“Yes, one Sunday,” interrupted that lady.  “We were at Cabourg.  Your establishment was perfect, but a little too dear, I think.”

“By the way,” broke in Madame Berthier, addressing Juliette, “didn’t Monsieur Malignon give you lessons in swimming?”

Helene noticed a shadow of vexation, of sudden annoyance, pass over Madame Deberle’s face.  Several times already she had fancied that, on Malignon’s name being brought unexpectedly into the conversation, Madame Deberle suddenly seemed perturbed.  However, the young woman immediately regained her equanimity.

“A fine swimmer, indeed!” she exclaimed.  “The idea of him ever giving lessons to any one!  For my part, I have a mortal fear of cold water —­the very sight of people bathing curdles my blood.”

She gave an eloquent shiver, with a shrug of her plump shoulders, as though she were a duck shaking water from her back.

“Then it’s a fable?” questioned Madame de Guiraud.

“Of course; and one, I presume, of his own invention.  He detests me since he spent a month with us down there.”

People were now beginning to pour in.  The ladies, with clusters of flowers in their hair, and round, plump arms, entered smiling and nodding; while the men, each in evening dress and hat in hand, bowed and ventured on some commonplace remark.  Madame Deberle, never ceasing her chatter for a moment, extended the tips of her fingers to the friends of the house, many of whom said nothing, but passed on with a bow.  However, Mademoiselle Aurelie had just appeared on the scene, and at once went into raptures over Juliette’s dress, which was of dark-blue velvet, trimmed with faille silk.  At this all the ladies standing round seemed to catch their first glimpse of the dress, and declared it was exquisite, truly exquisite.  It came, they learned, from Worth’s, and they discussed it for five minutes.  The guests who had drunk their coffee had placed their empty cups here and there on the tray and on the pier-tables; only one old gentleman had not yet finished, as between every mouthful he paused to converse with a lady.  A warm perfume, the aroma of the coffee and the ladies’ dresses intermingled, permeated the apartment.

“You know I have had nothing,” remonstrated young Monsieur Tissot with Pauline, who had been chatting with him about an artist to whose studio her father had escorted her with a view to examining the pictures.

“What! have you had nothing?  Surely I brought you a cup of coffee?”

“No, mademoiselle, I assure you.”

“But I insist on your having something.  See, here is some Chartreuse.”

Madame Deberle had just directed a meaning nod towards her husband.  The doctor, understanding her, thereupon opened the door of a large drawing-room, into which they all filed, while a servant removed the coffee-tray.  There was almost a chill atmosphere in this spacious apartment, through which streamed the white light of six lamps and a chandelier with ten wax candles.  There were already some ladies there, sitting in a semi-circle round the fireplace, but only two or three men were present, standing amidst the sea of outspread skirts.  And through the open doorway of the smaller drawing-room rang the shrill voice of Pauline, who had lingered behind in company with young Tissot.