went to and fro, bringing plates and glasses. He laid the table
slowly, then put a cold chicken on it, and told me that all was ready.

I knocked gently at Mademoiselle Rondoli's door. "Come in," she said,
and when I did so I was struck by a strong, heavy smell of perfumes, as
if I were in a hairdresser's shop.

The Italian was sitting on her trunk in an attitude either of thoughtful
discontent or absent-mindedness. The towel was still folded over the
waterjug that was full of water, and the soap, untouched and dry, was
lying beside the empty basin; but one would have thought that the young
woman had used half the contents of the bottles of perfume. The eau de
cologne, however, had been spared, as only about a third of it had
gone; but to make up for that she had used a surprising amount of
lavender-water and new-mown hay. A cloud of violet powder, a vague white
mist, seemed still to be floating in the air, from the effects of her
over-powdering her face and neck. It seemed to cover her eyelashes,
eyebrows, and the hair on her temples like snow, while her cheeks were
plastered with it, and layers of it covered her nostrils, the corners of
her eyes, and her chin.

When she got up she exhaled such a strong odor of perfume that it almost
made me feel faint.

When we sat down to supper, I found that Paul was in a most execrable
temper, and I could get nothing out of him but blame, irritable words,
and disagreeable remarks.

Mademoiselle Francesca ate like an ogre, and as soon as she had finished
her meal she threw herself upon the sofa in the sitting-room. Sitting
down beside her, I said gallantly, kissing her hand:

"Shall I have the bed prepared, or will you sleep on the couch?"

"It is all the same to me. 'Che mi fa'!"

Her indifference vexed me.

"Should you like to retire at once?"

"Yes; I am very sleepy."

She got up, yawned, gave her hand to Paul, who took it with a furious
look, and I lighted her into the bedroom. A disquieting feeling haunted
me. "Here is all you want," I said again.

The next morning she got up early, like a woman who is accustomed to
work. She woke me by doing so, and I watched her through my half-closed
eyelids.

She came and went without hurrying herself, as if she were astonished at
having nothing to do. At length she went to the dressing-table, and in
a moment emptied all my bottles of perfume. She certainly also used some
water, but very little.

When she was quite dresse