"And you paid?--seven--eight 'undred pounds?" asked Madame Wachner,
this time in English, and fixing her small, dark eyes on the fair
Englishwoman's face.

"Oh, rather more than that." Sylvia grew a little red. "But as I said
just now, they are always increasing in value. Even Mr. Chester, who did
not approve of my getting these pearls, admits that I made a good
bargain."

Through the open door she thought she heard Monsieur Wachner coming back
down the passage. So she suddenly took the pearls out of the other
woman's hand and clasped the string about her neck again.

L'Ami Fritz came into the room. He was holding rather awkwardly a little
tray on which were two cups--one a small cup, the other a large cup, both
filled to the brim with black coffee. He put the small cup before his
guest, the large cup before his wife.

"I hope you do not mind having a small cup," he said solemnly. "I
remember that you do not care to take a great deal of coffee, so I have
given you the small cup."

Sylvia looked up.

"Oh dear!" she exclaimed, "I ought to have told you before you made it,
Monsieur Wachner--but I won't have any coffee to-night. The last time I
took some I lay awake all night."

"Oh, but you must take coffee!" Madame Wachner spoke good-humouredly, but