eople," replied the General.

"You should take a cab if you haven't money enough to pay for coaches,"
replied the driver with an oath. "I'll be even with you yet."

Marguerite heard no more, for Madame de Fondege caught her by the arm
and hurried her up the staircase, saying: "Quick! we must make haste.
Your baggage is here already, and we must see if the rooms I intended
for you--for you and your companion--suit you."

When Marguerite reached the second floor, Madame de Fondege hunted
in her pocket for her latch-key. Not finding it, she rang. A tall
man-servant of impudent appearance and arrayed in a glaring livery
opened the door, carrying an old battered iron candlestick, in which
a tiny scrap of candle was glaring and flickering. "What!" exclaimed
Madame de Fondege, "the reception-room not lighted yet? This is
scandalous! What have you been doing in my absence? Come, make haste.
Light the lamp. Tell the cook that I have some guests to dine with me.
Call my maid. See that M. Gustave's room is in order. Go down and see if
the General doesn't need your assistance about the baggage."

Finding it difficult to choose between so many contradictory orders, the
servant did not choose at all. He placed his rusty candlestick on one
of the side-tables in the reception-room, and gravely, without saying
a single word, went out into the passage leading to the kitchen.
"Evariste!" cried Madame de Fondege, crimson with anger, "Evariste, you
insolent fellow!"

As he deigned no reply, she rushed out in pursuit of him. And soon the
sound of a violent altercation arose; the servant lavishing insults upon
his mistress, and she unable to find any response, save, "I dismiss you;
you are an insolent scamp--I dismiss you."

Madame Leon, who was standing near Mademoiselle Marguerite in the
reception-room, seemed greatly amused. "This is a strange household,"
said she. "A fine beginning, upon my word."

But the worthy housekeeper was the last person on earth to whom
Mademoiselle Marguerite wished to reveal her thoughts. "Hush, Leon," she
replied. "We are the cause of all this disturbance, and I am very sorry
for it."

The retort that rose to the housekeeper's lips was checked by the return
of Madame de Fondege, followed by a servant-girl with a turn-up nose, a
pert manner, and who carried a lighted candle in her hand.

"How can I apologize, madame," began Mademoiselle Marguerite, "for all
the trouble I am giving you?"

"Ah! my dear