"Ach, how many times in rainy days I used that line. It's a good little line I bet yet. Not?"
"Ja." But with no corresponding kit of emotions in Mrs. Fischlowitz's voice. She was still breathing deep the buoyant ether of the moment, and beneath the ingratiating warmth of fur utterly soothed. "_Gott_," she said, "I wish my sister-in-law, Hanna, with all her fine airs up where she lives on One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Street, could see me now. _Oser_ she could stare and stare, and bow and bow, and past her I would roll like--like a rolling-pin."
From the gold-topped bottle nearest her came a long insidious whiff of frangipani. She dared to lean toward it, sniffing.
"Such a beautiful smell." And let her eyes half close.
"You market your meat yet on Fridays down by old Lavinsky's, Mrs. Fischlowitz?"
"Ja, just like always, only his liver ain't so good like it used to be. I can tell you that's a beau-ti-ful smell."
An hour they rode purringly over smooth highways and for a moment alongside the river, but there the wind was edged with ice and they were very presently back into the leisurely flow of the Avenue. From her curves Mrs. Fischlowitz unbent herself slowly.
"Ach, I get out here at your house, too, and take the street-cars. I--"
"No, no. James takes you all the way home, Mrs. Fischlowitz. I get out because my Becky likes I should get home early and get dressed up for dinner."
"No, no. Right in you stay. 'Sh-h-h, just don't mention it. Enough pleasure you give me to ride by me. Take good care your foot. Good-by, Mrs. Fischlowitz. All the way home you should take her, James."
Once more within the gloom of her Tudor hall, Mrs. Meyerburg hurried rearward and toward the elevator. But down the curving stairway the small maid on stilts came, intercepting her.
"Madame will please come. Mademoiselle Betty this afternoon ees not so well. Three spells of fainting, madame."
"Oui, not serious, madame, but what I would call hysteeria and mademoiselle will not have doctor. Eef madame will come--"
With a great mustering of her strength Mrs. Meyerburg ran up the first three of the marble steps, then quite as suddenly stopped, reaching out for the balustrade. The seconds stalked past as she stood there, a fine frown sketched on her brow, and the small maid anxious and attendant.