The Count and M. Adolphe had just finished “posing” Miss Chutney in the same attitude as the model, and had retired a few paces back to admire her, as she stood with her hands crossed on her bosom, and her head bent down, as if at her devotions, and were congratulating one another on the perfect resemblance the young lady bore to the “lay” sister, when the head of the schoolmistress was discovered peeping round the door. Miss Chutney no sooner heard the voice of Miss Wewitz, than she felt all the rigidity she had been throwing into her limbs suddenly leave her, and her legs become as limp and bendy as sugar-sticks in hot weather; and it was merely the conviction that they would all be ruined if she moved a joint, that sustained her in her statuesque position. The Count ran to the door, and bowing in the face of the schoolmistress, so as to obstruct her view, thanked her for her polite information, and excused himself for shutting her out, by saying that some of his friends were not yet dressed. Immediately the schoolmistress had left, Miss Chutney, who began to feel in no way equal to the task she had undertaken, entreated of the Count to allow her to return to the linen-room. But this, of course, was a proposition that the Frenchman, now that he had obtained possession of the girl, felt in no way inclined to listen to; so, by dint of compliments on her charming appearance in her new character, and protestations of the most fervent devotion, and assurances of the unceasing happiness that awaited her in Paris, he at length succeeded in calming the young lady’s perturbation. Miss Chutney, however, had not much time to think over the consequences of the step she was about to take, for scarcely had the Count finished his exhortation and eulogium, when the servant announced that the cab was at the door, and the men were ready to carry down the luggage. It was then arranged that Adolphe should escort the rest of the Frenchmen out of the house as soon as possible, so that the girl might not be flurried by the presence of so many. And as soon as this part of the operations had been executed, the Count, who had remained continually by the side of the wavering girl, exhorting her to have “courage” but for a few moments longer, quitted her for a few minutes, in order to come to a settlement with Miss Wewitz. He had scarcely left the room when the cabman and his companion, in obedience to the instructions of M. Adolphe Sheek, stepped up from the hall to remove the lay figure, with the greatest possible care, to the cab. On entering the apartment, the men were mightily taken with the figure of the Sister of Charity, and declared to one another that if they hadn’t been given to understand it was an artist’s model, they should have taken it for a living woman.