e to answer, she adds in a triumphant
tone, "I have a great surprise for you. Look in the basket, look!"

I need not trouble: at that moment there comes from the basket a
pandemonium of terrified quacks and flapping wings.

"Yes," Rose continues, laughing merrily, "I stole the old woman's best
two ducks and that's why I'm here.... But first I must tell you, I have
been looking after them for a month, fattening them for your benefit; I
would not go before they were just right. And what do you think? All of
a sudden, she said, at dinner, that she was going to market to-day to
sell them! It gave me an awful turn. As soon as I could leave the
kitchen, I flew to the poultry-yard and I took the train to ---- and
slept there. Luckily, I had already sent my trunk to an hotel."

I looked at Rose in stupefaction:

"Your trunk?"

She went on, with her eyes full of cunning:

"Oh, your baby was rather clever!... As the old woman never paid me
during the whole of the four years, I worked out what a farm-servant
gets a year and I decided that I was justified in opening an account in
her name with one of our customers who keeps a big drapery-store. And so
I now have a trunk and a complete outfit, as well as these pretty things
which I have on. It was only fair, wasn't it?"

I turned away my head without a word. It was certainly quite fair; but I
felt my cheeks flushing scarlet.

Rose gave a yawn which ended in a groan:

"I'm starving. Suppose we had some lunch; we could come back for the
trunk afterwards."

I eagerly agreed and hurried her to the exit. From the top of the
stairs, I saw that the fog had lifted at last; the gas-lamps had been
put out and the street lay before us in a melancholy, wan light. The
pavements were covered with mud and the houses showed yellow and
smoke-grimed. Then I looked at Rose and my torture suddenly became more
than I could bear. I placed her in front of me and feverishly unbuttoned
the clumsy jacket, which was too tight at the neck, too narrow across
the shoulders and gave her no waist at all. It fell away on either side;
her bust showed full and uncompressed in a light-coloured blouse; and I
breathed more freely.

"Now, take off your hat."

She slowly obeyed; and the gloomy station and the wretched, grimy day
were suddenly illuminated. Oh, those lovely fair curls, which had been
crushed and pushed away under the hideous hat with its too narrow brim,
what bliss it was to see them again fu