courtyard. M. Casimir, who
was bursting with self-sufficiency, hurried here, there? and everywhere,
indicating, with an imperious gesture, where he wished the black
hangings, embroidered with silver and emblazoned with the De Chalusse
arms, to be suspended. As the magistrate had given him carte-blanche,
he deemed it proper, as he remarked to Concierge Bourigeau, to have
everything done in grand style. But he took good care not to reveal the
fact that he had exacted a very handsome commission from all the people
he employed. The hundred francs derived from Chupin had only whetted his
appetite for more. At all events, he had certainly spared no pains in
view of having everything as magnificent as possible; and it was not
until he considered the display thoroughly satisfactory that he went to
warn Mademoiselle Marguerite. "I come to beg mademoiselle to retire to
her own room," he said.

"Retire--why?"

He did not reply by words, but pointed to the bed on which the body was
lying, and the poor girl realized that the moment of eternal separation
had come. She rose, and dragged herself to the bedside. Death had
now effaced all traces of the count's last agony. His face wore its
accustomed expression again, and it might have been fancied that he was
asleep. For a long time Mademoiselle Marguerite stood looking at him, as
if to engrave the features she would never behold again upon her memory.
"Mademoiselle," insisted M. Casimir; "mademoiselle, do not remain here."

She heard him, and summoning all her strength, she leaned over the
bed, kissed M. de Chalusse, and went away. But she was too late, for in
passing through the hall she encountered the undertakers, who carried on
their shoulders a long metallic case enclosed in two oaken ones. And she
had scarcely reached her own room before a smell of resin told her that
the men were closing the coffin which contained all that was mortal of
M. de Chalusse, her father.

So, none of those terrible details, which so increase one's grief, were
spared her. But she had already suffered so much that she had reached
a state of gloomy apathy, almost insensibility; and the exercise of her
faculties was virtually suspended. Whiter than marble, she fell, rather
than seated herself, on a chair, scarcely perceiving Madame Leon, who
had followed her.

The worthy housekeeper was greatly excited, and not without cause. As
there were no relations, it had been decided that M. de Fondege, the
cou