as if it were possible to escape from a man who of course could move
much faster; and for some minutes she fled on, till, reaching a
pastry-cook's shop, she entered and sank rather than sat down upon a
chair by the counter.

A young woman busy with embroidery looked up from her work at the
rattling of the door-latch, and looked out through the square
window-panes. She seemed to recognize the old-fashioned violet silk
mantle, for she went at once to a drawer as if in search of something
put aside for the newcomer. Not only did this movement and the
expression of the woman's face show a very evident desire to be rid
as soon as possible of an unwelcome visitor, but she even permitted
herself an impatient exclamation when the drawer proved to be empty.
Without looking at the lady, she hurried from her desk into the back
shop and called to her husband, who appeared at once.

"Wherever have you put?----" she began mysteriously, glancing at the
customer by way of finishing her question.

The pastry-cook could only see the old lady's head-dress, a huge black
silk bonnet with knots of violet ribbon round it, but he looked at his
wife as if to say, "Did you think I should leave such a thing as that
lying about in your drawer?" and then vanished.

The old lady kept so still and silent that the shopkeeper's wife was
surprised. She went back to her, and on a nearer view a sudden impulse
of pity, blended perhaps with curiosity, got the better of her. The
old lady's face was naturally pale; she looked as though she secretly
practised austerities; but it was easy to see that she was paler than
usual from recent agitation of some kind. Her head-dress was so