* * * * *

"Marie! Marie!"

Her maid came running.

"_V'la_, madame? What does madame want?"

"I am going to change my gown."

"Madame is going to dress for the evening?"

"No. I don't dine for two hours."

"Then madame--"

"Don't talk so much. Get me out a white gown, that white linen gown I
got at Paquin's and have never worn yet. And put me out--"

She gave some directions about stockings and shoes, and went in to her
dressing-room, where she stood before the mirror, carefully examining
her face. Then she took off the hat she was wearing.

"Lock the bedroom door and the door into monsieur's room!" she called,
in a moment.

"_Bien_, madame!"

"_Mon Dieu!_" muttered the maid, as she went to turn the keys, "is she
going mad? What has she? There is no one here, there is no one coming,
and all this _tohu-bohu!_"

"Get out the white hat with the white picotees!"

"Ah, _mon Dieu!_"

"Do you hear? The white--"

"I hear, I hear, madame! Oh, _la, la, la!_"

"Make haste!"

"_Bien_, madame, _tres bien!_"

The girl ran for the hat, and Mrs. Armine, who had lighted all the
candles, sat down before the glass. She remembered Nigel's desire
expressed to her that day that she would give up "doing things" to her
face. Well, she would respond to it in this way!

Very carefully and cleverly she began to whiten her face, to touch up
her eyes and her narrow, definite eyebrows.

"All is ready, madame!"

Marie was standing at the dressing-room door; she started and swung
round on her heels as there came a knock at the door of the bedroom, the
creak of the handle turning.

"Be quiet!"

Mrs. Armine had caught her arm. The girl stood still, staring and
marvelling, while her mistress went noiselessly into the bedroom and
sat down on the far side of the bed, leaning backwards till her head was
near the pillows, which she took care not to touch.

"Ruby! Ruby!"

"What is it? Who's there? Who's there?"

The voice that replied sounded both languid and surprised.

"I--Nigel!"

Mrs. Armine sat up.

"What is it, Nigel? I'm lying down."

"Oh, I'm--I'm sorry if I've disturbed you, but--you're not ill?"

"No, only resting. What is it, Nigel?"

"I've brought Baroudi over to see you and the villa, and to dine with us
to-night."

"Oh--very well."

"You don't mind, Ruby?"

The voice outside the door was suddenly very low.

"Go down and entertain him, and I'll come almost directl