"How do you live then, mademoiselle? You have means of your own? You do
not buy your clothes yourself? Your Government gives you those, and that
fine leather coat?"

"I bought it myself," said Fanny, and caused a sensation.

Immediately they put out their delicate hands, and fingers that loved to
appraise, to feel the leather on the lapel.

"How soft! We have no leather now like that in France! How much did that
cost? No, let me guess! You never paid a sou less than--Well, how much?"

The Bearskin, who had sat beside her all the morning, and had now turned
her into an object of interest, took a pride in Fanny.

"The English upbringing is very interesting," he said, pushing back his
cap and letting out the flame of his hair. "The young ladies become very
serious. I have been in England. I have been in Balham."

But though, owing to the leather coat, the others seemed to consider
that they had an heiress amongst them, they would not let the big
Bearskin be her _impresario_ or their instructor.

"Divorce is very easy in England," said the thin man solemnly, and
turned his shoulder slightly on the Bearskin, as though he blamed him
for his stay in Balham.

When the lunch was over and the last fragment of _pate_ drawn off the
last knife upon the crust of bread that remained, Fanny's restless hopes
turned towards packing up; but she counted without the white wine and