"Cipher, I suppose? It appears the newspapers are right!" resumed the
lady. "He is a great man!" and she clapped her hands.

Hedwig regarded her puzzled, till her brow unwrinkling at last, she
exclaimed:

"Upon my word, I believe you have fallen in love with master."

"You might have said: I am still in love. That is why I return to his
side."

"If you tell him that is the reason," said this speaker, who used much
Teutonic frankness to her superiors, "you will astonish him more than
you did me by popping in this morning. He will not believe you."

Madame Clemenceau smiled as those women do who can warp men round to
their way of thinking.

"But he will! Besides, if it is a difficult task, so much the
better--when a deed is impossible, it tempts one."

"Well, as far as I can see, madame, that is an odd idea for you to have
had when far away from master."

"Pish! did you never hear the saying that 'Absence makes the heart grow
fonder?' Oh, girl, I had so much deep meditation as I stared at the dim
night-light," and she shuddered and looked a little pale.

"Well, madame, I should have rolled over and shut my eyes," said the