e I fear the sentence which will be pronounced upon me, and
partly because I do not wish to seem an impatient and unmannerly
creditor. A few days, more or less, will matter little under such
circumstances, and yet Mademoiselle Colleville may find them
desirable for the absolute freedom of her choice. I shall,
therefore, not go to see you until you write for me.

I am now more calm, and I have added a few more pages to our
manuscript; it will take but little time to hand in the whole to
the printer.

Ever yours,

Theodose de la Peyrade.

Two hours later a servant, dressed in what was evidently the first step
towards a livery, which the Thuilliers did not as yet venture to risk,
the "male domestic," whom Minard had mentioned to the Phellions, arrived
at la Peyrade's lodgings with the following note:--

Come to-night, without fail. We will talk over the whole affair
with Brigitte.

Your most affectionately devoted Jerome Thuillier.

"Good!" said la Peyrade; "evidently there is some hindrance on the other
side; I shall have time to turn myself round."

That evening, when the servant announced him in the Thuillier salon, the
Comtesse de Godollo, who was sitting with Brigitte, hastened to rise and
leave the room. As she passed la Peyrade she made him a very ceremonious
bow. There was nothing conclusive to be deduced from this abrupt
departure, which might signify anything, either much or nothing.

After talking of the weather and so forth for a time, as persons do who
have met to discuss a delicate subject about which they are not sure of
coming to an understanding, the matter was opened by Brigitte, who had
sent her brother to take a walk on the boulevard, telling him to leave
her to manage the affair.

"My dear boy," she said to Theodose, "it was very nice of you not to
come here to-day like a _grasp-all_, to put your pistol at our throats,
for we were not, as it happened, quite ready to answer you. I think,"
she added, "that our little Celeste needs a trifle more time."

"Then," said la Peyrade, quickly, "she has not decided in favor of
Monsieur Felix Phellion?"

"Joker!" replied the old maid, "you know very well you settled that
business last night; but you also know, of course, that her own
inclinations incline her that way."

"Short of being blind, I must have seen that," replied la Peyrade.

"It is not an obstacle to my projects," continued Mademoiselle
Thuillier; "but it ser