inst you, and you can't get the idea out of their heads that you have
got a great deal of money."

While speaking thus, Dutocq kept his eye on Theodose, who bore the look
uneasily, and requested his client to enter.

Here follows a scene which had taken place the previous afternoon
between this woman and la Peyrade.

La Peyrade, we may remember, was in the habit of going to early mass at
his parish church. For some little time he had felt himself the object
of a singular attention which he could not explain on the part of the
woman whom we have just seen entering his office, who daily attended
the church at, as Dorine says, his "special hour." Could it be for
love? That explanation was scarcely compatible with the maturity and the
saintly, beatific air of this person, who, beneath a plain cap, called
"a la Janseniste," by which fervent female souls of that sect were
recognized, affected, like a nun, to hide her hair. On the other hand,
the rest of her clothing was of a neatness that was almost dainty,
and the gold cross at her throat, suspended by a black velvet ribbon,
excluded the idea of humble and hesitating mendicity.

The morning of the day on which the dinner at the Rocher de Cancale was
to take place, la Peyrade, weary of a performance which had ended by
preoccupying his mind, went up to the woman and asked her pointblank if
she had any request to make of him.

"Monsieur," she answered, in a tone of solemnity, "is, I think, the
celebrated Monsieur de la Peyrade, the advocate of the poor?"

"I am la Peyrade; and I have had, it is true, an opportunity to render
services to the indigent persons of this quarter."

"Would it, then, be asking too much of monsieur's goodness that he
should suffer me to consult him?"

"This place," replied la Peyrade, "is not well chosen for such
consultation. What you have to say to me seems important, to judge by
the length of time you have been hesitating to speak to me. I live near
here, rue Saint-Dominique d'Enfer, and if you will take the trouble to
come to my office--"

"It will not annoy monsieur?"

"Not in the least; my business is to hear clients."

"At what hour--lest I disturb monsieur--?"

"When you choose; I shall be at home all the morning."

"Then I will hear another mass, at which I can take the communion. I did
not dare to do so at this mass, for the thought of speaking to monsieur
so distracted my mind. I will be at monsieur's house by eight o'clock,
w