REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Enter pray.  An idea has struck me.  May I beg you to sit down a moment,—­In a moment I shall be at your service.

ROSALINE sits.  REMBRANDT TEMPENNY stares raptly before him as if lost in composition. (Business.) He starts up and rushes to small canvas, making violent sketch upon it.  Then brushes his hand across his brow, and turns to her.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

I dared not lose it—­my idea!  Forgive me—­I have it down now, it is saved.  What can I do for you?

ROSALINE.

Mr. Addison sent me.  He said you wanted a model.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Oh—­you are Rosaline?

ROSALINE.

You have guessed it in once.  He could not come back with me, so he sent me here alone.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Oh!

ROSALINE.

What do you think of me?

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

I think you a charming young lady.

ROSALINE.

Then what is the matter?

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Well, I thought you were somebody else, that is all.  So you are
Rosaline.

ROSALINE.

You keep telling me I am Rosaline—­I know I am.  The question is how do
I do?

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

How do you do?

ROSALINE.

You misunderstand me.  The question is how do I suit you?

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Quite so—­you bring me to the point.  You suit me entirely.  Mr. Addison perhaps explained to you the subject of my picture?

ROSALINE.

“Susannah.”  Susannah is a very ugly name—.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

But she will be a very pretty girl, won’t she?

ROSALINE.

Oh, go away with you.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Humour, only my humour!  You musn’t think any familiarity was intended. 
I am not that sort of man at all.

ROSALINE.

No?

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Not a bit.  As I told you out of the window, I’m married.

ROSALINE.

Well, I am sorry to hear it.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Now you are flattering me—­now I must say, “go away with you.”

ROSALINE.

I am sorry to hear it because I prefer sitting to single artists.  Wives sometimes make rumpuses.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Oh, you have found that?

ROSALINE.

I have indeed.  I shall never forget one of my experiences as long as I live.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Really?  You interest me.

ROSALINE (sentimentally).

I loved a man with all my soul, and he loved me.  He married!  No, you must not blame him for it—­he was weak, and the temptation came.  “To err is human,”—­he married.  Oh, my heart! (She presses her hand to her side.) Forgive me while I shed a tear.