And so I promised myself that in the dining-room, as they began to eat and drink and as I felt the hour approach, I would put beforehand into this kiss, which was bound to be so brief and stealthy in execution, everything that my own efforts could put into it: would look out very carefully first the exact spot on her cheek where I would imprint it, and would so prepare my thoughts that I might be able, thanks to these mental preliminaries, to consecrate the whole of the minute Mamma would allow me to the sensation of her cheek against my lips, as a painter who can have his subject for short sittings only prepares his palette, and from what he remembers and from rough notes does in advance everything which he possibly can do in the sitter's absence.
Beraz, agintzen nion neure buruari, jantokian, afaria hasitakoan eta ordua hurbiltzen sentitu ahala, aldez aurretik egingo nuela, hain labur eta iheskor izango zèn muxu hartaz, bakarka egin nezakeèn guztia, hots, begiradaz hautatu amaren masailaren zein parteri emango nion, neure pentsamendua prestatuz, muxuaren hastapen gogamenezko hari esker, amak utziko zidàn minutu hura osorik haren masaila nire ezpainen kontra aurretiaz dastatzeari eskaintzeko, hala nola margolari batek, modeloaren pose-aldi gutxi lor ditzakeenean, bere paleta prestatzen eta, oroimena lagun, bere oharrez baliaturik, aldez aurretik moldatzen baitu modeloaren presentzia guztiz ezinbestekoa ez zaiokeen lan guztia.