voice.

The major looked furious, and, raising his voice, he shouted: "What,
not at home? But in that case they hoaxed me at the cafe, Melanie's
establishment, you know. I went there, and a maid grinned at me, saying
that the captain had gone home to bed. Curse the girl! I suspected as
much and felt like pulling her ears!"

After this outburst he became somewhat calmer, stamping about the room
in an undecided way, withal seeming greatly disturbed. Mme Burle looked
at him attentively.

"Is it the captain personally whom you want to see?" she said at last.

"Yes," he answered.

"Can I not tell him what you have to say?"

"No."

She did not insist but remained standing without taking her eyes off the
major, who did not seem able to make up his mind to leave. Finally in a
fresh burst of rage he exclaimed with an oath: "It can't be helped. As I
am here you may as well know--after all, it is, perhaps, best."

He sat down before the chimney piece, stretching out his muddy boots as
if a bright fire had been burning. Mme Burle was about to resume her own
seat when she remarked that Charles, overcome by fatigue, had dropped
his head between the open pages of his dictionary. The arrival of
the major had at first interested him, but, seeing that he remained
unnoticed, he had been unable to struggle against his sleepiness. His
grandmother turned toward the table to slap his frail little hands,
whitening in the lamplight, when Laguitte stopped her.

"No--no!" he said. "Let the poor little man sleep. I haven't got
anything funny to say. There's no need for him to hear me."

The old lady sat down in her armchair; deep silence reigned, and they
looked at one another.

"Well, yes," said the major at last, punctuating his words with an angry
motion of his chin, "he has been and done it; that hound Burle has been
and done it!"

Not a muscle of Mme Burle's face moved, but she became livid, and her
figure stiffened. Then the major continued: "I had my doubts. I had
intended mentioning the subject to you. Burle was spending too much
money, and he had an idiotic look which I did not fancy. Thunder and
lightning! What a fool a man must be to behave so filthily!"

Then he thumped his knee furiously with his clenched fist and seemed to
choke with indignation. The old woman put the straightforward question:

"He has stolen?"

"You can't have an idea of it. You see, I never examined his accounts;
I approved and signed them. You