price is five and twenty francs, if you take the dozen, but as you appear
to wish only ONE, rather than not oblige you, it may be had for eight
and twenty."

{agents de change = stockbrokers; napoleon = gold coin worth twenty
francs}

There was a strange mixture of sorrow and delight in the countenance of
Adrienne; but she did not hesitate, and, attracted by the odor of the eau
de cologne, she instantly pointed me out as the handkerchief she
selected. Our mistress passed her scissors between me and my
neighbor of the cote gauche, and then she seemed instantly to regret her
own precipitation. Before making the final separation from the piece,
she delivered herself of her doubts.

"It is worth another franc, mademoiselle," she said, "to cut a
handkerchief from the CENTRE of the piece."

The pain of Adrienne was now too manifest for concealment. That she
ardently desired the handkerchief was beyond dispute, and yet there
existed some evident obstacle to her wishes.

"I fear I have not so much money with me, madame" she said, pale as
death, for all sense of shame was lost in intense apprehension. Still her
trembling hands did their duty, and her purse was produced. A gold
napoleon promised well, but it had no fellow. Seven more francs
appeared in single pieces. Then two ten-sous were produced; after
which nothing remained but copper. The purse was emptied, and the
reticule rummaged, the whole amounting to just twenty-eight francs
seven sous.