"Pardon. I should not have permitted myself the insinuation. I accept your statement, and simply say that it was an unwarrantable intrusion on her part. For you, madame, I have only admiration. Your compliance"—
"It was not that," said Gabrielle, shortly. "I can conceive of nothing less important to me than your sister's wishes. But I dislike Mademoiselle de Trémonceau."
"That," said Dodo, with exaggerated courtesy, "can only be a matter of opinion. I admire Mademoiselle de Trémonceau enormously."
"The force of admiration is undoubtedly strong," snapped Gabrielle, "to reconcile you to riding in another man's carriage, drinking another man's wine, dawdling with another man's"—
"Assez!" said Dodo.
Gabrielle shrugged her shoulders.
"Quite right," she said. "You are old enough to see for yourself. I presume you will not return to her."
"On the contrary, I shall be with her in fifteen minutes."
In the distance an electric bell whirred.
"Sooner than that, I think," smiled Gabrielle, and then La Belle Thaïs was standing at the salon door. She was gowned in scarlet, with a poppy flaring in her hair, and, if she had but lent to her dance at the Folies but half the fury of that entrance, the manager would, no doubt, have tripled her already ample salary. And, at the instant of her appearance, as if by signal,—which indeed it was,—Louis flung wide the opposite door, with a stately "Monsieur et madame sont servis," and there, gleaming with spotless napery, silver shaded candlesticks, and shimmering cut glass, was the daintiest of tables, set for two!