ve come to ask you to help me. In ten minutes
you can set me right. You can give me a lesson in style; without you I
can do nothing."

The other smiled gaily. He patted his companion's arm and said to him:
"Go to my wife; she will help you better than I can. I have trained her
for that work. I have not time this morning or I would do it willingly."

But Duroy hesitated: "At this hour I cannot inquire for her."

"Oh, yes, you can; she has risen. You will find her in my study."

"I will go, but I shall tell her you sent me!"

Forestier walked away, and Duroy slowly ascended the stairs, wondering
what he should say and what kind of a reception he would receive.

The servant who opened the door said: "Monsieur has gone out."

Duroy replied: "Ask Mme. Forestier if she will see me, and tell her
that M. Forestier, whom I met on the street, sent me."

The lackey soon returned and ushered Duroy into Madame's presence. She
was seated at a table and extended her hand to him.

"So soon?" said she. It was not a reproach, but a simple question.

He stammered: "I did not want to come up, Madame, but your husband,
whom I met below, insisted--I dare scarcely tell you my errand--I
worked late last night and early this morning, to write the article on
Algeria which M. Walter wants--and I did not succeed--I destroyed all
my attempts--I am not accustomed to the work--and I came to ask
Forestier to assist me--his once."

She interrupted with a laugh: "And he sent you to me?"

"Yes, Madame. He said you could help me better than he--but--I dared
not--I did not like to."

She rose.

"It will be delightful to work together that way. I am charmed with
your idea. Wait, take my chair, for they know my handwriting on the
paper--we will write a successful article."

She took a cigarette from the mantelpiece and lighted it. "I cannot
work without smoking," she said; "what are you going to say?"

He looked at her in astonishment. "I do not know; I came here to find
that out."

She replied: "I will manage it all right. I will make the sauce but I
must have the dish." She questioned him in detail and finally said:

"Now, we will begin. First of all we will suppose that you are
addressing a friend, which will allow us scope for remarks of all
kinds. Begin this way: 'My dear Henry, you wish to know something about
Algeria; you shall.'"

Then followed a brilliantly worded description of Algeria and of the
port of Algiers, an excursion