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- 109 -

LA DAME DE COMPAGNIE.

We leap into dangerous waters. Lucky is he who, with the return of a wave, is landed higher than he was before. 
R.

I had fallen asleep seated at the table, my head resting on my arms. Someone entered the room. An awareness of this intrusion woke me up and I saw a middle-aged woman dressed in black standing before me. She was eyeing me with evident astonishment. 

"You are no doubt la jeuno fille I am to take out walking", she said. "Mais où est votre mère?"

On my answering that my mother had left early morning for Mentone, the lady showed great indignation and gave me to understand that such dilatory proceedings were disrespectful towards the widow of a "bien-regretté joueur d'hautbois" of the Grand Opéra. She tossed her head, and, as she articulated her displeasure, her large mouth with its double row of false teeth puckered up and expanded alternately. 

I was far too dazed to follow the rapid flow of words and kept witlessly wondering what a "hautbois" could possibly be. But my wits quickly returned when I heard her finally announce that, in the circumstances, she found it her duty to take me immediately back to Neuilly. I protested and pointed out that as I had not slept properly the night before it was impossible for me to make any such effort; I add that the hotel rooms still belonged to my mother, so I could go to bed and rest until the next day.