"And are you really, really going to tell the Marquis?" said the child, her eyes blazing. "Take your chapeaux then, here, and here, and here. I have repented of my lie—I have confessed to you both—but—but——"
She pulled the hats out of their bandboxes and flung them in Hébé's face.
"Now I despise you," she said. "I did what I did to help ma belle grand'mère and she keeps M. le Comte in all luxury and does everything for me. No, I don't want your tea; I don't want your gâteaux. I am not ashamed of helping ma belle grand'mère. I help her a little, and she helps me much, but I will never choose a hat for you again. Understand! You can go to Madame Marcelle and you can spread the news, if you like, that I help a little one who helps me much. Behold, our château! It is neat, it is clean, it is white. It is full of things most beautiful and mon grandpère eats of the best and lives in the best style and he is happy. I will go on helping ma belle grand'mère and you can do as you please, but I will never choose a hat for you, Lady Hébé. See, I am off home now. I can easily get back to my comfortable home."
"Oh, but no, Margot, no," exclaimed Dorothy. "Do not be so silly."
"I will not be silly, I will be wise," said Margot. "This is worse than being young-old and old-young. Good-bye, for the present, I do not choose to be a guest and be looked down on. It is not the Irish way, and I did not think until now that it was the French way."
She wrapped her pretty little coat round her shoulders and marched down the avenue with the air of a small duchess.
Nevertheless when Margot got back, which she did before the motor-car had time to call for her, she was met by a singularly discontented belle grand'mère.
"Why, my pretty, why dost thou come so soon?" she exclaimed.
"Because I couldn't act a lie, grand'mère, and I had to tell the truth, grand'mère," said Margot. "The Lady Hébé is no lady. She calls herself one, but she is not, and I will never, never sell her another hat."
"Ah, ma petite, what mischief hast thou done!" said la grand'mère.