These are the important things in life, and what woman was ever able to procure these except from a man ?" Her face, so thickly covered with rouge and liquid powder that it was as expressionless as a mask, turned its hollow eyes on a funeral which was slowly passing in the street; and though her creed was hardly the kind to fortify one's spiritual part against the contemplation of death, she surveyed the solemn procession as tranquilly as any devoted adherent of either religion or philosophy could have done.

Not a shadow passed over her fantastic mockery of youth as she glanced back at her visitor.
"But you have worked--you have supported yourself," insisted Gabriella with firmness.
"Myself and six children, to say nothing of three husbands.

Yes, I supported three of my four husbands, but what did I get out of it ?" replied Madame, shrugging her ample shoulders.

"What was there in it for me?
Since we are talking freely, I may say that I have worked hard all my life, and I got nothing out of it that I couldn't have got with much less trouble by a suitable marriage.

Of course this is not for my girls to hear.