tiful, so unfailingly charming, that she had as yet kept at arm's
length the monster who devours the most perennial loves--Satiety.

"What a pity," thought he, "to find one's wife in two volumes. In
one--poetry, delight, love, devotion, beauty, sweetness----"

Esther was fussing about, as women do, before going to bed; she came and
went and fluttered round, singing all the time; you might have thought
her a humming-bird.

"In the other--a noble name, family, honors, rank, knowledge of the
world!--And no earthly means of combining them!" cried Lucien to
himself.

Next morning, at seven, when the poet awoke in the pretty pink-and-white
room, he found himself alone. He rang, and Europe hurried in.

"What are monsieur's orders?"

"Esther?"

"Madame went off this morning at a quarter to five. By Monsieur l'Abbe's
order, I admitted a new face--carriage paid."

"A woman?"

"No, sir, an English woman--one of those people who do their day's work
by night, and we are ordered to treat her as if she were madame. What
can you have to say to such hack!--Poor Madame, how she cried when she
got into the carriage. 'Well, it has to be done!' cried she. 'I left
that poor dear boy asleep,' said she, wiping away her tears; 'Europe, if
he had looked at me or spoken my name, I should have stayed--I could but
have died with him.'--I tell you, sir, I am so fond of madame, that I
did not show her the person who has taken her place; some waiting maids
would have broken her heart by doing so."

"And is the stranger there?"

"Well, sir, she came in the chaise that took away madame, and I hid her
in my room in obedience to my instructions----"

"Is she nice-looking?"

"So far as such a second-hand article can be. But she will find her part
easy enough if you play yours, sir," said Europe, going to fetch the
false Esther.

The night before, ere going to bed, the all-powerful banker had given
his orders to his valet, who, at seven in the morning, brought in to him
the notorious Louchard, the most famous of the commercial police, whom
he left in a little sitting-room; there the Baron joined him, in a
dressing gown and slippers.

"You haf mate a fool of me!" he said, in reply to this official's
greeting.

"I could not help myself, Monsieur le Baron. I do not want to lose my
place, and I had the honor of explaining to you that I could not meddle
in a matter that had nothing to do with my functions. What did I promise
you? To put