work; she left that to a
subordinate who, for a modest wage, attended to her business and left
her free to go out morning, noon and night. She now questioned Marie
Pascal with considerable curiosity, and the young girl explained her
late errand to deliver the gown to Susy d'Orsel.

"Come in and have a cup of coffee, Mam'zelle Pascal," urged the old
woman, as she set out two cups and filled them from a coffee pot on the
stove.

Marie Pascal at first refused, but Mother Citron was so insistent that
she ended by accepting the invitation. Besides, she felt very grateful
to Madame Ceiron for having recommended her to the proprietor of the
house, the Marquis de Serac, an old bachelor who lived on the first
floor.

The Marquis had used his good offices to obtain for her an order for
laces from the King of Hesse-Weimar. Mother Citron showed a kindly
interest in this enterprise.

"Well, did you see the King?"

Marie Pascal hesitated:

"I saw him and I didn't see him."

"Tell me all about it, my dear. Is the lover of our lady upstairs a
good-looking man?"

"It's hard to say. So far as I could judge, he seemed to be very
handsome. You see, it was like this. After waiting in the lobby of the
Royal Palace Hotel for about an hour, I was shown into a large
drawing-room; a sort of footman in knee breeches took my laces into the
adjoining room where the King was walking up and down. I just caught a
glimpse of him from time to time."

"What did he do then?"

"I don't know. He must have liked my laces for he gave me a large order.
He didn't seem to pay much attention to them; he picked out three of the
samples I sent in and what seemed queer, he also ordered some imitations
of them."

The concierge smiled knowingly.

"I expect the imitations were for his lawful wife, and the real ones for
his little friend. Men are all alike. Another cup of coffee?"

"Oh, no, thanks."

"Well, I won't insist; each one to his taste. The life Susy d'Orsel
leads wouldn't suit you. And the amount of champagne she gets through!"

"No, I shouldn't care much about that."

"All the same, there's something to be said for it. She has a first-rate
position since she got the King ... and I get first-rate tips! Take
to-night, for instance; I'll bet they'll be carrying on till pretty near
dawn. It upsets my habits, but I can't complain. I'll probably get a
good New Year's present in the morning."

"Well, as it's very late for me, I'll go up to b