silken hangings, she half
arose and leaned upon her elbow. "So you have come at last?" she
observed in a tone of vexation; "you are very kind."

The advocate felt almost suffocated by the oppressive temperature of the
room. "How warm it is!" said he; "it is enough to stifle one!"

"Do you find it so?" replied the young woman. "Well, I am actually
shivering! It is true though, that I am very unwell. Waiting is
unbearable to me, it acts upon my nerves; and I have been waiting for
you ever since yesterday."

"It was quite impossible for me to come," explained Noel, "quite
impossible!"

"You knew, however," continued the lady, "that to-day was my settling
day; and that I had several heavy accounts to settle. The tradesmen all
came, and I had not a half-penny to give them. The coachmaker sent his
bill, but there was no money. Then that old rascal Clergot, to whom I
had given an acceptance for three thousand francs, came and kicked up a
frightful row. How pleasant all this is!"

Noel bowed his head like a schoolboy rebuked for having neglected his
lessons. "It is but one day behind," he murmured.

"And that is nothing, is it?" retorted the young woman. "A man
who respects himself, my friend, may allow his own signature to be
dishonoured, but never that of his mistress! Do you wish to destroy
my credit altogether? You know very well that the only consideration I
receive is what my money pays for. So as soon as I am unable to pay, it
will be all up with me."

"My dear Juliette," began the advocate gently.

"Oh, yes! that's all very fine," interrupted she. "Your dear Juliette!
your adored Juliette! so long as you are here it is really charming;
but no sooner are you outside than you forget everything. Do you ever
remember then that there is such a person as Juliette?"

"How unjust you are!" replied Noel. "Do you not know that I am always
thinking of you; have I not proved it to you a thousand times? Look
here! I am going to prove it to you again this very instant." He
withdrew from his pocket the small packet he had taken out of his bureau
drawer, and, undoing it, showed her a handsome velvet casket. "Here,"
said he exultingly, "is the bracelet you longed for so much a week ago
at Beaugrau's."

Madame Juliette, without rising, held out her hand to take the casket,
and, opening it with the utmost indifference, just glanced at the jewel,
and merely said, "Ah!"

"Is this the one you wanted?" asked Noel.

"Yes, but i