"I will come if you wish it." "Well then, I do wish it. Will you keep two chairs for us? One spoils one's dress quite enough without that. I can wear pearl grey, can't I?" "Oh, certainly," answered Mme. de Thesigny, "it's a moire antique wedding. M. de Maisoncelles, will you keep two chairs for me? Don't forget." De Maisoncelles bowed. "And if you are very good you shall be my cotillon partner on Wednesday." De Lorsac blushed for de Maisoncelles. "You don't go out much, do you, mademoiselle?" said Mme. de Sauveur to Renee, who was seated next her. "No, madame, I don't care about going out," answered Mlle. Mauperin rather curtly. "Julia," said Mme. de Thesigny to Mme. de Champromard, "tell us again about your famous bride's bed-room--Mme. Davarande wasn't there. Just listen, my dear." "Oh, it was my sewing-woman who told me. Only fancy, the walls are draped with white satin, finished with applications of lace, and ruches of satin to outline the panels. The sheets--I've seen the pattern--they are of cambric--spider-web. The mattresses are of white satin, caught down with knots of pale blue silk that show through the sheet. And you will be surprised to hear that all that is for a woman who is quite _comme il faut_." "Oh, yes," said Mme. de Saint-Sauveur, "that is most astonishing, for everything, nowadays, is for the other kind of women. What do you think happened to me in the country--a most disagreeable affair! There is a woman, who is not all she ought to be, living near us. We came across her at church, for she has sittings there--just fancy! Well, ever since she has arrived in our part of the world, everything has gone up in price. We positively cannot get a sewing-girl now in the house for less than seven-pence halfpenny an hour. Money is nothing to creatures of that kind, of course. And then every one adores her--she is such a schemer. She goes to see the peasants when they are ill, she finds situations for their children, and she gives them money--a sovereign at a time. Before she came we used to be able to do things for the poor without much expense, but that isn't possible now. It's outrageous! I told the cure so--it really is quite scandalous! And we owe all this to one of your relatives, M. de Lorsac, to your cousin, M. d'Orambeau. My compliments to him when you see him." The two young men threw themselves back on their chairs and laughed heartily, and then both of them instinctively bit their canes with delight. "Where have you just come from?" Mme. Davarande asked her mother and sister. "From the auction-room," answered Mme. Mauperin. "M. Barousse persuaded us to go to an exhibition of pictures." "Lord Mansbury's collection," put in Renee. "Ah, we must go to those auction-rooms, Henriette," said Mme. de Thesigny; "we'll go and _rococoter_--it's great fun." "Have you seen Petrucci's pictures, my dear?" asked Mme. de Saint-Sauveur. "Is she selling them?" asked Mme. de Thesigny.