ad walked in.

"Righto! since your housecleaning isn't done yet, descend like a god
from your clouds of dust, and come on over to the house."

On the way Durtal recounted his concierge's conjugal misadventure.

"Oh!" said Des Hermies, "many a woman would be happy to wreathe with
laurel the occiput of so combustible a sexagenarian.--Look at that!
Isn't it revolting?" pointing to the walls covered with posters.

It was a veritable debauch of placards. Everywhere on lurid coloured
paper in box car letters were the names of Boulanger and Jacques.

"Thank God, this will be over tomorrow."

"There is one resource left," said Des Hermies. "To escape the horrors
of present day life never raise your eyes. Look down at the sidewalk
always, preserving the attitude of timid modesty. When you look only at
the pavement you see the reflections of the sky signs in all sorts of
fantastic shapes; alchemic symbols, talismanic characters, bizarre
pantacles with suns, hammers, and anchors, and you can imagine yourself
right in the midst of the Middle Ages."

"Yes, but to keep from seeing the disenchanting crowd you would have to
wear a long-vizored cap like a jockey and blinkers like a horse."

Des Hermies sighed. "Come in," he said, opening the door. They went in
and sitting down in easy chairs they lighted their cigarettes.

"I haven't got over that conversation we had with Gevingey the other
night at Carhaix's," said Durtal. "Strange man, that Dr. Johannes. I
can't keep from thinking about him. Look here, do you sincerely believe
in his miraculous cures?"

"I am obliged to. I didn't tell you all about him, for a physician can't
lightly make these dangerous admissions. But you may as well know that
this priest heals hopeless cases.

"I got acquainted with him when he was still a member of the Parisian
clergy. It came about by one of those miracles of his which I don't
pretend to understand.

"My mother's maid had a granddaughter who was paralyzed in her arms and
legs and suffered death and destruction in her chest and howled when you
touched her there. She had been in this condition two years. It had come
on in one night, how produced nobody knows. She was sent away from the
Lyons hospitals as incurable. She came to Paris, underwent treatment at
La Salpetriere, and was discharged when nobody could find out what was
the matter with her nor what medication would give her any relief. One
day she spoke to me of this abbe Johannes