rude."

The young girl looked at him a moment.

"Yes, I think it would. But what you have done is ruder."

"It is a hard case!" said Longueville. "What could I have done, then,
decently?"

"It 's a beautiful drawing," murmured the elder lady, handing the thing
back to Longueville. Her daughter, meanwhile, had not even glanced at
it.

"You might have waited till I should go away," this argumentative young
person continued.

Longueville shook his head.

"I never lose opportunities!"

"You might have sketched me afterwards, from memory."

Longueville looked at her, smiling.

"Judge how much better my memory will be now!"

She also smiled a little, but instantly became serious.

"For myself, it 's an episode I shall try to forget. I don't like the
part I have played in it."