"Where did you go when you left Florence?" asked Graham.
"We came north across the Alps and through Switzerland to
Baden, and then we stayed a little while at Homburg, and then
we were at Wiesbaden for six weeks: do you know Wiesbaden,
Monsieur Horace?"
"I was there once for two days," answered Graham; "were you
happy there too?"
"Ah yes, I was always happy with papa, but I like Wiesbaden
very much. It is so pretty and gay; do you remember the
Kursaal gardens? I used to walk there and listen to the band,
and sometimes we sat and had coffee at the little round
tables, and looked at all the people passing. And then in the
evening there were the balls; last summer I used sometimes to
go to them with the Russian Princess."
"And who was the Russian Princess?" Graham inquired.
"She was a Russian lady papa knew there, and she was very kind
to me; I used to walk with her, and sit by her at the tables,
and prick her cards for her; she said I brought her luck."
"Prick her cards!" cried Graham.
"Yes--don't you know? at rouge-et-noir," says Madelon in
explanation, "one has little cards to prick, and then one
remembers how many times each colour has won; otherwise one
would not know at all what to do.
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