The scene that you are referring to in the movie, seemed sad and sweet at the same time.  The poor guy is just trying to recite a beautiful poem to a lovely lady.  She thinks that he has come to her room for other reasons.  The parts where she is misunderstanding his motives are sad, because she is obviously not placing any value on herself as a person.  She also is thinking that the gentleman has come for only one purpose.   When he does, finally make the point, by forcing himself to get the poem read, it is a wake up call for her, and speaks volumes about his character.  I though Moulin Rouge was bittersweet and a little too dramatic.  Nichole Kidman is such a great actress and this did not seem like a character that she could play with any sense of realism.