"They have come, and are waiting for you; everything's all right except one commode that they want changed."
"I'm all ready!" cried Sans-Cravate, and he made haste to pay for his breakfast and follow the concierge. "Has Monsieur Albert come?" he asked.
"Yes, he came with the little lady, but he went right away again; he was evidently in a great hurry. The little lady's all alone now."
"Ah! he went away again, did he? The devil! in that case, I shan't know whether he's satisfied. But if the lady is, that's all I want, as the apartment's for her. Besides, he may be coming back."
"Yes, as you say, if the lady is satisfied, that's all he cares about."
When they reached the house, the concierge allowed Sans-Cravate to go up alone.
"You know where it is," he said; "I don't need to go with you."
And the messenger went up to the apartment, saw the key in the door, and entered the outer room, which was empty.
"The little lady is evidently in the back room," he said to himself; "I may disturb her; but still, as she wants something moved, she must be expecting me."
He began to cough, to let her know that he was there; then, as no one answered, he decided to go into the other room. He saw a woman, whose back was turned to him, as she was looking out of the window.