in his arms, kissed her lips before she had time to resist.

Then he fell back as if he had been shot! For the wearer of the skirt,
she whom he had kissed, was Madame St. Lo's woman, and behind her stood
Madame herself, laughing, laughing, laughing with all the gay abandonment
of her light little heart.

"Oh, the gallant gentleman!" she cried, and clapped her hands effusively.
"Was ever recovery so rapid? Or triumph so speedy? Suzanne, my child;
you surpass Venus. Your charms conquer before they are seen!"

M. de Tignonville had put poor Suzanne from him as if she burned; and hot
and embarrassed, cursing his haste, he stood looking awkwardly at them.

"Madame," he stammered at last, "you know quite well that--"

"Seeing is believing!"

"That I thought it was you!"

"Oh, what I have lost!" she replied. And she looked archly at Suzanne,
who giggled and tossed her head.

He was growing angry. "But, Madame," he protested, "you know--"

"I know what I know, and I have seen what I have seen!" Madame answered
merrily. And she hummed,

"'Ce fut le plus grand jour d'este
Que m'embrassa la belle Suzanne!'