the　chord；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　music；　but　her　look　far　away。　The　doctor　is　absent。　The　care　of　his　health　and　business　has　exiled　him　from　Paris　for　some　days；　and　the　thoughts　of　the　beautiful　Mme。　Jenkins　have　taken　that　grave　turn；　as　often　happens　in　solitude；　that　analytical　tendency　which　sometimes　makes　even　momentary　separations　fatal　in　the　most　united　households。　United　they　had　not　been　for　sometime。　They　only　saw　each　other　at　meal…　times；　before　the　servants；　hardly　speaking　unless　he；　the　man　of　unctuous　manners；　allowed　himself　to　make　some　disobliging　or　brutal　remark　on　her　son；　or　on　her　age；　which　she　began　to　show；　or　on　some　dress　which　did　not　become　her。　Always　gentle　and　serene；　she　stifled　her　tears；　accepted　everything；　feigned　not　to　understand；　not　that　she　loved　him　still　after　so　much　cruelty　and　contempt；　but　it　was　the　story；　as　their　coachman　Joe　told　it；　〃of　an　old　clinger　who　was　determined　to　make　him　marry　her。〃　Up　to　then　a　terrible　obstaclethe　life　of　the　legitimate　wifehad　prolonged　a　dishonourable　situation。　Now　that　the　obstacle　no　longer　existed　she　wished　to　put　an　end　to　the　situation；　because　of　Andre；　who　from　one　day　to　another　might　be　forced　to　despise　his　mother；　because　of　the　world　which　they　had　deceived　for　ten　yearsa　world　she　never　entered　but　with　a　beating　heart；　for　fear　of　the　treatment　she　would　receive　after　a　discovery。　To　her　allusions；　to　her　prayers；　Jenkins　had　answered　at　first　by　phrases；　grand　gestures：　〃Could　you　distrust　me？　Is　not　our　engagement　sacred？〃
  He　pointed　out　the　difficulty　of　keeping　an　act　of　this　importance　secret。　Then　he　shut　himself　up　in　a　malignant　silence；　full　of　cold　anger　and　violent　determinations。　The　death　of　the　duke；　the　fall　of　an　absurd　vanity；　had　struck　a　final　blow　at　the　household；　for　disaster；　which　often　brings　hearts　ready　to　understand　one　another　nearer；　finishes　and　completes　disunions。　And　it　was　indeed　a　disaster。　The　popularity　of　the　Jenkins　pearls　suddenly　stopped；　the　situation　of　the　foreign　doctor　and　charlatan；　ably　defined　by　Bouchereau　in　the　Journal　of　the　Academy；　and　people　of　fashion　looked　at　each　other　in　fright；　paler　from　terror　than　from　the　arsenic　they　had　imbibed。　Already　the　Irishman　had　felt　the　effect　of　those　counter　blasts　which　make　Parisian　infatuations　so　dangerous。
  It　was　for　that　reason；　no　doubt；　that　Jenkins　had　judged　it　wise　to　disappear　for　some　time；　leaving　madame　to　continue　to　frequent　the　houses　still　open　to　them；　to　gauge　and　hold　public　opinion　in　respect。　It　was　a　hard　task　for　the　poor　woman；　who　found　everywhere　the　cool　and　distant　welcome　which　she　had　received　at　the　Hemerlingues。　But　she　did　not　complain；　thus　earning　her　marriage；　she　was　putting　between　them　as　a　last　resource　the　sad　tie　of　pity　and　common　trials。　And　as　she　knew　that　she　was　welcomed　in　the　world　on　account　of　her　talent；　of　the　artistic　distraction　she　lent　to　their　private　parties；　she　was　always　ready　to　lay　on　the　piano　her　fan　and　long　gloves；　to　play　some　fragment　of　her　vast　repertory。　She　worked　constantly；　passing　her　afternoons　in　turning　over　new　music；　choosing　by　preference　sad　and　complicated　harmonies；　the　modern　music　which　no　longer　contents　itself　with　being　an　art；　but　becomes　a　science；　and　answers　better　to　our　nerves；　to　our　restlessness；　than　to　sentiment。
  Daylight　flooded　the　room　as　a　maid　brought　a　card　to　her　mistress；　〃Heurteux；　business　agent。〃
  The　gentleman　was　there；　he　insisted　on　seeing　madame。
  〃You　have　told　him　the　doctor　is　travelling？〃
  He　had　been　told；　but　it　was　to　madame　he　wished　to　speak。
  〃To　me？〃
  Disturbed；　she　examined　this　rough；　crumpled　card；　this　unknown　name：　〃Heurteux。〃　What　could　it　be？
  〃Well；　show　him　in。〃
  Heurteux；　business　agent；　coming　from　broad　daylight　into　the　semi…　obscurity　of　the　room；　was　blinking　with　an　uncertain　air；　trying　to　see。　She；　on　the　other　hand；　saw　very　distinctly　a　stiff　figure；　with　iron…gray　whiskers　and　protruding　jaw；　one　of　those　hangers…on　of　the　law　whom　one　meets　round　the　law　courts；　born　fifty　years　old；　with　a　bitter　mouth；　an　envious　air；　and　a　morocco　portfolio　under　the　arm。　He　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　chair　which　she　pointed　out　to　him；　turned　his　head　to　make　sure　that　the　servant　had　gone　out；　then　opened　his　portfolio　methodically　to　search　for　a　paper。　Seeing　that　he　did　not　speak；　she　began　in　a　tone　of　impatience：
  〃I　ought　to　warn　you；　sir；　that　my　husband　is　absent；　and　that　I　am　not　acquainted　with　his　business。〃
  Without　any　astonishment；　his　hand　in　his　papers；　the　man　answered：　〃I　know　that　/M。　Jenkins/　is　absent；　madame〃he　emphasized　more　particularly　the　two　words　〃M。　Jenkins〃〃especially　as　I　come　on　his　behalf。〃
  She　looked　at　him　frightened。　〃On　his　behalf？〃
  〃Alas！　yes；　madame。　The　doctor's　situation；　as　you　are　no　doubt　aware；　is　one；　for　the　moment；　of　very　great　embarrassment。　Unfortunate　dealings　on　the　Stock　Exchange；　the　failure　of　a　great　financial　enterprise　in　which　his　money　is　invested；　the　/OEuvre　de　Bethleem/　which　weighs　heavily　on　him；　all　these　reverses　coming　at　once　have　forced　him　to　a　grave　resolution。　He　is　selling　his　mansion；　his　horses；　everything　that　he　possesses；　and　has　given　me　a　power　of　attorney　for　that　purpose。〃
  He　had　at　last　found　what　he　was　looking　forone　of　those　stamped　folded　papers；　interlined　and　riddled　with　references；　where　the　impassible　law　makes　itself　responsible　for　so　many　lies。　Mme。　Jenkins　was　going　to　say：　〃But　I　was　here。　I　would　have　carried　out　all　his　wishes；　all　his　orders〃　when　she　suddenly　understood　by　the　coolness　of　her　visitor；　his　easy；　almost　insolent　attitude；　that　she　was　included　in　this　clearing　up；　in　the　getting　rid　of　the　costly　mansion　and　useless　riches；　and　that　her　departure　would　be　the　signal　for　the　sale。
  She　rose　suddenly。　The　man；　still　seated；　went　on：　〃What　I　have　still　to　say；　madame〃oh；　she　knew　it；　she　could　have　dictated　to　him；　what　he　had　still　to　say〃is　so　painful；　so　delicate。　M。　Jenkins　is　leaving　Paris　for　a　long　time；　and　in　the　fear　of　exposing　you　to　the　hazards　and　adventures　of　the　new　life　he　is　undertaking；　of　taking　you　away　from　a　son　you　cherish；　and　in　whose　interest　perhaps　you　had　better〃
  She　heard　no　more；　saw　no　more；　and　while　he　was　spinning　out　his　gossamer　phrases；　given　over　to　despair；　she　heard　the　song　over　and　over　in　her　mind；　as　the　last　image　seen　pursues　a　drowning　man：
  Le　temps　nous　enleve　　　Notre　enchantement。
  All　at　once　her　pride　returned。　〃Let　us　put　a　stop　to　this；　sir。　All　your　turns　and　phrases　are　only　an　additional　insult。　The　fact　is　that　I　am　driven　outturned　into　the　street　like　a　servant。〃
  〃Oh；　madame；　madame！　The　situation　is　cruel　enough；　don't　let　us　make　it　worse　by　hard　words。　In　the　evolution　of　his　/modus　vivendi/　M。　Jenkins　has　to　separate　from　you；　but　he　does　so　with　the　greatest　pain　to　himself；　and　the　proposals　which　I　am　charged　to　make　are　a　proof　of　his　sentiments　for　you。　First；　as　to　furniture　and　clothes；　I　am　authorized　to　let　you　take〃
  〃That　will　do；〃　said　she。　She　flew　to　the　bell。　〃I　am　going　out。　Quick　my　hat；　my　mantle；　anything；　never　mind　what。　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃
  And　while　they　went　to　fetch　her　what　she　wanted　she　said：
  〃Everything　here　belongs　to　M。　Jenkins。　Let　him　dispose　of　it　as　he　likes。　I　want　nothing　from　him。　Don't　insist；　it　is　useless。〃
  The　man　did　not　insist。　His　mission　fulfilled；　the　rest　mattered　little　to　him。
  Steadily；　coldly；　she　arranged　her　hat　carefully　before　the　glass；　the　maid　fastening　her　veil；　and　arranging　on　her　shoulders　the　folds　of　her　mantle；　then　she　looked　round　her　and　considered　for　a　moment　whether　she　was　forgetting　anything　precious　to　her。　No；　nothingher　son's　letters　were　in　her　pocket；　she　never　allowed　them　to　be　away　from　her。
  〃Madame　does　not　wish　for　the　carriage？〃
  〃No。〃　And　she　left　the　house。
  It　was　about　five　o'clock。　At　that　moment　Bernard　Jansoulet　was　crossing　the　doorway　of　the　legislative　chamber；　his　mother　on　his　arm；　but　poignant　as　was　the　drama　enacted　there；　this　one　surpassed　itmore　sudden；　unforeseen；　and　without　any　stage　effects。　A　drama　between　four　walls；　improvised　in　Paris　day　by　day。　Perhaps　it　is　this　which　gives　that　vibration　to　the　air　of　the　city；　that　tremor　which　forces　the　nerves　into　activity。　The　weather　was　magnificent。　The　streets　of　the　wealthy　quarter；　large　and　straight　as　avenues；　shone　in　the　declining　light；　embellished　with　open　windows；　flowery　balconies；　and　patches　of　green　seen　on　the　boulevards；　light　and　soft　among　the　narrow；　hard　prospects　of　stone。　Mme。　Jenkins　hurried　in　this　direction；　walking　aimlessly；　in　a　dull　stupor。　What　a　horrible　crash！　Five　minutes　ago　rich；　surrounded　by　all　the　respect　and　comfort　of　easy　circumstances。　Nownothing。　Not　even　a　roof　to　sleep　under；　not　even　a　name。　The　street！
  Where　was　she　to　go？　What　would　become　of　her？
  At　first　she　had　thought　of　her　son。　But；　to　acknowledge　her　fault；　to　blush　before　her　own　child；　to　weep　while　taking　from　him　the　right　to　console　her；　was　more　than　she　could　do。　No；　there　was　nothing　for　her　but　death。　To　die　as　soon　as　possible；　to　escape　shame　by　a　complete　disappearance；　to　un