without turning his head.--You want to know who and what she is? Well,
that depends on whom you ask. Schwarz would tell you she was one of
his most gifted pupils--but no: he always says that of his pretty
girls, and some do find her pretty, you know."

"She is, indeed, very," said Maurice with warmth. "Though I think
pretty is not just the word."

"No, I don't suppose it is," said Madeleine, and this time there was a
note of mockery in her laugh. But Maurice did not let himself be
deterred. As it seemed likely that she was going to let the
subject rest here, he persisted: "But suppose I asked you--what would
you say?"

She gave him a shrewd side-glance. "I think I won't tell you," she
said, more gravely. "If a man has once thought a girl pretty, and all
the rest of it, he's never grateful for the truth. If I said Louise
was a baggage, or a minx, or some other horrid thing, you would always
bear me a grudge for it, so please note, I don't say it--for we are
going to be friends, I hope?"

"I hope so, too," said the young man.

They walked some distance along the unfinished end of the
MOZARTSTRASSE, where only a few villas stood, in newly made gardens.

"At least, I should like to know her name her whole name. You said
Louise, I think?"

She laughed outright at this. "Her name is Dufrayer, Louise Dufrayer,