away delighted. I really had discovered a most intelligent man.
II
“Three days later, a tall dark girl presented herself before me; she was very beautiful, with an expression at once demure and provocative, a strangely sophisticated expression. Her manner to me was correctness itself. As I didn’t know quite on what footing to put her, I called her ‘Mademoiselle’; then she said: ‘Oh, Madame need not call me anything but Rose.’ We began to talk.
“ ‘Well, Rose, you know why you are here?’
“ ‘I know quite well, Madame.’
“ ‘Excellent, my girl. … And you … you don’t mind at all?’
“ ‘Oh, Madame, this is the eighth divorce I’ve helped to arrange; I’m used to it.’
“ ‘That’s splendid. Will it take you long to bring it off?’
“ ‘Oh, Madame, that depends entirely on the gentleman’s temperament. As soon as I have seen him alone for five minutes, I shall be able to tell you with some certainty.’
“ ‘You shall see him at once, my child. But I warn you that he’s not beautiful.’
“ ‘That doesn’t matter to me, Madame. I’ve come between wives and some very ugly husbands before this. But I must ask Madame if she has ascertained what scent I ought to use.’
“ ‘Yes, my good Rose … vervain.’
“ ‘So much the better, Madame: I’m very fond of that scent. And perhaps Madame can also tell me if her husband’s mistress wears silk.’
“ ‘No, my child; very fine lawn trimmed with lace.’
“ ‘Oh, she must be very smart. Silk is beginning to be so common.’
“ ‘I quite agree with you.’
“ ‘Very well, Madame, I’ll begin my duties.’
“She did begin her duties on the spot, as if she had never done anything else in all her life.
“An hour later my husband came in again. Rose didn’t even look at him, but he looked at her. She was already smelling strongly of vervain. After five minutes she left the room.
“ ‘Who’s that girl?’ he asked me at once.
“ ‘That … oh, that’s my new maid.’
“ ‘Where did you get her?’
“ ‘The Baronne de Grangerie sent her to me, with an excellent recommendation.’
“ ‘Well, she’s pretty enough.’
“ ‘You think so?’
“ ‘I do … for a lady’s maid.’
“I was overjoyed. I was sure he was nibbling already.
“The same evening Rose said to me: ‘I can now promise Madame that it won’t take a fortnight. The gentleman is very easy.’
“ ‘Ah, you’ve tried already?’
“ ‘No, Madame, but its obvious at a glance. Even now he’d like to put his arms round me as he walks past.’
“ ‘He hasn’t said anything to you?’
“ ‘No, Madame, he has only asked my name … to hear the sound of my voice.’
“ ‘Excellent, my good Rose. Get on as quickly as you can.’
“ ‘Don’t be afraid of that, Madame. I shall resist just long enough not to make myself cheap.’
“By the end of the week my husband hardly left the house at all. I used to see him all afternoon wandering about the house; and what was more significant than anything else of his state of mind, was that he no longer stopped me from going out. I was out all day, I was … to … to leave him free.
“On the ninth day, as Rose was undressing me, she said meekly:
“ ‘It’s happened, Madame—this morning.’
“I was a little surprised, even a little distressed, not by the thing itself, but by the way in which she had said it to me. I stammered:
“ ‘And … and … it went off all right?’
“ ‘Oh, very well, Madame. He has been urging me for three days now, but I didn’t want to go too quickly. Perhaps Madame will tell me what time she would like the flagrante delicto.’
“ ‘Yes, my girl; let’s see … we’ll make it Friday.’
“ ‘Friday then, Madame. I’ll not allow any more liberties until then, so as to keep Monsieur eager.’
“ ‘You’re sure you won’t fail?’
“ ‘Oh, yes, Madame, quite sure. I’ll go on keeping Monsieur from the point, so that he’s just ready to come to it at any hour Madame likes to fix.’
“ ‘Let’s say five o’clock, my good Rose.’
“ ‘Five o’clock, Madame; and where?’
“ ‘Well—in my room.’
“ ‘Right, in Madame’s room.’
“Well, my dear, you see what I did. I went and brought papa and mamma first, and then my uncle d’Orvelin, the president, and then Monsieur Raplet, the judge and a friend of my husband. I didn’t warn them what I was going to show them. I made them all creep on tiptoe to the door of my room. I waited until five o’clock, exactly five o’clock. Oh, how my heart was beating! I made the concierge come up too, so as to have one more witness. Then … then, the moment the clock began to strike, bang, I flung the door open. … Oh, oh, oh, there they were in the very middle of it, my dear! … Oh, what a face … what a face, if you had only seen his face! … And he turned round, the fathead. Oh, it was funny! I laughed, and laughed. … And papa was furious and wanted to whip my husband. And the concierge, an excellent servant, helped him to dress himself again … in front of us … in front of us … he buttoned his braces for him … it was wildly funny. … As for Rose, she was perfect, quite perfect. … She cried … she cried beautifully. She’s a priceless girl … if ever you want a girl like that, remember her!
“And here I am. … I came away at once to tell you all about it … at once—I’m free. Hurrah for divorce!”
She began to dance in the middle of the drawing room, while the little Baronne murmured, in a voice full of dreamy disappointment:
“Why didn’t you invite me to see it?”
