lle d'Avray, and meet us there, as agreed upon. But last night
they had a visit from that organist who took such an active part in the
election. He came to hear the Italian housekeeper sing and judge if she
were ready to go upon the stage."

"Yes, yes," said Monsieur de l'Estorade; "of course Sallenauve wants to
get rid of her now that he has ceased to make statues."

"Just so," replied Madame de l'Estorade, with a slight tone of asperity.
"In order to put a stop to all calumny Monsieur de Sallenauve wishes her
to carry out her idea of going on the stage; but he wanted, in the
first place, an opinion he could trust. Monsieur Gaston and Monsieur de
Sallenauve accompanied the organist to Saint-Sulpice, where, during the
services of the Month of Mary, the Italian woman sings every evening.
After hearing her, the organist said she had a fine contralto that was
worth, at the lowest, sixty thousand francs a year."

"Just the revenue of my iron-works," remarked Monsieur de Camps.

"That evening," continued Madame de l'Estorade, "Monsieur de Sallenauve
told his housekeeper the opinion given of her talent, and with great
kindness and delicacy let her know that she must now carry out her
intention of supporting herself in that way. 'Yes,' she replied, 'I
think the time has come. We will talk of it later'; and she stopped the
conversation. This morning when the breakfast hour came, there was no
sign of her. Thinking she must be ill, Monsieur de Sallenauve sent
an old charwoman who does the rough work of the house to her room. No
answer. Much disturbed, Monsieur Gaston and Monsieur de Sallenauve went
themselves to see what it meant. After knocking and calling in vain,
they determined to open the door, the key of which was outside. In the
room no housekeeper! but in place of her a letter addressed to Monsieur
de Sallenauve, in which she said that finding herself an embarrassment
to him, she had retired to the house of one of her friends, thanking him
for all his goodness to her."

"The bird has found its wings," said Monsieur de l'Estorade, "and takes
flight."

"That is not Monsieur de Sallenauve's idea," replied the countess; "he
does not believe in such ingratitude. He is confident that, feeling
herself a burden to him and yielding to the desperation which is natural
to her, she felt obliged to leave his house without giving him a chance
in any manner to provide for her future."

"A good riddance!" remarked Monsieur de l'Es