After that Mr. Farrington declared that the girls must be exhausted, and he took them to a delightful cafe, where he refreshed them with ices and small cakes.

“Now,” he said, “I don’t suppose the Eternal Feminine in your nature will be satisfied without doing a little shopping.  The large shops—­the Bon Marche and the Magasin du Louvre—­are very like our own department stores, and if you choose you may go there at some other time with Mrs. Farrington or Lisette, for I confess my ignorance of feminine furbelows.  But I will take you to one or two interesting shops on the Rue de Rivoli, and then if we have time to a few in the Avenue de l’Opera.”

Their first stop was at a picture shop, and Patty nearly went wild over the beautiful photographs and water colours.  She wanted to purchase several, but Mr. Farrington advised her to wait until later, when she should perhaps be better able to judge what she really wanted.

“For you see,” he said, “after you have been to the Louvre and other great galleries, and have made favourites, as you will, among the pictures there, you will then be able to collect your photographs more intelligently.”

Patty was quite ready to abide by this advice, and she and Elise enjoyed looking over the pictures and anticipating future purchases.

But though the shops along the Rue de Rivoli were attractive, they were not nearly so splendid as those on the Avenue de l’Opera.  Indeed, Mr. Farrington almost regretted having brought the girls there, for they quite forgot all else in their delight in looking at the beautiful wares.  They seemed content just to walk along the avenue looking in at the shop windows.

“I don’t want to buy anything yet,” declared Patty.  “Later on I expect to get souvenirs for all of the people at home, and I have any amount of orders to execute for Marian.”

“Won’t it be fun to do our shopping here?” exclaimed Elise.  “I never saw such lovely things, and truly, Patty, the prices marked on them are quite cheap.  Much more reasonable than in New York, I think.”

“So do I. And oh, Elise, just look at the lovely things in this window!  See that lovely pen-wiper, and that dear paper-cutter!  Aren’t they unusual?”

“Yes,” exclaimed Elise, equally rapturous; “I don’t wonder, Patty, that people like to shop in Paris.  It is truly fascinating.  But just wait until we get mother out here with us instead of father.  She won’t fidget around as if she wanted us to go home before we’ve fairly started!”

Elise looked reproachfully at her father, who was undeniably fidgeting.

“I’m glad you appreciate the fact,” he said, “that I am impatient to get away from these shop windows.  Never again will I introduce two young girls into the Parisian shopping district.  I’ve learned my lesson; I’ll take you sightseeing, but Mrs. Farrington must take you shopping.”

Patty laughed good-naturedly, and expressed her willingness to return at once to the hotel.