They chattered all the way with the gay prattle of young birds. The very old Comte thought how delightful was youth; he was glad, very glad, to meet his own relations.
At last they stopped at the établissement. The old Comte got out, and the les Marquises accompanied him—all seemed going well, of the best. The assistants bowed; the shopwalkers were ready to take these distinguished strangers to whatever department they pleased.
The Comte felt his cheeks flush with eagerness. This was really a very gay adventure. He liked gay adventures; but at that moment there was standing, just behind the Marquises and the Comte, la petite Comtesse. She had gone herself to fetch a certain lace for a certain customer. One glance served to pierce the disguise of the ugly gouvernantes; one glance told to her horror-stricken eyes that mon grandpère le Comte was in the établissement.
Quickly, like a flash, she entered that part of the magasin which was kept for underclothing, and with which she had nothing to do. From there she got into the back premises, where she beheld la belle grand'mère.
"Oh, hide me, hide me," cried little Margot; "I will tell thee what has occurred. Those gouvernantes so ignorant are in the établissement with grandpère. They are powdered and rouged and wearing our chapeaux—they are pretending the youth. Ah, but if he knows, if he sees, it will break his heart."
"Fret not thyself, ma petite," said la belle grand'mère. "Stay quietly with me. Thou wilt be asked for of necessity, but I will say that thou hast mal à la tête."
"But non, grand'mère," cried little Margot, "behold, it is not mal à la tête; it is sorrow at the heart."
"Well, that suffices, mon enfant."
The Comte, his cheeks growing pinker, his eyes brighter, accompanied by those charming demoiselles, the young Marquises, asked everywhere for la petite, la petite, the lady who had the taste so ravishing; but although many were waiting for her, there was no sign of la petite.
A message came at last to say that she was indisposed for that one morning and could not appear.