y wrinkle on their old faces, every movement of their hands and
heads; he even knew what they said to each other every evening as they
supped. He thought: "I will go to see them some day." His toilette
completed, he extinguished his light and descended the stairs.

On reaching his destination, he boldly entered the antechamber, lighted
by bronze lamps, and gave his cane and his overcoat to the two lackeys
who approached him. All the salons were lighted. Mme. Walter received
in the second, the largest. She greeted Duroy with a charming smile,
and he shook hands with two men who arrived after him, M. Firmin and M.
Laroche-Mathieu; the latter had especial authority at the office on
account of his influence in the chamber of deputies.

Then the Forestiers arrived, Madeleine looking charming in pink.
Charles had become very much emaciated and coughed incessantly.

Norbert de Varenne and Jacques Rival came together. A door opened at
the end of the room, and M. Walter entered with two tall young girls of
sixteen and seventeen; one plain, the other pretty. Duroy knew that the
manager was a paterfamilias, but he was astonished. He had thought of
the manager's daughters as one thinks of a distant country one will
never see. Then, too, he had fancied them children, and he saw women.
They shook hands upon being introduced and seated themselves at a table
set apart for them. One of the guests had not arrived, and that
embarrassing silence which precedes dinners in general reigned supreme.

Duroy happening to glance at the walls, M. Walter said: "You are
looking at my pictures? I will show them all to you." And he took a
lamp that they might distinguish all the details. There were landscapes
by Guillemet; "A Visit to the Hospital," by Gervex; "A Widow," by
Bouguereau; "An Execution," by Jean Paul Laurens, and many others.

Duroy exclaimed: "Charming, charming, char--" but stopped short on
hearing behind him the voice of Mme. de Marelle who had just entered.
M. Walter continued to exhibit and explain his pictures; but Duroy saw
nothing--heard without comprehending. Mme. de Marelle was there, behind
him. What should he do? If he greeted her, might she not turn her back
upon him or utter some insulting remark? If he did not approach her,
what would people think? He was so ill at ease that at one time he
thought he should feign indisposition and return home.

The pictures had all been exhibited. M. Walter placed the lamp on the
tabl