Suddenly, during a quadrille, a kind of emotion occurred in the living room and the eyes turned to the front door. It was Miss Bérard who stepped forward, on Desvignes' arm and followed by her father. All the girls, after a quick glance at her dress, began to whisper among themselves; some pouted, others expressed their dissatisfaction with words spoken in half a voice. It was because Miss Bérard, after promising to comply with the regulations, had broken them: instead of wearing the white dress, she had brazenly worn a black tulle one. Bright red rowan branches raised her skirt, adorned her bodice and hair. A large ribbon, of the same shade as the rowan tree, tightened her waist. Incredible detail, she had dared to leave her neck uncovered! But if young girls and mothers were screaming tr
