"But I do not understand," cried little Margot.
"I will put it clear to thee if thou wilt not tell thy grandpère."
"Thou must not tell, _ma petite_. The hats and fans thou didst sell were mine and the money goes towards thy _dot_. Go to my most beautiful _établissement_ each day for one hour, for thou hast most truly the gift of selling, and the title of the little Comtesse goes far. Then I will call for thee and take thee to a school, a school for the daughters of the _ancienne noblesse_. Wilt thou do this for thy _pauvre belle_ grand-mère and wilt thou keep it dark--very dark from thy grandpère?"
"But why--why must he not know?" asked little Margot.
"Because, _ma petite_, when I met that most noble and ancient gentleman, the château was going to ruin. He wanted the comfort but he had not _l'argent_. I told him I had _le dot_ and he married me. He thinks I have given up the _établissement_ where the chapeaux and the robes are, but how could I give them up, _ma petite_ Comtesse, when we would have nothing to live on otherwise? See, thou hast the gift and thou canst help me; one hour a day amongst my chapeaux, one hour a day for _la petite_ Comtesse to show her taste, and then I take thee to the very best school in Arles."
"Will you really, Comtesse?" asked Margot.
"I will, really, my most beautiful, my most lovely _bébé_. Do not embarrass thyself. All will be well. It is a bargain between us. No word to the Comte, thy grandpère! He is too feeble and too proud. He has the pride of all the St. Justes in his veins, but he lives in comfort out of my _établissement_. Wilt thou not help me for one hour or two hours a day, little Comtesse?"
"Yes, if you keep your word about the school," said Margot. "I will not otherwise, indeed I will not."
"No fear, _ma petite_, my word is my bond."
"But," said Margot, "when I get back now, what am I to say to grandpère? How can I talk to him about the shop which is thy shop?"
"Tell him thou didst go into an _établissement_ with me, thy grand'mère, and describe to him the American lady with the stout figure and the red face. Tell him what she wanted and what thou didst suggest. Ah, but he will laugh--he will roar."
"I like Ireland better than France," said Margot solemnly, "but I will do what thou dost wish on this one occasion, grand'mère, for otherwise I could not live. To-morrow I will attend thy horrible shop for one hour and one hour only, and then I will go to the school where the young-young girls are and where I can be taught. See, thou hast promised."