"I shall be able to go to the wedding," she murmured chokingly.
"The wedding!" Madame Dépine opened her eyes. "What wedding?"
"Your nephew is marrying? I congratulate you. But why did you not tell me?"
"I did mention it. That day I had a letter!"
"Ah! I seem to remember. I had not thought of it." Then briskly: "Well, that makes all for the best again. Ah! I was right not to scold _monsieur le coiffeur_ too much, was I not?"
"You are very good to be so patient," said Madame Valière, with a sob in her voice.
Madame Dépine shot her a dignified glance. "We will discuss our affairs at home. Here it only remains to say whether you are satisfied with the fit."
Madame Valière patted the wig, as much in approbation as in adjustment. "But it fits me to a miracle!"
"Then we will pay our friend, and wish him _le bon jour_." She produced the fifty francs--two gold pieces, well sounding, for which she had exchanged her silver and copper, and two five-franc pieces. "And _voilà_," she added, putting down a franc for _pourboire_, "we are very content with the artist."
The "Princess" stared at her, with a new admiration.
"_Merci bien_," said the _coiffeur_, fervently, as he counted the cash. "Would that all customers' heads lent themselves so easily to artistic treatment!"
"And when will my friend's wig be ready?" said the "Princess."
"Madame Valière! What are you saying there? Monsieur will set to work when I bring him the fifty francs."
"_Mais non_, madame. I commence immediately. In a week it shall be ready, and you shall only pay on delivery."
"You are very good. But I shall not need it yet--not till the winter--when the snows come," said Madame Dépine, vaguely. "_Bon jour_, monsieur;" and, thrusting the old wig on the new block, and both under her shawl, she dragged the "Princess" out of the shop. Then, looking back through the door, "Do not lose the measurement, monsieur," she cried. "One of these days!"
The grey wig soon showed its dark side. Its possession, indeed, enabled Madame Valière to loiter on the more lighted stairs, or dawdle in the hall with Madame la Propriétaire; but Madame Dépine was not only debarred from these dignified domestic attitudes, but found a new awkwardness in bearing Madame Valière company in their walks abroad. Instead of keeping each other in countenance--_duoe contra mundum_--they might now have served as an advertisement for the _coiffeur_ and the _convenable_. Before the grey wig--after the grey wig.