She  entered  his  immense  show-rooms,  of  which  the  walls
were  hung  with  different  tapestries,  and  the  ceiling  com-
pletely hidden  by  the  number  of  chandeliers  and  lamps
that  hung  from  it.  On  the  ground  were  furniture,  car-
pets, and  cornices  of  every  fashion  and  description.
CHAPTER  XIV.
M.    FIHGRET.
MADAME  DE  LA  MOTTE,  looking  at  all  this,  began  to
perceive  how  much  she  wanted.  She  wanted  a  drawing-
room  to  hold  sofas  and  lounging-chairs ;  a  dining-room
for  tables  and  sideboards  ;  and  a  boudoir  for  Persian


114  THE  QUEEN'S  NECKLACE.
curtains,  screens,  and  knick-knacks;  above  all,  she
wanted  the  money  to  buy  all  these  things.  But  in  Paris,
whatever  you  cannot  afford  to  buy,  you  can  hire  ;  and
Madame  de  la  Motte  set  her  heart  on  a  set  of  furniture
covered  in  yellow  silk,  with  gilt  nails,  which  she  thought
would  be  very  becoming  to  her  dark  complexion.  But
this  furniture  she  felt  sure  would  never  go  into  her  rooms
on  the  fifth  story  ;  it  would  be  necessary  to  hire  the  third,
which  was  composed  of  an  ante-chamber,  a  dining-room,
small  drawing-room,  and  bedroom,  so  that  she  might,  she
thought,  receive  on  this  third  story  the  visits  of  the  car-
dinal, and  on  the  fifth  those  of  ladies  of  charity — that  is
to  say,  receive  in  luxury  those  who  give  from  ostentation,
and  in  poverty  those  who  only  desire  to  give  when  it  is
needed.
The  countess,  having  made  all  these  reflections,  turned
to  where  M.  Fingret  himself  stood,  with  his  hat  in  his
hand,  waiting  for  her  commands.
"  Madame  ?  "  said  he  in  a  tone  of  interrogation,  advanc-
ing towards  her.
"  Madame  la  Comtesse  de  la  Motte  Valois,"  said  Jeanne.
