"Why not? I shall not catch cold. I never do."
The Baroness would have given anything to be above caring whether any
one should ever see her, or not, on the stairs of her house in a
purple dressing-gown, without stockings and with her hair standing on
end; and she pondered on the ways of the aristocracy she adored,
especially as represented by her Excellency Marie-Sophie-Hedwige-
Zenaide-Honorine-Pia Rubomirska, Dowager Princess Conti. Ever
afterwards she associated purple velvet and bare feet with the idea of
financial catastrophe, knowing in her heart that even ruin would seem
bearable if it could bring her such magnificent indifference to the
details of commonplace existence.
At that moment, however, she felt that she was in the position of a
heaven-sent protectress to the Princess.
"No," she said firmly. "I will go myself to the stables, and the
porter shall feed the horses if there is no groom. You really must not
go downstairs looking like that!"
"Why not?" asked the Princess, surprised. "But of course, if you will
be so kind as to see whether the horses need anything, it is quite
useless for me to go myself. You will promise? I am sure they are
starving by this time."
The Baroness promised solemnly, and said that she would come back
within an hour, with her servants, to take away Sabina and to help the
Princess's preparations.
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