now you lead a saintly life, and would not commit a deadly sin to save
your life.'--At these words Madame de Merret looked at her husband with
a haggard stare.--'See, here is your crucifix,' he went on. 'Swear to
me before God that there is no one in there; I will believe you--I will
never open that door.'

"Madame de Merret took up the crucifix and said, 'I swear it.'

"'Louder,' said her husband; 'and repeat: "I swear before God that there
is nobody in that closet."' She repeated the words without flinching.

"'That will do,' said Monsieur de Merret coldly. After a moment's
silence: 'You have there a fine piece of work which I never saw before,'
said he, examining the crucifix of ebony and silver, very artistically
wrought.

"'I found it at Duvivier's; last year when that troop of Spanish
prisoners came through Vendome, he bought it of a Spanish monk.'

"'Indeed,' said Monsieur de Merret, hanging the crucifix on its nail;
and he rang the bell.

"He had to wait for Rosalie. Monsieur de Merret went forward quickly
to meet her, led her into the bay of the window that looked on to the
garden, and said to her in an undertone:

"'I know that Gorenflot wants to marry you, that poverty alone prevents
your setting up house, and that you told him you would not be his wife
till he found means to become a master mason.--Well, go and fetch him;
tell him to come here with his trowel and tools. Contrive to wake no one
in his house but himself. His reward will be beyond your wishes. Above
all, go out without saying a word--or else!' and he frowned.

"Rosalie was going, and he called her back. 'Here, take my latch-key,'
said he.

"'Jean!' Monsieur de Merret called in a voice of thunder down the
passage. Jean, who was both coachman and confidential servant, left his
cards and came.

"'Go to bed, all of you,' said his master, beckoning him to come close;
and the gentleman added in a whisper, 'When they are all asleep--mind,
_asleep_--you understand?--come down and tell me.'

"Monsieur de Merret, who had never lost sight of his wife while giving
his orders, quietly came back to her at the fireside, and began to tell
her the details of the game of billiards and the discussion at the club.
When Rosalie returned she found Monsieur and Madame de Merret conversing
amiably.

"Not long before this Monsieur de Merret had had new ceilings made to
all the reception-rooms on the ground floor. Plaster is very scarce at
Vendome; the pr