shareholder less patient than the rest will be enough
to blow the whole thing into the air, to demand an inquiry; and you know
as well as I what an inquiry would disclose. On reflection," added M.
Joyeuse, wrinkling his brow, "I am surprised that Hemerlingue in his
hatred of you has not secretly procured a few shares--"

He was interrupted by the concert of maledictions, of imprecations which
the name of Hemerlingue always called forth from all those young people,
who hated the corpulent banker for the injury he had done their father
and for the injury he wished to do the worthy Nabob, who was adored in
that household for Paul de Gery's sake.

"Hemerlingue, the heartless creature! Villain! Wicked man!"

But, amid that chorus of outcries, the _Imaginaire_ worked out his
theory of the stout baron becoming a shareholder in the _Territoriale_
in order to drag his enemy before the courts. And we can imagine Andre
Maranne's stupefaction, knowing absolutely nothing of the affair, when
he saw M. Joyeuse turn toward him, his face purple and swollen with
rage, and point his finger at him with these terrible words:

"The greatest rascal here is yourself, monsieur!"

"O papa, papa! what are you saying?"

"Eh? What's that?--Oh! I beg your pardon, my dear Andre. I imagined
that I was in the examining magistrate's office, confronting that
villain. It's my infernal brain that is forever rushing off to the
devil."

A roar of laughter rang out through all the open windows, mingling with
the rumbling of innumerable carriages and the chatter of gayly-dressed
crowds on Avenue des Ternes; and the author of _Revolte_ took advantage
of the diversion to inquire if they did not propose to start soon. It
was late--the good places in the Bois would all be taken.

"The Bois de Boulogne, on Sunday!" exclaimed Paul de Gery.

"Oh! our Bois is not the same as yours," replied Aline with a smile.
"Come with us, and you will see."

* * * * *

Has it ever happened to you, when you were walking alone and in
contemplative mood, to lie flat on your face in the grassy underbrush of
a forest, amid the peculiar vegetation, of many and varying species,
that grows between the fallen autumn leaves, and to let your eyes stray
along the level of the earth before you? Gradually the idea of height
vanishes, the interlaced branches of the oaks above your head form an
inaccessible sky, and you see a new forest stretching out ben