e
refuge in the Japanese pavilion. The garden, with its whilom exquisite
order, became transformed into a lake, and no one dared venture on the
walks, on account of the mud. However, whenever the sun peeped out
from behind the clouds, the dripping greenery soon dried; pearls hung
from each little blossom of the lilac trees; and under the elms big
drops fell splashing on the ground.

"At last I've arranged it; it will be on Saturday," said Madame
Deberle one day. "My dear, I'm quite tired out with the whole affair.
Now, you'll be here at two o'clock, won't you? Jeanne will open the
ball with Lucien."

And thereupon, surrendering to a flow of tenderness, in ecstasy over
the preparations for her ball, she embraced both children, and,
laughingly catching hold of Helene, pressed two resounding kisses on
her cheeks.

"That's my reward!" she exclaimed merrily. "You know I deserve it; I
have run about enough. You'll see what a success it will be!"

But Helene remained chilled to the heart, while the doctor, with
Lucien clinging to his neck, gazed at them over the child's fair head.

CHAPTER IX.

In the hall of the doctor's house stood Pierre, in dress coat and
white cravat, throwing open the door as each carriage rolled up. Puffs
of dank air rushed in; the afternoon was rainy, and a yellow light
illumined the narrow hall, with its curtained doorways and array of
green plants. It was only two o'clock, but the evening seemed as near
at hand as on a dismal winter's day.

However, as soon as the servant opened the door of the first
drawing-room, a stream of light dazzled the guests. The shutters had
been closed, and the curtains carefully drawn, and no gleam from the
dull sky could gain admittance. The lamps standing here and there on
the furniture, and the lighted candles of the chandelier and the
crystal wall-brackets, gave the apartment somewhat the appearance of a
brilliantly illuminated chapel. Beyond the smaller drawing-room, whose
green hangings rather softened the glare of the light, was the large
black-and-gold one, decorated as magnificently as for the ball which
Madame Deberle gave every year in the month of January.

The children were beginning to arrive, while Pauline gave her
attention to the ranging of a number of chairs in front of the
dining-room doorway, where the door had been removed from its
hinges and replaced by a red curtain.

"Papa," she cried, "just lend me a ha