"Oh! after all, the first is the best; it's for my cook. Yes, the narrow ribbed serge, the one at two francs." And when Liénard had measured it, pale with suppressed anger, she added: "Have the goodness to take that to pay-desk No. 10, for Madame Desforges." Just as she was going away, she recognised Madame Marty near her, accompanied by her daughter Valentine, a tall girl of fourteen, thin and bold, who already cast a woman's covetous looks on the materials. "Ah! it's you, dear madame?" "Yes, dear madame; what a crowd--is it not?" "Oh! don't speak of it, it's stifling. And such a success! Have you seen the oriental saloon?" "Superb--wonderful!" Thereupon, amidst all the jostling, pushed hither and thither by the growing crowd of modest purses rushing upon the cheap woollen goods, they went into ecstasies over the exhibition of Eastern carpets. And afterwards Madame Marty explained that she was looking for some material for a mantle; but she had not quite made up her mind and wanted to see some woollen _matelassé_. "Look, mamma," murmured Valentine, "it's too common." "Come to the silk department," then said Madame Desforges, "you must see their famous Paris Delight." Madame Marty hesitated for a moment. It would be very dear, and she had faithfully promised her husband to be reasonable! She had been buying for an hour, quite a pile of articles was following her already: a muff and some quilling for herself and some stockings for her daughter. She finished by saying to the shopman who was showing her the _matelassé_: "Well--no; I'm going to the silk department; you've nothing to suit me." The shopman then took up the articles already purchased and walked off before the ladies.