CHAPTER IX.

rsandsofascoveredwithwhitedraperies,agreenporcelainstove,wallshungwithpicturesingiltframes,agiltpenduleandotherornamentsonthemantelpiece,alargelustrependentfromthecentreoftheceiling,mirrors,consoles,muslincurtains,andahandsomecentretablecompletedtheinventoryoffurniture.Alllookedextremelycleanandglittering,butthegeneraleffectwouldhavebeensomewhatchillinghadnotasecondlargepairoffolding-doors,standingwideopen,anddisclosinganotherandsmallersalon,moresnuglyfurnished,offeredsomerelieftotheeye.Thisroomwascarpeted,andthereinwasapiano,acouch,achiffonniere—aboveall,itcontainedaloftywindowwithacrimsoncurtain,which,beingundrawn,affordedanotherglimpseofthegarden,throughthelarge,clearpanes,roundwhichsomeleavesofivy,sometendrilsofvineweretrained. “MonsieurCreemsvort,n’estcepas?”saidavoicebehindmeand,startinginvoluntarily,Iturned.IhadbeensotakenupwiththecontemplationoftheprettylittlesalonthatIhadnotnoticedtheentranceofapersonintothelargerroom.Itwas,however,Mdlle.Reuterwhonowaddressedme,andstoodclosebesidemeandwhenIhadbowedwithinstantaneouslyrecoveredsang-froid—forIamnoteasilyembarrassed—Icommencedtheconversationbyremarkingonthepleasantaspectofherlittlecabinet,andtheadvantageshehadoverM.Peletinpossessingagarden. “Yes,”shesaid,“sheoftenthoughtso”andadded,“itismygarden,monsieur,whichmakesmeretainthishouse,otherwiseIshouldprobablyhaveremovedtolargerandmorecommodiouspremiseslongsincebutyouseeIcouldnottakemygardenwithme,andIshouldscarcelyfindonesolargeandpleasantanywhereelseintown.” Iapprovedherjudgment. “Butyouhavenotseenityet,”saidshe,rising“cometothewindowandtakeabetterview.”Ifollowedhersheopenedthesash,andleaningoutIsawinfulltheencloseddemesnewhichhadhithertobeentomeanunknownregion.Itwasalong,notverybroadstripofculturedground,withanalleyborderedbyenormousoldfruittreesdownthemiddlet