“Oh, that child puts me beside myself!” exclaimed Madame Deberle, her complexion regaining its usual pallor, while she stretched herself out, as though wearied to death.

Helene deemed it right to intervene.  “Jeanne,” she called, “take his hand, and amuse yourselves by walking up and down.”

Jeanne took hold of Lucien’s hand, and both gravely paced the paths with little steps.  She was much taller than her companion, who had to stretch his arm up towards her; but this solemn amusement, which consisted in a ceremonious circuit of the lawn, appeared to absorb them and invest them with a sense of great importance.  Jeanne, like a genuine lady, gazed about, preoccupied with her own thoughts; Lucien every now and then would venture a glance at her; but not a word was said by either.

“How droll they are!” said Madame Deberle, smiling, and again at her ease.  “I must say that your Jeanne is a dear, good child.  She is so obedient, so well behaved—­”

“Yes, when she is in the company of others,” broke in Helene.  “She is a great trouble at times.  Still, she loves me, and does her best to be good so as not to vex me.”

Then they spoke of children; how girls were more precocious than boys; though it would be wrong to deduce too much from Lucien’s unintelligent face.  In another year he would doubtless lose all his gawkiness and become quite a gallant.  Finally, Madame Deberle resumed her embroidery, making perhaps two stitches in a minute.  Helene, who was only happy when busy, begged permission to bring her work the next time she came.  She found her companions somewhat dull, and whiled away the time in examining the Japanese pavilion.  The walls and ceiling were hidden by tapestry worked in gold, with designs showing bright cranes in full flight, butterflies, and flowers and views in which blue ships were tossing upon yellow rivers.  Chairs, and ironwood flower-stands were scattered about; on the floor some fine mats were spread; while the lacquered furnishings were littered with trinkets, small bronzes and vases, and strange toys painted in all the hues of the rainbow.  At the far end stood a grotesque idol in Dresden china, with bent legs and bare, protruding stomach, which at the least movement shook its head with a terrible and amusing look.

“Isn’t it horribly ugly?” asked Pauline, who had been watching Helene as she glanced round.  “I say, sister, you know that all these purchases of yours are so much rubbish!  Malignon calls your Japanese museum ‘the sixpenny bazaar.’  Oh, by the way, talking of him, I met him.  He was with a lady, and such a lady—­Florence, of the Varietes Theatre.”

“Where was it?” asked Juliette immediately.  “How I shall tease him!”

“On the boulevards.  He’s coming here to-day, is he not?”

She was not vouchsafed any reply.  The ladies had all at once become uneasy owing to the disappearance of the children, and called to them.  However, two shrill voices immediately answered: