already clothed perfectly when that girl said my figure "commanded" a
proper dress. Of course, Klein pays Madam Courtier a commission for the
customers she passes right on to him. The one for me must have looked to
her like a real estate transaction.

I spent three days at the great Klein store, only going to the hotel to
sleep and most of the time I forgot to eat. Madam Rene must have been
Madam Courtier's twin sister in youth, and Madam Telliers in the hat
department was the triplet to them both. When women have genius it
breaks out all over them like measles and they never recover from it;
those women had the confluent kind. But I know that old Rene really
liked me, for when I blushed and asked her if they had a good beauty
doctor in the store she held up her hands and shuddered.

"Never, Madam, never _pour vous_. _Ravissant, charmant_--it is
to fool. Nevair! _Jamais, jamais de la vie!_" I had to calm her
down and she kissed my hand when we parted.

I thought Klein was going to do the same thing or worse when I signed
the check which would be good for a house and lot and motor-car for him,
but he didn't. Only he got even with me by saying: "And I am delighted
that the trousseau is perfectly satisfactory to you, Mrs. Carter."

That was an awful shock and I hope I didn't show it as I murmured:
"Perfectly, thank you."

The word "trousseau" can be spoken in a woman's presence for many years
with no effect, but it is an awful shock when she first _really_
hears it. I felt funny all afternoon as I packed those trunks for the
five o'clock train.