A cloud, very imperceptible, but undoubtedly there, swept over the face of Madame la Comtesse.
"All shall be as thou dost wish, my most adorable Alphonse," she remarked, and she kissed the old man first on the hand, then on the brow, then on each cheek and then, by an almost imperceptible wave of her own small white hand, motioned Margot to follow her out of the room.
"Answer me, and answer me truly, mon enfant," she said. "Hast thou seen the Lady Hébé Duncan in my établissement? Hast thou perchance served her, ma petite?"
"I have seen her and I have served her," said Margot. "I helped her to choose chapeaux yesterday."
"Then she will know thee again when thou dost go to that place of desolation where le Marquis de Serrègnon lives."
"Yes, ma grand'mère," replied Margot, looking full into the face of the little shop-keeper.
"And yet thou must go," said Madame. "It would offend thy grandpère else. It does not do to offend the old. Tiens! The heart beats too slow, it must not receive the shock, n'est-ce pas?"
"I never wanted to serve in your shop, grand'mère," exclaimed little Margot.
"Ah, but silence, my little beautiful! We have to make the francs to secure the proper dot for thee, mon enfant. Now, let me consider. Thou wilt not go to my établissement to-morrow, and I will dress thee different. I will not even send thee to the school of la Princesse, but I will myself take thee in my motor car to the château of the Marquis. There I will dispose of thee for one short hour. During that hour thou must play the rôle of la malade. Thou must appear worn and pale and ill. Ah, but I am clever enough to manage, and behold assuredly it shall be done. Thou shalt wear the dress of la malade, and thou must speak low and soft and refuse the food which is offered to thee and which in truth is not worth thy accepting. Now see, behold, be guided by me, thy belle grand'mère, and mon Alphonse will guess nothing."