pany, gentlemen, does not consider that it is under any
obligation to you for more than four hundred thousand francs, and we can
pay no attention to your claim to the further sum of a hundred thousand,
which you wish to make us pay. Besides that, the surveyor's valuation--"

One of the others interrupted him:

"That is quite enough, Monsieur; the Law Courts will decide between us,
and we have nothing further to do than to take your leave." And they
went out after mutual ceremonious bows.

Oh! If she could only have gone away with them, how gladly she would
have done it; she would have run away and given up everything. But it
was too late, for the gentleman came back, and said, bowing:

"What can I do for you, Madame?"

She could scarcely speak, but at last she managed to say:

"I have come--for this."

The manager looked at the object which she held out to him in mute
astonishment.

With trembling fingers she tried to undo the elastic, and succeeded,
after several attempts, and hastily opened the damaged remains of the
umbrella.

"It looks to me to be in a very bad state of health," he said,
compassionately.

"It cost me twenty francs," she said, with some hesitation.

He seemed astonished. "Really! As much as that?"

"Yes, it was a capital article, and I wanted you to see the state it is
in."

"Very well, I see; very well. But I really do not understand what it can
have to do with me."

She began to feel uncomfortable; perhaps this Company did not pay for
such small articles, and she said:

"But--it is burnt."

He could not deny it.

"I see that very well," he replied.

She remained open-mouthed, not knowing what to say next; then suddenly
forgetting that she had left out the main thing, she said hastily:

"I am Mme. Oreille; we are assured in _La Maternelle_, and I have come
to claim the value of this damage."

"I only want you to have it re-covered," she added quickly, fearing a
positive refusal.

The manager was rather embarrassed, and said:

"But, really, Madame, we do not sell umbrellas; we cannot undertake such
kinds of repairs."

The little woman felt her courage reviving; she was not going to give up
without a struggle; she was not even afraid any more, and said:

"I only want you to pay me the cost of repairing it; I can quite well
get it done myself."

The gentleman seemed rather confused.

"Really, Madame, it is such a very small matter! We are never asked to
give compensa