can-Belgian millionaire, she became resolved to be gracious, and
made a careful toilet in preparation for dinner. She and the Baroness
met at table, and Annette did not shine by contrast with the newcomer.
The poor thing probably knew it, and when Paul and Madame talked
together of books she had never seen or heard of, and of people whose
names were strange to her, she could scarcely have been altogether
happy. Her husband led her into the conversation now and then, but there
was nothing for it but for her to dwindle out again, and when the meal
was over she made a real or pretended excuse of headache to retire.
Paul was disposed to be grateful to her for what he felt to be a genuine
forbearance, and he would have given some sign to this effect had
Annette afforded him an opportunity. But she kept herself sedulously
apart from him, and it was only at the table that they met at all.
Things pursued this course until the approach of Christmas, and then an
incident happened which brought about, or at least very much helped to
bring about, disaster.

When two people of opposite sexes are constantly in each other's society
and their main topic of conversation--however hashed, ragouted, rissoled
and spiced--is the loneliness of the Ego, certain little familiarities
are likely to ensue which, though they may be of the most platonic
order in the world, are not likely to be made a subject of outspoken
confidence between a husband and a wife, or a married lady and her
husband. Thus, when Madame la Baronne and Paul were quite alone it was
'Gertrude' on the one side, and it was 'Paul' upon the other, and the
lady, being the elder, and a little more the elder than she cared
to say, would occasionally venture upon 'Paul dear,' with an air so
matronly that the most censorious of observers could have found no
cavil with the manner of it. It came about in due time, let Laurent's
watch-dogs do what they would, that the contrabandists once more
succeeded in running their cargo into the Hotel of the Three Friends. It
was a very small one, but it was large enough to serve its turn.

Annette had not appeared all day, and Paul's summons at her chamber-door
had elicited no response. He and the Baroness had dined together and had
talked in the way now grown customary to them, being neither more nor
less affectionate towards each other than common, and they were now
together in the public salon, and, as fate would have it, they were
alone. The B