ok it, raised it, and kissed the
back of it. Then he stood with his hat off until she had passed from his
sight.

Audrey was burning with excitement. She said to herself:

"I have discovered Paris."

When the taxi turned again into the Rue de la Paix, she thought:

"The car will not be waiting. It would be too lovely if it were."

But there the car was, huge, glistening, unreal, incredible. And a
chauffeur gloved and liveried in brown, to match the car, stood by its
side, and the shopman was at the door, holding the Caprice of Roussel and
the old handbag ready in his hand.

"Here is Madame," said he.

The chauffeur saluted.

The car was closed.

"Will Madame have the carriage open or closed?"

"Closed."

Having paid the taxi-driver, Audrey entered the car, and as she did so, she
threw over her shoulder:

"Hotel du Danube."

While the chauffeur started the engine, the shopman with brilliant smiles
delivered the music and the bag. The door clicked. Audrey noticed the
clock, the rug, the powder-box, the speaking-tube, and the mirror. She
gazed, and saw a face triumphant and delicious in the mirror. The car began
to glide forward. She leaned back against the pale grey upholstery, but in
her soul she was standing and crying with a wild wave of the hand, to the
whole street:

"It is a miracle!"

In a moment the gigantic car stopped in front of the Hotel du Danube. Two
attendants rushed out in uniforms of delicate blue. They did not touch
their hats--they raised them. Audrey descended and penetrated into the
portico, where a tall dandy saluted and inquired her will. She wanted
rooms; she wanted a flat? Certainly. They had nothing but flats. A large
flat on the ground-floor was at her disposal absolutely. Two bedrooms,
sitting-room, bathroom. It had its own private entrance in the courtyard.
She inspected it. The suite was furnished in the Empire style. Herself and
maid? No. A friend! Well, the maids could sleep upstairs. It could arrange
itself. She had no maid? Her friend had no maid? Ah! So much the better.
Sixty francs a day.

"Where is the dining-room?" demanded Audrey.

"Madame," said the dandy, shocked. "We have no dining-room. All meals are
specially cooked to order and served in the private rooms. We have the
reputation...." He opened his arms and bowed.

Good! Good! She would return with her friend in one hour or so.

"106 Rue Delambre," she bade the chauffeur, after being followed to the
pav