r complexion more
dazzling white, her lip of a richer coral. According to her somewhat
eccentric custom of dressing herself in her own house in a picturesque
style, Adrienne wears to-day, though it is about three o'clock in the
afternoon, a pale green watered-silk dress, with a very full skirt, the
sleeves and bodice slashed with rose-colored ribbon, and adorned with
white bugle-beads, of exquisite workmanship; while a slender network,
also of white bugle-beads, concealing the thick plait of Adrienne's
back hair, forms an oriental head-dress of charming originality, and
contrasts agreeably with the long curls which fall in front almost to
the swell of the bosom. To the expression of indescribable happiness
which marks the features of Mdlle. de Cardoville, is added a certain
resolute, cutting, satirical air, which is not habitual to her. Her
charming head, and graceful, swan-like neck, are raised in an attitude
of defiance; her small, rose-colored nostrils seem to dilate with
ill-repressed ardor, and she waits with haughty impatience for the
moment of an aggressive and ironical interview. Not far from Adrienne is
Mother Bunch. She has resumed in the house the place which she at first
occupied. The young sempstress is in mourning for her sister, but her
countenance is expressive of a mild, calm sorrow. She looks at Mdlle. de
Cardoville with surprise; for never, till now, has she seen the features
of the fair patrician impressed with such a character of ironical
audacity. Mdlle. de Cardoville was exempt from the slightest coquetry,
in the narrow and ordinary sense of the word. Yet she now cast an
inquiring look at the glass before which she was standing, and, having
restored the elastic smoothness to one of her long, golden curls, by
rolling it for a moment round her ivory finger, she carefully effaced
with her hands some almost imperceptible folds, which had formed
themselves in the thick material of her elegant corsage. This movement,
and that of turning her back to the glass, to see if her dress sat
perfectly on all points, revealed, in serpentine undulations, all the
charms and graces of her light and elegant figure; for, in spite of the
rich fulness of her shoulders, white and firm as sculptured alabaster,
Adrienne belonged to that class of privileged persons, who are able at
need to make a girdle out of a garter.

Having performed, with indescribable grace, these charming evolutions of
feminine coquetry, Adrienne tur