e bent
over the counter, with her hand resting on a dish of larded veal,
listened to her with the happy face of one who triumphs. Then, as a
customer entered the shop, and asked for a couple of pig's trotters,
Lisa wrapped them up, and handed them over with a thoughtful air.

"For my own part, I bear La Normande no ill-will," she said to
Mademoiselle Saget, when they were alone again. "I used to be very
fond of her, and have always been sorry that other people made mischief
between us. The proof that I've no animosity against her is here in this
photograph, which I saved from falling into the hands of the police, and
which I'm quite ready to give her back if she will come and ask me for
it herself."

She took the photograph out of her pocket as she spoke. Mademoiselle
Saget scrutinised it and sniggered as she read the inscription, "Louise,
to her dear friend Florent."

"I'm not sure you'll be acting wisely," she said in her cutting voice.
"You'd do better to keep it."

"No, no," replied Lisa; "I'm anxious for all this silly nonsense to
come to an end. To-day is the day of reconciliation. We've had enough
unpleasantness, and the neighbourhood's now going to be quiet and
peaceful again."

"Well, well, shall I go and tell La Normande that you are expecting
her?" asked the old maid.

"Yes; I shall be very glad if you will."

Mademoiselle Saget then made her way back to the Rue Pirouette, and
greatly frightened the fish-girl by telling her that she had just seen
her photograph in Lisa's pocket. She could not, however, at once prevail
upon her to comply with her rival's terms. La Normande propounded
conditions of her own. She would go, but Madame Quenu must come to the
door of the shop to receive her. Thus the old maid was obliged to make
another couple of journeys between the two rivals before their meeting
could be satisfactorily arranged. At last, however, to her great
delight, she succeeded in negotiating the peace which was destined to
cause so much talk and excitement. As she passed Claire's door for the
last time she still heard the sound of the scissors scraping away at the
plaster.

When she had at last carried a definite reply to Madame Quenu,
Mademoiselle Saget hurried off to find Madame Lecoeur and La Sarriette;
and all three of them took up their position on the footway at the
corner of the fish market, just in front of the pork shop. Here they
would be certain to have a good view of every detail of th