t and bold at the same time, the
peculiar look of a female rake. She behaved very properly towards me,
and as I did not exactly know what she was, I called her _Mademoiselle_,
but she said immediately: 'Oh! pray, Madame, only call me Rose.' And she
began to talk.

"'Well, Rose, you know why you have come here?' 'I can guess it,
Madame.' 'Very good, my girl ... and that will not ... be too much
bother for you?' 'Oh! madame, this will be the eighth divorce that I
shall have caused; I am used to it.' 'Why, that is capital. Will it take
you long to succeed?' 'Oh! Madame, that depends entirely on Monsieur's
temperament. When I have seen Monsieur for five minutes alone I shall
be able to tell you exactly.' 'You will see him soon, my child, but I
must tell you that he is not handsome.' 'That does not matter to me,
Madame. I have already separated some very ugly ones. But I must ask
you, Madame, whether you have discovered his favorite perfume?' 'Yes,
Rose,--verbena.' 'So much the better, Madame, for I am also very fond of
that scent! Can you also tell me, Madame, whether Monsieur's mistress
wears silk underclothing and nightdresses?' 'No, my child, cambric and
lace.' 'Oh! then she is altogether of superior station, for silk
underclothing is getting quite common.' 'What you say is quite true!'
'Well, Madame, I will enter your service.' And so, as a matter of fact,
she did immediately, and as if she had done nothing else all her life.

"An hour later my husband came home. Rose did not even raise her eyes to
him, but he raised his eyes to her. She already smelt strongly of
verbena, and in five minutes she left the room, and he immediately asked
me: 'Who is that girl?' 'Why ... my new lady's maid.' 'Where did you
pick her up?' 'Baroness de Grangerie got her for me with the best
references.' 'Ah! she is rather pretty!' 'Do you think so?' 'Why, yes
... for a lady's maid.'

"I was delighted, for I felt that he was already biting, and that same
evening Rose said to me: 'I can now promise you that it will not take
more than a fortnight. Monsieur is very easily caught!' 'Ah! you have
tried already?' 'No, Madame, he only asked what my name was ... so that
he might hear what my voice was like.' 'Very well, my dear Rose. Get on
as quick as you can.' 'Do not be alarmed, Madame; I shall only resist
long enough not to make myself depreciated.'

"At the end of a week my husband scarcely ever went out; I saw him
roaming about the house the