difficulties which stood in her way that she
did not say a dozen words during breakfast. "I must be a fool if I can't
find some way of gaining possession of that letter," she said to herself
again and again. "I'm sure I could find in it the explanation of the
abominable intrigue which Pascal and I are the victims of."

Happily, her preoccupation was not remarked. Each person present was too
deeply engrossed in his or her own concerns to notice the behavior of
the others. Madame Leon's mind was occupied with the news she had just
received; and, besides, her attention was considerably attracted by some
partridges garnished with truffles, and a bottle of Chateau-Laroze.
For she was rather fond of good living, the dear lady, as she confessed
herself, adding that no one is perfect. The General talked of nothing
but a certain pair of horses which he was to look at that afternoon, and
which he thought of buying--being quite disgusted with job-masters, so
he declared. Besides, he expected to get the animals at a bargain, as
they were the property of a young gentleman who had been led to commit
certain misdemeanors by his love of gambling and his passion for a
notorious woman who was addicted with an insatiable desire for jewelry.

As for Madame de Fondege, her head seemed to have been completely turned
by the prospect of the approaching fete at the Countess de Commarin's.
She had only a fortnight left to make her preparations. All the evening
before, through part of the night, and ever since she had been awake
that morning, she had been racking her brain to arrive at an effective
combination of colors and materials. And at the cost of a terrible
headache, she had at last conceived one of those toilettes which are
sure to make a sensation, and which the newspaper reporters will mention
as noticeable for its "chic." "Picture to yourself," she said, all
ablaze with enthusiasm, "picture to yourself a robe of tea-flower silk,
trimmed with bands of heavy holland-tinted satin, thickly embroidered
with flowers. A wide flounce of Valenciennes at the bottom of the skirt.
Over this, I shall wear a tunic of pearl-gray crepe, edged with a fringe
of the various shades in the dress, and forming a panier behind."

But how much trouble, time and labor must be expended before such an
elaborate chef-d'oeuvre could be completed! How many conferences with
the dressmaker, with the florist, and the embroiderer! How many doubts,
how many inevitable