And she must keep that money until
she found some way by which to support herself.
Baroness Brown had attended the sale of old Dumont's effects. She
had often noticed the young girl in the shop, and in the street, and
had been struck with the peculiar elegance and refinement of her
appearance. Her simple lawn or print gowns were made and worn in a
manner befitting a princess. Her nails were carefully kept, despite
all the household drudgery which devolved upon her.
The Baroness was a shrewd woman and a clever reasoner. She needed a
thrifty, prudent person in her house to look after things, and to
attend to her personal needs. Since she had opened the Palace as a
lodging-house, this need had stared her in the face. Servants did
very well in their places, but the person she required was of another
and superior order, and only to be obtained by accident or by
advertising and the paying of a large salary. Now the Baroness had
been in the habit of thinking that her beauty and amiability were
quite equivalent to any favours she received from humanity at large.
Ever since she was a plump girl in short dresses, she had learned
that smiles and compliments from her lips would purchase her friends
of both sexes, who would do disagreeable duties for her. She had
never made it a custom to pay out money for any service she could
obtain otherwise.
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