he drew Therese, whilst I threw from me my 

 helmet and mantle. 



"Ah, it is master my own dear master! I am safe!" cried Therese, 

 putting on her cap, which had suffered in the engagement. " And what 

 were you doing in the chest with M. Rossignol? and you, Andrew, with a 

 helmet a tunic " "Is it really Andrew ?" said the old woman; "and 

 it was this rascally Rossignol, then, who was pinching me so." 



" Yes, morbleu," said the model, rising in his turn ; " I have been this two 

 hours crying for you to get up and not stifle me." " Will you explain all 

 this?" said M. Dermilly, looking at us. But Rossignol was busy curling 

 his hair, whilst Therese was so exhausted with what she had undergone, 

 that she could scarcely breathe. I stepped towards M. Dermilly, and told 

 him candidly every thing that had occurred, at the same time begging pardon 

 for entering his atelier without leave. During the recital, Therese cried every 

 moment, " It is all that vagabond Rossignol I might have been sure that 

 Pooh ! how rancid he smelt in the chest and garlick too enough to poison 

 one!" 



I saw that M. Dermilty had great difficulty in keeping his countenance. 

 However, when I had finished, he looked sternly at his model, and said, 

 " You may go, M. Rossignol and don't give yourself the trouble to come 

 back again, since you cannot conduct yourself properly. It's a long time 

 since I gave you warning ; I will have nothing to do with a man who upsets 

 my house in this way." " What, sir ! " cried Rossignol, who during this 

 address cast most furious looks at Therese ; " because this old fool throws 

 herself on me, and thinks I am Beelzebub, you take it all in a serious light ! 

 It was nothing but the joke of an idle moment, and surely you wouldn't for 

 that "You have heard what I said?" "Monsieur, I received from 

 you twenty francs in advance ; I therefore owe you four sittings, which I 

 will clear off." " No matter ; I make you a present of them." " Present, 

 sir ! I am above receiving presents," said Rossignol, walking behind a pic- 

 ture, where he put on his shirt, coat, and waistcoat. " My word is good 

 for twenty francs, sir ; and I will repay them honourably. But you will 

 hunt about a long time before you meet a torso in my style ; I have an an- 

 tique trunk, and defy you to paint, without me, a Hercules, a Mars, or an 

 Apollo. See, where will you get for five francs a chest like this ? You will 

 think better of it, sir ; for a spoonful of broth, or a leg of fowl, should never 

 embroil artists like us." 



So saying, M. Rossignol once more made his appearance amongst us. 

 After bowing to M. Dermilly, he stuck his hat fiercely over one ear, balanced 

 his body like a drum-major, and twisting a large stick which he had in his 

 hand, he muttered between his teeth, " Now for an inroad on Madame Ros- 



