"For the last time," said Celia to herself, thinking of these
horrible seances, of which to-night should see the end.
"For the last time," said Helene Vauquier too. For the last time
she laced the girl's dress. There would be no more patient and
careful service for Mlle. Celie after to-night. But she should
have it and to spare to-night. She should be conscious that her
beauty had never made so strong an appeal; that she was never so
fit for life as at the moment when the end had come. One thing
Helene regretted. She would have liked Celia--Celia, smiling at
herself in the glass--to know suddenly what was in store for her!
She saw in imagination the colour die from the cheeks, the eyes
stare wide with terror.
"Celie! Celie!"
Again the impatient voice rang up the stairs, as Helene pinned the
girl's hat upon her fair head. Celie sprang up, took a quick step
or two towards the door, and stopped in dismay. The swish of her
long satin train must betray her. She caught up the dress and
tried again. Even so, the rustle of it was heard.
"I shall have to be very careful. You will help me, Helene?"
"Of course, mademoiselle. I will sit underneath the switch of the
light in the salon. If madame, your visitor, makes the experiment
too difficult, I will find a way to help you," said Helene
Vauquier, and as she spoke she handed Celia a long pair of white
gloves.
"I shall not want them," said Celia.
"Mme. Dauvray ordered me to give them to you," replied Helene.
Celia took them hurriedly, picked up a white scarf of tulle, and
ran down the stairs. Helene Vauquier listened at the door and
heard madame's voice in feverish anger.
"We have been waiting for you, Celie. You have been an age."
Helene Vauquier laughed softly to herself, took out Celia's white
frock from the wardrobe, turned off the lights, and followed her
down to the hall. She placed the cloak just outside the door of
the salon. Then she carefully turned out all the lights in the
hall and in the kitchen and went into the salon. The rest of the
house was in darkness. This room was brightly lit; and it had been
made ready.