To the amazement of Elsa, the shrinking little model came in, hesitating
on the threshold. She wore a red woolen jersey over her bodice that
fitted her tightly and made her look very slight and shivering. She
looked with wide-open eyes at the beautiful girl and dropped a courtesy
as she sat in the seat Millar drew out for her. Elsa nodded at her in
silence, and Millar, after watching them a few seconds with a smile of
amusement, walked out of the room, whistling softly. Mimi was the first
to break the silence, squirming under Elsa's direct scrutiny.
"Madam is waiting for the artist?"
"Yes," Elsa replied shortly.
"So am I," Mimi said, adding, with engaging frankness:
"He went on a spree last night. When he does that he always sleeps
late."
Elsa was embarrassed, and there was another interval of silence. Then
Mimi said:
"Is madam to have her portrait painted?"
"Yes."
"I know all those who come here to be painted," Mimi went on. "This is
quite like home to me. I am his model. I don't have to pay for my
portraits. Madam has a splendid profile."
"Please do not call me madam," Elsa said impatiently. "I am miss, like
yourself."
"I beg your pardon," Mimi said. "I am not madam, either. My name is
Mimi."
"My name is Elsa."
"Oh, I know; I have heard of you. You are very rich as well as very
beautiful. I know what it means to be rich. Once our family was well
off, and I did not have to work as a model."
"I am sorry you have been unfortunate," Elsa said.
"But I have heard much of you," the girl went on. She was now
tremendously interested in this beautiful woman whose coming, she
believed, meant that she would no longer be Karl's model. "You see, I
know all the things that go on here; I look out for the artist's
laundry and sew his buttons on; and I almost know his thoughts."
"And do they interest you?"
"Oh, yes; but it will not be so any more."
"Why not?"
"Because he is to be married; because you have come and he will not need
me."
"Why not? He will still paint. He must have models."
"Yes, but it will not be the same, and I will not come any more."
"Do you like Monsieur Karl?"
"Very much."
"Does he paint you now?"
"Ah, no; nothing but landscapes."
"Then you did not come as a model to-day?" Elsa asked.
"I come always as a model. If the artist does not treat me as such it is
not my fault."
She noticed that Elsa looked offended, and went on hurriedly,
apologetically:
"Please, if I offend you I will be quiet. But you seem to be so nice. If
I were you and you were the model I should not be angry with you."
Elsa was touched by the pathos in Mimi's eyes.
"Pardon me; I am very, very sorry if I have hurt you," she cried
impulsively. "Let us be friends."
"Yes, let's," Mimi cried. "You can talk to me about everything. I am not
a bad sort, but I have known him for a long while. I was crying when I
went away yesterday and he felt sorry for me. He came to the house on
his way to the ball last night in his evening clothes, but I would not
see him. It must be finished."
"Was he fond of you?"
"I liked him very much," Mimi replied simply.
"And now?"
"Ah, now it is different. If a man wants to have another sweetheart,
what can we do? It is like the railway. The train comes in and goes and
the little station must wait until another train comes."
"And you are going to wait for another train? You were fond of him and
can speak like that?"
"I was fond of him," Mimi said. "But I am not silly enough to believe
it will last just because I wanted it to last. I knew when it started
that I should have to give him up some day. I have learned that. I shall
forget him--and hope that he and you will be happy."
Mimi's tears came unrestrainedly now, and as she looked for her
handkerchief Elsa picked up Millar's weeping satchel, where he had left
it on the table, and gave it to the model. Mimi dabbed vigorously at her
streaming eyes.
"I am glad that I met you here," she said when she could control her
voice. "I shall be clever to-day and not see him at all. I will go away
now and never come back. What time is it?"
"It is 3 o'clock," Elsa said, looking at her watch.
"Then I must go. Another artist in the next block expects me to pose for
him, and his laundress comes at 3. He is very clever."
She stood up and looked around the room at the things on the walls--her
own pictures--the place that seemed like home to her. She sobbed as she
started toward the door.
"Good-by, miss," she said.
Elsa looked after her as she went out. Then she looked around the room
and was seized with panic.
"Mimi! Mimi!" she called out.
The model did not return. Elsa seized her hat and fled, just as Millar
entered from the adjoining room. His chuckle of Satanic amusement
reached her as she hurried from the house.