Renée Mauperin ~ by Edmond and Julesde Goncourt

  Renée Mauperin
["The Morning Kiss" ... an extract]
~ by Edmond  and Julesde Goncourt ~ 

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     " Well!" exclaimed Renée, entering the dining-room at eleven o'clock, breathless like a child who had been running, " I thought every one would be down.  Where is mamma?"
     " Gone to Paris --- shopping," answereed M. Mauperin.
     " Oh! --- and where's Denoisel?"
     " He's gone to see the man with the sloping ground, who must have kept him to luncheon.  We'll begin luncheon."
     " Good-morning, papa!"  And instead of taking her seat Renée went across to her father and putting her arms round his neck began to kiss him.
     " There, there, that's enough --- you silly child!" said M. Mauperin, soiling as he endeavored to free himself.
     " Let me kiss you tong-fashion --- there --- like that," and she pinched his cheeks and kissed him again.
     " What a child you are, to be sure."
     " Now look at me.  I want to see whether you care for me."

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 Renée Mauperin --- The Morning Kiss 1882
 etching on laid paper
by James Tissot (French, 1836-1902)