Never were human curiosity and feminine craft more signally displayed than in the slim little form creeping on tiptoe, the astute, _piquante_ little face thrust forth into the dark. Across the landing she stole, and with deft fingers opened Max's door without a sound.
Here, in the narrow hallway, she paused and called gently, "Monsieur Max!" But as no voice answered, she crept to the _salon_ door and, with a little comedy of smiles all for her own diversion, called again with pursed lips and in a stage whisper: "Madame! Madame!"
It carried--this portentous word--across the quiet room to the balcony where Maxine was lingering; it drew from her a little 'oh,' of consternation; finally, it brought her running across the room to her visitor.
Jacqueline, lynx-eyed, stood and looked at her--noting how flushed she was, how youthful-looking, how unguarded and brimming with emotion.
"Madame!" she cried. "I know without a word! It has been a grand success."
[Illustration: _"C'EST LA VIE! L'ETERNELLE, LA TOUTE-PUISSANTE VIE_!"]
Maxine laughed, a girlish laugh of self-betrayal. "A grand success! Absolutely a grand success! And, Jacqueline"--she hesitated, laughed again with charming self-consciousness, rushed afresh into speech--"Jacqueline, he thought me beautiful! Not a word was said, but I know he thought me beautiful. Tell me! Am I beautiful?" Swiftly, as might the boy, she threw off her velvet cloak, letting it fall to the ground, and showed herself tall and supple and straight in her white dress.
Jacqueline rushed forward warmly, caught and kissed her hand.
"Madame, you are ravishing!" And, with her pretty native practicality, she picked up the cloak, carefully folded and carefully laid it aside.
"Ravishing!" Maxine laughed once more. "Jacqueline, I am something more than that! I am happy!" She threw out her arms, as if to embrace the universe. "I am happier than the saints in heaven! I am living in the moment, and the moment is perfection! I care nothing that yesterday I wept, that to-morrow I may weep again. I am alive and I am happy. I feel as I used to feel at fifteen years old, galloping a spirited horse. The whole world is sublime--from the dust in the streets to the stars in the sky!" She forgot her companion, her speech broke off, she turned and began to pace the room with head thrown back, hands clasped behind her with careless, boyish ease.