Ch9-The Smile

CHAPTER NINE The Smile. At first no one spoke on the trip back. It was as if they didn't want to break the spell of joy that had settled over them. Even though Jack was bumping up and down in the cart, he could still remember the feeling of flying smoothly through the sky. He could feel the wind rustling his long feathers.

The cart passed through a gate in the city walls. As they started through the streets, Annie broke the silence. "So if fame is not the secret of happiness," she said to Leonardo, "then what is? Do you think it could be flying?" Leonardo thought for a moment. "No, no. The secret of happiness cannot be flying," he said. "Why not?" asked Jack. "Because flying is a great dream that no one but us will ever realize," said Leonardo. "Surely happiness cannot be only for us." "True," said Annie. "So what do you think the secret is?" asked Jack.

"Hmm…" Leonardo was silent. Then he sighed. "I must think about it," he said. Jack looked worriedly at the sky. The sun would go down soon and night would come. According to their rhyme, they were supposed to leave when the night bird sang its song. "Um… how long do you think it'll take you to think about it?" Jack asked. "I do not know," said Leonardo. "Right now all I know is that I must hurry to meet with my model. She is already unhappy enough without my being late." "Why is she unhappy?" asked Annie. "She will not say," said Leonardo. "Perhaps she is tired of posing for me. For three years, she has

been sitting for her portrait." "Whoa, that's a really long time," said Annie, "especially if you're just sitting." "Yes, yes, it is," said Leonardo. "Lately she will not even smile. She only stares at me sadly. I have tried hiring singers, musicians, and joke-sters to amuse her, but nothing helps." "Maybe you shouldn't meet with her today," said Jack. He didn't want Leonardo to lose his good feelings from flying. And he wanted him to spend time thinking about the secret of happiness. "No, I must," said Leonardo. "The light is perfect today. Late afternoon is the best time for painting a portrait—in my courtyard, when the

sunlight is golden and shadows are beginning to fall." Shadows were falling as the white horse pulled the cart into Leonardo's courtyard. A young woman was standing by the studio door. "Lisa!" called Leonardo. "Hello, Leonardo," the woman said. She wore a dark gown with a silk cloth over her shoulder. A thin veil covered her long brown hair. She had a high forehead and large brown eyes. Oddly, she looked like someone Jack knew, but he couldn't remember who. "Forgive me, Lisa. I am late," said Leonardo, leaping down from the cart. "Will you wait for me to set up my things?"

"Yes, I will wait," said Lisa. Leonardo hurried inside, and Jack and Annie climbed down from the cart. "Hi, we're Annie and Jack," said Annie. The woman smiled at them. "I am Lisa," she said. "You look familiar to me," said Annie. "Really?" said Lisa. "Are you from Florence?" "No, we're from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania," said Annie. "It's far away." Lisa smiled again. "I like the name of your town," she said. So Lisa did smile for other people, thought Jack. He wondered why she wouldn't smile for