in the right in talking thus. From
September to February we remained shut up in the wardrobes, wrangling
with each other, listening to the cannon, and knowing nothing of what
was going on.

Towards the middle of February all the doors were opened. It was the
little baroness--the little baroness!

"Ah!" she exclaimed, "my dresses, my beloved dresses, there they are;
how happy I am to see them!"

We could say nothing; but we, too, were very happy to see the little
baroness.

"Now, then, Hermance," continued the little baroness, "let us hunt
around a little. What can I take to Bordeaux? After such disasters I
must have quiet and sombre dresses."

"Madame hasn't very many."

"I beg your pardon, Hermance, I have dark dresses--this one and that
one. The blue velvet dress! The blue velvet dress is just the thing, and
I've never worn it."

And so my neighbor the blue dress was taken down, and was at last going
to make her first appearance in the world. However, the little baroness
herself, with great activity, rummaged round in the wardrobes.

"Nothing, nothing," she said; "four or five dresses only. All the rest
are impossible, and would not accord with the Government we shall have
in Bordeaux. Well, I shall be obliged to have some republican dresses
made--very moderate republican, but still republican."

The little baroness went away, to come back a month later, always with
Hermance, who was an excellent maid, and much thought of by her
mistress. New deliberation.

"Hermance," said the little baroness, "what can I take to Versailles? I
think we shall be able to have a little more freedom. There will be
receptions and dinners with M. Thiers; then the princes are coming. I
might risk transition dresses. Do you know what I mean by that,
Hermance--transition dresses?"

"Perfectly, madame--pearl grays, mauves, violets, lilacs."

"Yes, that's it, Hermance; light but quiet colors. You are an
invaluable maid. You understand me perfectly."

The little baroness started for Versailles with a collection of
transition dresses. There must have been twenty. It was a good
beginning, and filled us with hope. She had begun at Bordeaux with
sombre colors, and continued on at Versailles with light ones,
Versailles was evidently only a stepping-stone between Bordeaux and
Paris. The little baroness was soon coming back to Paris, and once the
little baroness was in Paris we could feel assured that we should not
stay long in the wa