Zulma held back the too presumptuous hand.

—­What, said the worthy man astonished, you will not show your calves?

—­What is the good, since you have seen them at Vic?

—­I want to see them again, again, again.

—­Well, there they are, but do not touch.

—­Oh, oh, you are cheating.  That is only half, I want to see them all ... up to the knees; at the least what I saw in the market-place.

—­No, sir.

—­Ah, you must not say no to me....  I do not like no.  Let me help you, my pretty.  Women always have a lot of strings under their petticoats and sometimes there are knots, knots, knots.  I know that, so let me do it.

—­But I don’t want to, I tell you.

—­Nevertheless, just to show me your calves, your fine big calves.

—­You have seen them enough.

—­What, cried Monsieur Tibulle, indignant at length at such obstinacy, you refuse to show to me what you exhibit in public, to everybody, in the market-places, in the streets, to the first who comes along; you refuse me when I am all alone, in this little room where nobody sees us.  Ah, it is very wrong, wrong, wrong.  I intend to punish you for that naughty act.

—­In public, that is my profession, and besides I have a costume.

—­She is nice enough to eat!  A costume!  If you only want that, it is very easy to find.  I know of a little costume, very nice and not dear; and if you like, we will both of us put it on.

—­What is it?

—­That which God gave us.  It is the best of all, and besides it is that which will become you the best.  Ah, my little dear, nothing is equal to the gifts of God, and all the fripperies of women will never serve them as well as the simple attire of our first mother.  We are going then to try the costume of Adam and Eve.  Does that suit you, little one?  You will no longer be afraid then of showing your calves.  Come, come, Sophie, my dear, enough of these affectations.

—­My name is not Sophie.

—­Your name is Zulma, and also Aspasia, and Phryne, and again it is Eve.  For it is long since you ate of the forbidden fruit, is it not, you little rogue?

—­Let me alone, I ask you.

—­Leave you alone! you would think I was very silly.  Come, heavenly Eve, be quick into the costume of your part; I will play Adam and you shall see what a fine apple we will eat.

—­Sir, a man of your age!

—­Old men are always more amorous than the young ones, you will see, you will see.

—­I don’t want to see anything, let me go.

—­Go! and where do you want to go to?  A man does not let a little duck like you go away when he has hold of her, for I have you, you little rogue, yes, yes, I have you.  Listen.  We will go away to-morrow morning, each our own way, neither seen, nor known.  And I assure you that you will be satisfied.  My wife does not expect me till to-morrow.