A great thing, truly, for a model to be pretty! That is the essential thing, I should think. LÉON Whether it be essential or not, it is nevertheless very nice to be pretty. But this girl was better than pretty, for she had a nature which was exceptionally tender, good, and sincere. MME. DE RONCHARD Well, then, why did he leave her? LÉON What! Can you ask me such a question?--you, who know so much about the world and the world's opinions? [_Folds his arms_.] Would you advocate free love? MME. DE RONCHARD [_indignantly_] You know I would not. LÉON [_seriously_] Listen. The truth is, that it happened to Jean as it has happened to many others besides him--that is to say, there was a pretty little nineteen-year-old girl whom he met, whom he loved, and with whom he established an intimacy little by little--an intimacy which lasted one, two, three years--the usual duration of that sort of thing. Then, as usually happens, there came a rupture--a rupture which is sometimes violent, sometimes gentle, but which is never altogether good-natured. Then also, as usual in such cases, each went a separate way--the eternal ending, which is always prosaic, because it is true to life. But the one thing that distinguishes Jean's _liaison_ from the usual affair is the truly admirable character of the girl in the case. MME. DE RONCHARD Oh, admirable character! Mademoiselle--tell me, what is the name of this young lady? If you mentioned it I have forgotten it. Mademoiselle Mus--Mus-- LÉON Musotte, Auntie; little Musotte. MME. DE RONCHARD Musette! Pshaw, that's a very common name. It reminds me of the Latin quarter and of Bohemian life. [_With disgust._] Musette! LÉON No, no; not Musette. Musotte, with an O instead of an E. She is named Musotte because of her pretty little nose; can't you understand? Musotte, the name explains itself. MME. DE RONCHARD [_with contempt_] Oh, yes; a _fin-de-siècle_ Musotte, which is still worse. Musotte is not a name. LÉON My dear Aunt, it is only a nickname. The nick-name of a model. Her true name is Henriette Lévêque. MME. DE RONCHARD [_puzzled_] Lévêque? LÉON