w him again. It
was he who spoke to me. Yes, she died six weeks ago. Her millions have
gone to various charities, with the exception of an annuity to the
old servants, upon which they are living snugly like people of the
middle-classes.'

He looked at her, and at last murmured, in a saddened voice: 'My poor
Christine, you are regretting things now, aren't you? She would have
given you a marriage portion, have found you a husband! I told you so in
days gone by. She would, perhaps, have left you all her money, and you
wouldn't now be starving with a crazy fellow like myself.'

She then seemed to wake from her dream. She drew her chair to his,
caught hold of one of his arms and nestled against him, as if her whole
being protested against his words:

'What are you saying? Oh! no; oh! no. It would have been shameful to
have thought of her money. I would confess it to you if it were the
case, and you know that I never tell lies; but I myself don't know what
came over me when I heard the news. I felt upset and saddened, so sad
that I imagined everything was over for me. It was no doubt remorse;
yes, remorse at having deserted her so brutally, poor invalid that she
was, the good old soul who called me her daughter! I behaved very badly,
and it won't bring me luck. Ah! don't say "No," I feel it well enough;
henceforth there's an end to everything for me.'

Then she wept, choked by those confused regrets, the significance of
which she failed to understand, regrets mingling with the one feeling
that her life was spoilt, and that she now had nothing but unhappiness
before her.

'Come, wipe your eyes,' said Claude, becoming affectionate once more.
'Is it possible that you, who were never nervous, can conjure up
chimeras and worry yourself in this way? Dash it all, we shall get out
of our difficulties! First of all, you know that it was through you that
I found the subject for my picture. There cannot be much of a curse upon
you, since you bring me luck.'

He laughed, and she shook her head, seeing well enough that he wanted to
make her smile. She was suffering on account of his picture already; for
on the bridge he had completely forgotten her, as if she had ceased to
belong to him! And, since the previous night, she had realised that he
was farther and farther removed from her, alone in a world to which she
could not ascend. But she allowed him to soothe her, and they exchanged
one of their kisses of yore, before rising from