Aubin, Jersey." "He can telegraph to me at Richmond, and one of us
will soon be on the ground to aid him! Now, 'the longest way round
is the nearest way home!'" laughed the ci-devant Madame Louison, as
she departed for Boulogne, an hour later, having carefully mailed
her letter personally, and sent a brief telegram to the active
Jules Victor.
The ex-Zouave had easily made the rounds of the pretty islet of
Jersey, in his capacity of merchant of small wares, long before
Alixe Delavigne, braving the stormy channel, had proceeded from
Folkestone directly to Richmond, and hidden herself in the leafy
bowers of Rosebank Villa. Smiling, gay and debonnair with all the
women servants, he had a pinch of snuff, a cigar of fair quality,
or a pipe full of tabac for coachman and groom, supplemented with
many a petit verre from his capacious flask. His Gallic gallantry,
with the gift of a trinket or ribbon, made him welcome with simple
milk-maid or pert house "slavey," and the dapper little Frenchman
was already an established favorite in the wine-room of the Hotel
Bellevue.
His greatest triumph, however, was the secret demonstration of the
cheapness of Jersey prices to the London sewing woman and smart
lady's maid, now chafing under Janet Fairbarn's iron rule at the
"Banker's Folly." "Norn d'un pipe! But I have to make shameful
rabaissements de prix," muttered Jules, as he adroitly worked upon
the susceptibilities of the two new maid servants.
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