"Pardon, Madame, but I have already been paid."
Therefore she gave him a couple of francs as tip.
Then she ascended in the lift to her room, where a porter with the bag
was awaiting her, and unlocking the door, found that little Ignatia,
tired out by her afternoon drive, had not stirred.
Locking the door and throwing off her things, she opened the bag and
took out the magnificent ornaments one by one. She had not counted them
before leaving the palace, therefore could not possibly tell if all were
intact. In handfuls she took them out and laid them in a glittering
heap upon the dressing-table, when of a sudden she found among them a
small envelope containing something hard to the touch.
This she opened eagerly, and took out a cheap, tiny little brooch, about
half an inch long, representing a beetle, scarlet, with black spots--the
innocent little insect which has so interested all of us back in our
youthful days--a ladybird.
The ornament was a very cheap one, costing one franc at the outside, but
in the envelope with it was a letter. This she opened, scanned the few
brief lines quickly, then re-read it very carefully, and stood staring
at the little brooch in her hand, puzzled and mystified.
The words written there revealed to her the existence of a secret.