He realised the fact after he had
spoken, and blushed deeply.
"That is indeed true, my little one; she has the same beautiful eyes
that you have," said Hubert, who had come forward to examine the work.
Hubertine merely smiled now, having made a similar remark many days
before, and she was surprised and grieved when she heard Angelique reply
in a harsh, disagreeable tone of voice, like that she sometimes had in
her fits of obstinacy years ago:
"My beautiful eyes! Why will you make fun of me in that way? I know as
well as you do that I am very ugly."
Then, getting up, she shook out her dress, overacting her assumed
character of a harsh, avaricious girl.
"Ah, at last! It is really finished! I am thankful, for it was too much
of a task, too heavy a burden on my shoulders. Do you know, I would
never undertake to make another one for the same price?"
Felicien listened to her in amazement. Could it be that after all she
still cared only for money? Had he been mistaken when he thought at
times she was so exquisitely tender, and so passionately devoted to her
artistic work? Did she in reality wish for the pay her labour brought
her? And was she so indifferent that she rejoiced at the completion of
her task, wishing neither to see nor to hear of it again? For several
days he had been discouraged as he sought in vain for some pretext of
continuing, later on, visits that gave him such pleasure.
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