"Dear friend," said she, "surely you are not going to let the Princess return alone?... I hope she will allow you to see her safely home?"
The Princess pressed the hands of her generous hostess: she was radiant:
"What a good kind friend you are!" she cried in an outburst of sincere affection. Then, with a questioning glance, in which there was a touch of uneasiness, a slight hesitation, she said:
"Ah, do let me kiss you!"
For all reply Madame de Vibray opened her arms; the two women clung together, sealing with their kiss the treaty of peace both wished to keep.
When the humming of the motor-car, which bore off the Princess and Thomery, had died away in the distance, Madame de Vibray retired to her room. A tear rolled down her cheek:
"A little bit of my heart has gone with them," she murmured. The poor woman sighed deeply: "Ah, it is my whole heart that has gone!"
There was a discreet knock at the door. She mastered her emotion. It was the dignified mistress of the house who said quietly:
"Come in!"
It was Antoine, who presented two letters on a silver salver. He explained that, believing his mistress to be anxiously awaiting some news, he had ventured to bring up the last post at this late hour.