She was twirling a goose-quill between her fingers, and in front of her
was a half-written page, interrupted by the young fellow's arrival. She
seemed quite at home at this work table, as much at her ease as if in
her drawing-room, engaged on everyday tasks. A faint perfume emanated
from her dressing gown, the fresh perfume of a recent toilet. Duroy
sought to divine, fancied he could trace, the outline of her plump,
youthful figure through the soft material enveloping it.