all her curiosity concerning people. She went to Madame Blaise on that Tuesday afternoon to please Madame Gigon, because she had no other engagement, and because she was accustomed to obliging her friends. She may even have suspected that the visit would give pleasure to Madame Blaise herself. She arrived very late as usual (it was impossible for Lily to be punctual) having lingered a long time over lunch and made an expensive tour of the shops in the Rue de la Paix.
In a little enclosure shaded by old trees and high, neglected shrubbery in Passy five minutes walk from the Trocadero, Madame Blaise had her house. The enclosure was shared by two other houses, less pretentious, which stood respectfully apart at a little distance. The dwelling was built of wood in imitation of a Swiss chalet, and ornamented with little carved balconies and fantastic ornaments in bizarre exaggeration of some cowherd's house on the mountains above Lucerne. A wall ran about the enclosure with an opening which was barred at night by a massive iron gate. Here Lily stepped down from the fiacre, passing, on her way through the gate, Madame de Cyon and the Marchands, who were leaving.
"You are late," observed Madame de Cyon, taking in Lily's costume with her small green eyes.
"I have been hurrying all the way," replied Lily. "I was kept by business."
Captain Marchand and his wife bowed gravely.
"Every one has gone," observed Madame de Cyon, waiting as though curious to see what Lily would do.
"Well, I must go in. . . . Madame Gigon was too ill to come. She asked me to convey her compliments."
Madame de Cyon brightened. "Nothing serious, I hope."
"No," said Lily. "Madame is an old woman. . . ." And then politely, "She tells me Monsieur de Cyon is back from the Balkans."
"Yes. He is full of wars and intrigues. You must come to me on Thursday. He has asked for you."
Lily smiled. "Please remember me to him. I find him very interesting." She turned suddenly. "But I must hurry on. It is disgusting to be so late. Good-by until Thursday."
Madame de Cyon laid a hand on her arm. "Madame Blaise
