The Argosy — page 80: what you’re looking at

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qo The Missing Rubies. After breakfast next morning, Beatrice hastened back” to Wimpole Street, anxious to tell Harriet all about the possible lodger. But Harriet was in one of her mistrustful moods, and said she could never abide foreign women with short auburn hair. “T don’t believe her hair is dyed,” said Beatrice. ‘How can you tell? And if it is not dyed, so much the worse. Auburn hair always denotes a treacherous nature.” ‘Well, I hope she will come here,” persisted Beatrice. “If she does, we shall have two interesting foreigners in the house. Madame Valerot and Mr. Vordenberg—what a charming pair !” CHAPTER XII. MADAME VALEROT. WuiLe Godwin and Beatrice were out for a Saturday afternoon walk, Madame Valerot came to Wimpole Street. And despite her prejudices, Harriet found her attractive, and gladly agreed to receive her into her house. She arrived punctually at eight o’clock, on that same Saturday night. The lovers, entirely occupied with each other, did not give her. a thought. Vordenberg, in his quiet rooms upstairs, was busy with his own devices, and never troubled himself about the occupants of the lower apartments. The delicate little woman was strong enough to unpack all her belongings with her own hands. She had a great many pretty trifles and knick-knacks to arrange about the rooms; but the object of her especial care was a heavy, brass-bound desk, which she placed on a small table near the fire. Then there were a goodly number of gowns to be unfolded, shaken out, and hung upon pegs in the wardrobe ; and when all was done, she rang for coffee, and settled herself in the corner of a comfortable sofa. ‘“‘T must have some more cushions,” she thought, trying to make a nest in her corner. ‘I will order a dozen sofa pillows on Monday ; and I don’t think I can exist without a rocking chair—it quiets one’s nerves. Without my little luxuries I am nothing.” The maid who answered the bell was struck with the soft, half-childish beauty of the new-comer. Madame’s little auburn head and innocent dark eyes appealed at once to one’s sense of protection. She drank her coffee, and went early to bed. The drawing-room windows were provided with small balconies, always filled with flowers in summer and cheerful with evergreens all through the winter months. On Sunday afternoon, Madame, well pleased with these new quarters, went to sit at one of the windows. She was a devout Catholic, and had been to chapel in the morning, wrapped up in rich furs, a wintry vision of loveliness. Everyone had admired her ; plenty of women had envied her dress ; plenty of men comicbooks.com