ame height as the table, and there were drawers in them below, and also
in the table, like those along the sides of the room.

At the first shop where our party went in, two ladies, very showily
dressed, were sitting at a table, looking at a great variety of pins,
rings, and bracelets that the shopkeeper had placed before them. The
articles were contained in little rosewood and mahogany trays, lined
with velvet; and they looked very brilliant and beautiful as they lay,
each in its own little velvet nest.

The ladies looked up from the table, and gazed with a peculiar sort of
stare, well known among fashionable people of a certain sort, upon Mrs.
Holiday, as she came in. One of them put up a little eye glass to her
eye, in order to see her more distinctly. Mr. and Mrs. Holiday, followed
by Rollo, advanced and took their places on a sofa before one of the
counters. The ladies then continued their conversation, apparently
taking no notice of the new comers.

One of the ladies was holding a bracelet in her hand. She had already
two bracelets on each wrist, and ever so many rings on her fingers,
besides a large brooch in her collar, and a double gold chain to her
watch, with a great number of breloques and charms attached to it. She
seemed to be considering whether she should buy the bracelet that she
was holding in her hand or not.

"It certainly is a beauty," said she.

"Yes," said the other; "and if I were you, Almira, I would take it
without hesitating a moment. You can afford it just as well as not."

"It is so high!" said Almira, doubtingly, and holding up the bracelet,
so as to see the light reflected from the surfaces of the precious
stones.

"I don't think it is high at all," said her friend; "that is, for such
stones and such setting. A thousand francs, he says, and that is only
two hundred dollars. That is nothing at all for so rich a husband as
yours."

"I know," said Almira; "but then he always makes such wry faces if I buy
any thing that costs more than fifty or seventy-five dollars."

[Illustration: SHOPPING AT GENEVA.]

"I would not mind his wry faces at all," said her friend. "He does
not mean any thing by them. Depend upon it, he is as proud to see you
wear handsome things as any man, after he has once paid for them. Then,
besides, perhaps the man will take something off from the thousand
francs."

"I will ask him," said Almira.

So she called the shopman to her, and asked him in French wheth