drive too hard a bargain and that was done quickly and promptly. Fifty
francs a month for two meals a day; twelve francs for a little room
decorated with a little mirror, a window, and a dressing table.

At eight o'clock Perrine dined alone in the general dining room, a table
napkin on her lap. At eight-thirty she went to Madame Lachaise's
establishment to fetch her dress and other things which were quite ready
for her. At nine o'clock, in her tiny room, the door of which she
locked, she went to bed, a little worried, a little excited, a little
hesitating, but, in her heart of hearts full of hope.

Now we should see.

What she did see the next morning when she was called into M. Vulfran's
office after he had given his orders to his principal employes, was such
a severe expression on his face that she was thoroughly disconcerted;
although the eyes that turned towards her as she entered his room were
devoid of look, she could not mistake the expression on this face that
she had studied so much.

Certainly it was not the kind look of a benefactor, but quite the
reverse: it was an expression of displeasure and anger that she saw.

What had she done wrong that he should be angry; with her?

She put this question to herself but she could find no reply to it;
perhaps she had spent too much at Madame Lachaise's and her employer had
judged her character from these purchases. And in her selection she had
tried to be so modest and economical. What should she have bought then?
or rather what should she not have bought?

But she had no more time to wonder, for her employer was speaking to her
in a severe tone:

"Why did you not tell me the truth?" he said.

"In what have I not told the truth?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"In regard to your conduct since you came to this village."

"But I assure you, Monsieur, I have told you the truth."

"You told me that you lodged at Mother Francoise's house. And when you
left there where did you go? I may as well tell you that yesterday
Zenobie, that is Francoise's daughter, was asked to give some
information, some references of you, and she said that you only spent
one night in her mother's house, then you disappeared, and no one knew
what you did from that night until now."

Perrine had listened to the commencement of this cross examination in
afright, but as Monsieur Vulfran went on she grew braver.

"There is someone who knows what I did after I left the room I used at