If Only etc. Part 34

How is that?

ROSALINE.

Beautiful. Hush!

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Am I sufficiently impregnated with the Chinese sentiment?

ROSALINE.

I don't know what you mean. Sh! Here she is.

(_Enter_ MRS. SYLVESTER _L_.)

MRS. SYLVESTER (_aside_).

A young woman--who is this?

ROSALINE.

Good morning, madam. Who do you wish to see?

MRS. SYLVESTER (_with a start_).

Can I be deceived? Is it possible you are the--ahem--the person I take you for?

ROSALINE.

I really don't know who you take me for. My name is Rosaline, and I'm a model.

MRS. SYLVESTER.

I knew it! How dare you come here--how dare you? Two years ago I forbade you ever to enter my husband's studio again.

ROSALINE.

I did not know it was your husband's studio when I came. I am here to sit to a friend of his.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

I'm the friend.

MRS. SYLVESTER (_to_ ROSALINE).

What did you say?

ROSALINE.

I did not speak.

MRS. SYLVESTER.

Now let me quite understand you. Do you mean to say that it was not Mr.

Sylvester who brought you here?

ROSALINE.

Certainly I do. I came to Mr.--

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY (_in terror aside to_ ROSALINE).

Mr. Brown.

MRS. SYLVESTER.

Who did you say? Who is Mr. Brown?

ROSALINE.

I did not say "Mr. Brown." A gentleman engaged me to sit to him, and told me to come here this morning at ten o'clock. He said he was a friend of Mr. Sylvester's.

MRS. SYLVESTER.

Then you did know that this was Mr. Sylvester's studio!

ROSALINE.

I did not. He said it belonged to a friend of his, but did not mention his name.

MRS. SYLVESTER (_impatiently_).

Whose name?

ROSALINE.

His friend's name.

MRS. SYLVESTER (_pa.s.sionately_).

Who was this friend, girl? Who told you to come? Answer me.

ROSALINE.

Oh, that is very easy. I was engaged by Mr.--

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY (_aside to_ ROSALINE).