Mrs Dawson longed to question her further. Was she alluding to the bangle! Why had she gone to Beverley Castle that day? Why was it not to be mentioned? She felt her heart burning with curiosity. But there was no amusement for her, poor woman, that hot evening. It was necessary for her to go back to her tiny parlour, and there sum up accounts and wonder how she could make two ends meet. For, to tell the truth, the boarders were hardly profitable, and it was very difficult for her to fulfil the requirements of her fairly large household. While Mrs Dawson was thus employed, poring over her large account-book, spectacles on nose, and her face quite moist with the heat, Mademoiselle herself burst into the room. "I make not the apology," she cried, "for the occasion is supreme. Behold!"--and she pushed the gold and turquoise bracelet into Mrs Dawson's hand. "Why? what? where?" said Mrs Dawson. "What--where?" echoed Mademoiselle. "Here--I say; here! I tell no more yet; but go not to bed this evening until I relate the whole of this _histoire_!" She withdrew immediately, and Mrs Dawson sat back in her chair and said "Well!" to herself several times. The little girls were waiting for Mademoiselle in the passage. Nina, notwithstanding her ecstasy of spirit, was a little cross; for, whatever her faults, she was singularly downright and, up to the present, singularly honest. "Why did you snatch Fanchon's bracelet from me?" she said, "and rush with it into Mrs Dawson's room? I don't want Mrs Dawson to know that I am wearing it--she'll tell, and then where will poor Josie and I be!" "Tell!" echoed Mademoiselle. "She'll never tell--it makes not for her interest. _Restez tranquille, mon enfant, bien aimee_; you have notting to fear--put on your bangle so beautiful, and come with me to enjoy my surprise!" Mademoiselle's surprise was of a complex nature. First of all, she took the little girls to a jeweller's shop, and there went to the unheard-of extravagance of purchasing for them a little brooch each. Of course these, little brooches were not real gold, but they were very pretty and were washed over with that precious metal. One was set with pearls, also of a dubious kind, and the other with a turquoise. At the neck of Nina's little dress the turquoise brooch was now affixed, while Josie revelled in the one which held the pearls. "These are for children the most to be adored," said Mademoiselle. "You will wear them whenever you go out with me. Why should Fanchon have the bangle so pretty,--so `chic'--oh, yes, it _is_ very `chic'--I can see that. Now, just, my dear ones, walk outside the shop for a leetle, a very _leetle_ time, while I pay for the so great surprises I have got for you."