he was all besmeared with
rouge and paint.

When she came in she seemed very angry.

"What an idea!" she cried, without taking the trouble to bow to
anyone; "what sense is there in sending for me to come here in
this way, almost by force, and by a very impudent young woman?"

Mme. Charman hastened to meet her old customer, embraced her in
spite of herself, and pressed her to her heart.

"Why, don't be so angry, dear--I thought you would be delighted
and overwhelm me with thanks."

"I? What for?"

"Because, my dear girl, I had a surprise in store for you. Ah, I'm
not ungrateful; you came here yesterday and settled your account
with me, and to-day I mean to reward you for it. Come, cheer up;
you're going to have a splendid chance, because just at this moment
I happen to have a piece of exquisite velvet--"

"A pretty thing to bring me here for!"

"All silk, my dear, at thirty francs the yard. Ha, 'tis wonderfully
cheap, the best--"

"Eh! What care I for your 'chance?' Velvet in July--are you making
fun of me?"

"Let me show it to you, now."

"Never! I am expected to dinner at Asnieres, and so--"

She was about to go away despite Mme. Charman's attempts to detain
her, when M. Lecoq thought it was time to interfere.

"Why, am I mistaken?" cried he, as if amazed; "is it really Miss
Jenny whom I have the honor of seeing?"

She scanned him with a half-angry, half-surprised air, and said:

"Yes, it is I; what of it?"

"What! Are you so forgetful? Don't you recognize me?"

"No, not at all."

"Yet I was one of your admirers once, my dear, and used to breakfast
with you when you lived near the Madeleine; in the count's time,
you know."

He took off his spectacles as if to wipe them, but really to launch
a furious look at Mme. Charman, who, not daring to resist, beat a
hasty retreat.

"I knew Tremorel well in other days," resumed the detective. "And
--by the bye, have you heard any news of him lately?"

"I saw him about a week ago."

"Stop, though--haven't you heard of that horrible affair?"

"No. What was it?"

"Really, now, haven't you heard? Don't you read the papers? It
was a dreadful thing, and has been the talk of all Paris for the
past forty-eight hours."

"Tell me about it, quick!"

"You know that he married the widow of one of his friends. He was
thought to be very happy at home; not at all; he has murdered his
wife with a knife."

Jenny grew pale under her paint.

"Is it possible?"