Zona Gale

“ If the Viking could see her now! Her hair, that always lay heavy and bright under the Dutch cap, now caught the light in uncovered waving coils. And the pinkness and whiteness and youth of her were by the gown, set off to a really amazing perfection. She had a beauty of her own. Moberly had praised her when he painted her in those Holland fishing scenes of his, and Winchell had praised her before that when he had sketched her, with a basket on her arm, coming from the village. But now—now! Sophie was amazed at herself. ”

“ And only that afternoon Etheldreda had said: "I couldn't possibly. I'd far rather he didn't ask me. I will not pose on any account." Yet there was the slim whiteness of that slender figure, the hair bright in the dusk, the incarnation of Shadow among vassal shadows; and before her was Winchell, daring to say that, to her. Ah, "nobody ought to be a free agent when Mr. Winchell wishes to paint one."
Moberly's way was to grind his heel into the gravel, to brush past the rose tree, and under his breath to say something which summer, roses, sun, and universe might very well understand. ”

“ One would have said that Sophie Vron and her sweetheart would have known too. Is it not as if love pitches everybody in the same key and says: "Now sing. No matter what words. Sing!"
"Many things have happened to-day," Etheldreda announced presently. "Miss Cecil has consented to dine out this evening. The Picotée rose has bloomed. And Sophie has been grieving over something. Also," she might have added and did not, "this gown has come home, quite new!" ”

“ Down in the garden Linnie had just lifted a chocolate-colored caterpillar from the earth and he held it toward heaven and ran to them.
"It's p'ayin' it's a butterfly!" he claimed shrilly when at the very foot of the porch steps Sophie tried to take it away from him,
Etheldreda hardly saw them.
"Mr. Winchell wishes to paint me!" she was saying in some astonishment.
"He means to ask you at once," Moberly said. "He's got an idea for a thing called 'Shadow'—a dusk effect. Splendid conception it is. He wants you for the central figure—for Shadow herself. Would you?" Moberly asked wistfully. ”

“ By reason of the strength that was in him Moberly prevented himself from folding that hand and her other hand, and drawing her to him while he said what he longed to say. Instead, since obviously he could not take an opportunity which she had unconsciously made, he simply put down his cup and sat in the porch chair looking at her. As the world demands.
But Sophie Vron went round the house marveling. Not pose! Miss Etheldreda would not pose, when she might be painted wearing that frock of cream-white, all cunning lines of lace and tiny tucks for shadows. ”

“ Etheldreda said ruefully, "that Linnie refuses to pose for Mr. Winchell."
"Does he really?" Moberly exclaimed. "Little beggar! Winchell has set his heart on painting him."
On which, suddenly and as if at the name of Winchell, Moberly's face clouded.
"I'm afraid I've bribed him shockingly," Etheldreda went on. "The last thing he said was that he would do it if we would give him the Picotée rose tree. Miss Cecil refuses to tell him he must pose. She says he must do right always, but that in a matter like this he is a free agent. Now, nobody whom Mr. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1938, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 85 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”