The things we do!

Madame Lavaux had enough to do and to think of for the next
hour, we may be sure, and though, at the end of that time,
Madame la Comtesse found the ring safe in the corner of her
pocket, whither it had slipped off her finger, and the
disturbance was at an end, not so were the consequences of
that disturbance.
For in the meantime a very different scene was being acted out
upstairs.

CHAPTER III.
Madam's Vigil.

Five minutes after Madame Lavaux had left the room, Madelon,
just awakened from her sound sleep, came creeping gently in.
It was almost dark by this time, for it was late in the
afternoon, and the Venetian shutters were still closed that
had kept out the heat and glare all day; but now she threw
them back, and let in the tepid evening breeze, and the faded
light of the dying day; carriages and carts were rattling in
the street below, shrill voices came from the opposite houses
where lights were appearing here and there; high up in the
serene grey-blue sky a few reddened clouds had caught the last
gleams of the setting sun.
"Madelon," said M.


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