She led the emperor and his secretary to a small, but richly and elegantly furnished room. Thick carpets covered the floor, large fauteuils stood around a table, on which lay several illustrated journals, a large lamp hung from the ceiling, and brightly lighted up the room.
"Your majesty must learn to wait in the ante-room," said Piétri, jestingly, as he wheeled a chair towards Napoleon.
He only placed his hand lightly on the back, and looked round the room with great interest. On the wall hung a large engraving, his own likeness in his coronation robes. With a slight sigh the emperor glanced at the slender, youthful figure represented; then he said, pointing it out laughingly to Piétri:
"This lady appears well disposed."
"She is a scholar of Lenormand, sire," replied Piétri, "and holds to the traditions of her mistress; also she was an especial favourite of the Duke de Morny."
A small door concealed by a very thick dark portière opened, the curtain was pushed aside, and a short, rather stout lady in a plain black dress appeared in the doorway. She was about fifty years of age, with dark smooth hair and lively black eyes, so keen and piercing, that they were an almost startling contrast to the somewhat puffy and very commonplace face to which they belonged.
Piétri advanced.
"I thank you, madame," he said, "for receiving us at this late hour. You have already given me such brilliant proofs of your art, that I have brought a friend who is travelling through Paris, and who begs you to unveil his future."
"Walk this way, messieurs," said Madame Moreau quietly, in an agreeable voice and with the manner of a lady of good society.
And she returned to her cabinet. Piétri and the emperor followed her.