CHAPTER XX. A CONSPIRACY.
Certainly Madame la Princesse de Fleury kept her school with a sort of easy nonchalance, which was much appreciated by the girls. In especial, these girls liked their half-holidays, when they could wander about pretty much as they pleased. It is true that the boarders had to submit to a certain amount of restraint, but as quite half the school were day girls they had only to say that they were going home to visit their dear relations, absolutely to satisfy that very innocent lady la Princesse.
Now, Louise lived at Arles. Her father's restaurant was not far from the great school, and not far away again was the mansion where Louise slept each night, and at times, half-holidays and such like, enjoyed the pleasure of her friends' company. The day following that on which she met M'selle Close and M'selle Blanc was a half-holiday, and as her father supplied her freely with cash, she had whispered to one or two companions of a fete, ah, très ravissant, where certain of her dearest friends could join her and eat chocolats and cakes to their hearts' delight. But Louise did not dare to lose this most precious half-holiday. She accordingly announced to her friends, Marcella and Berthe, that they must put off their time of ravissement until the next half-holiday, for behold! consider! she, Louise, had work of the most particular to do. It was urgent, it was immediate—it had to come at once, at once.
The girls, of course, had to submit, and Louise, dressing herself as gracefully as she could, appeared at the Cabinet de Beauté at the hour named.
She was received at once by the two ladies, was shown into a private room, and while one manicured her finger-nails, and the other made of her hair an arrangement the most perfect, she told her story. She said what she required. She also declared that when the deed was done, ah, riche, très riche would be the reward.
"Mon père, he has much d'argent," said Louise. "He will pay well. Now listen, M'selle Blanc and M'selle Close. You went as gouvernantes to la petite Comtesse."
"Ah, oui, oui," said the ladies, "and badly, horribly were we treated. It was the doing of l'enfant; there is no doubt she is a snake in the grass."
"I would say she was a green lizard on the sunny wall," said Louise.