Miss Woodruff had unwrapped a magnificent bunch of pink roses and laid them beside her guardian. "From that good little dark-faced lady of yesterday, Tante." Madame von Marwitz, pausing meditatively over a note, glanced at them. "The dark-faced lady?" "Don't you remember? Mrs. Harding. Here is her card. She sat and gazed at you, so devoutly, while you talked to Mr. Drew and Lady Campion. And she looked very poor. It must mean a great deal for her to buy roses in January--_un suprême effort_," Miss Woodruff quoted, she and her guardian having a host of such playful allusions. "I see her now," said Madame von Marwitz. "I see her face; _congestionnée d'émotion, n'est-ce-pas_." She read the card that Karen presented. "Silly woman. Take them away, child." "But no, Tante, it is not silly; it is very touching, I think; and you have liked pink roses sometimes. It makes me sorry for that good little lady that you shouldn't even look at her roses." "No. I see her. Dark red and very foolish. I do not like her or her flowers. They look stupid flowers--thick and pink, like fat, smiling cheeks. Take them away." "You have read what she says, Tante, here on the back? I call that very pretty." "I see it. I see it too often. No. Go now, and take your hat off. Good heavens, child, why did you wear that ancient sealskin cap?" Karen paused at the door, the rejected roses in her arms. "Why, Tante, it was snowing a little; I didn't want to wear my best hat for a morning walk." "Have you no other hat beside the best?" "No, Tante. And I like my little cap. You gave it to me--years ago--don't you remember; the first time that we went to Russia together." "Years ago, indeed, I should imagine from its appearance. Well; it makes no difference; you will soon be leaving town and it will do for Cornwall and Tallie." When Karen returned, Madame von Marwitz, whose feet were now finished, took her place in an easy chair and said: "Now to work. Leave the accounts for Schultz. I've glanced at some of them this morning and, as usual, I seem to be spending twice as much as I make. How the money runs away I cannot imagine. And Tallie sends me a great batch of bills from Cornwall, _bon Dieu_!" _Bon Dieu_ was a frequent ejaculation with Madame von Marwitz, often half sighed, and with the stress laid on the first word. "Never mind, you will soon be making a great deal more money," said Karen. "It would be more to the point if I could manage to keep a little of what I make. Schultz tells me that my investments in the Chinese railroads are going badly, too. Put aside the bills. We will go through the rest of the letters."