ustomers, and that I should learn more
English by an hour's conversation with them than a master could supply.
Madame d'Albret agreed with her, I was pleased at the idea, and
consequently three or four mornings in the week were passed at Madame
Paon's.

But the reader must be introduced to the establishment of Madame Paon,
or he may imagine that it was too condescending for a young lady in my
position to visit at a milliner's. Madame Paon was the first milliner
at Paris, and as is generally the case, was on the most intimate terms
with all the ladies. She made for the court, and, indeed, for every
lady to whom she could dedicate her time, as it was almost a favour to
be permitted to be one of her customers. Her establishment was in the
Rue St Honore, I forget the name of the hotel, but it was one of the
largest.

The suite of apartments were magnificent. You passed from one room to
another, each displaying every variety of rich and graceful costume. In
every room were demoiselles well-dressed to attend to the customers, and
everything bespoke a degree of taste and elegance quite unparalleled.
At last you arrived at the reception-room of madame, which was spacious
and most superbly furnished. There were no men in the establishment
except in one room, called the Comptoir, in which were six clerks at
their desks. When I add that Madame Paon was elegant in her manners,
and handsome in her person, very tall and majestic, that she was rich,
kept several servants, a handsome carriage, and had a _maison de
campagne_, to which she retired every Saturday afternoon, the reader may
acknowledge that she was a person whom Madame d'Albret might permit me
to visit.

This intimacy soon became very great. There was a certain degree of
_eclat_ at my being so constantly in the house, and, moreover, as I had
a decided taste for dress, I often brought forward some new invention
which was not only approved of, but a source of profit to Madame Paon.
Everything was submitted to my judgment as Madame Paon more than once
observed, "What a first-rate _modiste_ you would make, mademoiselle;
but, unfortunately for the fashions, there is no chance of your being so
employed."

At last the Paris season was nearly over, and truly glad was I when
Madame d'Albret mentioned the day of our departure. I had very much
improved in my music and my English during our residence at Paris. I
had not been out except to small parties, and had no wish w