Anna spoke quite seriously. "The
Pension Malfait is really extraordinarily cheap for a place near Paris.
I am only going to pay fifty-five francs a week, _tout compris_!"

They had now turned from the road encircling the lake, and were driving
through leafy avenues which reminded Sylvia of a London suburb where she
had once stayed.

The chalets and villas by which they passed were not so large nor so
prosperous-looking as those that bordered the lake, but still many of
them were pretty and fantastic-looking little houses, and the gardens
were gay with flowers.

"I suppose no one lives here in the winter!" said Sylvia suddenly.

She had noticed, for in some ways she was very observant though in other
ways strangely unseeing, that all the flowers were of the bedding-out
varieties; there were luxuriant creepers, but not a single garden that
she passed had that indefinable look of being an old or a well-tended
garden.

"In the winter? Why, in the winter Lacville is an absolute desert," said
Anna laughing. "You see, the Casino only has a summer Concession; it
cannot open till April 15. Of course there are people who will tell you
that Lacville is the plague-pit of Paris, but that's all nonsense!
Lacville is neither better nor worse than other towns near the capital!"

The carriage had now drawn up before a large, plain, white house, across
which was painted in huge, black letters, "Hotel-Pension Malfait."

"This is the place I have found!" exclaimed Anna. "Would you care to come
in and see the room I've engaged from next Monday week?"

Sylvia followed her into the house with curiosity and interest. Somehow
she did not like the Pension Malfait, though it was clear that it had
once been a handsome private mansion standing in large grounds of its
own. The garden, however, had now been cut down to a small strip, and the
whole place formed a great contrast to the gay and charming Villa du Lac.

What garden there was seemed uncared for, though an attempt had been made
to make it look pretty with the aid of a few geraniums and marguerites.

M. Malfait, the proprietor of the Pension, whom Sylvia had already seen
with Anna at the Casino, now came forward in the hall, and Sylvia
compared him greatly to his disadvantage, to the merry M. Polperro.

"Madame has brought her friend?" he said eagerly, and staring at Sylvia
as he spoke. "I hope that Madame's friend will come and stay with us too?
I have a charming room which I cou