a regular puppy dog's name. He has
plenty of money, but money is not everything after all. Paul had no
money, and yet I loved him a thousand times better. On my word, I have
almost forgotten how to laugh, and yet I used to be as merry as the day
was long."

"Why did you leave Paul then?"

"Well, you see, I wanted to experience what a woman feels when she has
a Cashmere shawl on, so one fine morning I took wing. But there, who
knows? Paul would very likely have left me one day. There was some
one who was doing his best to separate us, an old blackguard called
Tantaine, who lived in the same house."

"Ah!" answered he cautiously. "What interest could he have had in
separating you?"

"I don't know," answered the girl, assuming a serious air; "but I am
sure he was trying it on. A fellow doesn't hand over banknotes for
nothing, and I saw him give one for five hundred francs to Paul; and
more than that, he promised him that he should make a great fortune
through a friend of his called Mascarin."

Andre started. He remembered the visit that Paul had made him, on the
pretext of restoring the twenty francs he had borrowed, and at which
he had boasted that he had an income of a thousand francs a month, and
might make more, though he had not said how this was to be done. "I
think that Paul has forgotten me. I saw him once at Van Klopen's, and he
never attempted to say a word to me. He was certainly with that Mascarin
at the time."

Andre could only draw one conclusion from this, either that Paul was
protected by the band of conspirators, or else that he formed one of it.
In that case he was useful to them; while Rose, who was in their way,
was persecuted by them. Andre's mind came to this conclusion in
an instant. It seemed to him that if Catenac had been desirous of
imprisoning Rose, it was because she was in the way, and her presence
disturbed certain combinations. Before, however, he could work out his
line of deduction, Gaston's shrill voice was heard upon the stairs, and
in another moment he made his appearance.

"Place for the banquet," said he; "make way for the lordly feast."

Two waiters followed him, bearing a number of covered dishes on trays.
At another time Andre would have been very angry at this invasion, and
at the prospect of a breakfast that would last two or three hours and
utterly change everything; but now he was inclined to bless Gaston for
his happy idea, and, with the assistance of Rose, he speedi