The　sacrifice　of　her　religion　soon　followed　that　of　her　costume。　Mme。　Hemerlingue　had　long　abandoned　the　practices　of　Mohammedan　religion；　when　M。　le　Merquier；　their　friend　and　mentor　in　Paris；　showed　them　that　the　baroness's　public　conversion　would　open　to　her　the　doors　of　that　section　of　the　Parisian　world　whose　access　became　more　and　more　difficult　as　society　became　more　democratic。　Once　the　Faubourg　Saint…　Germain　was　conquered；　all　the　others　would　follow。　And；　in　fact；　when；　after　the　announcement　of　the　baptism；　they　learned　that　the　greatest　ladies　in　France　could　be　seen　at　the　Baroness　Hemerlingue's　Saturdays；　Mmes。　Gugenheim；　Furenberg；　Caraiscaki；　Maurice　Trottall　wives　of　millionaires　celebrated　on　the　markets　of　Tunisgave　up　their　prejudices　and　begged　to　be　invited　to　the　former　slave's　receptions。　Mme。　Jansoulet　alonenewly　arrived　with　a　stock　of　cumbersome　Oriental　ideas　in　her　mind；　like　her　ostrich　eggs；　her　narghile　pipe；　and　the　Tunisian　/bric…a…brac/　in　her　roomsprotested　against　what　she　called　an　impropriety；　a　cowardice；　and　declared　that　she　would　never　set　her　foot　at　/her/　house。　Soon　a　little　retrograde　movement　was　felt　round　the　Gugenheims；　the　Caraiscaki；　and　the　other　people；　as　happens　at　Paris　every　time　when　some　irregular　position；　endeavouring　to　establish　itself；　brings　on　regrets　and　defections。　They　had　gone　too　far　to　draw　back；　but　they　resolved　to　make　the　value　of　their　good…will；　of　their　sacrificed　prejudices；　felt；　and　the　Baroness　Marie　well　understood　the　shade　of　meaning　in　the　protecting　tone　of　the　Levantines；　treating　her　as　〃My　dear　child；〃　〃My　dear　good　girl；〃　with　an　almost　contemptuous　pride。　Thenceforward　her　hatred　of　the　Jansoulets　knew　no　boundsthe　complicated　ferocious　hatred　of　the　seraglio；　with　strangling　and　the　sack　at　the　end；　perhaps　more　difficult　to　arrive　at　in　Paris　than　on　the　banks　of　the　lake　of　El　Bahaira；　but　for　which　she　had　already　prepared　the　stout　sack　and　the　cord。
  One　can　imagine；　knowing　all　this；　what　was　the　surprise　and　agitation　of　this　corner　of　exotic　society；　when　the　news　spread；　not　only　that　the　great　Afchinas　these　ladies　called　herhad　consented　to　see　the　baroness；　but　that　she　would　pay　her　first　visit　on　her　next　Saturday。　Neither　the　Fuernbergs　nor　the　Trotts　would　wish　to　miss　such　an　occasion。　On　her　side；　the　baroness　did　everything　in　her　power　to　give　the　utmost　brilliancy　to　this　solemn　reparation。　She　wrote；　she　visited；　and　succeeded　so　well；　that　in　spite　of　the　lateness　of　the　season；　Mme。　Jansoulet；　on　arriving　at　four　o'clock　at　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；　would　have　seen　drawn　up　before　the　great　arched　doorway；　side　by　side　with　the　discreet　russet　livery　of　the　Princess　de　Dion；　and　of　many　authentic　/blasons/；　the　pretentious　and　fictitious　arms；　the　multicoloured　wheels　of　a　crowd　of　plutocrat　equipages；　and　the　tall　powdered　lackeys　of　the　Caraiscaki。
  Above；　in　the　reception　rooms；　was　another　strange　and　resplendent　crowd。　In　the　first　two　rooms　there　was　a　going　and　coming；　a　continual　passage　of　rustling　silks　up　to　the　boudoir　where　the　baroness　sat；　sharing　her　attentions　and　cajoleries　between　two　very　distinct　camps。　On　one　side　were　dark　toilettes；　modest　in　appearance；　whose　refinement　was　appreciable　only　to　observant　eyes；　on　the　other；　a　wild　burst　of　vivid　colour；　opulent　figures；　rich　diamonds；　floating　scarfs；　exotic　fashions；　in　which　one　felt　a　regret　for　a　warmer　climate；　and　more　luxurious　life。　Here　were　sharp　taps　with　the　fan；　discreet　whispers　from　the　few　men　present；　some　of　the　/bien　pensant/　youth；　silent；　immovable；　sucking　the　handles　of　their　canes；　two　or　three　figures；　upright　behind　the　broad　backs　of　their　wives；　speaking　with　their　heads　bent　forward；　as　if　they　were　offering　contraband　goods　for　sale；　and　in　a　corner　the　fine　patriarchal　beard　and　violet　cassock　of　an　orthodox　Armenian　bishop。
  The　baroness；　in　attempting　to　harmonize　these　fashionable　diversities；　to　keep　her　rooms　full　until　the　famous　interview；　moved　about　continually；　took　part　in　ten　different　conversations；　raising　her　harmonious　and　velvety　voice　to　the　twittering　diapason　which　distinguishes　Oriental　women；　caressing　and　coaxing；　the　mind　supple　as　the　body；　touching　on　all　subjects；　and　mixing　in　the　requisite　proportions　fashion　and　charity　sermons；　theatres　and　bazaars；　the　dressmaker　and　the　confessor。　The　mistress　of　the　house　united　a　great　personal　charm　with　this　acquired　sciencea　science　visible　even　in　her　black　and　very　simple　dress；　which　brought　out　her　nun…like　pallor；　her　houri…like　eyes；　her　shining　and　plaited　hair　drawn　back　from　a　narrow；　child…like　forehead；　a　forehead　of　which　the　small　mouth　accentuated　the　mystery；　hiding　from　the　inquisitive　the　former　/favourite's/　whole　varied　past；　she　who　had　no　age；　who　knew　not　herself　the　date　of　her　birth；　and　never　remembered　to　have　been　a　child。
  Evidently　if　the　absolute　power　of　evilrare　indeed　among　women；　influenced　as　they　are　by　their　impressionable　physical　nature　by　so　many　different　currentscould　take　possession　of　a　soul；　it　would　be　in　that　of　this　slave；　moulded　by　basenesses；　revolted　but　patient；　and　complete　mistress　of　herself；　like　all　those　whom　the　habit　of　veiling　the　eyes　has　accustomed　to　lie　safely　and　unscrupulously。
  At　this　moment　no　one　could　have　suspected　the　anguish　she　suffered；　to　see　her　kneeling　before　the　princess；　an　old；　good；　straightforward　soul；　of　whom　the　Fuernberg　was　always　saying；　〃Call　that　a　princess　that！〃
  〃I　beg　of　you；　godmamma；　don't　go　away　yet。〃
  She　surrounded　her　with　all　sorts　of　cajoleries；　of　graces；　of　little　airs；　without　telling　her；　to　be　sure；　that　she　wanted　to　keep　her　till　the　arrival　of　the　Jansoulets；　to　add　to　her　triumph。
  〃But；〃　said　the　princess；　pointing　out　to　her　the　majestic　Armenian；　silent　and　grave；　his　tasselled　hat　on　his　knees；　〃I　must　take　this　poor　bishop　to　the　/Grand　Saint…Christophe/；　to　buy　some　medals。　He　would　never　get　on　without　me。〃
  〃No；　no；　I　wishyou　musta　few　minutes　more。〃　And　the　baroness　threw　a　furtive　look　on　the　ancient　and　sumptuous　clock　in　a　corner　of　the　room。
  Five　o'clock　already；　and　the　great　Afchin　not　arrived。　The　Levantines　began　to　laugh　behind　their　fans。　Happily　tea　was　just　being　served；　also　Spanish　wines；　and　a　crowd　of　delicious　Turkish　cakes　which　were　only　to　be　had　in　that　house；　whose　receipts；　brought　away　with　her　by　the　favourite；　had　been　preserved　in　the　harem；　like　some　secrets　of　confectionery　on　our　convents。　That　made　a　diversion。　Hemerlingue；　who　on　Saturdays　came　out　of　his　office　from　time　to　time　to　make　his　bow　to　the　ladies；　was　drinking　a　glass　of　Madeira　near　the　little　table　while　talking　to　Maurice　Trott；　once　the　dresser　of　Said…Pasha；　when　his　wife　approached　him；　gently　and　quietly。　He　knew　what　anger　this　impenetrable　calm　must　cover；　and　asked　her；　in　a　low　tone；　timidly：
  〃No　one？〃
  〃No　one。　You　see　to　what　an　insult　you　expose　me。〃
  She　smiled；　her　eyes　half　closed；　taking　with　the　end　of　her　nail　a　crumb　of　cake　from　his　long　black　whiskers；　but　her　little　transparent　nostrils　trembled　with　a　terrible　eloquence。
  〃Oh；　she　will　come；〃　said　the　banker；　his　mouth　full。　〃I　am　sure　she　will　come。〃
  The　noise　of　dresses；　of　a　train　rustling　in　the　next　room　made　the　baroness　turn　quickly。　But；　to　the　great　joy　of　the　〃bundles；〃　looking　on　from　their　corners；　it　was　not　the　lady　they　were　expecting。
  This　tall；　elegant　blonde；　with　worn　features　and　irreproachable　toilette；　was　not　like　Mlle。　Afchin。　She　was　worthy　in　every　way　to　bear　a　name　as　celebrated　as　that　of　Dr。　Jenkins。　In　the　last　two　or　three　months　the　beautiful　Mme。　Jenkins　had　greatly　changed；　become　much　older。　In　the　life　of　a　woman　who　has　long　remained　young　there　comes　a　time　when　the　years；　which　have　passed　over　her　head　without　leaving　a　wrinkle；　trace　their　passage　all　at　once　brutally　in　indelible　marks。　People　no　longer　say；　on　seeing　her；　〃How　beautiful　she　is！〃　but　〃How　beautiful　she　must　have　been！〃　And　this　cruel　way　of　speaking　in　the　past；　of　throwing　back　to　a　distant　period　that　which　was　but　yesterday　a　visible　fact；　marks　a　beginning　of　old　age　and　of　retirement；　a　change　of　all　her　triumphs　into　memories。　Was　it　the　disappointment　of　seeing　the　doctor's　wife　arrive；　instead　of　Mme。　Jansoulet；　or　did　the　discredit　which　the　Duke　de　Mora's　death　had　thrown　on　the　fashionable　physician　fall　on　her　who　bore　his　name？　There　was　a　little　of　each　of　these　reasons；　and　perhaps　of　another；　in　the　cool　greeting　of　the　baroness。　A　slight　greeting　on　the　ends　of　her　lips；　some　hurried　words；　and　she　returned　to　the　noble　battalion　nibbling　vigorously　away。　The　room　had　become　animated　under　the　effects　of　wine。　People　no　longer　whispered；　they　talked。　The　lamps　brought　in　added　a　new　brilliance　to　the　gathering；　but　announced　that　it　was　near　its　close；　some　indeed；　not　interested　in　the　great　event；　having　already　taken　their　leave。　And　still　the　Jansoulets　did　not　come。
  All　at　once　a　heavy；　hurried　step。　The　Nabob　appeared；　alone；　buttoned　up　in　his　black　coat；　correctly　dressed；　but　with　his　face　upset；　his　eyes　haggard；　still　trembling　from　the　terrible　scene　which　he　had　left。
  Sh