sofa. "You were not at
the first night at the Vaudeville yesterday, madame?" she asked, as
she played with the fan that hung from her waist.

"I never go to the theatre," was Helene's reply.

"Oh! little Noemi was simply marvellous! Her death scene is so
realistic! She clutches her bosom like this, throws back her head, and
her face turns green. Oh! the effect is prodigious."

Thereupon she entered into a minute criticism of the actress's
playing, which she upheld against the world; and then she passed to
the other topics of the day--a fine art exhibition, at which she had
seen some most remarkable paintings; a stupid novel about which too
much fuss was being made; a society intrigue which she spoke of to
Mademoiselle Aurelie in veiled language. And so she went on from one
subject to another, without wearying, her tongue ever ready, as though
this social atmosphere were peculiarly her own. Helene, a stranger to
such society, was content to listen, merely interjecting a remark or
brief reply every now and then.

At last the door was again thrown open and the footman announced:
"Madame de Chermette! Madame Tissot!"

Two ladies entered, magnificently dressed. Madame Deberle rose eagerly
to meet them, and the train of her black silk gown, heavily decked
with trimmings, trailed so far behind her that she had to kick it out
of her way whenever she happened to turn round. A confused babel of
greetings in shrill voices arose.

"Oh! how kind of you! I declare I never see you!"

"You know we come about that lottery."

"Yes: I know, I know."

"Oh! we cannot sit down. We have to call at twenty houses yet."

"Come now, you are not going to run away at once!"

And then the visitors finished by sitting down on the edge of a couch;
the chatter beginning again, shriller than ever.

"Well! what do you think of yesterday at the Vaudeville?"

"Oh! it was splendid!"

"You know she unfastens her dress and lets down her hair. All the
effect springs from that."

"People say that she swallows something to make her green."

"No, no, every action is premeditated; but she had to invent and study
them all, in the first place."

"It's wonderful."

The two ladies rose and made their exit, and the room regained its
tranquil peacefulness. From some hyacinths on the mantel-shelf was
wafted an all-pervading perfume. For a time one could hear the noisy
twittering of some sparrows quarrelling on the lawn. Before resuming
her seat, M