Although Mildred was constantly with Elsie and Cissy she never seemed
to be of their company; and seeing them sitting together in the
_Bouillon Duval_, at their table next the window, an observer would be
sure to wonder what accident had sent out that rare and subtle girl
with such cheerful commonness as Elsie and Cissy. The contrast was
even more striking when they entered the eating-house, Mildred looking
a little annoyed, and always forgetful of the tariff card which she
should take from the door-keeper. Elsie and Cissy triumphant, making
for the staircase, as Mildred said to herself, 'with a flourish of
cards.' Mildred instinctively hated the _Bouillon Duval_, and only
went there because her friends could not afford a restaurant. The
traffic of the _Bouillon_ disgusted her; the food, she admitted, was
well enough, but, as she said, it was mealing--feeding like an animal
in a cage,--not dining or breakfasting. Very often she protested.

'Oh, nonsense,' said Cissy, 'we shall get one of Catherine's tables if
we make haste.'

Catherine was their favourite waitress. Like a hen she seemed to have
taken them under her protection. And she told them what were the best
dishes, and devoted a large part of her time to attending on them. She
liked Mildred especially; she paid her compliments and so became a
contrary influence in Mildred's dislike of the _Bouillon_. She seemed
to understand them thoroughly from the first. Elsie and Cissy she knew
would eat everything, they were never without their appetites, but
Mildred very often said she could eat nothing. Then Catherine would
come to the rescue with a tempting suggestion, _Une belle aile de
poulet avec sauce remoulade_. 'Well, perhaps I could pick a bone,'
Mildred would answer, and these wings of chicken seemed to her the