ave come," murmured the advocate.

"Of course. I am to remain alone here, without anything to occupy me
except a cigarette and a stupid book, that I go to sleep over? Do you
call this an existence, never to budge out of the house even?"

"It is the life of all the respectable women that I know," replied the
advocate drily.

"Then I cannot compliment them on their enjoyment. Happily, though, I
am not a respectable woman, and I can tell you I am tired of living
more closely shut up than the wife of a Turk, with your face for sole
amusement."

"You live shut up, you?"

"Certainly!" continued Juliette, with increased bitterness. "Come, have
you ever brought one of your friends here? No, you hide me. When
have you offered me your arm for a walk? Never, your dignity would be
sullied, if you were seen in my company. I have a carriage. Have you
entered it half a dozen times? Perhaps; but then you let down the
blinds! I go out alone. I walk about alone!"

"Always the same refrain," interrupted Noel, anger getting the better of
him, "always these uncalled for complaints. As though you had still to
learn the reason why this state of things exists."

"I know well enough," pursued the young woman, "that you are ashamed of
me. Yet I know many bigger swells then you, who do not mind being seen
with their mistresses. My lord trembles for his fine name of Gerdy that
I might sully, while the sons of the most noble families are not afraid
of showing themselves in public places in the company of the stupidest
of kept women."

At last Noel could stand it no longer, to the great delight of Madame
Chaffour.

"Enough of these recriminations!" cried he, rising. "If I hide our
relations, it is because I am constrained to do so. Of what do you
complain? You have unrestrained liberty; and you use it, too, and
so largely that your actions altogether escape me. You accuse me of
creating a vacuum around you. Who is to blame? Did I grow tired of a
happy and quiet existence? My friends would have come to see us in a
home in accordance with a modest competence. Can I bring them here? On
seeing all this luxury, this insolent display of my folly, they would
ask each other where I obtained all the money I have spent on you. I
may have a mistress, but I have not the right to squander a fortune that
does not belong to me. If my acquaintances learnt to-morrow that it is I
who keep you, my future prospects would be destroyed. What client would
conf