m
like a hodman. What course should he adopt? How was he to guess at the
shortest route? He might leave the School; he would get a lift from his
master, the influential Dequersonniere, who liked him for his docility
and diligence; only what a deal of trouble and uncertainty there would
still be before him! And he bitterly complained of the Government
schools, where one slaved away for years, and which did not even provide
a position for all those whom they cast upon the pavement.

Suddenly he stopped in the middle of the path. The elder hedges were
leading to an open plain, and La Richaudiere appeared amid its lofty
trees.

'Hold hard! of course,' exclaimed Claude, 'I hadn't thought about
it--you're going to that shanty. Oh! the baboons; there's a lot of ugly
mugs, if you like!'

Dubuche, looking vexed at this outburst of artistic feeling, protested
stiffly. 'All the same, Papa Margaillan, idiot as he seems to you, is
a first-rate man of business. You should see him in his building-yards,
among the houses he runs up, as active as the very fiend, showing
marvellous good management, and a wonderful scent as to the right
streets to build and what materials to buy! Besides, one does not earn
millions without becoming a gentleman. And then, too, it would be very
silly of me not to be polite to a man who can be useful to me.'

While talking, he barred the narrow path, preventing his friend from
advancing further--no doubt from a fear of being compromised by being
seen in his company, and in order to make him understand that they ought
to separate there.

Claude was on the point of inquiring about their comrades in Paris, but
he kept silent. Not even a word was said respecting Christine, and he
was reluctantly deciding to quit Dubuche, holding out his hand to take
leave, when, in spite of himself, this question fell from his quivering
lips:

'And is Sandoz all right?'

'Yes, he's pretty well. I seldom see him. He spoke to me about you last
month. He is still grieved at your having shown us the door.'

'But I didn't show you the door,' exclaimed Claude, beside himself.
'Come and see me, I beg of you. I shall be so glad!'

'All right, then, we'll come. I'll tell him to come, I give you my
word--good-bye, old man, good-bye; I'm in a hurry.'

And Dubuche went off towards La Richaudiere, whilst Claude watched
his figure dwindle as he crossed the cultivated plain, until nothing
remained but the shiny silk of his hat and