The next day but one Mme. Paulhat-Durand had me ceremoniously ushered into the bureau, and, after having examined me in rather an embarrassing fashion, she said to me:
"Mademoiselle Célestine, I have a good place for you, a very good place. Only you have to go into the country,—oh! not very far."
"Into the country? I do not go there, you know."
She insisted.
"You do not know the country. There are excellent places in the country."
"Oh! excellent places! What a humbug!" I said. "In the first place, there are no good places anywhere."
Mme. Paulhat-Durand smiled amiably and affectedly. Never had I seen such a smile on her face.
"I beg your pardon, Mademoiselle Célestine, there are no bad places."
"Indeed, I know it well. There are only bad masters."
"No, only bad servants. See, I offer you all the best houses; it is not my fault, if you do not stay in them."
She looked at me in a way that was almost friendly.
"Especially as you are very intelligent. You
